P-30 front end parts

[Gjac]

I posted in July about how my RH lwr ball joint suddenly failed while rounding a LH curve and the whole front end just dropped causing the tire to blow and the floor to be pushed up. I suspect that that the shop that rebuilt the front end 2 years ago put the wrong part in. I have read on here that pick up ball joints have been mistakenly installed. Does anyone know the right part numbers for the lwr ball joints and lwr control arms for a p-30 chassis. Also do heavier P-30's require a heavier duty ball joint and lwr a arm that the smaller chassis? MH is still in Mt. waiting to be repaired?

[Gjac]

The shop that did the front end work did not realize the frame was bent slightly when the ball joint failed. The shop that did the alignment said they shimmed as much as possible. It rides fine at 60 mpg but vibrates some from 65 to 70. Most of the vibration though is felt in the seats not in the steering wheel, which to me seems more like a balance issue or out of round tire.

[enblethen]

How does the rig handle with the new front end?
Thanks for the update!

[Gjac]

Flew out to Mt on the 7th of Nov. There was 4 or 5 in of snow on the ground. Ran into lght snow very cold 4 degrees but roads were clear. House batteries had ice in the cells, I charged the slowly then went up to 40 amps, hopefully they will recover. It was a beautiful ride through Mt and ND saw 5 bald eagles a coyote, fox and herds of deer. Had to put cardboard in the grill to get eng up to temp to get heat inside the MH. Eng started and ran well. Have been staying at night in hotels because of extreamly cold weather and wind chill. Stopped in Ft Wayne In. For the night, hope to be home by Monday. Quite a trip.

[Gjac]

rgatijnet1 wrote:

Gjac wrote:
I finally got a cost estimate for the work which is $4400. The work will be completed today and I will fly out to drive it back on Nov 7th. This has been a real trying time, 3 mos to do 17 hrs work of labor.

If I remember right, that does not include the cost for the front end alignment after all of the work done by that shop. I guess you just have to play the card you are dealt and when you break down away from home, it is always a **** shoot.

You are right the front end alignment is another $200 plus an hr for the mechanic to drive it to the shop and back. What is worse the shop in Ct that put the wrong ball joints in that caused the accident will not own up to it and will not reimburse me for any of the cost. The next concern it the MH has not be winterized since it has been there since July and I know the temperatures are dropping in Mt. Called to see if they would at least blow out the lines but have not heard back from them.

[rgatijnet1]

Gjac wrote:
I finally got a cost estimate for the work which is $4400. The work will be completed today and I will fly out to drive it back on Nov 7th. This has been a real trying time, 3 mos to do 17 hrs work of labor.

If I remember right, that does not include the cost for the front end alignment after all of the work done by that shop. I guess you just have to play the card you are dealt and when you break down away from home, it is always a **** shoot.

[enblethen]

Long trip for MH to west coast and back!
Hope you have a better trip home.

[Gjac]

I finally got a cost estimate for the work which is $4400. The work will be completed today and I will fly out to drive it back on Nov 7th. This has been a real trying time, 3 mos to do 17 hrs work of labor.

[Gjac]

enblethen wrote:
They must be doing a lot more then just ball joints and control arms.
This is always one of my fears when traveling far from home.

They have replaced both LH and RH lower control arms and ball joints with the Moog K6511 ball joints. They had to re machine the knuckles because the improper ball joints that were undersized wallowed out the hole by about .025. They also replaced both upper ball joints with Moog K6174. I am still waiting for more detailed cost breakdown, the owner won't return my calls I just get he is working on it from one of his employees that answers his phone. When you are 2000 miles away it is very difficult. It is much better to breakdown near a larger metropolitan area there are more shops to choose from. It will be Nov before I can drive it home. Just hope it is not in the snow.

[enblethen]

They must be doing a lot more then just ball joints and control arms.
This is always one of my fears when traveling far from home.

[Gjac]

enblethen wrote:
Gary:
Are you ever goimng to get it fixed? Saw Great Falls had snow when we were returning from the east.

This has been quite a journey it has been over 2mos now and the the shop just finished the front end. I still don't have a breakdown of the parts that were installed at what the cost is. They said the total of the front end is going to cost around $5000. They can't fix the broken floor so another shop has to fix that and a 3rd shop has to align it. The shop would not return my phone calls until I had Progressive insurance call them to get it moving. I just can't figure how they do business. They have had the MH since the end of July.

[enblethen]

Gary:
Are you ever goimng to get it fixed? Saw Great Falls had snow when we were returning from the east.

[Gjac]

Thanks Ron for the advice, I called JD in Helena and thy said they could do the job, I need to call back Monday to talk to the owner to verify. If I head down that way I can always pick up I 94 going east back home Rt 2 would probably bring back bad memories anyways. The shop said they would try to bend the floor substructure down so the doghouse can close. Right now there is a 4 in gap.

[rgatijnet1]

When the mechanic put the front end back together, he should have made it close enough to drive for a hundred miles or so. Basically he should have counted the number of turns for any component he changed so that the replacement was installed in approximately the same position.
All you have to do is drive the coach a few miles and you should be able to tell how close things are. if it is drastically pulling to one side or vibrating really bad, you will know that it is way off on alignment. If it appears to drive OK, then just take it easy and go to another shop. The one that I pointed out in Helena, MT is only 100 miles away. If you take it easy and the front end isn't off too much, you should be able to make it there without any damage. I would suggest inflating your front tires to the maximum pressure to minimize scrubbing wear on the way to the shop.

[Gjac]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Maybe from this list you can find someone: RV Service centers in Montana
J and D Truck Repair in Helena, MT looks to be the place you need.

Thanks Ron I called the ones in Great Falls and googled chassis repair shops in that area and only found one that could do the job but the two qualified workers are out on disability. Most places I called don't have a big enough in their shops. I hate to drive 200 plus miles to a bigger town with the amount of front end work. Is there another way to align the front end to get close enough to drive to a more metropolitan area that has the proper equipment? I remember when I was a kid a mechanic in my neighborhood would somehow align his truck using a 2x4 and a tape measure.