Broken down on side of HWH 71 in Ohio

Lots of folks on this forum have used these springs with no problem. If I remember correctly the bags add about 500 lbs of capacity on the front end when fully inflated the original springs were 5000 lbs. I think the HD Henderson springs are about 6000 lb capacity. The difference would be two 250 lbs passengers up front. I really don't know why it cracked or why I lost an in of ride height when the new parts were added.

I believe the stress may be the same, but maybe the air bag combo distributes the stress over a wider area on the lower mounting plate instead of just where the coil sets? Without seeing it I can only guess.

Mike Hohnstein wrote:
Have a P-30 shop manual from my Airstream Classic days. Specifically states to beware of heavier than OEM front springs, that are routinely used to replace air bag/spring assys., due to excessive stress on front suspension pivot points.

Okay this worries me now. I was going to replace my front spring/air bag combo with proper springs but now I'm wondering whether that's a good idea. Wouldn't the same amount of stress be applied to the suspension components using the air bags versus proper springs? I can see if you go overboard and get too stiff a spring, but if you get (for example) SuperSteer springs after weighing your rig they should be properly matched, no?

Mike Hohnstein wrote:
Have a P-30 shop manual from my Airstream Classic days. Specifically states to beware of heavier than OEM front springs, that are routinely used to replace air bag/spring assys., due to excessive stress on front suspension pivot points.

. That could explain how the Crack in the RH lower A arm occurred but still don't know why the difference in ride height.

Have a P-30 shop manual from my Airstream Classic days. Specifically states to beware of heavier than OEM front springs, that are routinely used to replace air bag/spring assys., due to excessive stress on front suspension pivot points.

PaulJ2 wrote:
Only thing I can think of is one coil spring is not seated properly. If any springs were replaced they should be replaced in pairs. My thoughts.

Heavy duty springs were replaced in 2008 and reinstalled, like I said they were equal before the accident.

Only thing I can think of is one coil spring is not seated properly. If any springs were replaced they should be replaced in pairs. My thoughts.

I took the MH into a local spring shop when I made it home, they added the LH steer safe, realigned the front end and found a cracked RH lower A arm where the coil spring seats and replaced it. The front end is almost entirely new. The only problem I have now is that the drivers side ride height is about an in lower than the LH side. I could not get a good explanation why. Before the accident they were the same about 2 ins from the rubber stop to the upper A arm. Does anyone have any idea why I would loses an in of ride height when replacing the front end parts?

falconbrother wrote:
When we had "the blowout" it scared my wife something awful. It took a couple of trips after that for her to relax.

My wife has always be afraid of winding mountainous roads. She will actually drive the MH on flat freeways. I hope she gets over it, I wanted to get a newer one this winter in Fla. If not one or the other will have to go and after 47 years of marriage I have to choose my wife.

When we had "the blowout" it scared my wife something awful. It took a couple of trips after that for her to relax.