Drinking the Koolaide... ;-)
- Thread starter Tybalt39
- Start date
I think I saw it on a balance bead manufacturer's site. It went by tire size with no mention of wheels. I'm thinking a well made wheel should be in balance out of the factory.
And still vibrate? I thought the alloy wheels were supposed to eliminate the balance problems associated with steel wheels. Dang.
So it must be the rubber is out of balance.
I have on my list to attach my son's GoPro on the outside of the coach at the 4 corners to observe a vibration I have right at ~62mph
I had glass or ceramic (can't remember the brand) balance beads in the tires for maybe 5 years with no issues. Then about 2018 I started to get a shake, which seem to usually clear when I ran over a set or railway tracks. So I was thinking that maybe some was had condensed in one or more tires causing the beads to clump together and the RR tracks would shake them loose again.
The vibration starts about 60 and usually clears around 70mph. I believe it's from the rear, but the odd time I feel it in the steering wheel.
- So I had the beads removed and the tires dynamically balanced. When I returned to pick up the coach the tire guy was just finishing up. I noticed he was installing the aftermarket tire pressure monitors, but didn't think anything of it at the time.
- Left for the Maritimes and it shook worse than ever!. It occurred to me when we returned that they likely balanced the tires with the TPMS removed, when when re-installed it made them out of balance. I went back to the tire place and the guy argued it would make no difference. So I said, well I'll pay to have one tested and of course it was off by one ounce right were the stem and the TPMS is. They still disagreed so I paid to have it done again and every one was off in the same place. However this did not fix the problem.
- So I paid to have the tires cracked off the bead on one side and added 4 oz of soft beads. Still no difference.
- About 2020 I installed DaveL's large mid axle disk brakes. So that changed the existing mid axle disk brakes. There was no change in the shake.
- 2022 I installed Al Branscombe's Electric Parking brake system, so that changed the disks etc from the rear-rear brakes. Still had a vibration.
- 2023 I installed 6 new Toyo tires and put 4 oz of soft beads back in (new beads). Still no difference.
-Edit: I also pulled all the shocks to be sure there was firm resistance throughout the stroke in both directions on all of them. They seem fine.
Miffed....
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Onan question...
I have lost remote stop as previously indicated. I see my board at the Onan has pins 2 and 6 disconnected (pin 6 tab is broken off). Pin 2 appears to be the remote stop, so that is probably my issue. I have two wires floating nearby, one with a piece of a tab in it (probably from pin 6). I'm going to connect the other wire to pin 2 and hope I don't go up in a pillar of fire....
Am I going to have issues if I don't connect pin 6 immediately? I just need to get the genny and AC running for next weekend.
FYI, I have the Bovee electronic ignition kit installed.
I have lost remote stop as previously indicated. I see my board at the Onan has pins 2 and 6 disconnected (pin 6 tab is broken off). Pin 2 appears to be the remote stop, so that is probably my issue. I have two wires floating nearby, one with a piece of a tab in it (probably from pin 6). I'm going to connect the other wire to pin 2 and hope I don't go up in a pillar of fire....
Am I going to have issues if I don't connect pin 6 immediately? I just need to get the genny and AC running for next weekend.
FYI, I have the Bovee electronic ignition kit installed.
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From the Onan control board schematic and external wiring diagram below.
-It shows Pin 6 has no external connection.
-Pin 2 connects on the board to the STOP contacts of the on-board ON/OFF switch. Externally, Pin 2 connects to the STOP terminal of the remote Start/Stop switch.
So your issue is the missing Pin 2 wire connection. Find the wire that leads to the STOP terminal of the remote control switch and plug it on to Pin 2. Be aware there is a 4 pin connector under the coach not far from the generator in line with the remote control wiring. This exposed non-waterproof connector will lead to failure of some or all of the remote control functions. If it has not been replaced with waterproof connections, now is a good time to do that as well.
-It shows Pin 6 has no external connection.
-Pin 2 connects on the board to the STOP contacts of the on-board ON/OFF switch. Externally, Pin 2 connects to the STOP terminal of the remote Start/Stop switch.
So your issue is the missing Pin 2 wire connection. Find the wire that leads to the STOP terminal of the remote control switch and plug it on to Pin 2. Be aware there is a 4 pin connector under the coach not far from the generator in line with the remote control wiring. This exposed non-waterproof connector will lead to failure of some or all of the remote control functions. If it has not been replaced with waterproof connections, now is a good time to do that as well.
Apparently, pin 6 is for the run-time meter. Not a big issue at the moment. Pin 2 fixed the remote-stop issue. Thanks for the input on the in-line connector; something else to add to the list...
Took the coach for a ride yesterday (camping for the weekend); an hour at 55mph and up. Actually, once on the highway I never got below 60; mostly at 63-65. At one point I noticed I had been going 70 for a while! Smooth as silk and steady. Apparently all of the front-end repairs and adjustments, along with re-balancing and "truing" the wheels worked! Then, I had to gain some confidence driving the behemoth (been taking it on short trips using cross-town highways for a few days, slowly getting comfortable taking curves at speed)....
Touch wood, no issues. We will see how the return trip goes tomorrow.
On a side note, the speedometer matches the GPS speed until above 60mph. After that it measures low. As I have a slightly sticky speedo cable (I hear it "ticking" every time I drive), I'm assuming that is my issue. I hadn't planned to replace that as I want to get an electronic dash cluster and just use a converter on the outlet from the transmission, but I guess I will have to replace it after all.
UPDATE (7/21/2024):
Return trip no issues. I raised the rear a bit to clear rough terrain on a mowed field that was the parking area, then set the bags to "travel" expecting the system to equalize back down to road height. It didn't. I had to manually lower the rear after a few miles of slightly squirly handling. After adjusting the rear height about an inch or so lower than the front (Jim Bounds measuring method) all was was fine again.
Update Sept, 2024:
Turns out the rear level was fine; the front passenger side is low by about 1.5". Time to tighten the torsion bar and re-align....
Touch wood, no issues. We will see how the return trip goes tomorrow.
On a side note, the speedometer matches the GPS speed until above 60mph. After that it measures low. As I have a slightly sticky speedo cable (I hear it "ticking" every time I drive), I'm assuming that is my issue. I hadn't planned to replace that as I want to get an electronic dash cluster and just use a converter on the outlet from the transmission, but I guess I will have to replace it after all.
UPDATE (7/21/2024):
Return trip no issues. I raised the rear a bit to clear rough terrain on a mowed field that was the parking area, then set the bags to "travel" expecting the system to equalize back down to road height. It didn't. I had to manually lower the rear after a few miles of slightly squirly handling. After adjusting the rear height about an inch or so lower than the front (Jim Bounds measuring method) all was was fine again.
Update Sept, 2024:
Turns out the rear level was fine; the front passenger side is low by about 1.5". Time to tighten the torsion bar and re-align....
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Thanks for this schematic, Bruce. My coach's Onan 6W set isn't starting either, I was going to ask if there was a diagram or anything. This will help a bunch. I've also taken note of your comment about that 4-pin connector under the coach and will check mine as well. I'm wondering if it might be worthwhile to try re-routing it inside rather than under.
360° Bird's-eye view camera system ordered. We shall see how the installation goes in a 26ft long vehicle. I'm acquiring various pieces to create my own system as nothing I could find online matched what I believe I will need for a vehicle this long without getting very expensive. Using a system intended for a car, but substituting cameras with wider-angle lenses to cover the longer sides of the coach. Ordered a 5" AHD monitor to suction to the top of the windshield as that is closer to my line of sight than is the dashboard.
With a little luck, I can eliminate that monitor and run the video directly into the Android Auto 10" narrow display already stuck to the top on the windshield.
Update Aug 12, 2024:
Yes, I can see the 360 camera system while navigating using the Android Auto device. Running at my desk, so the images on that camera system are junk for now.
Update Aug 13 2024:
Apparently there are at least 4 distinct pin arrangements for these tiny 4-pin plugs used in the Chinese AHD cameras. My add-on cameras don't match the configuration of the 360 system connections. I will have to create adapters. Onwards....
Update Sept 6, 2024:
Success! I obtained some short M/F camera extension cables and cut them up to change the pinout, matching 3rd party cameras to 360 brain-box. I have images! I already tested the wider-angle cameras on the side of the coach to see if I could see both front and rear bumpers; I can. So, I'm just about ready to drill holes in the sides and rear cap.
With a little luck, I can eliminate that monitor and run the video directly into the Android Auto 10" narrow display already stuck to the top on the windshield.
Update Aug 12, 2024:
Yes, I can see the 360 camera system while navigating using the Android Auto device. Running at my desk, so the images on that camera system are junk for now.
Update Aug 13 2024:
Apparently there are at least 4 distinct pin arrangements for these tiny 4-pin plugs used in the Chinese AHD cameras. My add-on cameras don't match the configuration of the 360 system connections. I will have to create adapters. Onwards....
Update Sept 6, 2024:
Success! I obtained some short M/F camera extension cables and cut them up to change the pinout, matching 3rd party cameras to 360 brain-box. I have images! I already tested the wider-angle cameras on the side of the coach to see if I could see both front and rear bumpers; I can. So, I'm just about ready to drill holes in the sides and rear cap.
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Picked this up for charging Lithium house battery from the alternator when I get around to that (no excuses now). Can also reverse itself to charge starting battery from lithium house battery (not as jump-start; like using a regular battery charger). And accepts solar (12V panels in parallel only; 26v max. input).
Yes, this charges at 40A. I'm planning at least a 200Ah lithium bank (lithium batteries like to be charged at no more than 0.2C [2% of the battery capacity] for the longest service life), possibly 600Ah if I wish to have off-grid house A/C without using the generator.
I'll probably have to upgrade the alternator system like Jim Bounds mentions at some point as a 100A alternator (upgraded from 80A) probably isn't enough to charge both the starter-battery bank and the house batteries. Either that or go with a 12vdc cockpit A/C and replace the compressor at the engine with another alternator. Options....
I currently have 900W of solar; 300W on the roof and 600W on the ground, so I'll need another MPPT controller at some point.
Update 8/23/2024:
280ah 12v lithium battery ordered.
Yes, this charges at 40A. I'm planning at least a 200Ah lithium bank (lithium batteries like to be charged at no more than 0.2C [2% of the battery capacity] for the longest service life), possibly 600Ah if I wish to have off-grid house A/C without using the generator.
I'll probably have to upgrade the alternator system like Jim Bounds mentions at some point as a 100A alternator (upgraded from 80A) probably isn't enough to charge both the starter-battery bank and the house batteries. Either that or go with a 12vdc cockpit A/C and replace the compressor at the engine with another alternator. Options....
I currently have 900W of solar; 300W on the roof and 600W on the ground, so I'll need another MPPT controller at some point.
Update 8/23/2024:
280ah 12v lithium battery ordered.
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If you use a combiner, it's doable. You don't want to attempt charging both at the same time, but the combiner will wait until one is fully charged before connecting the other--and it works both ways. Just don't go oversizing the alternator wiring all willy-nilly--its resistance can help limit the draw on the alternator.
Is the combiner the new component that replaces the boost solenoid and the isolator when using a one-wire alternator? If not, then I think I see what you are getting at....
The DC/DC charger connects directly to a starting battery so it can reverse-charge. But, if I connect it to my 2nd starter battery (I have two up-front; one on either side of the boost solenoid and the isolator, with the 2nd also connected to the existing house batteries in the rear), I can keep the reserve "boost" battery full while the alternator just worries about the starter batteries.
So, I could just keep the existing wire running to the rear of the coach for the input to the DC/DC charger, provided it's of adequate size to handle the 40A of current traveling from the boost battery to the lithium house batteries. The DC/DC will not let the boost battery draw from the house battery unless I allow it, so the lithium batteries will not be used as "boost" when that switch is utilized.
The drawback to this setup is that I will be drawing-down the boost battery while charging the lithium battery, but the alternator won't charge the boost battery unless the primary battery is fully charged, correct? As opposed to connecting DC/DC to the primary starting battery and letting the alternator charge both at the same time.
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"the combiner will wait until one is fully charged before connecting the other--and it works both ways"
I'm not aware of a combiner that "detects" when one battery or the other is fully charged, although I'm sure there is one out there, although very pricey. Our alternators have no idea of the state of charge of the batteries. They are a constant voltage device . They do not know where the current they are producing is going to (headlights, fans or to charge the battery).
The garden variety combiners simply reads the voltage to each battery and if either battery exceeds approximately 13.3 volts (or so) the combiner assumes that battery is being charged (regardless of its current charge state) and connects the two batteries together so that they both charge together. If the voltage drops below ~12.8V, the combiner assumes the charger is no longer active and disconnects the two batteries.
Fully charged may have been a misnomer. "Charged enough" would probably be more accurate. The Cyrix has a graduated time dependent criterion. The difference between charging, charged enough and fully charged is just a voltage anyway (simplistically speaking, at least).
If the voltage is just 13.3, it gives the alternator 5 minutes to top off that battery before combining the second one. It's not particularly expensive at $50. It includes a boost function too, so it can just be used in place of the boost solenoid. Makes for an easy install. If using it for boost, one may need to give more consideration to the current capacity. They do make plenty that are bigger. This is the cheapest one.
Giving the starting battery a head start on charging is a good idea especially if it was low state of charge (ie needed a boost)
You may want to consider Road force balancing.
Road force balancers measure the force variation and runout of the whole wheel and tire assembly. It also measures the radial and lateral runout of the wheel ...
Road force balancers measure the force variation and runout of the whole wheel and tire assembly. It also measures the radial and lateral runout of the wheel ...
