Ride height?

[RSR7447]

Have a Beaver 2000 Monterey Seacliff with double slide. Has Reyco 1212 steer front with Westport axle and Reyco 240AR rear drive. What is the ride height for the front? Chassis to axle pad or shock absorber install height? Rear is 8.5 chassis frame rail to axle centerline, that I know. Thanks

[TDJohn]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I can tell you that Safari measured the ride height from the center of the each wheel (4 corners) to the riveted belt line. For the VelvetRide Torsional Suspension, the ride height was 25 inches, +/- 1/4 inch, using the measuring method described above. If your 8.5 inch measurement is correct on the back of your coach (using the method you described), you could measure the coach using the method I described, and see if it equates to the 25 inches. If it does, then use Safari's belt line method to get the front level. Even if the numbers are not matching up to the 25 inch mark, you could still use your year suspension height, converting to what ever height it equates to using Safari's method and then leveling out the front of the coach with that same base number. That should at least get you close. As you get the coach fairly level, double check you 8.5 measured clearance, as that can change while adjusting and leveling everything.

[RSR7447]

Thanks for your suggestion. I checked your belt line measurement at the rear with air bags inflated to 120 psi and it was right at 25" and my dimensions were still at 8.5. The 8.5 dimension is very critical because the driveline must be inline with the transmission to rear end. So the coach in a leveled position on level ground would be "ride height" in front?

[wolfe10]

You don't mention what suspension your Beaver has.

But, very unlikely that ride height specs for an air suspension chassis will be the same as one on the Torsilastic suspension.

Be sure you are getting specs for YOUR suspension.

[RSR7447]

I really do not know what the name of my chassis is. I do know that it has 4-air bags and 4- shocks with Reyco 1212 front steer straight axle and Reyco 240AR in rear. It is not the conventional Magnum 510AR/610AR. All the info that came with coach is not correct in regard to the chassis. So with this info. does anyone know the ride height. Reyco advertises on the 1200 Steermaster straight axle ride height to be 9.50 to 15.75. So that leaves a wide open ?????. Yes I'm positive of the Reyco chassis on my coach. Hoping that there is a proper measurement from some location in regard to this configuration that makes for optimal performance. My motor home was built in June of 2000. 36' Monterey Seacliff with a bedroom slide, if you look at 2000 brochure the bedroom slide was not available. Monterey's listed were 36' with 228" wheel base. The 2001 Monterey Seacliff with bedroom slide is 38' long with 238" wheel base like mine and I think that's why Beaver didn't use the 510AR/610AR chassis on that model because of chassis wheel base, weight and maybe on mine because of big genny in rear. 2001 model they moved genny to front. So it looks my unit was in the middle of an engineering change. Any thoughts on this?

[RSR7447]

Correction to post. Beaver moved the generator to the front on the 2002 Monterey models not 2001.

[wolfe10]

"Reyco advertises on the 1200 Steermaster straight axle ride height to be 9.50 to 15.75."

I suspect that is range of travel from compressed to extended.

Actual ride height spec will be a finite number-- likely somewhere around half way between fully compressed and fully extended.

Sorry, have not worked on that particular suspension, so I don't have the specs.

[RSR7447]

Thanks Wolfe that makes since on the advertised ride height. I checked the Reyco 240AR rear advertised ride height and it reads "Ride height from 8.5" to 10" Axle travel 3.25" jounce and 3.25 rebound. The 1200 Steermaster front is advertised 9.25 (not 9.50) to 15.75. So doing the math on the 1200 is 9.25 to 15.75=6.50" difference divide by 2= 3.25. Both suspensions list the same travel. The shock absorber selected by the Beaver/Safari engineers for the front 1200 is a Monroe #66878 which is 23.906 extended 14.563 compressed which equals 9.343" of stroke divide by 2= 4.6715 to center of stroke. Add or subtract 4.6715" from extended or compressed will give you the proper SHOCK ride height which is drum roll 19 to 19.25 inches. This shows also there is a safe zone of approx.1.25" for extension and compress. My coach has been on a front shock ride height of 18" (center to center top and bottom) which puts it at least 1" under proper ride height. Think that makes a difference?

[wolfe10]

Best to get the actual specs rather than guessing. Wish I could help.

And, depending on suspension (not axle) design, 1" off on the front axle could significantly effect CASTER.

Have you checked for Beaver-specific sites?

[RSR7447]

Wolfe I don't know if you remember or not that I have been trying to find the info. on this configuration since I posted on Beaver club in 2016. You made suggestions on Roadmaster and Source Engineering in Oregon. Those where all question marks or come by and we will have a look. This combo was only used for the Monterey and maybe the Safari and Harney units that were the same, so the chassis didn't have a name. After 2003 everything changed on the Monterey line. I've looked at the Reyco 1200 Steermaster and Reyco 240AR until I'm blue in the face and the suspensions are identical on there drawing to my set up. I can not find anywhere on the web about this design. That explains all the guessing I've been doing. Years ago I spoke to an engineer a Reyco Granning and told him that I had a 1200 Steermaster front and asked "what is the ride height? He told me to measure at the front bracket where the two leafs fasten. I gave the dimension of 7". He told me it sounds like you have a 1212 and the ride height measures from bottom of frame rail to axle pad is 11.5", so that's where it's been and shock install height of 18". He said "sounds" like you have a 1212 front. So???????? Looks like if I raise 1" to 1.25" of ride height it will make the coach level and may be correct. Looks like I have purchased one of Beavers experimental motor homes. Don't get me wrong it's a nice piece and I get complements everywhere I go.