New Suspension

[NJGEJ6649]

Hello everyone I'm new to this Rving life so don't be too harsh on me I just purchased a 2020 Thor Palazzo 36.3ft diesel pusher. I would like to change the suspension and the place I was ordering from stated they would need to know if my coach has a "Front I Beam" front suspension or an "Independent" front suspension on a Freightliner chassis. Thanks in advance for your help.

[16ACE27]

Why would a 2020 MH need a "new suspension".

If you can't look at the front suspension and see the difference between an I-Beam suspension and an independent suspension, should you really be the one ordering a "new suspension"? Refer to question #1 above.

Do you, or the place you are ordering from, know that MH has air suspension?

We don't really get questions regarding new suspension. We get lotsa questions about improving and modifying suspension for a better ride and handling.

[ducksface]

Why a new suspension?
It seems very counterproductive
Especially
If you don't know the vehicle and what it accomplishes as is.

Above is just a question and an observation of/to people who read all about betterment yet haven't had enough butt time to know better from worse or your shortcomings vs those of the rv.

Op is just the vehicle for the message for a general observation(that is, by the way, Dead. Spot. On.)


If op has a reasonable
'Why'
Please post it here so we can pass it on as valuable knowledge.

[paulwadley]

Your motor home has an air suspension system and can be adjusted to suit your needs while on the road.

Paul

[NJGEJ6649]

Thanks Paul for your answer "I stated I was new to this life", to the other replies, I was looking for a solution not the sarcasm. I probably stated my question wrong but I'm looking for a more comfortable ride other than Liquid Springs, so if you can't help then what is this forum for?

[paulwadley]

Liquid springs is a very expensive system for any motor home. I have read and heard some great things about it. No matter what you do to a motor home suspension, the ride inside will depend on the road condition on the outside road surface that will determine how smooth it is for those inside. Most of the roads we drive on are very hard on the motor home's suspension. On one motor home we had, I removed the factory bump stops and installed Sumo Springs. They made a great difference for going into/out of driveways and the terrible side to side swaying. They also improved it when we were passed by large trucks. That was on our 2018 Thor Siesta 24SS Class C. We had it a few more years and traded it in for our current 2022 Thor Miramar 37.1. I did have a safe t plus steering stabilizer installed on it to help while driving. This helped to make it drive better on our trips. It made a big difference for me on the road.

Paul

[ducksface]

Part of the value of this forum is:
Saving you from yourself.

Not all ideas translate to all situations.

The hausfrau who wants to add the 200 gallon fuel tank(because someone else did) to the vehicle she never takes more than 50 miles from home might be a cartoonish example of why you might want an opinion of
'Rethink your reasons'
because you have no reasonable initial reference point.

The answers here are bit generic because there will be 300+ people who read this thread and half, by law, are below the average intelligence of the thread participants so things need said to blunt their enthusiasm in case it is horribly misplaced.

All we're saying is
Reconsider once you know the vehicle enough to even have a consideration.

So many here throw scraps of info into their suspension parts cannon...ruin their ride or do not improve their ride with $10,000 worth of hodgepodge suspension stuff...then sell the rv because they actually made it worse or none better.

Again;
This is
Genericized to fit more folks than the op.

100 times someone here has explained butt position vs axle positions and the second hand on a clock.
You're sitting in a very amplified position four feet from the center of that slow moving arm pivot. Your movement is multiplied by the length of your distance from the axle center.

Imagine if the drivers seat in a mustang was four feet above the roof. Same suspension...different ride.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by NJGEJ6649

Thanks Paul for your answer "I stated I was new to this life", to the other replies, I was looking for a solution not the sarcasm. I probably stated my question wrong but I'm looking for a more comfortable ride other than Liquid Springs, so if you can't help then what is this forum for?

Being "new to RV life" does not mean being new to communicating.

Your specific question about the front suspension type also tells us you are new to vehicle suspension types and that the place you are ordering from has little experience in the Freightliner XC-S straight rail chassis.

You asked a question about changing the suspension on a 2020 air ride MH without any further information about what you were changing or what you were ordering or what problem you were trying to solve. Helping you requires more information which you have been asked for.

We now know you perceive your ride as "uncomfortable" which is very subjective and subject to a wide range of interpretations.

So let me help you become more comfortable with your new to you MH.

Seat Time: Nothing helps a new MH driver become more comfortable with their vehicle more that seat time. Many expect the MH to drive like an SUV or pickup truck. That will never be the case. They are built on dump truck/delivery van chassis and in some cases bus chassis, but they will all handle much differently than even the largest passenger vehicles. The more seat time you have the more comfortable you will become with the differences in the way the MH handles in varying circumstances.

Tire pressure and front end alignment: Many inflate their tires to the maximum pressure on the sidewall and complain of a harsh ride. Follow the manufacturer's sticker in the MH for tire pressure - it is likely much less than the sidewall max pressure. Get the MH aligned at a truck or bus shop so you know that is correct and not a possible cause of handling issues. The shop can also point out the difference between an I-beam and independent front suspension to you and tell you what you have.

Air Ride Familiarity: Learn and know about your air ride suspension and user adjustments. An air ride suspension is the Cadillac of MH suspensions only bested by the very expensive upgrade to Liquid Spring suspension.

Now, define your complaints. Are you bouncing all over the road? Is the MH wandering left and right and hard to stay centered? Are you blown into or away from big trucks passing you? Are your teeth chattered out of you head by every little crack in the pavement? Once specific complaints are defined AFTER going through the basics above, then solutions to those complaints can be pursued.

Good luck to you as you enjoy your new MH.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by NJGEJ6649

Hello everyone I'm new to this Rving life so don't be too harsh on me I just purchased a 2020 Thor Palazzo 36.3ft diesel pusher. I would like to change the suspension and the place I was ordering from stated they would need to know if my coach has a "Front I Beam" front suspension or an "Independent" front suspension on a Freightliner chassis. Thanks in advance for your help.

Your Freightliner XC series chassis has an I beam solid front axle. You can call Freightliner with the chassis serial number and the will give you all the chassis specifications. Only the Freightliner SL chassis has the independent front axle as an option and only the FCCC chassis comes with the independent front axle standard.



Only Spartan RV chassis come standard with independent front suspensions. Even the Spartan K-1 360 chassis has an independent front suspension.

[MCP]

FWIW, last four posts, 6 thru 9, all good and interesting info. (Even for me with a simple 20’ class B).

[NJGEJ6649]

Originally Posted by paulwadley

Your motor home has an air suspension system and can be adjusted to suit your needs while on the road.

Paul

Thanks Paul YOU were a great help!!! Without the sarcasm from the others.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by NJGEJ6649

Thanks Paul YOU were a great help!!!

Sumos and steering stabilizers and stories of a c class have nothing to do with your coach or the ride of your coach.


Unless you mean you didn't know your vehicle has an adjustable air suspension.
If this is the case we can direct you on its purpose and use.

I think you have sarcasm confused with a collective 1,000,000 miles and 200 years of rv road and repair and modification experiences, adding in 30years of answering inanity and discovering brilliance from posters on this forum vs your new to you rv knowledge.

[NJGEJ6649]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Sumos and steering stabilizers and stories of a c class have nothing to do with your coach or the ride of your coach.


Unless you mean you didn't know your vehicle has an adjustable air suspension.
If this is the case we can direct you on its purpose and use.

I think you have sarcasm confused with a collective 1,000,000 miles and 200 years of rv road and repair and modification experiences, adding in 30years of answering inanity and discovering brilliance from posters on this forum vs your new to you rv knowledge.

Well this is the response I was looking for bc this forum is to help others in need of it, and not the rest.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by NJGEJ6649

Well this is the response I was looking for bc this forum is to help others in need of it, and not the rest.

I woulda thought post #9 was the response you were looking for.

[Dry Yachtie]

Originally Posted by NJGEJ6649

Thanks Paul for your answer "I stated I was new to this life", to the other replies, I was looking for a solution not the sarcasm. I probably stated my question wrong but I'm looking for a more comfortable ride other than Liquid Springs, so if you can't help then what is this forum for?

I agree, wholly inappropriate responses.....

[Norm_691]

An inexpensive way to improve your suspension is to spend $550. on 4 new Bilstein shocks. I think you will be happier.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Dry Yachtie

I agree, wholly inappropriate responses.....

I see absolutely positively irrevocably stupendously no value to this comment.
It is indeed wholly inappropriate for some folks with no solution to delve into solution based threads with only admonishement for those responders who actually bothered to provide a solution or a lesson or a RELATED observation or pertinent question.

Your knowledge base and lack of viable input is noted.
You didn't even bother to tell what an appropriate response would be.

[Dry Yachtie]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I see absolutely positively irrevocably stupendously no value to this comment.
It is indeed wholly inappropriate for some folks with no solution to delve into solution based threads with only admonishement for those responders who actually bothered to provide a solution or a lesson or a RELATED observation or pertinent question.

Your knowledge base and lack of viable input is noted.
You didn't even bother to tell what an appropriate response would be.

Oh God of all knowledge that is RV please forgive my expressing my dissatisfaction with 16ACEwhatever's demeaning and arrogant response to an individual seeking advice in the absence of his own experience and specific knowledge. Seeing that there was already good information buried in the midst of a bunch of demeaning attitude and sarcasm it would have been redundant to add anything more. On second thought don't forgive me. I could care. You haven't a clue about my knowledge/experience base, you display your own ignorance by assuming you do.

[roguewave@sbcglobal.net]

Originally Posted by NJGEJ6649

Hello everyone I'm new to this Rving life so don't be too harsh on me I just purchased a 2020 Thor Palazzo 36.3ft diesel pusher. I would like to change the suspension and the place I was ordering from stated they would need to know if my coach has a "Front I Beam" front suspension or an "Independent" front suspension on a Freightliner chassis. Thanks in advance for your help.

That bus is built on a Freightliner chassis. You don’t need to change anything.