Specifications

The Process
The first step to maintaining proper vehicle handling is through the regular inspection and
replacement of suspension bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and just about everything else that
makes up the front and rear end suspensions of the motorhome.
The second step is to perform a suspension alignment. Sounds straightforward enough, but the
P Chassis has been given a reputation for not handling very well, even after an alignment has
been done. The catch seems to be that many of the motorhomes experiencing drivability
problems have old, worn, saggy parts. Sound familiar? Not only that, but there doesn't seem to
be a lot of expertise out there in alignment shops for this chassis. In other words, you have to
take the ball in your own hands and verify everything is checked and in good shape BEFORE
an alignment is performed, even to the point where YOU supply the alignment specs to the
alignment shop.
Let's go through the process in a step-by-step manner.
Worn Parts
Make sure that worn parts are replaced, everything is tight, everything is there and a proper lube
job has been done. What worn parts?
1. Ball joints
2. Tie rod ends
3. Steering relay rods
4. Damper (that horizontal shock)
5. Steering gear
6. Shock absorbers
7. Loose control arms
8. Loose or missing stabilizer bar attachments
9. Front wheel bearings
10.Bushings, including those on the torsion bars – front and rear.
11.Air bags properly inflated
12.Spring problems
Some details:
Before you attempt to crawl under the front end for inspection, it might be worthwhile to take a
trip to the local car wash where you can use a high pressure spray to knock off the gunk. Steam
cleaning, solvent and elbow grease are alternatives. Don't forget goggles to protect your eyes
and wear junky clothes. Don't point that high-pressure spray directly on the air bags and any
http://users.sisna.com/cebula/P-Chassis-AlignmentProcess.pdf 5 Version 0.7 –Sep 14, 2005