Solid axel vrs ifs

sailor_lou wrote:

mike brez wrote:
I'm never gonna be able to check this rig out. Today Monday was no good. 7inches of snow sometime tomorrow. Need a few days after that for things to clean up and dry up.

The snow isn't due until mid afternoon and then it looks like we're in for a real cold spell. Keep us informed on how it works out.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

Tomorrow was one of the days I couldn't make it. I have a drs appt. that I can't blow off and with snow coming I need to get ready for that. I really wanted to take it for a spin when I went to look at it but I may just go and look at the inside and outside and if still interested go back when everything cleans up. If it's going to be mine I really don't want it driven around with all the salt******on the roads. It's only a couple hours away.

mike brez wrote:
I'm never gonna be able to check this rig out. Today Monday was no good. 7inches of snow sometime tomorrow. Need a few days after that for things to clean up and dry up.

The snow isn't due until mid afternoon and then it looks like we're in for a real cold spell. Keep us informed on how it works out.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

I'm never gonna be able to check this rig out. Today Monday was no good. 7inches of snow sometime tomorrow. Need a few days after that for things to clean up and dry up.

mike brez wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:
Mike,

All the various front end combinations can be made to drive very well, including your P32. Buy the coach you like and if you don't like the way it drives, take it to one of the very knowledgeable RV front end places like Robert Henderson, Eric Davis or Precision frame and alignment. Those shop get it right. Correct alignment is not always by the book. There are "front end guys" and then there are "FRONT END GUYS".

Richard

I have done a lot to this front end. Henderson bell cranks,idler arm, inner and outer tie rods,drag link,Henderson front coil springs so no more air bags,Koni shocks front and rear,ipd large front sway bar with poly bushings.poly bushings on rear sway bar,Henderson rear trac bar,steer safe,Bielstien steering dampner,new inner and outer wheel bearings and seals,a few front end alignments with Henderson specs,new tires.
Having your front tires four feet on center I believe is the biggest problem. Also this chassis was never intended to be a motorhome chassis.

Sorry you was never able to make your P32 drive well. There are plenty out there that do. I've been responsible for a few that do drive well, so I know it's possible.

Richard

mike brez wrote:

Sully2 wrote:

mike brez wrote:
Gary, I haven't seen it yet but from my research it's a solid axel Dynomax. It looks like the ifs came in the 2000 model year. It a 99 Allure. I'm hoping to go look at it tomorrow.

Oh....OK. Without dragging out my info...I think that 99 was the last year for the older style frame and the first for the electronic series Cummins.. ( ISB; ISC...etc..)

275 HP was the std engine on 99 and 2000 models BUT I dont think any left the factory without an upgrade to 330 HP

I hope ya like it...we sure do love ours

He says is a 330 isc? If in great shape since you have one a year newer what would you think is a fair price?

32K to 351/2K. If its cosmetically great and relatively low milage....if you can get it for somewhere around what I said....GET IT......you wont regret it

Sully2 wrote:

mike brez wrote:
Gary, I haven't seen it yet but from my research it's a solid axel Dynomax. It looks like the ifs came in the 2000 model year. It a 99 Allure. I'm hoping to go look at it tomorrow.

Oh....OK. Without dragging out my info...I think that 99 was the last year for the older style frame and the first for the electronic series Cummins.. ( ISB; ISC...etc..)

275 HP was the std engine on 99 and 2000 models BUT I dont think any left the factory without an upgrade to 330 HP

I hope ya like it...we sure do love ours

He says is a 330 isc? If in great shape since you have one a year newer what would you think is a fair price?

Our first motorhome was on a P-32 chassis. I did most all of the same mods you mentioned to make it handle better and it made lousy handling better. However, my name for it was a bread truck with a toilet and color TV! It basically drove like a bread truck.

My next coach was a DP on a 36' Freightliner chassis with solid front axle. It had a 55 degree wheel cut and turned pretty tight. I added FSD's, Henderson MCU's, Safe T Steer and a new bell crank. It drove and rode nicely except in really strong cross winds then it was a bit more to handle.

My Allure has IFS and handles really nicely but it is 42' and has a tag axle. The IFS seems to take rough roads better but when they are really rough, you still know it. I don't know the specific wheel cut on it but it turns really tight.... can almost get it turned around in the same space as the 36' coach.

We bought the Allure for it's apparent build quality and the PO had taken really good care of it (and I wanted a tag and DW wanted more slides, etc.). I don't think I would have rejected it if it had a solid steer axle.

RLS7201 wrote:
Mike,

All the various front end combinations can be made to drive very well, including your P32. Buy the coach you like and if you don't like the way it drives, take it to one of the very knowledgeable RV front end places like Robert Henderson, Eric Davis or Precision frame and alignment. Those shop get it right. Correct alignment is not always by the book. There are "front end guys" and then there are "FRONT END GUYS".

Richard

I have done a lot to this front end. Henderson bell cranks,idler arm, inner and outer tie rods,drag link,Henderson front coil springs so no more air bags,Koni shocks front and rear,ipd large front sway bar with poly bushings.poly bushings on rear sway bar,Henderson rear trac bar,steer safe,Bielstien steering dampner,new inner and outer wheel bearings and seals,a few front end alignments with Henderson specs,new tires.
Having your front tires four feet on center I believe is the biggest problem. Also this chassis was never intended to be a motorhome chassis.

Mike,

All the various front end combinations can be made to drive very well, including your P32. Buy the coach you like and if you don't like the way it drives, take it to one of the very knowledgeable RV front end places like Robert Henderson, Eric Davis or Precision frame and alignment. Those shop get it right. Correct alignment is not always by the book. There are "front end guys" and then there are "FRONT END GUYS".

Richard

Would it be a deal braker,, NO, because you can fix what's wrong with it easily.

We often talk about a motor home "Waging" like the tail on a dog, In this act the front moves a bit to well let's say the left over the axle, while the rear swings right, it makes you the operator THINK you are angled and thus you correct,, When no correction is needed, and this makes it worse...

The solution is to add a Trac Bar....

With IFS, well, the IFS half axles, double as front trac bars.. So that's one less problem. and that is the major advantage of IFS.