06-08-2023, 02:30 PM
Tony,
I won’t drag you through my dozens of posts of things I have done or tried in an effort to make my coach handle like a BMW.
I am going to list a lot of the things I have done in the order of improvement to the wandering coach problem.
The following had appreciable impact in improving the steering and straight line stability. Again in order of impact:
1 Replaced lower bearing in steering column
2. Tightened loose pinch clamp of upper steering joint to steering column
3. Replaced tag axle bushings
4. Replaced track bar, panhard bar, torque bar. All the same names for the part that stabilizes the drive axle side to side.
Things that made a little difference:
5. Adjusted steering gear box. It’s a Goldilocks thing. Too loose is sloppy, too tight is EVIL.
6. Replaced all tie rod and drag link ends.
6.5 Lowered front tire pressure to minimum for the measured weight of my front axle.
7. Fine tuned toe in. Took about a month on the road, but I would adjust and drive. Adjust and drive. I ended up at 1/16, but my experiments told me that it wasn’t as sensitive as I thought it would be.
8. Rebuilt upper part of GM tilt wheel column with oversized bearings
9. Installed lower brace on steering column to reduce flex
Things that didn’t make one hoot of difference.
10. Rebuilding the steering gear box
11. Road King shocks
Bill is spot on. Your coach may have that rag joint in the middle of the intermediate steering shaft. If so, that HAS to be fixed.
Second, if your Howard is inoperative, that cylinder should be removed. Otherwise it could very well provide stiction (stick / slip) to the small movements in the steering wheel you make. You are not going to find a “kit” with the seals. Howard has been out of business for over 15 years. You might be able to take it apart, measure the seals, and put new ones in. Or take it to a hydraulic shop and let them get the seals. It would be easy enough to take it loose, and go for a test drive.
Third look carefully at your tag axle bushings. If they are worn out, the tag wheels move about and the tail wags the dog. Same thing with the panhard bar.
I won’t drag you through my dozens of posts of things I have done or tried in an effort to make my coach handle like a BMW.
I am going to list a lot of the things I have done in the order of improvement to the wandering coach problem.
The following had appreciable impact in improving the steering and straight line stability. Again in order of impact:
1 Replaced lower bearing in steering column
2. Tightened loose pinch clamp of upper steering joint to steering column
3. Replaced tag axle bushings
4. Replaced track bar, panhard bar, torque bar. All the same names for the part that stabilizes the drive axle side to side.
Things that made a little difference:
5. Adjusted steering gear box. It’s a Goldilocks thing. Too loose is sloppy, too tight is EVIL.
6. Replaced all tie rod and drag link ends.
6.5 Lowered front tire pressure to minimum for the measured weight of my front axle.
7. Fine tuned toe in. Took about a month on the road, but I would adjust and drive. Adjust and drive. I ended up at 1/16, but my experiments told me that it wasn’t as sensitive as I thought it would be.
8. Rebuilt upper part of GM tilt wheel column with oversized bearings
9. Installed lower brace on steering column to reduce flex
Things that didn’t make one hoot of difference.
10. Rebuilding the steering gear box
11. Road King shocks
Bill is spot on. Your coach may have that rag joint in the middle of the intermediate steering shaft. If so, that HAS to be fixed.
Second, if your Howard is inoperative, that cylinder should be removed. Otherwise it could very well provide stiction (stick / slip) to the small movements in the steering wheel you make. You are not going to find a “kit” with the seals. Howard has been out of business for over 15 years. You might be able to take it apart, measure the seals, and put new ones in. Or take it to a hydraulic shop and let them get the seals. It would be easy enough to take it loose, and go for a test drive.
Third look carefully at your tag axle bushings. If they are worn out, the tag wheels move about and the tail wags the dog. Same thing with the panhard bar.
Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home
)