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Old 11-15-2019, 04:32 AM   #61
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Azadv, did you have any alignment issues after the lift? I just completed the 6" lift and the front end was way out of alignment such that the first alignment shop would not align it and the second did the best they could but it is not great.

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Old 11-22-2019, 08:19 AM   #62
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Azadv, did you have any alignment issues after the lift? I just completed the 6" lift and the front end was way out of alignment such that the first alignment shop would not align it and the second did the best they could but it is not great.
I drove my rig to Weldtec in San Diego to have them install the lift, and the alignment at a nearby shop was part of the install. Did you ask Weldtec about the issue?
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Old 11-26-2019, 03:46 PM   #63
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Yes, that was the second alignment shop. They installed the maximum camber adjustment bushings to remove the pull to the left but the knuckle now slightly rubs on the I-beam next to the bushing. I am taking it back down after Thanksgiving to analyze it with Jeremy. The new rear leaf springs only came up 4 1/2" so I am thinking of replacing the front lift with a 4" lift to even it out better and hopefully improve the alignment. One I-beam is bent too much, the other too little, and the I-beam to control arm connection is leaning back too much for too much positive caster (8 and 12 degrees instead of 4) causing the wheels to wander around on the freeway and move the steering wheel back and forth.
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Old 01-01-2020, 04:37 PM   #64
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Great thread, thanks. Handy, I'm about to pull the trigger on WeldTec's 6" lift for our 2001 Bigfoot 30MH29RQ. Your post on alignment issues is the first negative comment I've seen on the Weldtec kit. Did it get resolved? Thanks.
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Old 01-03-2020, 02:50 AM   #65
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Kosmic625, for the most part, yes. I love the lift, it looks great, I can drive with confidence that I have enough ground clearance, there is absolutely no problem with sway, I love the 2" taller BFG tires that it allowed me to put on. The front lift came close to 6" after the alignment allowed it to. The new rear leaf springs came up short at 4.5", but with the taller tires and the back of the motorhome still being taller than the front, I am happy with it. Jeremy was great to work with and is very passionate about his work and customer service. Alignment shops that do motorhomes are limited and my local one would not align the motorhome after the lift kit due to how far off it was. I went down to Weldtec and Jeremy and I took the motorhome over to his alignment shop which does large trucks and is very old school. They did the alignment, maxing out available adjustments, and got the caster and camber within Ford specifications. I think tire wear should be ok. On a perfectly smooth road it holds center properly, but as soon as there is a dip or rise then bump steer causes the wheel to wander left and right. I went back down a second time and talked to the alignment guy about the issue. He told me the alignment is good but when a lift like this is installed then the steering tie rods are no longer parallel to the I-beams and bump steer issues will happen. He told me this is the best I can expect after getting a lift. Jeremy thought it drove ok but when I got back to my rural hometown I realized that the roads around Weldtec were smoother than the roads around my house so he didn't get to experience what I am experiencing. I decided to move forward and start enjoying my new motorhome. I realized that if I had to leave the motorhome at its stock height then I would not have bought it. They are just too low. Two weekends ago my wife and I took it out and I got to do a pretty good shakedown drive on a windy rural road in the desert. While turning the handling is solid and I felt confident pushing the limits in some turns. I imagine that when we do a long trip the wandering steering wheel will tire me out sooner than usual. Monitoring the steering wheel requires full attention and I have been unable to shift my focus to anything more than changing a radio station. I don't think eating an In-N-Out burger while driving will ever happen in this motorhome! I drive a 12,000-pound service truck on a daily basis so I am comfortable driving large vehicles but just accustomed to better tracking in a straight line with zero bump steer. If the 4" lift resulted in less bump steer then I think I would have been happy with that also as long as the 2" taller BFG tires still fit. Have fun with your lift and let me know how it goes!
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Old 01-03-2020, 03:18 AM   #66
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Handy,
There is NOTHING special about that lift of yours other than your persistent problems with it.
Any halfway good 4wd shop will add the required shortened or lengthened or contrived steering components(the things you say your shop won't offer you) You're buying the expertise your installer lacks.

While I'm not a 2wd guy and my knowledge is limited, I am an offroad guy.

The picture of the Blazer seems to have little to do with a MotorHome.
It has axle OVER rear springs with NINE leafs and a military wrap. They have only about 500lbs of squish before they bottom out.
The front uses one ton idler and custom length just about everything to keep the IFS working with the five inch lift. It climbs like a goat and runs forest roads far faster than I have skill for and does 75mph down the interstate without more than a single fingers pressure on the steering wheel.
The punchline to this is:
It ain't special. It's CORRECT.

Go to Deevers in Santa Ana, let them laugh/miserate at your install and then let them refer you to who can fix it while they're making you the correct rear springs.
It is truly almost nothing skilled to get your problems resolved. It's possibly just the correct catalog parts that are needed. But someone skilled needs to do the geometry. 90% of mine fell right out of a catalog.

I know you like the guy who did your install but it sounds like it's time to have it fixed.

I went a step further than you by installing a straight axle, front leaf springs, manual 2speed transfer case, 4wd swap with a 4"lift on my E450 in the second picture. It is Flawless. Steers with one fingers pressure, doesn't dive or pitch or chase grooves in the road.

You deserve the same.

Based on what you say, and what I own/use, I deduce your install is dangerously flawed due to someone seriously lacking the knowledge of what he was doing with that install.
From what you have written it sounds like you're one bad sneeze from waking up at the bottom of a road side canyon.


I say all of this and provide my examples so you might get an understanding of my understandings. Personally, I'd sue that goofs ass off if he can't cure the steering geometry by him paying someone skilled to fix it.


(for the 4wd guys: IFS, five inch lift, yet you can't see the torsion bars on that Blazer. How?)
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Old 01-03-2020, 08:21 AM   #67
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Jeremy at Weldtec is anything but "someone seriously lacking the knowledge of what he was doing".

And I believe the Axis is an E-350 chassis, no?
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Old 01-03-2020, 08:29 AM   #68
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On a perfectly smooth road it holds center properly, but as soon as there is a dip or rise then bump steer causes the wheel to wander left and right.
'm just wondering if an upgraded steering stabilizer like a Saf-T-Plus or Roadmaster would help with the bump steer?

Did you install one as part of your upgrades?
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Old 01-03-2020, 08:44 AM   #69
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'm just wondering if an upgraded steering stabilizer like a Saf-T-Plus or Roadmaster would help with the bump steer?

Did you install one as part of your upgrades?
I did on mine. Heavy duty Fox unit like the shocks. Steering was significantly different with it installed over the puny OEM unit.
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Old 01-04-2020, 05:28 AM   #70
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I installed the Fox steering stabilizer with the Weldtec kit. Interestingly one of the issues I noticed after the lift is that there is heavier steering. It is harder to move the steering wheel. Jeremy noticed it also and suggested that I could experiment with disconnecting the stabilizer to see how it affects the heavy steering. Jeremy also told me that the stabilizer has 20psi in it and I could try dropping it to 10psi. He also suggested that I could disconnect the sway bar to see how it affects that bump steer. I have not had the opportunity to experiment but my gut feeling is that the stabilizer and sway bar are a good thing to have. When Jeremy installs these lift kits on the vans he eliminates the sway bars because they limit suspension travel and he thinks they handle very well without the sway bar. I will definitely try it out one of these days.
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Old 01-04-2020, 05:49 AM   #71
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It’s the Fox stabilizer that gives it the heavy steering feeing. I drove my RV back to AZ from Weldtec with the OEM one in place and installed the Fox one at home. Wasn’t sure if I liked it but got used to it and it works well for what it’s supposed to do.
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Old 03-17-2023, 03:46 PM   #72
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Late to the party, azadv, but how is this unit holding up?
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Old 03-17-2023, 03:57 PM   #73
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Late to the party, azadv, but how is this unit holding up?
Sold it Dec 21 and now have a converted RAM Promaster van. But it worked great. Got all my money out of it.
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Old 03-17-2023, 04:09 PM   #74
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Late to the party, azadv, but how is this unit holding up?
Mine is holding up perfectly. I've put 6,000 miles on the lifted motorhome. The all-terrain tires had the worst cupping I've ever seen but I am just rotating them through and their age will be more of a problem than the cupping eventually. The issues with alignment become a non-issue as soon as I'm on the road for a couple hours and become accustomed to it.
We are planning another 3000 miles later this year up to Montana and back. No regrets!
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Old 03-17-2023, 04:11 PM   #75
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Nice! Thanks for the reply. I did the van thing for a while, carried xr650r or xr600 before that. With family, a little bigger is better. My 13 yr old is starting to ride motos as well. Fwiw Joe Desroseos of Joe Hauler did some custom welding on my 23u to install 2 extra hitches on the side to keep the bike stable.


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Old 03-17-2023, 04:26 PM   #76
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Thanks Handy

Will start looking into a 29j. This will be the 3rd thor motorhome, so somewhat know what to expect🤣
seen some leaks, dangerous wiring, other head scratchers but the box itself has been solod as have the e450's.


Chuck
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Old 03-17-2023, 04:27 PM   #77
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Thanks azadv.
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