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Dutchmen suspension

Yahoo Message Number: 1627

As a part of my continuing saga with Four Winds, one issue is that the coach leans 4 inches on the rear driver's side due to an overweight condition on that side in the coach design. Included in my warranty issues was that they should resolve the problem.

I found out recently that the way they "resolved" the problem was to remove "space blocks between the rear axle and spring on the opposite side of the coach, so now both sides are 4 inches lower, but the coach no longer leans.

Can anyone tell me if that is considered an acceptable method to resolve this suspension issue? It seems to me that doing so has not only changed the ride height, but the driver's side spring remains more compressed and the coach still leans excessively in a turn. Also, since the one spring is more compressed than the other, would the axle not be properly aligned?

Denny


Re: Dutchmen suspension

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1628
Quote
As a part of my continuing saga with Four Winds, one issue is that
the coach

Quote
leans 4 inches on the rear driver's side due to an overweight
condition on

Quote
that side in the coach design. Included in my warranty issues was
that they

Quote
should resolve the problem.

I found out recently that the way they "resolved" the problem was
to remove

Quote
"space blocks between the rear axle and spring on the opposite side
of the

Quote
coach, so now both sides are 4 inches lower, but the coach no
longer leans.
Quote
Can anyone tell me if that is considered an acceptable method to
resolve this suspension issue? It seems to me that doing so has not only
changed the

Quote
ride height, but the driver's side spring remains more compressed
and the coach

Quote
still leans excessively in a turn. Also, since the one spring is
more compressed than the other, would the axle not be properly aligned?

Denny

That sounds like a raw deal to me, how did the dealer hide this
design flaw from you at the time of purchase. How are you measuring
to get the 4" measurment ?? I am guessing a straight up and down line
adjacent to the coach at the top and a 4" gap near the bottom. Mine
is a Jayco Greyhawk and I feel it is a little low in the rear but
level, not quite as much of an issue but I plan to add air bags to
the rear this winter. When I tow the race trailer on it with a car
and a golf cart on the the front on the trailer it cerntainly squats.
I am guilty of having not studied the suspension much but I had it
sitting high on the jacks last weekend and thought I might have, at a
distance, spotted air bags under the front axle, if so i may play
with pressure up there. More to youre point i would first do
everything possible to manage how your contents are arranged in the
coach to help offset this and then just add air bags to the rear to
level it. As far as lean I would like to look into some stiffer anti-
roll bars as well but overall I am real happy with the drive and
power for a motorhome in this price range.

Re: Dutchmen suspension

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1629
, Dmyhre943@... wrote:

Quote
Can anyone tell me if that is considered an acceptable method to
resolve this suspension issue?

Denny,

I can't believe how this story just keeps getting worse and worse...

Back in 1993 we bought a new MH on an Oshkosh chassis that turned out to
be a "leaner". We were so excited about getting a new coach that we
never even noticed it till a week after we got it. The dealer (a
so-called authorized Oshkosh shop) said they knew how to "fix" it and so
they did and we happily drove away in a nice level coach. Some months
later I looked under the coach and discovered how they had "kludged" the
rear suspension to get it level. A few months later I happened to
described the "fix" to an Oshkosh factory rep at an FMCA rally and he
was flabberghasted! So after some photos and back and forth
communications we took it to an Oshkosh (soon to be Freightliner)
factory shop where they replaced the springs on the low side.

In light of the previous lengthy discussions, here and elsewhere,
regarding who is responsible for warranty repairs on our "modified
chassis" rigs I don't know how much success one might have working this
through GM/Chevy factory channels. Might be worth a try though...

Bill