Steering pull

[vanwill52]

Sometimes I think folks would be justified in getting tired of me saying this, so I'll try to keep it short. 

Your Roadmaster chassis needs only ONE thing to make it a dream to drive.  IT NEEDS TO HAVE ITS WHEELS NOT WALLOWING AROUND UNDERNEATH IT, CAUSING YOU TO MAKE CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS TO "REALIGN IT".   The COACH is not wandering...its WHEELS are.  The coach can only go where its wheels are pointed. Front and rear, the wheels are attached to a subassembly that is constantly "squirming" when influenced by the smallest outside forces--like wind, changing road crown, or passing vehicles.  Once you cure the CAUSE (stabilze those subassemblies), rather than treat the symptoms, your problems disappear.

Although I am a staunch believer in having a steering gear with ZERO lost motion (at least at the straight-ahead position), the interstate highways are rife with tractor-trailers equipped with Sheppard steering gears...and consequently as much as 3" lost motion in the straight-ahead position.  You never hear those guys complaining about being "blown to the shoulder" by passing vehicles.  BECAUSE THEIR WHEELS STAY IN ONE POSITION EVEN WHEN ACTED ON BY OUTSIDE INFLUENCES.  Almost every (every?) road tractor has leaf springs for the front axle...RIGID!  We OTOH have...squishy air bags, long spindly trailing arms, and only ONE Panhard rod.  Granted, there are some other reasons that tractor-trailers don't suffer wandering, but for Monaco owners it has been proven by HUNDREDS of installations that stabilizing the front and rear subassemblies (commonly referred to as "H-frames") eliminates 99% of all "wandering" complaints.

The OP (original poster) has totally another problem, one that I think will be diagnosed by simple visual inspection.  He might have a truly unique, one-of-a-kind problem with his TRW steering gear...but I doubt it.  When the major problem is diagnosed and corrected, I suggest he contact Mike Hughes at www.monacowatts.com.  Mike took over morphing my "prototype" designs into slick, professional "plug and play" solutions.  Mike's social skills are excellent and he truly enjoys solving folks' problems.  You will love dealing with him.

[Bob Nodine]

Check for a steering damper that will definitely cause a pull if not adjusted correctly and in some cases will cause a problem with steering. I know this from my own experience. Had a lot of trouble over the years with a TruCenter and was debating sending it back to the factory for the third time so I pulled it. Lo and behold a problem I was having with steering vanished. That TruCenter now rests somewhere in a scrap metal pile.

I spent about a year developing a weigh-in-motion system for the Air Force and that is where I learned about tire footprint. PLEASE CHECK THE AIR PRESURE IN ALL YOUR TIRES. Have the coach weighed and pressure the tires according to the manufactures load tables for THAT BRAND of tires.

 

[CMillet86]

Finally got a second to take a look at some things, No steering damper. And as of today when I go to move the steering wheel is turning left, where as last time I drove it, was turning right. Going to get it out on some concrete so I can do some better inspections. Tire Pressures are all good and even. 

[John Haggard]

1 hour ago, CMillet86 said:

Finally got a second to take a look at some things, No steering damper. And as of today when I go to move the steering wheel is turning left, where as last time I drove it, was turning right. Going to get it out on some concrete so I can do some better inspections. Tire Pressures are all good and even. 

Did you check your hydraulic fluid?

Is it full ?

Is it milky white ?

Has the hydraulic filter and fluid been flushed, cleaned and replaced. 

An important part of maintenance many times neglected. 

Then hose issues

Pump issues

Hydraulic motor issues can arise. 

[Tom Cherry]

20 hours ago, John Haggard said:

Did you check your hydraulic fluid?

Is it full ?

Is it milky white ?

Has the hydraulic filter and fluid been flushed, cleaned and replaced. 

An important part of maintenance many times neglected. 

Then hose issues

Pump issues

Hydraulic motor issues can arise. 

LOTS of things STILL to be checked....but take them one at at time...

TOTALLY unload the MH. Then set the pressures about 8 PSI lower than the plate on the driver's door. 

NEXT.....VERY IMPORATNT....what is the Tag AXLE pressure. IF it is jacked up then it does funky things to the steering and handling....as well as the tire wear.

I think it should be in the 60 PSI range UNLOADED....but I am NOT a Tag Axle person. DRIVE IT after you do that. If it does NOT pull....then you might just be a victim of not being properly set up. As the guys have pointed out....proper weight distribution is IMPERATIVE...and Folks have have crazy issues, including blowouts, when the Tag pressure was set way too high.

HYDRAULIC. YES to the above....but bear in mind.

You PROBABLY have the Texaco Rando OIL (not ATF). That DOES need to be maintained. You have a Nelson 3 filter system. If you have the manual, there is an excellent writeup. However, if you download the 2002 and 2004 manuals you can also get the info. Monaco does not have your 2003 manual online.

BUT....if your cooling is fine, then I sort of rule out the hydraulic system. Your radiator fans are driven off the same system. Therefore, any issues with pressure would result in cooling issues. 

BUT....you also need to KNOW what type of fluid you have. If you have a Straw colored fluid (let it drip on a piece or paper), you do NEED to replace the spin on filter and the 3 Nelson filters inside the reservoir. IF you have a Redish colored fluid, it is ATF. TRW recommends that you switch or replenish that with the Transynd Allison fluid. That is NOW their requirement for long range or extended warranty. Mobil makes an equivalent...Delvac Synthetic that is an excellent substitute. I would NOT use any other synthetic...

I ALSO wonder about the gear Box. IF you have, hopefully, the TRW, then it has a centering or play adjustment. THAT could be the issue and any good front end shop should be able to adjust this.

Good Luck....let us know and keep us informed. That is how we all learn

[Paul J A]

2 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

LOTS of things STILL to be checked....but take them one at at time...

TOTALLY unload the MH. Then set the pressures about 8 PSI lower than the plate on the driver's door. 

NEXT.....VERY IMPORATNT....what is the Tag AXLE pressure. IF it is jacked up then it does funky things to the steering and handling....as well as the tire wear.

I think it should be in the 60 PSI range UNLOADED....but I am NOT a Tag Axle person. DRIVE IT after you do that. If it does NOT pull....then you might just be a victim of not being properly set up. As the guys have pointed out....proper weight distribution is IMPERATIVE...and Folks have have crazy issues, including blowouts, when the Tag pressure was set way too high.

HYDRAULIC. YES to the above....but bear in mind.

You PROBABLY have the Texaco Rando OIL (not ATF). That DOES need to be maintained. You have a Nelson 3 filter system. If you have the manual, there is an excellent writeup. However, if you download the 2002 and 2004 manuals you can also get the info. Monaco does not have your 2003 manual online.

BUT....if your cooling is fine, then I sort of rule out the hydraulic system. Your radiator fans are driven off the same system. Therefore, any issues with pressure would result in cooling issues. 

BUT....you also need to KNOW what type of fluid you have. If you have a Straw colored fluid (let it drip on a piece or paper), you do NEED to replace the spin on filter and the 3 Nelson filters inside the reservoir. IF you have a Redish colored fluid, it is ATF. TRW recommends that you switch or replenish that with the Transynd Allison fluid. That is NOW their requirement for long range or extended warranty. Mobil makes an equivalent...Delvac Synthetic that is an excellent substitute. I would NOT use any other synthetic...

I ALSO wonder about the gear Box. IF you have, hopefully, the TRW, then it has a centering or play adjustment. THAT could be the issue and any good front end shop should be able to adjust this.

Good Luck....let us know and keep us informed. That is how we all learn

Which tag on the "door"? Why at 60 P S I?  Water empty too??  How much fuel???  Why not weigh it in the configuration you want and then set the down pressure to ???? I am confused as to what results your opinion and speculations will bring.

[Tom Cherry]

21 hours ago, Paul A. said:

Which tag on the "door"? Why at 60 P S I?  Water empty too??  How much fuel???  Why not weigh it in the configuration you want and then set the down pressure to ???? I am confused as to what results your opinion and speculations will bring.

My logic....need to get BACK to basics. Drive the MH as it left the factory. Water is optional...and supposedly when you pick up a MH, it USED to be that you have a full fuel tank.

If it wanders or pulls, then you have an issue that needs to be looked at by a professional.

If you have a MINOR pulling or bias to one side, then swap the front tires....that is what Barry of Josams's recommends and it WORKS.

THEN...start to load it up and get it weighed and also adjust the pressure on the Tag for even weight distribution. I don't have enough info to diagnose the problem.  We have eliminated the first variable that occupied a lot of bandwidth....Steering stabilizer.

Unless the OP takes it to a shop or has it towed, we have no info...  BUT, if it has no or minor issues when he gets it back to how it left the factory....then odds are....it was a weight distribution or TP or Tax Axle or some combo thereof. He DID, and it got lost in all the racket, state that the pull switched after he loaded it from when he drove it home. I assumed that he did not get a ton of gear from the previous owner...

As I said, I can not understand how a hydraulic issue would cause the pull to reverse sides....and the fact that cooling appears OK makes me thing this is a dead end rabbit hole.