1995 Sahara

[TDJohn]

Finally got RV back with rebuilt steering gearbox. Found out bad stator in generator so bad news there. Took it to get weighed and was 6260 on front axel and 20240 on rear. Running Toyo tires 245/75/22.5 m154. Looking for advice on tire pressure. New Koni shocks made big difference in driving. More comfortable now. Thanks

I'm on the road right now. I will try to get you some data in a day or two as things slow down for me.
Your coach is way off balance. Your rear axle is likely overloaded and your front axle is awful light. When you went on the scales, was your fuel tank and water tank full. Were your waste tanks full? I would strongly suggest to rearrange the basement and move the heavier stuff up front as much as you can.
Please provide your GAWR (maximum axle weight ratings) for your front and rear axles. The tag with that info should be on the wall just below the drivers window.

Edit: I just quickly glanced at Toyo's tire inflation chart. At maximum pressure and load allowed for your size tire, your four rear tires can only carry a maximum of 17200lbs, so your rear axle is overloaded. You will, at a minimal, need to redistribute your weight and possibly will need to shed some weight. Please post your axle weight ratings...

[RonWall]

I'm a new member and what a wealth of info on this site. Was reading about Koni shocks and looking for numbers for front and back. '95 Sahara 35' with 5.9 and leaf springs. Thanks

Welcome!

The correct Koni shocks are:

Front: 88-1641SP3

Rear: 88-1458SP1

NOTE: It is crucial to order the shocks by part number NOT by year, make, and model. Otherwise you will get the ineffective useless shocks, wasting your money.
These Koni shocks are adjustable, I would strongly suggest to set them at maximum dampening, especially if you will be driving rough roads like in California. At maximum dampening, these shocks literally get rid of all porpoising and severe bouncing on rough roads.

Would these numbers be correct for a 2002 Zanzibar with the Velvetride suspension as well??

[TDJohn]

Ron ,

That is correct. All leaf spring and all VelvetRide (BFGoodrich torsional suspension Safari Coaches).
Like the note says in the quote, be sure to order by part number, not by year, make, model of coach. It is also highly recommended to set the shocks at maximum dampening (they come set from factory with least dampening) for best ride/handling results. It is especially crucial if your frequently ride on rough roads...

Edit (additional info):

It appears that Koni is likely phasing out the front shocks 88-1641SP3, which is very unfortunate. If you can still get your hands on a pair of the 88-1641SP3 shocks, definitely grab them, if no one has it in stock, then the Koni EVO 99B-3254 is the correct replacement for the 88-1641SP3. The EVO99 is just as effective, which our coaches need, but it is a little bit harsher then the shock it is replacing, but not that harsh where it is an issue. Again, this pertains to the shocks for the front axle (front shocks), also of note, the EVO99 shocks are not adjustable.

[oldcobia]

As listed on sticker 15000 rear and 7500 front. 3/4 full diesel. 1/4 full black and gray tank. 1/2 full fresh water. Not carrying too much heavy stuff in basement. I’m questioning accuracy of the weight. Am not carrying tons of extra weight. Will check again soon. If needed I will unload basement completely and check that weight also. Thanks

[oldcobia]

Just looked at weights again. 6260 on front and 13980 on rear. Old eyes and also going through mental pause. Thanks

[TDJohn]

Just looked at weights again. 6260 on front and 13980 on rear. Old eyes and also going through mental pause. Thanks

That's more like it. Your coach is fairly balanced, so you don't need to shed weight or reshuffle stuff. You are also running on the lighter side, so you should actually get decent mileage if you drive easy.

With an additional safety cushion built in, you should be running your front tires at 75psi. If you plan on running with a full water tank, then run the front tires at 80psi for an additional safety cushion.

The rear tire pressure should be at 85psi

Did you weigh the coach with your family inside the coach and everything else loaded for travel? If not, then you need to reweigh the coach, full, ready for travel, with family and animals (if you have any) loaded in the coach. Post the updated numbers and I will let you know if additional pressure is needed in the tires.

As a side note, I would suggest to run with empty waste tanks when possible as the extra weight in the rear creates lever affect making the front of the coach very light and the rear too heavy. This additional weight in the rear can easily create a tail wags the dog situation, which makes for very tense and unpleasant driving. It doesn't take much of a shift to drastically change the feel of the coach handling (ask me how I know).

[oldcobia]

Thanks for the info. I assume when you say running you mean tires heated up. Mine usually rise 8-10 psi after heating up. Will weigh again next time on the road. I don’t think total added would be more than 400 lbs. Thanks again

[TDJohn]

Thanks for the info. I assume when you say running you mean tires heated up. Mine usually rise 8-10 psi after heating up. Will weigh again next time on the road. I don’t think total added would be more than 400 lbs. Thanks again

No, it is a figure of speech, meaning the tires should be inflated too X amount. Tires should always be checked, filled, and/or adjusted when cold. Meaning, they should be checked before being driven on, like in the early morning, and they ideally should not be sitting in the blazing sun, as that can easily warm them up and through the numbers off. Cold inflation is always the baseline, and the increase in psi from driving is designed into the tire usage. Adjusting tire pressure when tires are hot can lead to under inflation and premature tire failure. Tires can heat up to different temperatures, depending on load and other factors, that is why it is crucial to use cold inflation as a base line, this is for all vehicles.

[oldcobia]

Adjusted tire pressure 75 front and 85 back. Drives great. Wandering all but gone. Now if I can get generator going will be all set. Thanks

[TDJohn]

Adjusted tire pressure 75 front and 85 back. Drives great. Wandering all but gone. Now if I can get generator going will be all set. Thanks

I'm glad to hear that there is improvement in the ride and handling of your coach, but please be aware that it would be prudent for your safety to get the coach weighed, all loaded, family included, where they normally sit while traveling, to make sure that the inflation is correct for the axle weight you are carrying on each axle. A road test is one thing, but for long sustained road travel, your initial weigh in was not proper and is likely not accurate. Better to be safe then sorry.

What is the issue on the generator? (it would be best to start another topic in the electrical section specific to your generator issues)