Debbit Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 We just got back from several days camping trip. It was great, everything worked. On the way home we took a scenic byway route, the road through a ghost town, Lake Valley. I told my husband it sounded really rattle back there, so we pulled over and I went back there. Wow. All drawers were hanging out, closet door open, fridge door was off and on the floor (we'd finished all the food before we left) a support for the upper cabinets has slipped out too. I put everything back in place, and decided to ride back there. it was alarming how everything was rattling and bouncing around. The road was somewhat rough but not terrible, and we weren't going fast...45ish. I know my upper cabinets need to be better supported, and the bottom cabinets are weak in places but I was shocked by how the fridge and all the other cabinets and doors bounced up and down. We checked the airbag's psi when we got home, they were uneven and low, so aired them up and hope that helps. we plan to use a larger diameter screw to fasten the cabinets back up there more securely, but wow! Anyone else experience riding back there like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I haven't ever sat in the back of my camper when it was moving, but the Chinook is small enough that I can pretty much tell everything that's going on back there. If I overload my fridge at all, the door will pop open and spill stuff out when I take a hard or prolonged left turn. Everything I've built has so far held together...and I've been down some extremely rough roads. But I do need to do some work to secure some areas a little better so my stuff doesn't fall out when I'm going down crazy, winding canyon roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Deb check inside the rear of the cabinets. There are screws that go into the rear wall on both sides. Your longer coach is going to have more room to bounce than mine but I have bounced my cabinets right off the back wall before. So not just the ceiling. Back wall too. Also I used the wood molding putty that you knead together and rolled it into thin strands and pushed it up into the screw holes. Packed as much as I could get up there, pushed in with teriyaki stick. Then let it dry and screwed into it. Gave a little more stuff up there to hold to. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3959143 Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbit Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Thanks Linda, I've seen the screws, their holes are rounded out. The epoxy wood putty sounds like the thing! Rides nice up front, you'd never know what was going on back there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 New shocks might be a good idea too. Don't remember if your changed them but will make a big difference if they are weak. Also check your rear sway bar and make sure it's tight and the bushings look good. Not a stock sway bar. I had to use marine bushings I found to replace mine. Shock bushings would work but I just didn't think if it at the time. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I just replaced my front sway bar bushings when I got to Wyoming, the old ones finally busted out and I heard metal clanking around. Glad it was a simple fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanman Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 MontanaChinook If I overload my fridge at all, the door will pop open and spill stuff out when I take a hard or prolonged left turn. Try adjusting the fridge door, ours was way off. john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanman Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I know my upper cabinets need to be better supported, and the bottom cabinets are weak in places but I was shocked by how the fridge and all the other cabinets and doors bounced up and down. Anyone else experience riding back there like this? Ours rides really rough, better after new shocks,bushings, etc, but still bumps are hard. I have found things I expected to stay tight sometimes don't and some things just require ocassional checking for tightness. john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Just like riding in the back of the school bus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I made lunch once in mine with my buddy driving and you feel every thing and that was on the interstate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I have a pin that drops through a bracket and into the frig door to keep it shut. If I forget to put the pin in place, the frig door is open within 1 mile, with the pin in, it never opens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 MontanaChinook If I overload my fridge at all, the door will pop open and spill stuff out when I take a hard or prolonged left turn. Try adjusting the fridge door, ours was way off. john I didn't realize I could! I'll check out the user manual and see what it says. I just assumed it was because the door latch is crap (which is true). But if there's a way to help keep the door closed with an adjustment, that would be great. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 My fridge has a different setup, but I think I'll start wandering around an Ace Hardware to see if I can find a better set up. The way it is now is stupid. Not sure what Dometic was thinking. Brand new fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 My fridge has a different setup, but I think I'll start wandering around an Ace Hardware to see if I can find a better set up. The way it is now is stupid. Not sure what Dometic was thinking. Brand new fridge. Give me your model number. I have never seen one that didn't lock somehow. I mean they are for motorhomes Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbit Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 On topic of fridge, I saw the little nylon bushings that are in the hinge holes in fridge door were missing, so took the ones off the other side and replaced the ones that were gone. Door fits nice now, but I will keep it locked when underway. Wonder too if some of the bouncy ride could be tire pressure. Tires say 50 psi but door sticker says tires should be at 28 psi for all tires. They were at 50 psi. I don't know which to believe. Should we go for tire recommendation? The sticker says GVW is 5500, so maybe the 50# is right?? Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Mine uses a small pin to hold it shut, the pin broke off and now a screw driver keeps it shut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Tires today have increased pressure specs.......There was a time when we carried 32 pounds & were concerned about tread wear. My '78 Chinook has D rated Cooper tires that are rated at 55 pounds.. I keep them at 50 cold.. The ride is a bit rough, but the mileage is good. If you have the correct tires that are rated for the weight that you carry...You can inflate them to the spec on the tire....Donnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Load Range D tires are @ 65psi max Load Range C tires are @ 50psi max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Thanks Derek for the correction, I guess I'm not paying attention..........I'll try to be more accurate, the tire shop that installed the tires gave me that info. I never read the fine print :-).....................Donnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbit Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 So higher psi, as the tires are rated is better, if rougher? I've read so much info on RV tires and weight, I'm numb. I do think the stuff I've read pertains more to big "real" RVS. Lower pressure=hotter tires, more friction between dual tires, not worth a softer ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Give me your model number. I have never seen one that didn't lock somehow. I mean they are for motorhomes Linda S "Different" setup, and "stupid" setup, but not "no" setup. This is with my "improvement", too, that I just did yesterday. I bent the metal tab a bit so there's more overlap. Before that, just the very bottom of the latch touched the very top edge of the fridge door tab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I run my tires 65psi I tend to do all back country camping lot of those roads 15 mph at the most I pull over and let them go by I try not to beat my camper . in my Toyota 4wd truck I don't worry about it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rmcgloth Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Check the pressure and condition of the inner duallies also. We had one that was separating and the ride is much smoother with new tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbit Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Wanted to report on improvements. Proper air pressure in the airbags did help. All tires were ok, glad to know the higher # is the pressure to go with. Thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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