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sfenndds's avatar
sfenndds
Explorer
Aug 29, 2016

Suspension upgrades needed

I have a 2003 Dolphin on a W-22 Chassis. Bought it a couple of years ago, but haven't used it much. We took it out on mountain roads last week here in Utah, and here is what my wife and I observed. On the freeway the steering seems pretty stable, not much fidgeting needed to keep it straight and there doesn't seem to be any free wheeling in the steering wheel. When big trucks pass I don't seem to feel the effect excessively. Certainly not like our old Coachman Class C that had a short wheelbase and a long overhang. What we do feel is side to side rocking with any unevenness in the road, especially at slower speeds on residential roads. It seems to rock a couple of times before settling down. We also seem to feel bouncing in the front over bumps, like the shocks aren't dampening the rebound after the first bounce. It had a four wheel alignment at 54,000 miles. I just loaded it up and weighed it today. The front axle is 6640 (max. 8000) and the rear is 13980 (max. 14500). I weighed each side and the high in the front is 3460 and the high rear is 7180. My chart from Goodyear (I have 255/70R22.5's) indicates I should have about 80 psi in the front, but I'm confused about the rear since at the maximum 120 psi, the chart shows 5070 lbs. Does the weight get divided between the duals? Would I divide the 7180 in half, which would put me at 80 psi for each tire? The rear shocks look to be the original Monroes and the rig has 67000 miles on it. The fronts are Bilsteins, installed about 40,000 miles ago, per the former owner's records. With all this information, I'm thinking, after poring over many threads about track bars, ASBs, steering dampers and shocks, that I need an ASB on the rear and new rear shocks at a minimum, maybe all new shocks. What do you experienced owners suggest as my first approach? Thanks so much for your time and expertise.
Class A
  • SoCalDesertRid1's avatar
    SoCalDesertRid1
    Explorer
    Aug 30, 2016
    Heavy duty rear sway bar with polyurethane bushings will help with side to side rocking, as will upgrading the rubber bushings in the front sway bar to polyurethane.

    I agree with BluegrassBill, the shocks are likely worn out and Bilstein and Koni both make good shocks.

    I would run all the tires at 100 psi and see how it rides.
  • Hank_MI's avatar
    Hank_MI
    Explorer
    Aug 30, 2016
    Looking at the Goodyear inflation chart I would have to say that you divide the weight of that corner on the rear by 2. If not then you would have less load capacity from a dual setup than a single.

    Part of the sway when going slow is from the anti-sway bars. They work great on the freeway or when corning. When going slow and hitting a bump with one tire the anti-sway bars will push the MH to the other side. The anti-sway bars try to keep both wheels the same distance from the chassis.

    It's a toss up, heavier anti-sway bars or lighter ones. A MH has a high center of gravity so you need strong bars on the freeway or when cornering. The down side is more rocking when going slow and hitting a bump or pothole. It's never going to ride like a car. Workhorse did upgrade the front anti-sway after 2003, ours is a 2003 as well. They changed from a 2" square tube to 2.5", The rear should already have a 2.5" bar. They use to sell the bar and brackets as a kit. Now you have to buy the bar and brackets separately so of course it costs more. UltraRvProducts sells the parts if you're interested.

    SoCalDesertRider wrote:
    Heavy duty rear sway bar with polyurethane bushings will help with side to side rocking, as will upgrading the rubber bushings in the front sway bar to polyurethane.

    I agree with BluegrassBill, the shocks are likely worn out and Bilstein and Koni both make good shocks.

    I would run all the tires at 100 psi and see how it rides.


    The W22 chassis has square anti-sway tubes bolted directly to the leaf springs, no bushings, not the more conventional round torsion bar. 100 psi all around will make it ride lock a rock, not a fun ride.

    The bouncing does sound like it's time for new shocks.

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