RV is "dogwalking"

[actiont]

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Hello Everybody,

This is my first post!
We took delivery of our first RV last week. A 2001 Winnebago Adventurer 35U, Triton 6.8L 59,000 Km. We love it.

I work in the trailer business and we have a term called "dogwalking" defined as when the backend of a vehicle is not inline with the front end while underway. ie: the vehicle drives crooked or at an angle, usually caused by poor alignment of the rear axle.

That is what our MH is doing! Is this common? I haven't called the dealer yet to inquire. I was wondering if the body wasn't aligned to the chassis? Unfortunately, I'm learning as I go.

The tires do not show abnormal wear.

Any comments would be great!

Thanks,

Paul.

 

[Larry]

RV is "dogwalking"

Paul,

This is probably a rear alignment problem. The center lines from wheel to wheel for the front and back need to be parallel. Any deviation from parallel is called 'thrust angle'.

Any good truck alignment shop should be able to diagnose this condition. Fixing might be more difficult. The rear spring center bolt occasionally break allowing one side of the differential to move causing this symptom. A broken rear spring can also show up this way.

You'll have to check it out.

Larry

 

[Poppa]

RV is "dogwalking"

Welcome to Our little world.

I agree with Larry on the alignment problem.

To find out which side you need to look at is easy to find. Measure from back of the front tire to the front of the rear tire at the centerline of the tire. Which ever one is the greatest is the direction the rear will want to run in.

The front eye of the rear springs normally have a bushing in them. When this bushing wears which it will sometimes you will get as you call it dog walking.

If the bushings look fine check the axle spring connection sometime thes bolts work loose enough to cause a mis alignment.

 

[LotRott74]

RV is "dogwalking"

Front axles have NOTHING to do with Tracking, this is decided totally from the rear axle, if all of your REAR bushings and center pins are in good shape, your frame might have been tweaked from the factory?? It has happened before.
If everything checks out in the rear and your rig still "Crabs" down the road a simple Tracking Block will allow you to shift one side of the axle forward or back where it connects to the spring.

Here is how you make one, a tracking block is made from a piece of mild steel about the size of the pad on the axle where it connects to the leaf spring, it also has to have a Hole Drilled in the center of it the diameter of the center pin...if you don't have leaf springs on the rear of your rig click the "Back" button in your browser NOW! OK, your still here....the block also has to be the thickness of the center pin (the amount the center pin protrudes from the spring), loosen the U-Bolts on the axle (sometimes its just easier to cut them off ) Lets say for argument sake you put Liquid Wrench on them for a week and where able to back the nuts off the U-Bolts :question: Loosen the axle enough to slide said Tracking block between the spring and the axle, put the center pin in the hole in the tracking block, tighten things up a bit

NOW THE FUN BEGINS :evil:
Slide the axle where you want to correct your tracking problem, once you get the axle in the correct position...WELD THE TRACKING BLOCK to the axle and tighten the U-Bolts to spec You have just fixed your tracking problem and possibly voided your warranty too, but HEY at least your going down the road straight

 

[BamaCowboy]

JUST from Past history ...We had the same issue on my USED RV when it was purchased. Unfortunately till my wife was following me home one day we didn't realize the entire rear end was moving side to side...Felt more like skate-boarding than dog walking...Ended up having to replace BUSHING for both sides. The Rubber/Fiber parts had disintegrated over time