Steering And Suspension' System; Camber; Toe-In; Maintenance And Inspection - Fleetwood Bounder 1987 Owner's Manual

sion members from vertical (when viewed from the
side of the vehicle), are all involved in front alignment.
Caster
Caster is the tilting of the front steering axis either
forward or backward from the vertical (when viewed
from the side of the vehicle). A backward tilt is said
to be positive
(+)
and a forward tilt is said to be
negative (-).
Camber
Camber is the tilting of the front wheels from the
vertical when viewed from the front of the vehicle.
When the wheels tilt outward at the top, the camber
is said to be positive
(+).
When the wheels tilt inward
at the top, the camber is said to be negative (-). The
amount of tilt is measured in degrees from the ver-
tical and this measurement is called the camber angle.
Toe-In
Toe-in is the turning in of the front wheels. The
actual amount of toe-in is normally only a fraction of
an inch. The purpose of a toe specification is to en-
sure parallel rolling of the front wheels.
Toe-in also serves to offset the small deflections of
the wheel support system which occurs when the
vehicle is rolling forward. In other words, even when
the wheels are set to toe-in slightly when the vehicle
is standing still, they tend to roll parallel on the road
when the vehicle is moving; Excessive toe-in or toe-
out will cause tire wear.
Maintenance and Inspection
Several factors can affect front alignment, including
tire inflation pressures, wheel bearing condition, steer-
ing and suspension components. The following checks
can indicate problems that should be corrected.
1. Check all tires for proper inflation pre.ssures and
approximately th.e same tread \l\(ear.
2:lf the unitis equipped with air suspension com-
ponents, be sure to inspect them according to
the literature included in the Owner's Informa-
tion Package. Be sure to keeP them inflated to
the recommendedJpreSsures; ".
3. Check front
wheelbe'~Wi1gsfor
looseness.
4. Check for looseness of b.aU joints, tie rod ends
and steering relay rods and damper.
5. Check for excessive run-out of wheels and tires.
6. Check for a difference in the ride height be-
tween right and left sides of the vehicle.
NOTE: Excessive orlmevenly distributed
lo~ds
also affect ride height and alignment. This 'should
. be taken into consideration wilen making the
check. Also, if the motor home Is equipped with
air bag cylinders, it is important that the cylinders
be Inflilted to the proper pressure for the load be-
ing carried in order to maintain adequate ride
height.
7. Check for steering gear looseness at frame.
8. Check for improperly operating shock ab-
sorbers. There may be evidence of a leaking
shock(s).
9. Check for loose control arms.
10. Ch.eck for loose or missing stabilizer bar
attachments.
11. Steering and vibration complaints are not
always the result of improper alignment. Also
check tires for "lead" due to worn or improperly
manufactured tires. "Lead'" is the deviation of
the vehicle from a straight'Path on a level road
without hand pressure on the steering wheel.
Lubrication of Steering Linkage
The steering linkage under normal conditions should
be lubricated with any water resistant EP type chassis
lubricant every 7,500 miles or six months, whichever
occurs first when operating in dusty or muddy
conditions.
Steering Damper Check
This type of steering damper is nonadjustable,
nonrefillable and is not repairable. At each lubrication
interval make check No.1 and No.2 on the steering
damper system. '
Check 1
60
Check the damper attachments to be sure they are
properly and securely installed. Tighten, if loose.
Replace the damper assembly if the rubber bushings
are badly worn.
Check 2
Inspect the damper for evidence o.f fluid leakage.
A light film of fluid is permissible on the' body of
the damper near the shaft seal. Replace a dripping
damper. .
Check 3
Turn the steering wheel so as to \lxtend the piston
rod from the damper ,1;l6dylIUfie"pistlln rod is rusted'
badly, replace the damper' (Part No. 4984838), If,
rust is light, clean the rod. Use care so that the rod
, surfa?e ,is not damaged., ' , "
,NOTE: On vehicles left in long term storage, the"
piston rod may become quite rusted. The rod
must be cleaned before, the v,ehicle i,s moved.
Failure to clean the rod will destroy the seals with
,firs( Inward movement of the rod - making
replacement of the damper a certainty.
If the damper is not functioning properly, andlor is
noisy" refer to' a qualified service shop.