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Rear spring upgrade

Yahoo Message Number: 14564
My 2005 Jayco Seneca HD 35GS on the Kodiak C5500 chassis came with 15k rear springs. Upgrading to the Koni shocks was a big improvement in ride... but the MH still rode mushy and seemed to ride on the bumpstops quite often. So yesterday I carried the MH into the GMC dealer to have the rear 15k spring changed out for the 19k springs. The new springs and labor was just under $2500. On the ride home (70 miles) the MH seems to ride and handle a lot nicer. The ride height is about 2 inches higher. Though a slight stiffer feel, there was no continuous riding on the bumpstops. Top end rocking is improved and most surprisingly, the steering seems tighter... no more continuous steering corrections to keep the MH in its lane. We are leaving this coming Wednesday for Maine and I look forward to getting a couple thousand miles on the MH and seeing how the upgrades perform.

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14565
Looking forward on how your trip goes.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14566
In the same boat. Koni's are great, but looking at fixing the underlying issue. So very interested in your continued report with more experience. But sounds great so far. THANK YOU.

Kevin Jayco Seneca HD 34SS



Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14567
Ok I have the Konis on order but wondering my 2005 has the build code at visor of the 15000# springs but the prior owner says they are the 19000#'s. Can someone tell me the part number stamped on their 19000# springs to help confirm?

2005 34ss

Sent from somewhere

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14568
Ur are going to love it! I upgraded mine 6000 lbs., whole different MH.  It makes a big differences on steering  Larry08 bigfoot 35  From: SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.com] Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2015 4:18 AMTo: SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.comSubject: Re: [SuperCrvgroup] Rear spring upgrade    In the same boat.  Koni's are great, but looking at fixing the underlying issue.  So very interested in your continued report with more experience.  But sounds great so far.  THANK YOU.Kevin Jayco Seneca HD 34SS      -----Original Message-----From: bpiner@... [SuperCrvgroup] <SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.com>To: SuperCrvgroup <SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.com>Sent: Sat, Jun 13, 2015 12:46 amSubject: [SuperCrvgroup] Rear spring upgrade  My 2005 Jayco Seneca HD 35GS on the Kodiak C5500 chassis came with 15k rear springs.  Upgrading to the Koni shocks was a big improvement in ride... but the MH still rode mushy and seemed to ride on the bumpstops quite often. So yesterday I carried the MH into the GMC dealer to have the rear 15k spring changed out for the 19k springs.  The new springs and labor was just under $2500.  On the ride home (70 miles) the MH seems to ride and handle a lot nicer. The ride height is about 2 inches higher.  Though a slight stiffer feel, there was no continuous riding on the bumpstops.  Top end rocking is improved and most surprisingly, the steering seems tighter... no more continuous steering corrections to keep the MH in its lane.  We are leaving this coming Wednesday for Maine and I look forward to getting a couple thousand miles on the MH and seeing how the upgrades perform.No virus found in this message.Checked by AVG - www.avg.comVersion: 2015.0.5961 / Virus Database: 4360/10004 - Release Date: 06/12/15

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14569
On MH's with a air compressor I would look into air bags. Much cheaper than $2.5k for springs.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14570
Hi Ron               1500 lb springs aren’t enough period. Maybe if you have less than 34 ft long rig.  1900 lb with air bags is great. If you have a heavy MH as I do, GCWR 30,000 1900lbs isn’t enough.Larry    From: SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.com] Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2015 7:58 AMTo: SuperCrvgroup@yahoogroups.comSubject: Re: [SuperCrvgroup] Rear spring upgrade    On MH's with a air compressor I would look into air bags. Much cheaper than $2.5k for springs. BestRon HallNo virus found in this message.Checked by AVG - www.avg.comVersion: 2015.0.5961 / Virus Database: 4360/10007 - Release Date: 06/13/15

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14571

Ok I have the Konis on order but wondering my 2005 has the build code at visor of the 15000# springs but the prior owner says they are the 19000#'s. Can someone tell me the part number stamped on their 19000# springs to help confirm?

The part number on the new springs they just put on was painted on the springs: 10372725. Hope this helps.

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14572
Adding air bags to 15K springs will give a MAX of 20K springs. Better than adding 19K springs in my book. If I had a 30K GCWR chassis and 19K springs I would be adding air bags to it.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14575
Maybe I should put two sets of air bags on if they are so great

Larry Payne  ⛳

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14578
No reason to not use Koni shocks and air bags. Air bags are mounted on outside of frame. Above springs. Shocks are mounted on inside of frame.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14579
Yes you can and there is a significant improvement in ride, way less harsh, and way less sway. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate the ride and drive at a 4 before the shocks and bags. After it is an 8.
I also increased the load range of the tires one range.

Doug Brothers
6340 Gulfstream Diesel
Koni's and Firestone Ride Rites Air bags

Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14580
Any idea what the 10372727's are?
I was told mine was upgraded, but the sticker above the visor is the same.
Thanks!
Jay Hitaffer
2008 Jayco Seneca 36FS

Jay Hitaffer
www. WasabiJay.com
International and National
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Re: Rear spring upgrade

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14583
Thank you! Don't know why I didn't try that.

Jay Hitaffer
www. WasabiJay.com
International and National
Touring and Recording Artist
Bass Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals

Saints of Rebellion Bassist
www. SaintsofRebellion.com
Geisha Down Bassist
www. GeishaDown.com
Wasabi Brothers Bassist
www. WasabiBrothersBand.com
Spector Bass Endorsement
www. SpectorBass.com
MarkBass Endorsement
www. MarkBass.It
Clayton Custom Picks
www. SteveClayton.com
Secksey Wear Custom Stage Wear
www. SeckseyWear.com
Cold Cock Whiskey Endorsement
www. ColdCockWhiskey.com


Re: Rear spring upgrade [1 Attachment]

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 14584
Attachments :

    
    Came up with a few applications, but all listed as 15,000# - SPRING, RR. Required: 02
    For: C6(42) 15,000LB/6,800KG TAPERED LEAF RR SPR(GQ0) (2003-2003) (2003 - 2003).
    For: C6(42) 15,000LB/6,800KG TAPERED LEAF RR SPR(GQ0) (2004-2009) (2004 - 2009).

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #20 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14585
    That being said, my coach is 10yrs old, did Jayco recognize they used wrong springs and pay for the upgrade this far down the line or am I on my own?

    Sent from somewhere

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #21 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14602
    IMHO Jayco got the cheapest springs and loaded them up to the max.

    I added air bags and new shocks to my 2008 ZX. The combination sure stabilized the side to side rocking and dampened the front to back motion going down the road. The old shocks were pretty well shot with very little damping left. My coach has 32K for mileage, I'm thinking that shocks should be replaced regularly to help maintain a decent ride.

    I did the work in Colorado at a friend's shop. I had all of Kansas and Eastern Colorado to do the comparison of the ride before and after. Huge difference. I had 2 bikes in the back to give it a true test and I'm very happy I did the upgrade.

    My friend has been RVing for many years, originally a C Bigfoot and now an A Monaco Beaver. He's not afraid to dive into anything and we spent some time under and inside the coach learning my coach. (Ron- I did the work at Doug's who you met in AZ in January, thank you for the hints and encouragement)

    Going out I saw an brown Seneca east bound with a toad and met them returning (I think it was the same one) on Thursday west bound. Saw a second Seneca on Thursday west bound in Kansas. Anyone in the group?

    Coach seems ready for my Sturgis trip coming up.

    Cheers

    GJ

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #22 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14603
    The chassis varied. My 08 came with 19,000 rear springs. I added KONI's shortly after I purchased it.

    I think the rush to buy whatever they could because of the GM bankruptcy and discontiuation of the KODIAK was also part of the problem.

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #23 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14604
    Air bags worked well for me. My shocks were replaced at less than 10k miles. They were already shot. 70k later I feel the Bilstiens are still working good.
    Did you get the LED headlights installed?
    Best
    Ron Hall

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #24 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14608
    I did the LEDs back in January. It was an easy conversion. Have yet to really try them out though. For what ever reason I never seem to drive at night. Did almost 1.3K and it was all day driving.

    The only hard part of the lamp change was the swapping of the wires on the plug and not buggering up the plug. Did you have to re-aim the LED lamps after the swap?

    I also broke down and added the Dirt Devil vac this spring. Easy install. Between dogs and motorcycles I seem to attract extra debris. Camping World had them on sale and I couldn't resist.

    Had a water leak when I filled the coach with water for the first time. Found the left kitchen sink drain had come loose. Conviently the outside radio is mounted directly under the sink drain. You have to wonder sometimes....

    You going back to Mesa again in January?

    GJ

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #25 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14609
    Yes, I had to adjust the headlights. I may have mine set to high. When I am on my porch with headlights on low beam. They almost blind me.
    Should have mentioned you wanted a Dirt Devil. I have one I want to sell. We switched over to a compact Shark. Takes same amount of room as attachment for Dirt Devil.
    Same thing with our GS. Along with that Water Heater is also near there. I added a water heater bypass last week. Thought I had all the water out of heater when I broke the water lines. About 2 gallons of water got on the floor. Converter is in this same compartment. I would not work when I turned power back on. Ordered a new converter. I took the PD converter apart a couple of days later. Dried every thing out. And cleaned some corrosion. Bench tested it. Then installed it back in RV. Seems to be working OK. But will install new one when it arrives. Russ Hill had a similar failure from a water heater leak. Sometime later he lost the converter while on a trip. Just happened to be at my place. We drove down to Marshall, MI and got him another converter. When we installed it. Put it on some risers that has converter setting a little over 1" off floor. Also allows converter to run cooler.
    Are you going to be in AZ again next winter? We will be back, but not at same RV park.
    Best
    Ron Hall

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #26 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14632

    Made it from NC to CT and have a little over 800 miles on the new springs. I like them and am happy I spent the money to upgrade.

    There is a lot less of the top heavy rocking when turning into dipping driveways. I hit some bad ones and the wife's dishes all stayed stacked in the cabnets. As far as the push from fast moving vehicles passing... it is all but gone :) I did feel a little push from a couple fast moving trucks, but think that was me just being a little hyper-sensitive.

    The roads coming up here ranged from super to horrible. In the past, horrible roads always tossed things in cabnets around, and even out. Even though some of the potholes and broken pavement rattled my teeth... nothing. Worse thing that happened was my day/night shades dropping down a little.

    I think that the major improvement in ride comes from the rear suspension no longer bottoming out on the bumpstops. I think I could improve the ride by getting the four corners weighed and lowering the pressure in the tires. I have been running 115 in the front and 105 in the rear... high I'm sure but I was runniing high trying to reduce the sway.

    Re: Rear spring upgrade

    Reply #27 –
    Yahoo Message Number: 14633
    Glad to hear the trip is going well Billy. We're a bit over 3,000 miles into our trip and the Koni's are still doing the job well. So far things have gone well, I've had to replace the Shurflo water pump and the inlet check valve, but that's pretty minor.

    Two months on the road so far and about three weeks to go.

    Take care,
    Greg