Ride Height P-30

Based on what Mike and Bud just posted I think I can figure out what happened to cause the lower ball joint to fail. I originally thought that the castle nut on top was loose and caused the banging noise but could not figure out how it could loosen because the steer safe u joint was around the nut preventing it from loosening as well as the cotter pin. However if an undersized ball joint was installed the taper would slide back and forth inside the tapered hole work causing it to work harden the taper and cause it to eventually fail. I can tell you I could not tell that the upper one was undersized, no noise or handling problems. All Superior Spring did was put a washer under the castle nut the first time when they noticed it was loose. I just wonder how many P-30's are out there with undersized ball joints?

K6175 are lowersMoog K6175
K6122 are uppers Moog K6122

We just got back from Canada with no internet. When I had my P30 I ran across this and asked over at irv2.

I was thinking about replacing my ball joints and ran across this


Posted December 25, 2005 12:48 AM Hide Post
Neil,

Remember to use lower ball joint # K6175 from Moog,this is a common mistake by parts suppliers that look up a P30 & give you a K6122.This has a much smaller shaft,although it looks the same.The K6175 is specific to the P32 chassis.You should expect to pay 185.00+ for this part.

Mike Bronzini
Brazel's Rv Performance
www.brazelsrv.com
Check out our new WEBSITE
Your safety & comfort is our Goal!





__________________
1998 36ft Country Coach Magna #5499
Gillig chassis with a Detroit series 40
2002 F250 CC 7.3 PSD Highly Modified

mike brez wrote:
Hey Gary glad you got it sorted out. I just got some real crappy work done over at Gabrielle in milford by the truck stop.

If you followed my earlier problems with the front end noise I took it to a front end shop in SD, they told me that the front end was good and the noise was coming from the coil spring being misplaced. The charged me $330 for supposedly fixing this and a front end alignment. The intermittent noise started up again a 100 miles later. When the lower ball joint let loose another shop in Ohio replaced the left side parts but put an undersized upper ball joint. If I had not noticed the ride height was off it was only a mater of time before the upper failed also. I don't know weather this is "crappy work" as you put it or criminal negligence. My situation may have been an isolated case but I can tell you if that lower ball joint let loose at Hiway speeds or on a mountain grade out west it would have been over.

Gjac:
The wrong ball joints is exactly what I encountered.
Glad you resolved the problem!

Hey Gary glad you got it sorted out. I just got some real crappy work done over at Gabrielle in milford by the truck stop.

I finally got this ride height sorted out. I had the left side of the front end rebuilt in Ohio this summer on a return trip out west. The lwr ball joint failed and the front end came crashing down. After they rebuilt the front end,new upper and lwr control arms and ball joints,tie rods and steer safe the left side was 1 3/8 lwr than the right side as measured between bumper stops to upper frame. It turned out that an under sized upper ball joint was installed and was not seated in the taper. This new ball joint was almost destroyed on the return trip. The lower ball joint and lwr control arm was also different and had to be replaced again. I picked up another 1 in of ride height which cost another $646 to fix. I am very leery about repairs on the road when you don't know the shop you are dealing with. Thanks for all of your suggestions.

jyrostng wrote:
long but extra full of good info

. Thanks I have looked through this manual and it says ride height can vary plus or minus 1/2 in from side to side mine is 1 3/8 in lower on LH side. I have also checked ground to frame height as suggested and measure 1 in lower on left side. The shop near me can't look at it until after September. Still perplexed as to why the difference.

I was having the Henderson springs in stalled. The upper control arm bushings were extremely bad and had worn the A-frames. It was about the same dollar to have the bushings installed in existing then to but control arms with bushings installed. Labor for the control arm bushing replacement was the cost as the control arms needed to be removed to do it.