[al]

I’ll bet that is one of the most difficult issues to find the cause.

We have so many moving parts in the front end, a large number associated with parts moving within rubber bushings, and an equally large number metal to metal movement such as tie rod ends, that finding the problem is going to be a challenge.

I suspect based on the work done it is not caused by two parts that should not rub together, like a tire rubbing on something. I would also suspect you are not going to hang out of an open door at highway speeds with your head under the coach to try to find the noise. So if it were my coach this is what I would do. I would position the coach so I could safely get under it and it would be supported under the chassis support points but not necessarily with the weight on those supports. I would then use the accessory air fill point in the steer compartment to maintain system air pressure so I could have the coach exercised up and down using level low to listen for noises and look for potential noise sources like something rubbing.

If nothing shows up, I would set the coach at ride height, and using jacks lift the front tires barely off the floor. Make sure the coach has the supports under the chassis support points in place, just in case. Then I would turn the front wheels left and right through their full range, engine off, again listening for noises and looking for rubbing.

If I wanted to go to the trouble, I would lower the chassis a little or raise it a little and repeat the steering exercise. Again, if no noise or detectable rubbing I would hop back in the coach and forget about the noise, which could be ghosts, noisy power steering, or nothing.

[Chuck & Katrina]

Chuck, have you changed the sway bar bushings?

Had same noise after changed our at Prevost Jax last year, …found loose screws on the “U” shape brackets holding the rubber / sway bar / bushings to the chassis. Had them tighten, noise is gone…

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2000 Featherlite H3-45

2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Leesburg, FL

[Archived]

Definitely check the sway bar clamping bolts and hardware. Been there done that many years ago , 2000 H3-45.

[Steven]

Just got out from under the coach (yes Jon I did support the coach). Sway bar does show some wear on each side of the bushings, I assume this means the sway bar is shifting back and forth a little. But all bolts are tight on everything I could see associated with the front end.

What I did find was ALL the new parts had the rubber boots around the grease fittings completely collapsed. It took 20 – 30 pumps of a manual grease gun before the boots showed any sign of movement (I don’t mean grease coming out of the boots, just the boots starting to grow a little). I just used an entire tub of grease on the new parts.

Will be traveling again in a few days, it will be interesting to see if I get any results.

[Archived]

My opinion only for what it is worth. It sounds as if the sway bar bushngs are original and if they weren’t making noise before, it is likely they aren’t now. But the fact you could pump as much grease as described suggests a lube job at the completion of the repair work was not done and as simple an answer as that sounds that might be the entire problem.

And I am glad you are being safe. A friend and Prevost owner died because he was going to do a simple repair immediately before leaving on a trip and he left the support stands in the bay while he attempted to do the work. His toad was all hitched and he was ready to go just as soon as he completed the small fix. I never want to hear of anyone failing to take the small precaution of supporting the coach before getting beneath it, no matter how small the job or how little time it will take.

[David]

Jon:

Thank for constantly reminding all of us about getting under the bus. I am definitely one of those people that says O it will only take a minute, no need for the support jacks.

Do you think any damage could have been done with about 3000 miles Put on nearly dry new front end parts?

[Archived]

I don’t know how much if any damage could be done. But clearly if you had to add as much grease as you describe before you saw a hint of movement in the dust boots there was little if any lubrication between moving parts. Maybe.

It might not have been the problem so your next trip will reveal if the noise has gone away that failure to lube was the problem.

I can say for certain the amount of lube to protect the moving parts is miniscule. I lube my coach every 5000 miles and over time grease has entered the boots or dust covers so as soon as I pull the trigger on the grease gun I detect movement on the boot and stop pumping. I doubt if a teaspoon of grease was pumped. So if the installer of parts knows how little grease is required he may have only given each fitting a tiny shot of grease. You will know if the sound has gone away.

[Archived]

I believe Josams still has a machine that will shake the coach . They did mine one year without telling me ,and I was worried about stuff on the table inside the coach falling .

[Archived]

Chuck,

How old are your shocks?

They can make a similar noise.

[Jim]

John

Owned the coach for less than a year, records don’t show shock replacement. So shock age is unknown. Definitely something to consider.

Chuck

[Kirby]

Have driven approx 400 miles since adding grease to the front end parts. Moaning, groaning, and creaking has stop. There is still a little squeaking when going over some bumps, think I have narrowed it down to the front sway bar bushings.

Guess I am making another trip to JoSam’s when I get back