Replacing front springs on 2000 WorkHorse chassis

Coil springs properly speced for your actual front axle weight: https://www.hendersonslineup.com/supersteer-products

https://supersteerparts.com/shop/motorhome/class-a/gm-chevy-chasis-p30-32/page/2/

I just wanted you to know you are not alone, I had one go out and had to change it in a rv park 500 miles from home about 2 weeks ago. Thankfully I discovered it the day after we arrived on a 4 day stay, so was able to have a new pair fedexed in next day air (that was an extra $70 shipping charge), and install it the day before we were scheduled to leave on the drive home.

olfarmer wrote:
I would like to hear from people who have replaced the front springs to eliminate the air bags on a P32 chassis. I recently lost my air bags while on a long trip and now the front end is sagging and not sure replacing the bags will bring it back up. I had to drive it a long way without the bags and I am afraid it made the springs weak. I would appreciate any suggestions and information on where the springs are available.

We installed Henderson Super Steers eventually and should have from day one, eliminating those pesky air bags for good. Also eliminated the Helwig buggy spring that National installed on their larger coaches.
This is the only way to maintain proper ride height long term as the OEM coils become fatigued and there's no way for these bags to properly raise the coach.

Thank you for the replies! Did you install the new springs yourself or have someone else do it? I am considering doing it myself as I don't know who will do it locally. It doesn't look that hard if everything comes apart OK. I do have a shop and tools that should be up to the job. Not sure about me at 73 yrs old. :h LOL

So the airbags have lasted 18 years and now you want to change suspension parts?
With the airbags you have some height adjustment, ride comfort.
Bags are a pain to change(plenty of tips on line on changing) but much less than springs.

Well, I changed the bags in my last Itasca but was not totally satisfied and I have always felt that this RV has sagged in the front even when the airbags were working. They just didn't seem to do the job of leveling it. I have read that other people have had success with the new steer-safe springs that are matched to the front end weight of the RV. I just never have liked those airbags and it seems like a poor way to make up for springs that are too weak for the job.
JMHO

Why not put new bags back in the front an see

I installed the Henderson springs myself in my old PaceArrow P chassis.
Very easy to do. If you get your springs directly from Henderson they will hand pick you out a pair talk to John over there.

THIS may give you a idea.

olfarmer wrote:
Thank you for the replies! Did you install the new springs yourself or have someone else do it? I am considering doing it myself as I don't know who will do it locally. It doesn't look that hard if everything comes apart OK. I do have a shop and tools that should be up to the job. Not sure about me at 73 yrs old. :h LOL

I was close to your age at the time and since Camping World was charging me $50 less for the springs than Henderson would ship to my door, I gave them a go and for what I paid and the amount of work for the two men they put on it, it was probably a right decision.

Stim wrote:
So the airbags have lasted 18 years and now you want to change suspension parts?
With the airbags you have some height adjustment, ride comfort.
Bags are a pain to change(plenty of tips on line on changing) but much less than springs.

Thing is, once aged and fatigued, you have to change the springs anyway and if continuing with those PITA bags, then OEM coils. Otherwise, you'll never get the proper ride height of 1 1/4 - 2 1/2" for alignment, let alone any real suspension travel.
Continuing with the bags, requires daily checking of the air pressure, while on the road and if one should be lost, then you'll be replacing same in a CG somewhere or be looking for a shop somewhere along the way.