LXi Owners, steering, ball joints

[mbulriss]

David,

That's a serious enough note that I am going to add that as a file for
future reference by other LXi Owners if you don't mind. Is it
probable that it affects LX models also?

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, David Brady wrote:
>
> Fellow LXi Owners,
>
> I discovered something on my bus that I'd like you to
> be aware of. When I dump the suspension, there's a
> portion of the frame that comes into contact with the
> steering tie rod, deflecting the tie rod by about a quarter
> inch.
>
> The frame component at the front of the bus is the
> diagonal bracing that's close to the centerline of the
> bus, starts high up at the base of the c-channel frame
> rails and diagonally slopes down to a mounting point
> at the bottom of the basement. I'm fairly certain that this
> diagonal bracing is peculiar only to the LXi. This bracing
> attaches to a heavy steel bulkhead at the front end of
> the basement ultimately attaching to a framework of
> 2 x 6 box section frame rails that run under the basement
> and the length of the basement.
>
> As I dump the suspension the weight of the front of the
> coach just starts to hit the bump stops in the front air bags,
> but then the diagonals conflict with the tie rod cross bar
> deflecting it about a quarter inch.
>
> The ultimate problem here is that if your driving and you
> experience a loss of air pressure in a front air bag, the front
> will dump and the frame component conflicting with the steering
> tie rod may make steering difficult. Of course, the idea of having
> upwards of 14,000lbs bearing down on tie rod end ball joints
> doesn't sit very well with me either.
>
> I called Ridewell and Dana Corporation and found a solution for
> my front axle. The solution is to use a drop socket tie rod end ball
> joint to drop the tie rod cross bar an inch. This provides the room
> for the suspension to lower and sit firmly on the air bag bump
> stops and it allows the coach to be steered in the event of air loss
> at the front air bags.
>
> My front axle is Dana part number: I160WIDE TR and 161BN208-1
> My original tie rod ball joints are: 220TR115 (left) and 220TR116
(right)
>
> The new drop socket tie rod ball joints require a new tie rod cross bar.
> The new cross bar is part number: 161TR117-1
> And the drop socket ball joints are: 161TR115 (left) and 161TR116
(right)
>
> Check your LXi to make sure that your frame is not resting on your
> tie rod cross bar.
>
> David Brady
> '02 LXi, Smokey
> NC
>