Road tracking

[Chuckles]

Road tracking.....Well that's what we call it! Not sure what the "proper-term" is used with you chaps.

I have an anomaly. When checking the camber/caster and toe-in on our 310, we found the door (CS?) side front wheel is about 1.1\2" further to the rear than the drivers side... Visually you can see the wheel is set back in the front wheel arch compared with the drivers side.

Looking at all the P-30 manuals and studying the wishbone mountings etc, we only found shim adjustments for Camber/caster, with no mention of the front to rear measurement adjustment.

For the record, there is no unusual tread-ware and all seems well when driving apart from chronic under-steer on a bend or turn. I have in the past associated this with the 8 19.5 tyres. I did drive a 345 with the larger cross section tyres and that was far better. The Bell cranks were replaced about six years ago with SuperSteer, and they did prove far better than the OEM.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, things to check and think about. Body not straight, bent frame, bent control arms, and very common on these are bad ball joints. Measure from the center of the front wheels to the center of the rear wheels on both sides, If the same, it could just be the body isn't straight. [fairly common on Airstream trailers] Possible on motorhomes too.

[Chuckles]

Thank you for your comments.

It is the "length-of-string" bit we did. Measuring the distance from centre rear wheel to centre front wheel both sides, and the passenger side was about 1.1/2" shorter

We did look for bent bits; but one other thought....

I was told by a previous-previous owner that the cab area had a fire in '86, hence all trim is 1987 based instead of 1982. perhaps - just perhaps there was a repercussion of the fire. Apparently it was not that bad but heat is heat....

At a glance there seems little to raise an eyebrow underneath, so perhaps its back to a tape measure to narrow the field a bit. There again if the tyre wear is even with no scuffs, am I making a meal of this?

just go for larger size tyres ....

[Chuckles]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

, it could just be the body isn't straight. [fairly common on Airstream trailers] Possible on motorhomes too.

That I did find out. I removed the fridge, ice maker and microwave to service the fridge, and fit in a drinks and glasses cabinet on the door side of the fridge. It meant removing the panel as you enter, and remaking a similar one with openings. There was a distinct discrepancy in being "square" all round.

I moved the fuse panel from under the ice maker to the new side panel, and fitted a slide pantry cupboard where the ice maker was. Made up all the cabinetry on the bench.... would it fit?
And the glass cabinet was nearly 3/4" narrower near the door than the other side....
(and that was BEFORE the drink!)

[John H.]

HaHaHa, well, Just make another Drink.

If no tire wear nor scuffing.

Go to the Larger Tire and enjoy.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, is it possible that since the fire, that the control arms were replaced on one side. And that the different year control arms are different angles? Also it could be possible that someone, for example, installed left side control arms on both sides? Not logical, I know, but you never know what some people do.

[Smartstream]

Get your measuring string out again and measure from the center of the rear axle to the front wheels, spindles, A frames and anything else you can match on both sides. Measuring from front wheel to real wheel won't help if the rear axle isn't straight.

If there isn't a large stack of shims somewhere on the A frames then I have to agree with Bob that someone installed the wrong suspension parts on one side.

Sounds like in addition to a fire it may have been crunched or maybe got too intimate with a ditch somewhere.

Good luck, Dan

[Chuckles]

Different sides.... wrong arms.... ditch............

I am definitely having another drink.....

Well thanks chaps, There is a lot of "food-for-thought" here and the string will be stretched again, and again.... and again..... but there again.....

The tyres are OK Tracking is [now] OK It only is a problem at round-a-bouts ........ and it has been like it for a few years now...

BUT ... it would be nice to be able to hit a corner on a downhill and still go round the bend - on the road - that is... Ah! to H@@ with it I will go for the string again AND the drink .

Is that correct there are different handed arms????? emm? chaps???

[John H.]

this is what one Poster did.


quote

gloran - 1993 LY MH 33' - Banks System, Steer Safe, IPD front stabilizer, Super Steer - Bell Cranks, Motion Control, Coil Springs

[Chuckles]

I am exploring the possibility now of incorrect arms. Is there a number somewhere on them to identify each side?
I have now found that the drivers side tyre does have traces of a scuff on the outer tread. I wonder if it is the weight of new capt-chairs I recently fitted. They are all electric and about twice the weight of the old manual ones. (it seems like it when I lift them!) or perhaps I should go on a diet...........