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Topic: 2005 Chevrolet/GM 5500 series chassis (Read 535 times) previous topic - next topic
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2005 Chevrolet/GM 5500 series chassis

Yahoo Message Number: 6991
We looked at a Jayco Seneca with a Duramax engine, Allison trans on the 5500 chassis. The one thing we noticed that during our inspection in the lot you could feel the entire unit lean to the right as the broker walked to the rear of the RV. He can't weigh more than 200#. Is this normal? We haven't road tested it yet, but it concerns me that it could sway that easily while parked on concrete. BTW the leveling jacks were retracted. Thanks

Re: 2005 Chevrolet/GM 5500 series chassis

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6992
We can feel ours move around some when it's parked w/o the jacks down, so I would say that's normal. Many have put Firestone Ride-Rite air bags on the rear axle which we also have and I also installed a rear track bar. It's easier to drive in the wind than my Subburban. We have the GS Endura which may be a bit lighter than the Jayco. Others on the list will know for sure.
Greg
MN

Re: 2005 Chevrolet/GM 5500 series chassis

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6993
, "politico"  wrote:
Quote
We looked at a Jayco Seneca with a Duramax engine, Allison trans on the 5500 chassis. The one thing we noticed that during our inspection in the lot you could feel the entire unit lean to the right as the broker walked to the rear of the RV. He can't weigh more than 200#. Is this normal? We haven't road tested it yet, but it concerns me that it could sway that easily while parked on concrete. BTW the leveling jacks were retracted. Thanks

You do not state what year Seneca you are looking at. Some of the 2006-2007 models had wrong rear springs.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: 2005 Chevrolet/GM 5500 series chassis

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6994
I have to say that all of our motorhomes have been like that. 2000 Triple E Commander 34 ft gas, 2004 Winnebago Journey DP 39+ ft, 2006 Holiday Rambler Ambassador DP 40+ ft, 2007 Jayco Greyhawk Kodiak (gas) and Itasca Impulse gas 27+ ft (no jacks).

With the Greyhawk when my son shifted around or moved from side to side when in the bed above the cab we could feel it when we were in our bed in the back. When anyone came up the stairs we could feel it as well.

The Ambassador was as bad as any. When you entered the MH right at the front everyone inside could feel it slightly inside (and the way it sat it weighed over 30,000 lbs). You would have laughed if you could have seen me at my zenith on this one. It had a 3 jack system (levelled extremely fast) and when sitting on a concrete pad in Florida I added 2 bottle jacks to see if that would help. Not much. Then added 4 stabilizers. I tried setting them in just about every layout possible but we could always feel someone coming in and someone walking from side to side in the MH. So even 9 supports didn't eliminate movement/rocking.

Our current Impulse has no levelling jacks. In Florida this past winter it sat on a concrete pad with one of the yellow CampingWorld levelling blocks under each of the curb side wheels. Then, I used two of the levelling jacks I bought for the Ambassador and put them under the running boards on each side of the cab and wound them right tight. This reduced the motion considerably when anyone entered the MH.

Don



Re: 2005 Chevrolet/GM 5500 series chassis

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 7001
Our GS Ultra is the same w/o the jacks down. When you move around in the unit it rocks depending on which way you go.

Even in a smaller C we've used in the past the unit would rock when you walked around in it.