Newell Gurus

Finally getting around to replacing the Pan-Hard Bar.  Wanted to get the exact length as delivered from the factory.  The best I could measure mine as it is installed was IMHO not very accurate.  I say "installed" as that thing is frozen in place.   I have spent three days and tried everything to break free the tapered end but no luck.  I cried Uncle and scheduled an appointment at Josam frame and Alignment in Orlando for Sept 13 to get them to replace it. 

NOTE: According to the drawings, all three versions of the Ridwell suspension, the Pan Head Bar is 27-1/4" center to center.

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The technician at Josam spent a good two hours trying to remove the Pan Hard Bar.  Even using their special tool it took that long.  As you can tell from the attached pictures my feeble attempt to get penetrating oil into the tapered end failed by a huge margin.  Looking at the corroded pitting it was not going to release easily.   Did not want to use heat as the airbag and shock was close by. Anyway, it is done! 

Now the results,  With the old strut the coach was rubbing the passenger tire with a large gap on the driver side.  The new strut improved the tire to fender gap by a finger width.  Driving, with the old strut, was a seesaw action on the wheel especially when a truck passes.  With the new struct.....two finger steering.....a marked improvement.  The service manager brought the coach around and felt something as he drove.  He put it on the rack and shook each axle and found a loose nut on the front shock.....great service!
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Nice! Feels so satisfying taking care of issues like that. I have a knock sound directly under the generator or passenger side. No one can find its source. Bugs me when I drive. Sounds like a broken sway bar but I don't have one of those.

Simon,
It does feel great to take care of an issue and have an immediate result that one can feel. Did you see my post from last nighht...https://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=7580...wondering out loud here if Ridewell's drawing spec has some validity to re-torquing the suspension bolts?

I did and I had Leo check mine last year. They were far beyond what his breaker bar could move. He called it good. I had the tie rods and some other front work done by a different well respected local shop when I brought it home after the purchase. They also installed new shocks. Said everything under there was good and tight with nothing needed replacement. Leo summed up the same when I first came to him a year later. I can attest at being under the coach that bushings look great for a 30 year old coach. I would think the roads traveled would dictate a more regimented inspection. Our roads are for the most part super smooth. I know sections of I-40 are a disaster but then again, they get freezing weather and tons of rain that we do not living in the valley surrounded by mountains.

So Steve can you feel the difference driving it with the new panhard bar? Did you replace bushings also?

Yes I could tell a difference.  Before replacing the bar it was "tail wagging the dog" when a truck passed or in a crosswind.  After they replaced the bar and in the 60 miles coming home it was two fingers on the wheel when a truck passed.  Did not have any crosswind to tell if there was any change there but I suspect their will be.  As far as bushings are concerned They put the coach on their shaker rack to find something the service manager felt in the suspension.  It turned out to be a loose shock bolt.  All the bushing and steering where in good shape for now.  the coach has 110k plus miles on it right now.  I know that the coach was rubbing the passenger tire before and now their is a finger sized gap between the fender and the tire.  So one can imagine what kind of dynamic impulse a 1/2" to 3/4"tail movement would cause.

That's wonderful news Steve.

Panhard bar or track bar, your choice. Not being Dr Spellcheck, just making sure a search engine will pick up the thread.

Changed the heading to the correct nomenclature.

Well, I am laughing out loud at my southern twang. When we discussed it, you spelled it as you heard me say it. You know English is a second language for me .

When I was a kid I worked for a guy who did not hesitate to ask for a lot. I told him he worked me like a borrowed mule. A couple of weeks later he asked me, Richard, what is a bar head mule?