Thor Forums

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Hudsoner

Yes,you are right. However Thor decided with my motorhome type to put as little weight as possible on the front axle (and who knows with how many others). The only weight I have on this heavy duty front axle is the drive train, the coach battery, and to some extend the house batteries, and, of course, any passengers in the front seats. This is way to little weight for the layout of the front springs. To add injury to insult, they decided to put the fresh water tank as far to the back as they could, It touches the rear end cap of the motorhome! And also the generator, the gas gasoline tank and the propane tank are located behind the rear axle. All this weight tries even more to unload the front axle, and the result is a very harsh ride in the front, because the springs re never in their most efficient position.
I am currently trying to figure out, how much additional weight I need in the front to get an appropriate ride quality (I use steel plates with known weights for this). For the case that I need some weight close to 400 lb, I will install the next softer truck springs from a Ford vehicle. The softer springs, in combination with the Sumo maxim springs I have installed already, should provide me with a similar front axle ride quality as can be found in the Kelderman modifications.

The subject you describe is difficult to analyze correctly because ride harshness is a function of many variables, including the effective mass affected by the springs and dampers, not just the weight supported by the springs. And there is a difference, particularly when motorhome is built like the one you described.