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Inspire Handling Problems

Yahoo Message Number: 16881
Crosswinds and quartering winds used to bother Cici. Changing camber caused more steering effort than I liked. Entering turns we had delayed response to steering, then sometimes oversteer feeling.
We added 14 # to rear tires, drove 522 miles with winds & are satisfied with Inspire handling. 104 PSIG in rears now. 112 front. Wife has not noticed rougher ride nor did I.

One mile after adding air we went to a scale. Scale showed we are overweight on both axles. Adding to the weight problem, we tow a 21', 6500 # truck. The Toyo M120 tire charts will probably tell me to add more air for weight.

Then we drove 522 miles home. Since effects of camber change & effects of crosswinds are much reduced, I will happily add more pressure if the charts so indicate.

Maybe if I drove a sports car or a semi-truck, the Inspire would feel bad. We agree the Inpire ride is excellent & now handling is good, much better. 35' Fleetwood on Chevrolet leaf springs was much worse.
M120 Toyo tires, 11R22.5, are rated 65 M/H. Where does Toyo write that 75 M/H is acceptable with added 10 PSIG?

Eric & Terry Elliott

05 Inspire 51321, Caterpillar, 398 delayed horse power.

Re: Inspire Handling Problems

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16882
Bob (neighbor) has M120 rears, and M147 fronts. He did mention 104 psi but not sure front or rear. Not sure what size rear tires.

He also said they did something to the suspension and later changed it back. I will talk to him and try and get the story. He did say a CC engineering type was involved at some point, so they are paying attention I guess. He must just have some weird setting somewhere, or still have tire troubs.

I see his Inspire pulled out somewhat in his driveway, maybe he is taking it back to JoSam or to LD.

Thanks for helping me help him ...

John

Quote from: Eric Lee Elliott\[br\
]
Crosswinds and quartering winds used to bother Cici. Changing

camber

Quote
caused more steering effort than I liked. Entering turns we had

delayed

Quote
response to steering, then sometimes oversteer feeling.
We added 14 # to rear tires, drove 522 miles with winds & are

satisfied

Quote
with Inspire handling. 104 PSIG in rears now. 112 front. Wife

has

Quote
not noticed rougher ride nor did I.

One mile after adding air we went to a scale. Scale showed we are > overweight on both axles. Adding to the weight problem, we tow a

21',

Quote
6500 # truck. The Toyo M120 tire charts will probably tell me to

add

Quote
more air for weight.

Then we drove 522 miles home. Since effects of camber change &

effects

Quote
of crosswinds are much reduced, I will happily add more pressure if

the

Quote
charts so indicate.

Maybe if I drove a sports car or a semi-truck, the Inspire would

feel

Quote
bad. We agree the Inpire ride is excellent & now handling is good,

much

Quote
better. 35' Fleetwood on Chevrolet leaf springs was much worse.

M120 Toyo tires, 11R22.5, are rated 65 M/H. Where does Toyo write

that

Re: Inspire Handling Problems

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16883
Comparison between the driving of my Inspire to even an Allure leads me to believe I'd like the Allure with a tag axel better. The Allure was smoother and a lot more comfortable.

That said, the Inspire is WORLDS different from any other RV I have driven, from the Class C to Class A's I've owned to other brands of diesel pushers.

Maybe an '06 Allure is in my future...we'll see. ;-)

Carol

'04 Inspire 51046

Re: Inspire Handling Problems

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16885
What do you mean "even an Allure?" I can't vouch for the new ones, but my 03 40' Allure with tag and 370 Cummins is the best coach I've ever owned, and I had two Intrigues. The handling is superb, and the coach has had few problems. I believe you'll get more bang for the buck with an Allure than anything else you'll find.

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811

Re: Inspire Handling Problems

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16896
I owned a 98 Allure 36' Deschutes (kitchen slide). If you'll look back at postings from the past; you will see that handling problems were debated back then when we had 275 R70 22.5 tires. The problem was caused by weight distribution, Monroe shocks, long rear over hang, air pressures, tires etc. I first changed my shocks to Koni's, set the rear air pressure 10 lbs higher than necessary,(as per Motorhome mag. and Michelin tire) on the Toyo's, cranked the rear shocks all the way up in stiffness and tried to get as much weight up front as possible. It was a great improvement. When I went to 275R80 which is about the same radius as the 11R another step was achieved. I am currently, traveling with another couple, they have a 2002 36' Intrigue, with 12r tires. I drive a 2004 42' Ovation Intrigue. We were heading for Tampa from the north and had to drive through some rail and strong cross winds, I was experiencing no problems, when they called and said 50mph was about all they could handle. I have come to the conclusion that short wheel base coaches with single rear axles and long over hangs, have issues. All the new coaches are better balanced, tires have larger safety margins, etc.. Each owner must decide how they want their coach set up. High or moderate shock rates, medium to high tire pressures, wheel alignment, change tires, weight distribution and how the coach is to be driven. I prefer a firm fast responding ride. So higher pressures, shock rates, and balanced weights are my choice. I have the Cummins ISL out back, my choice, if I had ordered the CAT and all the extra weight that implies, maybe I would be scratching my head. TWI 98 Allure 30255, 2004 intrigue 11731 PS Walked though 4 2006 Intrigues and 5 Allures yesterday, and I have to agree, the Allure gives the things I would want in a new coach. Especially storage both above and below the floor line.

Re: Inspire Handling Problems

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16898
The more I read about this, the more I realize how tricky this handling issue can be. Our first MH was a 2000 Journey we bought used three years ago. I never really paid any attention to handling. We traded for a 2003 Dutch Star, and it was perfect.
Better than our new Affinity. Never messed with anything, but did keep close track of tire pressure.

Tire pressure was always a big disussion topic on the Yahoo Newmar forum, as Newmar had some real front wheel loading issues. I bought portable wheel weighers just to put my mind at ease, and things were OK.

Now with the Affinity, I am paying more attention again. Much larger, heavier coach. It does not handle as well as our DS did, but I am just getting into the fine tune stage. Not bad, just not perfect.

I think I will pass all this good info on to neighbor Bob in printed form, and remove myself from the issue.

Heading home to IL soon, and our brand new MH barn. I will attack the slide hose/cyl retro, and really start getting into this thing.
Tons of stuff to learn, and having this forum is wonderful.

Thanks again ...

John and Terry

2005 Affinity #6453

Quote from: C\. Marshall
> I owned a 98 Allure 36' Deschutes (kitchen slide). If you'll look
back at postings from the past; you will see that handling problems were debated back then when we had 275 R70 22.5 tires. The problem was caused by weight distribution, Monroe shocks, long rear over hang, air pressures, tires etc. I first changed my shocks to Koni's, set the rear air pressure 10 lbs higher than necessary,(as per Motorhome mag. and Michelin tire) on the Toyo's, cranked the rear shocks all the way up in stiffness and tried to get as much weight up front as possible. It was a great improvement. When I went to 275R80 which is about the same radius as the 11R another step was achieved.
I am currently, traveling with another couple, they have a 2002 36' Intrigue, with 12r tires. I drive a 2004 42' Ovation Intrigue. We were heading for Tampa from the north and had to drive through some rail and strong cross winds, I was experiencing no problems, when they called and said 50mph was about all they could handle. I have come to the conclusion that short wheel base coaches with single rear axles and long over hangs, have issues. All the new coaches are better balanced, tires have larger safety margins, etc.. Each owner must decide how they want their coach set up. High or moderate shock rates, medium to high tire pressures, wheel alignment, change tires, weight distribution and how the coach is to be driven. I prefer a firm fast responding ride. So higher pressures, shock rates, and balanced weights are my choice. I have the Cummins ISL out back, my choice, if I had ordered the CAT and all the extra weight that implies, maybe I would be scratching my head. TWI 98 Allure 30255, 2004 intrigue 11731 PS Walked though 4 2006 Intrigues and 5 Allures yesterday, and I have to agree, the Allure gives the things I would want in a new coach. Especially storage both above and below the floor line.
 

Re: Inspire Handling Problems

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16992
Eric,

Adding 10# of air to gain 75 mph rating came from the Michelin tire book for the 315s, don't know what toyo says about your tire size. If you are going to ND to FMCA, ask the Toyo engineers or call toyo.

Bill G. 2005 Magna #6425