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Old 08-02-2011, 09:08 PM   #1
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What to do about this clanky Chieftain

Hi all,
New RVer..1998 Winnebago 34 ft Chieftain...53k miles..Ford V10
Just took off for my maiden voyage after a couple very short rides..Traveled 250 miles through Indiana and KY..Hot as hell outside but the coach's engine performed great..HOWEVER, this old girl makes a ton of noise..Meaning, any bumps at 58 mph rattle the cabin and generally feels like quite a "jarring" whenever I hit bumps...These bumps I wouldnt even notice in my car..
Is this just normal for a 13 year old coach? It feels safe...just rough..
Also, the cruise control disengages often after hitting a little turbulence..
Would shock resolve this? I see no leaking..Would air bags soften the ride?
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Old 08-03-2011, 05:58 AM   #2
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It seems the Ford chassis is known for a hard ride. The noise is partly because you have the whole house in there with you. You basic chassis is a truck chassis so you could say it rides like a truck. Someties shocks can help. Air bags will only help if you have weak springs, which is a possibility on that age vehicle, and be sure to check the tires and tire pressure. Check the date code on the tires to determine their age. RV tires generally do not wear out the tread but will age out and then have blowouts that take part of the MH with them when they blow. If the tires are over 7 years old, or have cracks in the sidewalls they are due for replacement. The cruise control normally disengages when you touch the brake pedal. Hitting a bump could cause the brake pedal to bounce enough to release the cruise. Get it weighed by wheel weights on all 4 corners and then go to the tire manufacturers chart to see what pressure to carry in each axle for that weight. Stamped weights mean nothing. Use your loaded weight, as you would for a trip, to determine weight.
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Old 08-03-2011, 07:53 AM   #3
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A lot of it is probably the tires. Could be the tire themselves or the pressure. I have a 35' Brave and new tires made a tremendous difference in noise and ride. Shocks probably need replacing also. I went with Monroe RV shocks and was very pleased for the price.
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Old 08-03-2011, 09:26 AM   #4
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Thanks guys..Tires are Michelin XRx...The four rears are date code 1111...New I guess.
Fronts are 3306...Several years old but look very, very, good..

Where do I weigh the coach? Sorry, if this is dumb question as I know I can get this on line, but you all are much better...Is there a chart on line I should refer to when inflating tires specific to axle load?
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Old 08-04-2011, 10:10 PM   #5
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In all probability, your shocks are old. Lots of folks like Bilsteins and Koni FSDs. I's focus on the shocks after confirming that the tire pressures are properly set and that the chassis is in reasonably good condition. It'll never ride like a Mercury Marquis but you certainly can get some relief from the worst bumps. Best of luck.

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Old 08-05-2011, 02:59 PM   #6
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Two words - Tire Pressure.

While V10 Fords do have a hard ride, before you start throwing money at it, make sure your tires are properly inflated for the load they are carrying. If you have them pumped up the Max number on the sidewalls it is probably too high and will definitely be harsh riding.

Try to get your coach weighed at each wheel if you can. if you can only get front and rear axle weights then at least get that. See how much weight the tires are really carrying then go to the tire manufacturer's web site and find the load pressure charts. If you can't find them or they don't post their charts, the Michelin web site has their own chart and it should be close enough.

Michelin North America RV Load & Inflation Tables
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Old 08-05-2011, 03:47 PM   #7
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Where do I weigh the rig?!
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Old 08-05-2011, 03:58 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rkh View Post
Hi all,
New RVer..1998 Winnebago 34 ft Chieftain...53k miles..Ford V10
Just took off for my maiden voyage after a couple very short rides..Traveled 250 miles through Indiana and KY..Hot as hell outside but the coach's engine performed great..HOWEVER, this old girl makes a ton of noise..Meaning, any bumps at 58 mph rattle the cabin and generally feels like quite a "jarring" whenever I hit bumps...These bumps I wouldnt even notice in my car..
Is this just normal for a 13 year old coach? It feels safe...just rough..
Also, the cruise control disengages often after hitting a little turbulence..
Would shock resolve this? I see no leaking..Would air bags soften the ride?
I am a big fan of airbags. Some of the posts don't agree with me but I have installed many sets and my customers were pleased with the results. Big potholes will still be felt, but the small things like cracks, cement seperaters, bridge edges will smooth out.
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Old 08-05-2011, 04:18 PM   #9
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Some things to check

We had two things making noise over bumps after we bought our coach. I had the shocks replaced because they looked old and one was leaking. When they went to replace them they found the attachment point for one of the rear ones had broken off. A little welding fixed it and they attached the new ones. They had not found the break during the inspection and had only recommended replacing two but I opted to do all four and was glad I did.

The second item was a clanging when I went over bumps up front. During an inspection they found a problem with one of the front end components where it was separating and coming together when going over bumps. I know they replaced the idler arm but can't recall what else and my receipts are in the RV on the storage lot so I can't be more precise. You may want to have your suspension system inspected to see if they find anything amiss.

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Old 08-06-2011, 11:18 PM   #10
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Quote:
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Where do I weigh the rig?!
  • Truck Stops like Flying J / Loves have scales
  • Highway Weigh Stations
  • Places that sell rock & gravel (usually)
  • Some County Maintenance shops
  • City/County Dumps and transfer stations
Call around and see
Some cost a little money, some are free
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Old 08-08-2011, 04:17 AM   #11
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in oregon and washington, when the highway weigh stations are closed for trucks, they leave the equipment on so you can see how much you weigh either on a display in front of your moho or on a display inside the weigh station. the lanes are not wide enough in washington to get an individual wheel weight. i did get a front axle and total weight on my moho. other states may be similar.
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Old 08-08-2011, 05:01 AM   #12
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We had a Ford chassis on the previous coach and though older than yours the original owner had installed Monroe Shocks. They had a pretty stable and pleasant ride. Not a Cadillac but tollerable. The other thing you have to monitor is the air pressure. Just make sure you DON'T underinflate to get a ride you like. By the way we did have rear airbags. My take on those is they leveled the rig and stabilized it but can't say they made the ride any smoother. Just my take on the situation. Good Luck hope you find some comfort. By the way, you can't get rid of all the noise. When someone comes up with that remedy, they better patent it and get it on the market. Be safe and Happy Motoring!
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Old 08-09-2011, 06:00 AM   #13
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Ok, here's what I've got on the tire pressure..I have Michelin 245/70/19.5 XRV, (LRF) on the front...XZE (LRH) on the rear..
Front tires have 90lbs cold, rears have 105lbs....
I stopped at Love's Travel Stop and sat on their certified scale for $9.50. There was no way I could weigh each axle end.
The front axle total is 5880 lbs....rear axle total is 11600 lbs....
Using the Michelin pressure chart for these tires, I don't even make the minimums on the charts.....confused....
Before I make any pressure changes I thought I would consult with Michelin and this forum...
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Old 08-09-2011, 07:39 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Rkh View Post
Ok, here's what I've got on the tire pressure..I have Michelin 245/70/19.5 XRV, (LRF) on the front...XZE (LRH) on the rear..
Front tires have 90lbs cold, rears have 105lbs....
I stopped at Love's Travel Stop and sat on their certified scale for $9.50. There was no way I could weigh each axle end.
The front axle total is 5880 lbs....rear axle total is 11600 lbs....
Using the Michelin pressure chart for these tires, I don't even make the minimums on the charts.....confused....
Before I make any pressure changes I thought I would consult with Michelin and this forum...
Just go with the minimum pressure in the charts. What model motor home do you have?
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Old 08-09-2011, 08:18 AM   #15
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John, 1998 Winnebago Chieftain...33wb....Ford Chassis
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Old 08-09-2011, 01:57 PM   #16
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Hi Rkh,

I'm guessing your chassis originally had the 225/70R19.5 tires which would better accomodate your weights. Short of buying new tires, I'd just run the minimums listed.

Harsh ride is typical of a modestly weighted F53-V10 Ford motorhome. Ford boosted the chassis capacity in '98-'99 with better axles, stiffer springs and bigger wheels (19.5 vs 16"). The downfall is those stiff springs have a harsh ride especially in the front. My older F53-460 chassis is nearly maxed out on weight and it rides great (for an F53).

If there is weight you can relocate forward to put more weight on the front, it should help. Once you've done all you can with pressure and weight, then you can try shocks (soft ones - NOT Bilsteins), air bags and anything else you got the money for.
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Old 08-09-2011, 09:23 PM   #17
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245/70/19.5 are original for this chassis. The load range value for the tires have changed since....i.e., LRF and LRH. Regardless, it is what it is...I will be decreasing pressure and go from there.
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Old 08-09-2011, 09:53 PM   #18
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i have a 99 33' chieftain.
Hated the ride at first, but then took it in to enumclaw power shop where they test drove it and made some suggestions (look at my signature, will show you the upgrades)....i run min tire pressure and for those 16ply toyos that made a huge differnece in the ride.
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Old 08-09-2011, 10:10 PM   #19
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also thought you might enjoy some recalls from that year







http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/results.cfm
I had my cruise control fixed under a recall about 2 years ago...(long details below)...


Make: WINNEBAGO Model: CHIEFTAIN
Model Year: 1998
Manufacturer: WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. Mfr's Report Date: JAN 20, 1998
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 98V015000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, OTHERELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Summary:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES. A LIQUID PROPANE (LP) HOSE WAS INSTALLED IN THE RANGE BURNER BOX. THE ELEVATED TEMPERATURE THE HOSE IS EXPOSED TO INSIDE THIS BOX CAN PREMATURELY AGE THE HOSE CAUSING A POSSIBLE LP LEAK.
Consequence:
LP GAS LEAKAGE COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN BODILY INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL RELOCATE THE FLEXIBLE HOSE OUTSIDE OF THE RANGE BOX.
Notes:
OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN FEBRUARY 16, 1998. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR MOTOR HOMES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-515-582-6939. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

-----------



"Make: FORD Model: F53
Model Year: 1998
Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY Mfr's Report Date: AUG 02, 2007
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 07V336000 NHTSA Action Number: EA05005
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Summary:
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence:
THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
Notes:
FORD RECALL NO. 05S28. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION;S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO http://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV." Retrieved August 9th 2011 from Safecar.gov
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Old 08-09-2011, 10:22 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by Nick-B View Post
Two words - Tire Pressure.

While V10 Fords do have a hard ride, before you start throwing money at it, make sure your tires are properly inflated for the load they are carrying. If you have them pumped up the Max number on the sidewalls it is probably too high and will definitely be harsh riding.

Try to get your coach weighed at each wheel if you can. if you can only get front and rear axle weights then at least get that. See how much weight the tires are really carrying then go to the tire manufacturer's web site and find the load pressure charts. If you can't find them or they don't post their charts, the Michelin web site has their own chart and it should be close enough.

Michelin North America RV Load & Inflation Tables
Once again: the pressure shown on the side of truck size tires is NOT the maximum pressure. It is the MINIMUM required to support the Maximum rated weight on the tire. Get a copy of the RV Tire Guide that Michelin. GoodYear or Toyo put out. Good info in all of them.
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