Class B Motorhome Vibration While Driving
We're in the process of purchasing a 2004 Pleasure-Way Excel-TS Ford (class B+) with 73,000 miles on it through a consignment dealer. Because of insurance issues we did not take it for a test drive bu...
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I went to the Ford dealer this morning where I learned the mechanic was going to take the MH for a test drive, but couldn't find a dealer plate to put on it! But, he did put it on the lift and he and I were able to talk about what he was inspecting.
He said that what I thought might be dry rot is a common complaint with Michelin tires, but despite repeated efforts to try to warranty tires with these types of small cracks in the sidewall, Michelin claims it's only cosmetic and not an indicator of a safety issue.
He checked the front end and there was no evidence of any unusual wear. However, the brake pads are near the end of their lives and he also found that both airbags were deflated (I didn't know it had airbags!), so after inflating them to 30 psi (he didn't know the specs so didn't want to inflate them any further) he found one of them leaking at the inflation fitting.
We talked about the vibration issue and he speculated two possibilities (having ruled out the suspension):
1) The motorhome has been sitting for about two years on a concrete pad under a carport and the tires may have flat spotted. If that is the case, he said it's possible the flat spots will work their way out after some hundreds of miles of driving, but maybe not.
2) The sensors for the Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System may have affected the balance of the tires (the tires were not rebalanced when the sensors were installed), so they will balance the tires.
The mechanic knew about the Michelin recall and apparently these tires are not part of that recall.
I discussed what I learned with the salesman and he agreed to have the brake pads replaced and the rotors turned if the mechanic at the shop where the work is going to be done feels they need to be turned. I've also requested to have the wheel bearings regreased (if the rotors don't need to be turned), the fuel filter replaced, and an oil change done. The shop will also repair the leak in the airbag line or replace the parts as necessary.
The salesman drove the MH from the Ford dealer to the shop that is going to do the repairs and claims the vibration is far less than the other day—maybe the wheels were unbalanced.
One last item: unfortunately, we will not be taking the MH for a test drive because I learned that member "Johnworth914" is almost certainly correct. The MH does not have any insurance on it because the owner let the insurance lapse, and even if it did, the insurance company would not cover it while it is on a consignment lot. Most likely the owner of the consignment shop does not have any coverage either, so that vehicle is uninsured at this point in time, whether it's on the lot or on the road. Had I known about this earlier I might not have even looked at the MH in the first place. I will not be driving a vehicle that is not insured.
What I am going to do is ask the saleman to drive it at highway speeds with us in it because the shop where the MH is going to be repaired is on an open highway. I realize this is not ideal, but it's a risk I'm reluctantly willing to take because everything else seems to be coming together.
He said that what I thought might be dry rot is a common complaint with Michelin tires, but despite repeated efforts to try to warranty tires with these types of small cracks in the sidewall, Michelin claims it's only cosmetic and not an indicator of a safety issue.
He checked the front end and there was no evidence of any unusual wear. However, the brake pads are near the end of their lives and he also found that both airbags were deflated (I didn't know it had airbags!), so after inflating them to 30 psi (he didn't know the specs so didn't want to inflate them any further) he found one of them leaking at the inflation fitting.
We talked about the vibration issue and he speculated two possibilities (having ruled out the suspension):
1) The motorhome has been sitting for about two years on a concrete pad under a carport and the tires may have flat spotted. If that is the case, he said it's possible the flat spots will work their way out after some hundreds of miles of driving, but maybe not.
2) The sensors for the Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System may have affected the balance of the tires (the tires were not rebalanced when the sensors were installed), so they will balance the tires.
The mechanic knew about the Michelin recall and apparently these tires are not part of that recall.
I discussed what I learned with the salesman and he agreed to have the brake pads replaced and the rotors turned if the mechanic at the shop where the work is going to be done feels they need to be turned. I've also requested to have the wheel bearings regreased (if the rotors don't need to be turned), the fuel filter replaced, and an oil change done. The shop will also repair the leak in the airbag line or replace the parts as necessary.
The salesman drove the MH from the Ford dealer to the shop that is going to do the repairs and claims the vibration is far less than the other day—maybe the wheels were unbalanced.
One last item: unfortunately, we will not be taking the MH for a test drive because I learned that member "Johnworth914" is almost certainly correct. The MH does not have any insurance on it because the owner let the insurance lapse, and even if it did, the insurance company would not cover it while it is on a consignment lot. Most likely the owner of the consignment shop does not have any coverage either, so that vehicle is uninsured at this point in time, whether it's on the lot or on the road. Had I known about this earlier I might not have even looked at the MH in the first place. I will not be driving a vehicle that is not insured.
What I am going to do is ask the saleman to drive it at highway speeds with us in it because the shop where the MH is going to be repaired is on an open highway. I realize this is not ideal, but it's a risk I'm reluctantly willing to take because everything else seems to be coming together.
