Magnum chassis axle location

[Carl Boger]

Eric,
You mean here?

Unfortunately/ or Fortunately found that when we were changing tires.  Not happy to find, but very happy it did not get worse.  Could have been very bad.

[Carl Boger]

Bill,

From what I am learning here the front axle was moved forward slightly in 1998.  You may want to look at your front axle inner fenders especially the rear side to see if you have any rubbing issues.

You may also what to look at the frame at that rear track bar.  I thought that maybe mine was a fluke, but now it looks like that may have been an under engineered area of the frame.

[Eric Maclean]

Carl
The spot I'm talking about is on the front H frame where the front track bar connects to the I beam.
Eric

[Eric Maclean]

Carl
I was just under mine last week cleaning and painting the frame rails in that area where the rear track bar connects to the frame and saw no sign of cracks yet I wonder if maybe I should plate it before it does?
I have read on here somewhere that someone had the other end of that rear track bar pull the bracket off the banjo housing of the rear end leaving a hole and leak requiring the entire axle assembly to be removed to weld it .
I can believe that after trying to get up in there and paint that area you can't even get close enough to see the top of that track bar mount.
Eric

[Gerald Farris]

Eric,
The controls for the Super Steer trim unit consist of a spring loaded toggle switch that is normally open (that I mounted in the driver's left arm rest) , and an air control solenoid that is normally open (mounted in LF electrical bay). The air control solenoid sends full air tank pressure to the air brake can that is used to lock the unit until the toggle switch is activated to send 12 volts to the solenoid which closes off the air pressure and vents the air pressure in the trim unit to atmosphere releasing the lock on the trim unit until the toggle switch is released causing the trim unit to relock in the new location.

Gerald

[Carl Boger]

Eric,

I checked the front track rod and I can not see any cracks there.  It actually looks pretty beefy and is semi boxed in that area.  I am beginning to think that either my frame was modified back at the factory, or that the frames came out way different from each other depending on who was working on them.

As so adding a plate to the rear track rod, I don't see what it can hurt.  If you get the tires off it is not super hard to do.  I now have over 1/2 inch of steel in that area and I feel better about it being reinforced.  I do hope the other end never breaks that banjo fitting though.  I am now much more of an expert on Motorhomes than I ever intended to be but there is a certain satisfaction knowing that the repairs were done correctly.

[Carl Boger]

Since there is some interest here the SuperSteer trim unit will fit the/ or at least my Beaver Patriot with a Magnum frame.  While this is marketed as a Monoco fit I believe that the frames are nearly identical at least for the 8 air bag chassis. 

I have included a picture of my unit fully bolted up.  I plumbed in the air line from the unit to the front electrical bay today.  I can tap into a 1/4 inch air line in the nose of the Motorhome and run it to the dump valve in the electrical bay.  I also have power available in the drivers side console so hopefully this will be fairly easy to wrap up tomorrow.

[Eric Maclean]

Carl
I hear you  I don't think any to of these coaches were built the same it seems that they were constantly correcting engineering faults or weak points.
But at least they did try to keep improving the product .
The die hard beaver fans will all tell you they think the true Beavers (those built when Beaver was still beaver and not owned by SMC or Monico were the best quality and maybe they were but like all products they continue to evolve in a response to customer demand anyone who walked through both new and old can see the evolution and engineering marvals we all enjoy.

My ow. Opinion is that for every model year built if you compare fit and finish and quality you will find that the Beavers as good as any and better than most.

On the front axle thing I've decided to move it ahead 3/4 of an inch I have to get some acetoleen for my torches but I've already got the wheels of and replacing the front rotors ,pads and calipers right now I figured I might just as well do the flex lines while I'm there.
Hope your project is going well
Eric

[Mike Shumack]

I plumbed in the air line from the unit to the front electrical bay today.  I can tap into a 1/4 inch air line in the nose of the Motorhome and run it to the dump valve in the electrical bay.  I also have power available in the drivers side console so hopefully this will be fairly easy to wrap up tomorrow.

That is a SuperSteer is a nice piece. I assume you will have this on "its own" dump valve (not the chassis dump) so you can unlock the unit while driving to make small corrections for road crown and such.

[Carl Boger]

Mike,

Yes it has it's own momentary switch and dump valve.  I plan to put the switch in the drivers side console and the dump valve in the front electrical bay.

Everything was included in the kit.  Really this kit just screams quality, from the all brass quick connect fittings to the proper amount of 1/4 inch tubing and wire, and all of the nuts bolts and brackets. 

It did take a little experimentation to get it fitting like I wanted since it will fit in both sets of bracket holes and the air chamber can be rotated several degrees.  I got the most clearance I could above and below while still having good angles.  Really the way this kit works is pure genius! 

[Eric Maclean]

Carl
I known it's probably just the camera angle  but the air chamber looks close to the fuel tank you could dump the air to lower the coach to check clearence when bottomed out.
Eric

[Carl Boger]

Eric,
 That is with all of the air dumped out.  It is a tight fit under there. If memory serves me right in talking with Henderson's you need 6 inches of space between the top of the tie rod and the bottom of the fuel tank.  I had that, so I ordered the kit.  They you are supposed to get as much clearance as possible for the air chamber.  Mine is now above the tie rod.  You also have to keep room over the top which I also have.  I also positioned the air fitting so it runs near but does not touch the frame rail.  I can't see anything getting to it right now.  Unfortunately it is raining here today so I might not get it finished up today. 

[Eric Maclean]

Well Carl
I spent the afternoon taking the front axle out of my coach I ended up torching the nuts off and even then a 3/4 impact wouldn't move them they were seized in the caster blocks so more heat and penetrating oil and they eventually came out .
I have to give it to you I don't know how you got yours out with just a propane torch.

Once I got all the bolts out
I used an 8 ton trolley Jack to lower the axle down and out but it doesn't balance well and even with the hubs, rotors and calipers off I bet it still weights in at about 400 lbs.
Tomorrow I'll get the 5 inch x 1/4 flat bar to place between the caster blocks and the I beam for reinforcement seeing as the holes will only be moved 3/4 inch the old holes will be right beside the new ones.
So now it's time to lay out the holes and do a bunch of drilling.
I'll try to keep you posted.
Eric

[Carl Boger]

Eric,
I actually feel better about my fight with the bolts.  Yours sound like they were even more determined to stay where they were.  I also don't envy you having to drill those holes.

I did finish getting the trim kit put in today!  Everything works like it is supposed to, but I haven't road tested it yet.  That will be a while. I am about ready to take it off the ramps, just want to make sure It can stay off them for a while before I do.  Kind of a pain to get all the  wheels centered on them at the same time. 

Keep working at the front axle, if it was easy everyone would do it.  It hit me today that on a great big motor home you still end up working in a tiny little space.

[Mike Shumack]

So now it's time to lay out the holes and do a bunch of drilling.
I'll try to keep you posted.
Eric

Take some photos please. A picture is worth a thousand words.