[BusNit]

Update:


I had a chance to take the coach out for a drive to the propane filling station. I don't know how or if I can even believe it, but the steering requires less back and forth adjustments as I drive. The original bar didn't feel sloppy at hand aside from a torn weather seal. Both knuckles were still tight. Either way, the dynamics have changed for the better.

[Latitude 28]

I had the same result after ours got change out at 113k miles.

[Jack Houpe]

Good news!

[[email protected]]

Guess this means I really need to get mine changed out. Guess I should do it now that I have all the rear airbags off, much more room in there to work right now. Good news is I already have the parts from Jack.

[BusNit]

Guess this means I really need to get mine changed out. Guess I should do it now that I have all the rear airbags off, much more room in there to work right now. Good news is I already have the parts from Jack.

Minimize the pain while you're under there. Go for it and be done with it!

[Richard]

Simon,

Your experience mirrors what I and others have observed. I took my coach to Josam’s in Orlando for a front end alignment. Barry, the shop manager told me the panhard bar was worn and needed to be replaced. There were few signs of wear at the joints other than the outer protective rubber on the bushing had deteriorated. After a while I replaced the bar. I could NOT detect any wear in the old one after removing. However, there was significant improvement in the road wander. The tail was no longer wagging the dog.

It’s cheap part relatively speaking. The difficulty is getting the old one out.

I would say to anyone with the Ridewell suspension coaches that replacing the panhard bar AND the bushings in the tag axle suspension is money well spent in improving the straight line stability of the coach.

[BusNit]

I need to do the tag bar next. For now we are concentrating on moving and unfortunately, will be losing my pit

As a tip to anyone doing this, heat is your friend. Even my Mapp gas torch was plenty to heat the taper sleeve for easy removal. Two light taps and out it popped. I fought for days with a 5lb sledge trying to knock out the taper before using the torch.

[[email protected]]

Guess this means I really need to get mine changed out. Guess I should do it now that I have all the rear airbags off, much more room in there to work right now. Good news is I already have the parts from Jack.

Minimize the pain while you're under there. Go for it and be done with it!

Yea, I knew that was the answer but I was doing my best to convince myself otherwise. The oppressive Florida heat is also convincing to not want to do more. 
Thanks for the encouragement!

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I need to do the tag bar next. For now we are concentrating on moving and unfortunately, will be losing my pit

As a tip to anyone doing this, heat is your friend. Even my Mapp gas torch was plenty to heat the taper sleeve for easy removal. Two light taps and out it popped.  I fought for days with a 5lb sledge trying to knock out the taper before using the torch.

Thanks for the reminder, my mapp torch is already out after I just finished adding permanent service ports to my SCS A/C units. 

Your tag has a panhard bar? Hmm not seen that before. My tags are independent swing arms on each side, there is no axle connecting the two. I will try to get some photos of the current work and the tag setup on my S60 coach. I suspect you have the tag axle that is close to what Wanderlodge used on the PTs. I know my drive axle suspension is the same ridewell setup as my PT Wanderlodge.

[[email protected]]

So panhard bar project will be postponed to another time. Unfortunately I did not pay attention to Simon's post about the panhard bar that Jack was selling, its not the correct bar for my coach either. I need the Meritor 5116 panhard bar, not the 5111. Luckily I checked before I got too far on trying to get mine out. I did try to get the side with the big bolt and tapered fit loose, but it did not budge, I heated it good and even sprayed the bolt part of it with some freeze-off and it still would not budge. Hopefully maybe messing with it now maybe next time I try to get it out maybe it will move eventually. 

So do the newer coaches use the 5111 panhard bar, does anyone know? 

Here is what the 5111 looks like:
https://www.meritorpartsxpress.com/webap...KwKNwWc%3D

Here is what the 5116 looks like:
https://www.meritorpartsxpress.com/webap...a/kit-5116

[Latitude 28]

Jeff, Like yours mine was frozen solid.  I soaked it with three different penetrating oils I had.  Used a muffler cutter with a pointed tool that fit in the centered drill hole with no luck.  Did not use heat as the fresh airbag was too close.  Went Josam and their guy put the hydraulic press on it came out like butter.....I must have loosened it for them....ha!