The Last Word On Shocks, I Think.

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The choice of shocks for your rig is as much as a science as is the choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream. There are shocks out there for every desired ride and handling. The real problem is getting through the hype and mystique to be able to read the claims by the shock makers and then decide which one suits your needs and wants for a combination of ride and handling.

Mooney wrote, “I’ve had Bilsteins and Rancho’s, Rancho 9000’s worked much better.” The Ranchero shock is a unit that is desiged for the off road crowd. They are a very heavy duty unit but according to Ranchero the selection is limited to SUV’s and pick up trucks.

TX Brad commented, “Interesting: ’ Life no longer simple’ !
Like knowing what is available today on new RV’s, but also what is good for replacement on an older RV . What factors are needed in selecting a ‘good’ replacement shock. ie weight, length ( wheel base), # axels\wheels , class A vrs C ?  Thanks  TX Brad”.

Most of those are taken into account by the shock maker and then he applies his own philosophy of ride and handling to the mix. And yes there are great differences between shocks. Than said, a glowing endorsement by one rig owner of a particular brand may not give the ride and handling results that you are looking for. For example, I installed Rancheros on my Chevy Tahoe several years ago. They stayed on the Tahoe just over a week and then were replace by Monroe Sensamatics. The rancheos were just too hard a ride for the passenger car like ride that I desired on the Tahoe. But the Rancheos are on my Chevy 4 wheel drive diesel Pick up and I love them on that application.

Photoian took me a bit to task in his comment and rightly so, “As seems usual, your discussion is Class A oriented. What about fifth wheels?
How do one even know how the shocks perform when no one rides in it. Last year I had a recall on bearings and , while taking care of those, it was discovered that the shocks were shot. I had them replaced and then called Monroe, the mfgr, and asked if there were upgrades for my model of shock.
He told me the shocks I had were entry level shocks and recommended a gas-filled shock. I bought six (triple axle) for backup for our Alaska trip this year.
This week, in Prince George, BC, I had my brakes inspected and while doing that, I asked the mechanic to look at the shocks. He did and said they were fine. I told him about my past experience and he said the ones I bought were not necessarily an up grade but just another kind, gas filled instead of oil filled.
So I’m still in the dark about shocks.”

On a trailer with no one riding in it to check the ride, the best way to check shocks is a visual inspection. You check them for leaks, damage, and the integrety of the mounts. But just one little comment on your comment. Gas shocks are not gas filled. They still have fluid but the air that is normally in a shock that could mix with the fluid and cause a foaming of the fluid that would change the way the shock works. Instead of that the shock is topped off with an inert gas under pressure to reduce the foaming and make the shock work better. In some instances the gas is in a plastic envelope in the shock.

So, read the makers blurbs, listen to the folks that tell you that XYZ is the best brand since sliced bread, and try to make an intelligent choice. Till next week keep on camping.

Brad

A last Minute Descision Before The Grand Adventure, Now Adding Solar!

We tend to do this to ourselves, make last minute decisions and then work frantically to make it happen. The ”add solar” decision was one that has been on the table for over a year, but only now acted on.  We dug out the records of last years cross country trip and looked at propane usage. We tend to boon-dock a lot and have found that our propane generator set is not the most efficient thing on the face of the earth. We figured that we run the generator between 2 and 4 hours a day when we only drive 250 miles a day. If we drive further then the generator usage goes down as there is more engine/alternator time to recharge the bank of house batteries. 2 hours use is 1 1/2 gallons of propane, at close to 4 bucks a gallon it comes out to 6 bucks a day times 180 days on the road boon-docking or a grand total of  $720. While $6 a day does not sound like much $720 is a respectable amount, and that is a minimum.  If we run the gen set closer to the 4 hours a day the cost could be $2800 for 180 days on the road.

So, with the numbers in hand we went shopping for a solar system to install on the roof of Rover. In the system we included a converter/inverter with a built in 100 amp battery charger, voltage regulators, wiring, and intallation material.  The cost was around $2500 delivered to the house.

The second step is batteries. Now here is where we lucked out. We have a battery powered golf cart with almost new batteries, six of them rated at 250 ampere hours each, and as we are not taking the golf cart with us on this trip, it is making a donation to the cause. That means that we will have 3 banks of a pair of 6 volt batteries putting out 12 volts at 750 ampere hours of power, plus the 8D heavy duty truck battery that currently supplies the coach power rated at 250 amere hours, or a total of 1000 ampere hours of 12 volt current available.

Even though the kit has not arrived yet work has begun. The batteries were removed from the golf cart and connected to a charger to top them off. The batteries are going in one of the compartments that used to hold tools. The tools have been transferred to the tool box that we installed on the car trailer last week. We have fabricated vents for the compartment as batteries give off hydrogen gas when being charged or discharged and that needs venting to prevent fires and explosions. The vents are so constructed that they will not allow water, splash from the road, when raining, to enter the compartment. The cables to connect the batteries to the existing circuits have been fabricated and are in the process of being installed. The battery hold down devices have been made and are waiting for the batteries to be installed tomorrow.

The hold downs for the batteries are important. One of the major causes of battery failure is when batteries are not tied down and bounce around. The shock of bouncing damages the plates in the battery and causes failure or internal shorts. So care was taken with the hold downs to be sure that they would secure the batteries properly.  The next concern is the weight of the batteries and where they are going. The compartment picked for the job is the one right behind the right rear wheel. This means that the right rear corner of the coach has just become 456 pounds heavier than it was before. This will certainly effect the rear wheel tire pressures but most of all could effect in a negative way the ride height of the coach.

To check this we will measure the ride height and record it. That will for these purposes be from the ground with the coach on a level surgface to the bottom of the rear bumper on each side. We will place the batteries in the compartment and then jump up and down on the rear bumper to settle the coach. Then measure again. Who knows we might have to find a better place for them or split them up.  Any difference more than an inch will make me rethink the position of the batteries.

Well next week we should have the system up and running and be able to tell you what probems we ran into along the way.

Till then, keep camping.

Brad & Lucy, and yes of course Kitty Kat Earl

3,000 Mile Oil Change – is it History?

For many years consumers have used the rule of thumb that you should change your engine oil every 3,000 miles for autos, trucks, and SUVs. Over the past several years there have been tests by various consumer and environmental advocacy groups that have found this to be a waste of money as well as harmful to the environment. In fact according to a recent study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 73 percent of California drivers change their oil more frequently than required.

The 3,000 mile oil change may have once been a good idea before the advance of technology that has greatly improved the ability of oil to stay cleaner longer as well as today’s engines that simply run cleaner. Oil doesn’t really break down but it becomes contaminated with microscopic metals from bearings, pistons and other points of friction as well as fuel and the worst enemy of all - water. There have been tests on commercial vehicles that have shown that there is no difference in engine wear when oil changes are pushed past the 3,000 mark and well into double or even triple that interval. Most auto manufacturers recommend 5,000, 7,500, or even 10,000 mile intervals under normal driving conditions. Of course “normal” is pretty subjective. If you are pulling a trailer for any appreciable amount of time, “normal” is no longer applicable and oil changes should be made at “severe” condition intervals.

But in any case make absolutely sure to follow the owners manual recommendations and keep a copy of receipts or record of service if you do your own oil changes. If you have a warranty or extended service contract and ever need to file a claim, you may find that your claim is denied if you can’t document proper preventative maintenance service. Good Sam Continued Service Plan has a maintenance log with tips to keep you vehicle running a long time. Send your name, address, and type of vehicle (tow vehicle or RV) to: CSP Maintenance Log, 2575 Vista Del Mar Drive, Ventura CA 93001 for a free copy.

This article was brought to you by Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service

Ya Mean That All Shocks Are Not The Same?

Not even close Bunkie, not even close. There are so many different theories on what a good shock is supposed to do that it makes picking one of old Howard Johnsons 28 flavors of ice cream a simple matter. It would appear that Koni, a European company that introduced European ride and road feel to this country, has the heads up at least in the marketing department. Now before you throw something at me, hear me out.

Koni build a very good product, no doubt about it. Koni build a very expensive product, no doubt about that either. Koni builds a very difficult to install product if you are going to use their features to the fullest, no doubt about that either.

Now, the Koni adjustable shocks is a great device. We used them in sports car racing when I was younger, lighter, and had red hair and a red beard (both now gray). There are to ways to install the Koni adjustable shocks. One read the instructions and guess that you would like a ride quality some where between firm and soft, pre adjust the shock, and install it. The adjustment of the shock cannot be done once the shock is installed. The shock must be fully compressed. This allows a spanner wrench built into the shock to contact and engage an adjustment nut in the bottom of the shock. This will turn the adjustment nut when the top of the shock is turned and the bottom is held from turning. Then re-install the shock and road test to see if that is the ride that you want. That is great, you can dial in the ride that you want.

Koni realizing this has come out with a new shock called the Frequency Selective Dampers. According to Koni, “We have combined the benefits of performance and comfort into one shock absorber. FSD is firm for control over large bumps and corners, but soft for comfort over expansion joints and rough roads.” This sounds good and if they re up to Koni’s reputation they should do just fine.

 What appears from reading the forums is that Bilstien is the next shock of choice among the aftermarket brands. I have Bilstiens on Rover II, our older Foretravel, and am quite happy with them. Bilstien again evolved from the European sports road sedan market and again like Koni were very succesfull in the variable valving of shocks to be soft under minor bumps in the road and yet stiff enough for good overall control.

Bilstien says in thier web site, “Motorhomes are a great form of travel and recreation. But are they a joy to drive? Wallowing, top heavy, boat like, all phrases that have been used to describe the ride and handling of an RV. But not with Bilstein. Instead words like precise, confident, controlled and safe are what is said about a Bilstein equipped coach. With Bilstein, you won’t find a generic ‘heavy duty’ shock with ultra stiff valving and terrible ride characteristics, but rather a shock designed for your specific motorhome application providing you with a safe and compliant ride.”

Bilstien claims in it’s site that working with Monaco it has, “The World’s First Active Damping System Developed for the Motorhome Industry. BILSTEIN’S ACD SYSTEM (Active Control Damping) automatically reacts to changing road input and coach motion to deliver optimum ride comfort and safe handling.” The claim is that it is a computer controlled system that adjusts the shocks to road input. This type of suystem is a factory installed option as the cost of retorfit would be prohibitive.

Well as usual I have used up all my space for this week and next week we will look at what other companies are offering for ride and handling control. Till then keep camping.

Brad

 

There Are Shocks, and Then There Are Shocks.

Ya, I know, but it is political season, what other kind of a statement would you expect? But this bit of nonsense happens to be all to true. The main purpose of a shock absorber is and always has been to stop the oscillation of the spring when the vehicle goes over a bump or a wheel drops into a hole. When a spring is flexed it winds and unwinds, even a flat leaf spring. When it rebounds it goes past the neutral point and then winds up again. Those of you that have ridden in an old Buick with 4 wheel coil spring suspension and bad shocks know the action. That is were the nickname “boat” I think came from of these old big cars, the floating action of the springs. Coil spings require the most dampening with leaf springs next and torsion bar springs the least.

When the oscillations occure a dangerous situation can happen. The wheel then becomes part of the oscillation party and begins to jump up and down off the pavement as well as the car bouncing up and down. Now we all know that when a tire is not in contact with the ground that you have no control over the acceleration, braking, or steering! So, the prime purpose of the shock is safety, then ride quality and handling.

A good well balanced shock will do these three things well. However there are some things that a shock will not do. It will not effect the ride height or correct a lean to one side. It will not jack up a sagging front or back end. That is by itself, unless it is an air shock that has an inflatable air bag around it or it has a coil booster spring around it. It will not add to the load carrying ability of the vehicle unless it is one of the above. And then it is not the shock that is doing the lifting action.

Gas pressurized shocks may lift the rig a tiny bit over the old shock but the gas pressure in a shock is there to make sure that the fluid does not foam when the shock is being worked hard over bumpy roads. The efficiency of a shock depends on the fluid saying a liquid with no foam air bubbles in it. A shock is nothing more than a hydraulic piston moving up and down in a cylinder.

At each end of the cylinder there are valves that are set when the shock is made to open and close at a specific pressure. This slows the flow of fluid down and controls the action of the spring. It is how the engineer sets the pressure of these valves that makes the difference between brands. Koni has a dial in adjustment that the owner can make when installing the shocks, like soft, medium, and firm. This can change the way the vehicle rides and handles. One thing that we can be sure of is that it is a delicate combination of springs, shocks, sway bars, alignment, tires, and track bars that make or break a vehicles handling.

Now, which shock is the best for you? Next week we will look at some different brands and their claims. Might just be fun. Anyway keep camping.

The Ultimate Air Horn Customizing

Customizing, or personalizing, your motor home can take many shapes, sizes and sounds.  If you’re adding air horns it may deliver all three.  But the emphasis is on the sound if you are thinking of the ultimate train horns.  They are so loud they will mask even a pair of Hadley air horns.  So loud that you will need an override switch to disconnect them under some circumstances.  They can be added to an existing diesel pusher’s air horn system or to a gas powered rig with the addition of a stand-alone air compressor.

Read more

Hope to Head East Next Summer

Hello all! I have been out of commission lately due to an illness in my family that I have been dealing with. In fact, as a result, I will be going to Kentucky and will be there for as much as four weeks which will be my first experience at full timing. I’m sure that will lead to an article about that experience.

Now, let’s talk about next summer. My wife and I would love to head east next summer and want to make it up to Maine. We would prefer to find a campground that is on the ocean. We are looking for one that ‘promotes’ relaxation! That is, we are not really into campgrounds that have regularly scheduled activities, but just some nice relaxation next to the ocean. 

Now, if someone has some suggestions in the ‘New England’ states area as well; that would also interest us . Again, we would like to stay near the ocean.

When I was young, my mother and grandmother took me to the New England states on vacation. We visited Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and also drove to Maine to get some lobster to bring back home. I don’t remember everything we did, but I remember it being a very fun and interesting trip.

My wife has always had the dream of visiting Maine. I personally think it has to do with her reading Stephen King books! Anyway, I think her dream of visiting Maine has rubbed off on me and now it is my mission to plan it out and make it happen.

From what I can figure, it would take me about three days to get there. That would be about 400 miles per day, which is the max I would want to drive on any day. So, that also means that I will need to make some plans for where we will stay on the way there and back. Or, we can ‘wing it’ while we make our way there and back.

So, if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear from you. I will be working these plans for some time and I am excited about going!

Thanks for reading and happy camping! See you next week!

Almost Time To Hit The Road, What Have I forgotten To Do?

This trip has been a year in the planning and preparation. Last summer we trekked across the US to attend daughter  Becca’s wedding. The trip was a six week adventure that ended all too soon. Just around Christmas we were informed that a new grand daughter would arrive in the Seattle area in mid summer, so another trip cross country was in order. Then the gears in our heads began to churn and we came up with a grand plan.

Back in the dark ages, 1984, when I was younger, I did things that normal people would consider a bit on the loony side. One such adventure was dreamed up by Brock Yates, former racer and auto journalist, called One Lap America. It was the natural progression of Sea To Shinning Sea Dash that duplicated the fabled coast to coast non stop dashes in the thirties by racer Cannon Ball Baker. The run,  made famous in a movie cannonball Run staring Burt Reynolds among others, started in New York City and ended in California some 30 plus hours later.

One Lap was a little different. We left, spaced at one minute intervals, from Derian Connecticut determined to drive the perimeter of the country in seven days. We did it, and it was for the auto nut a true blast. Well now in my seventh decade of life, I have decided that seven days is too quick and seven months ought to be about right.

Back then our steed was a modified Mazda Diesel Pick up. My son Steve took the truck and modified the suspension and added a turbo charger to the engine. He tweaked fuel injection system, added a roll bar, trip computers to the dash and a lot more. My co-driver on that trip was Bill Scheller a Vermont based free lance writer who was sending reports to the Christian Science Monitor and I was doing TV for PBS. We had one overnight stop on the trip, at the Portafino in Redondo Beach California.

This trip will be in our 1990 Foretravel Grand Villa, Rover II, pushed by a Detroit Diesel. The co-pilot is DW Lucy and there will be many stops along the way. Tagging on the back will follow  our car trailer with Subie the Subaru Outback along for the ride.

So this trip is New Hampshire to Seattle. A visit and thanksgiving with Becca, Tobin, and Elise, the new grand baby. Then down to San Diego and hook a sharp left. Of course stopping In San Francisco, and other points along the way. Then investigate the great southwest and on to New Orleans. More family and Jazz festival are the plans for visiting the Big easy. Across the gulf coast to central Florida and more kids and grand kids to visit. While traveling north up the east coast we are going to try to find some friendly blue fish and stripped bass along the outer banks. And then back to New Hampshire after the roads dry out from spring mud season.

Both Lucy and I will be writing blogs along the way and posting them here. Lucy is a former news gal and managing editor of the Mansfield News in Mansfield Massachusettes. We are both published photographers and will try to learn how to post our photos with the blogs.

But right now I am making lists and checking them twice to be sure that I have done what I need to to make sure that an 18 year old motor home is ready to go. The next blog in this series will be a list of what I have done to get ready. I will be interested in your comments as to what I have missed.

My next regular Monday blog will look at Shocks, not the electrical kind, what they do an how they work.

Brad & Lucy

Slide Out Extensions

Frequently Asked Questions About Slideouts

RV Slide Out

Slide-out Extensions
Once a high-end luxury item, slide-out room systems have become a common feature on today’s RVs. With a simple touch of a button, campers increase their living space. There are three basic types of slide-out systems: 12-volt DC electric-motor, high-pressure hydraulic and hybrid systems.

Whether motorized or manual, these systems have grown more reliable; however there are some good-to-know safety and service issues. The following information is to be used as a general guideline. As always, check your owner’s manual to address the specifics of your RV.

FAQs

Q. I hear a grinding sound immediately after pressing the button. Is this normal?
A. Yes, it’s normal to hear a moaning sound as the piston shafts engage.

Q. What do I do if the room stops before it’s fully extended?
A. The piston shafts may need to be adjusted. Contact your dealer for service.

Q. I’m going to be camped for an extended period of time. Is it okay to leave my slide-out extended for a long duration?
A. Keep the extension in when the vehicle isn’t in use. If you’re full-timing or hunkered down in camp for awhile, bring it in and extend it again occasionally to keep the system lubricated.

Q. What preventative maintenance is required for my slide-out system?
A. Usually the only maintenance required for a hydraulic-system slide-out room is to keep the pump full of a high-quality, multi-purpose transmission fluid. For electrical systems, maintain a full-charge in the 12-volt battery and clean the battery terminals periodically. Mechanical system tubes should be kept clean of dirt and debris.

Q. Do I need supports beneath the slide-out extension?
A. No. Supports can potentially cause damage to the slide-out unit as well as to frame. To minimize rocking, consider using a tripod stabilizer instead.

Visual Inspections
Occasionally take the time to visually inspect your slide-out system. If you’re purchasing a new / pre-owned RV, include the following steps in your walk-around inspection:

Check the alignment of any wheels that might ride on the carpet or flooring, impeding proper clearance.

Check the seals when the slide is retracted and also when it’s extended. Using a flashlight, closely examine the seals when the slide is retracted. You shouldn’t see light or detect airflow.

Inspect the tires and beneath the slide-out area to ensure proper routing of wires or cables and to confirm that nothing rubs on the tires when the slide is retracted.

Safety Precautions for Engaging Slide-Out Rooms

• Clear the room of people and loose objects
• Check the exterior of the unit for clearance
• Make sure the RV is level and the stabilizer jacks in place
• Unlock all travel locking devices 
• Engage the slide-out mechanism

This article was brought to you by Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service

What Heck is Bump Steer and Other Facts Of Life

Robbie brought up this subject reminding me not to forget to tell you about bump steer. Well bump steer has a lot to do with the handling of your rig, it’s alignment, and is not adjustable. Bump steer is found on any axle on a rig that is a solid axle, that is both wheels are connected to a solid piece of steel running from one side of the rig to the other. Bump steer does not effect independent suspension. Bump steer cannot be corrected with add on steering stabilizers. They can help in the after effects of bump steer to a point. 

Bump steer is caused when one wheel of an axle, say the right front, goes over a bump. The left front wheel in this case stays on smooth ground. The axle rises on the right side tilting the axle so that it is no longer parallel with the ground. This makes the imaginary center line of the axle tilt down and at a point out to the left of the vehicle intersect the ground. Now comes the ice cream cone effect as the rig will tend to steer around that imaginary point causing the front of the rig to steer left. 

Now you the driver feel the left swing and correct the steering wheel to the right, but just about that time the wheel is now coming down off the bump. The net effect is a slight overcorrection. In an independent front suspension each wheel is free to negotiate bumps without effect to the other wheel. 

Now, just when you think you have the rig straighted out the rear end hits the bump, but this time as the right rear goes over the bump the action of the right wheel rising and the left staying on smooth terrafirma causes the same ice cream cone effect but the rear of the rig swings to the left causing the nose to point to the right. Now steering correction is needed and the process starts all over again. Smaller diameter wheels and tires will react more to bump steer than larger tires. The reason is that that imaginary center line is higher off the ground and the tip of the ice cream cone will be further away from the rig creating a larger radius and less swing. 

Bump steer will be more noticable when the shocks are weak as the rig tends to bounce more. And speaking of shocks, I consider them more of a safety item than a comfort item. The purpose of the shock is to stop rebound oscillation of the springs and keep the tires in contact with the ground on rough roads. But we will cover more on shocks in a future blog.

Now, a word on toe in and toe out. When going down a road straight the ideal is to have both front wheels rolling down the pavement parrallel to each other. In that position there is zero scuff and minimal tire wear and minimal drag. The later has more of an effect on fuel economy than we would like to believe. Ideally toe in is what we call a static angle. This means that when the rig is sitting still the front of the tires are closer together than the rear. As the rig moves pressure is exerted on the wheels and tries to open the front up as all the slack in each of the joints in the steering linkage is stressed. The faster you go the more pressure is exerted and the further they will open up. 

However front wheel drive cars are just the opposite. They are set with static toe out. As the power is applied to the front wheels to pull the car along the wheels try to get out in front of the car and will toe in. 

Excessive toe either in or out will cause the car to dart and have a directional control problem. Excessive toe in or out will wear tires as they are dragged across the pavement. If you run your hand across the tire tread from the inside out and then the other way and feel the edges of the tread like saw teeth, to can be suspected as a problem.

Well space is running pout so next week we will wrap this subject up and get onto something else. Happy camping, Brad.

 

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