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02-19-2009, 09:26

Leroy,

How many miles on your coach?

David

'02 LXi, NC

Leroy Eckert wrote:

Thanks for the info. I checked mine out today and it
looks solid.

Leroy Eckert

1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors

Dahlonega, GA

Royale Conversion

--- On Thu, 2/19/09, Pete Masterson com>
wrote:

From:
Pete Masterson com>

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Shock mount failure

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 1:11 PM

I'm inclined to agree that the left shock mount was a less
robust component than is ideal, possibly due to a Ridewell error or
miscalculation of stresses. The tear starts at the top and works down.
That suggests that the force causing the stress is the fully extended
shock absorber. This is in the opposite direction of stress caused by
lowering the jacks when the air bags are deflated. Indeed, in that
situation, the bumper stops ought to be taking the brunt of the weight
rather than the shock mount, if the shock is of the correct length.

I noticed the 'popping' noise (that apparently was
indicative of impending failure) whenever Itraversed dips or
undulations in the road. Unfortunately, many freeways and highways in
the SF Bay are built on fill or unstable clay soils, and undulations
caused by ground subsidence is common and occurs frequently. Even a
small bobble, crossed at 50 or 60+ mph results in a rather
severeporpoisingincident. With the frequency of these undulations in
the area with the heavy, fast moving traffic, it is rarely possible to
spot the undulation and take protective action before you're upon it.
(It's so perverse, that one lane may be affected while other lanes are
not.) Indeed, there have been several studies (over the years) that
suggest that the condition of Bay Area highways may be costing drivers
$billions each year in additional repairs to their vehicles. Naturally,
living in a near-bankrupt state, there is little chance that there will
ever be significant improvement.

So, my feeling is that the most likely source of stress
comes from super extension of the shock, rather than compressive stress
caused by lowering the jacks before the suspension is aired up. I note
that the shock can't be longer, since then it would not be able to
compress sufficiently in the opposite direction. Further, between the
time of the first repair and the second failure, my coach did not go
through all that many jack raise/lower cycles and I've rarely lowered
the jacks without sufficient air in the suspension. (I'd say never,
because I have a 'get ready to go' procedure that I'm quite careful to
follow -- but I admit the possibility of a distraction or memory lapse
where lowering the jacks without air in the suspension is possible once
in a while.) In contrast, I probably had many porpoising events for
each jack lowering with or without air in the suspension.

I also speculate that the second failure after the first
repair I encountered is due to the particularly large number of
porpoising events encountered in Bay Area traffic (and the generally
poor condition of many California freeways). Of course, if the first
repair were more robust, I may not have had the second failure. I
further note that it did take a dozen years and more than 125,000 miles
before the fracture was first found. While we should expect better,
that's quite a few miles on the chassis without a failure, so one might
conclude that the part is only just short of being "strong enough."

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42 (For Sale)

<http://www.aeonix.
biz/BBforsale. html>

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Feb 18, 2009, at 7:45 PM, david brady wrote:

Greg,

I don't think the axle tilt puts undo stress on the shock. If you

consider the steer axle in fulldroop on one side and full bump on

the other. The angle of the axle is roughly 5 deg to the horizon,

and this turns out to also be the angle of the shock.

(inverse sine of (8 inches / 96 inches)). The rubber bushings

in the shock can easily comply without transferring

excessive forces to the mounts. I'm sure Ridewell did this basic

calculation. If this were the cause then we'd be seeing similar

failures on the drive axles. The cause could be shocks that bottom

before bump stops (shocks too long), folks retracting their

HWH jacks w/o first airing up the suspension, folks raising the

front off the ground w/o first dumping air, or simply and inferior

Ridewell design. After year 2000 or so, I was informed by

the engineering staff at Ridewell that all their suspension systems

underwent finite element analysis and subsequent redesign;

consequently the LXi uses a different shock mount system than

the WB's. Could be that Ridewell addressed an inherent weakness.

David Brady

'02 LXi, NC

timvasqz wrote:

I think the crack was there from off-camber HWH jack
parking in the

past. looks like the temper of the weld proved a brittle spot that

under normal conditions would not have issue. Then the new shock

absorbed more bounce but reacted equally agressive causing much more

stress on the mount. I think the mount post shoud have less strength

and be a point that can bend at failure. the tripod gussettes are a

bad idea.

I think problems arise when the bus air bags are dropped to be

leveled but the spot is too off camber. the HWH push one side up

and tilt the axle too much. at that point raising the front is

effortless and and the 30 foot lever post all the stress on the

tucked tire.

If I was to repair that mount I would remove two bolts and make a

trapazoid shape cut and replace the plate with a butt weld then build

the post mount back no better than before.

If you lose an airline and must drive. there is a screw set in the

maxicam to turn off the parking brake. you can then plug the airline

and fold it over then tape it.

Greg ofTim&Greg

94ptca

..--- InWanderlodgeForum@
yahoogroups. com, "Don Bradner"

wrote:

>

> I'm the latest victim of a driver's side front shock mount failure.

It took out the brake line when it went. I was not far from home on

the way back from Q, so I limped on in (I know, in retrospect it was

too dangerous, but I kept a lonnnng following distance!)

>

> I've used the local Detroit dealer in Arcata (Trinity Diesel) a

couple of times now for service, so I called them, and the service

manager said he would swing by for a look, no charge. He ended up

removing the shock and the air line, and said that he would come by

the next time he was this way with a new airline. A new shock will

have to be ordered (the top bent/caved in) and they will schedule an

appointment to get it welded after they have that. Shock was 17

months old.

>

>

> Don Bradner

> 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"

> My location:www.bbirdmaps.
com/user2. cfm?user= 1

>

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