In search of the perfect ride

[Don Bradner]

Back in May I experienced less than wonderful ride on a trip up the Oregon
coast. Jolt, sway, porpoising beyond what I considered reasonable.

I took Blue Thunder into Henderson's Lineup in Medford at the end of the month
for their ride assessment. They recommended Motion Control Units, and adjustment
of the front shocks, which were Konis.

We agreed to this, and they installed the MCUs, but when they tried to adjust
the Konis they would not engage to allow an adjustment. We decided, given that
and the age of the rear shocks, to put new Konis on all around. Unfortunately
Koni was backordered until mid-August on the FSDs, so we made an appointment for
the day after Labor Day and went home to Eureka.

I was quite happy with the sway improvement made by the MCUs on 199, which is a
good test road for that sort of thing - about as tightly twisty as any road you
will ever want to take a 40-footer on. I again was happy with that experience on
the return to Medford on Labor Day.

We had the Koni-recommended shocks installed (FSDs on the drivers and tag, and
regular adjustables on the front). Since then we've been up to Portland, then
across Oregon on US26 which has a few good test areas, and on to Boise.

Frankly I don't feel much difference made by the new shocks. Disappointing, to
say the least. The improvement made by the MCUs was significant, and it is
possible that if shocks had been replaced instead of MCUs installed we would
have found the shock improvement to be similar, I don't know. If they both had
been done at the same time I wouldn't have known what to attribute the
improvement to.

So, bottom line is that I'm satisfied with the current ride, but had hopes of it
being better still, and those hopes were not met. I could have gone without the
expense, but I don't know of any way I could have known that without trying, so
I'm OK with having done it. At least I know that shocks are probably not
something I will ever have to consider in the future.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Posting today by satellite from Boise, Idaho, headed towards Salt Lake City
tomorrow.