by Brett Wolfe 1993 U240 Feb 2010
This post applies only to Safari and Foretravel coaches with the B.F Goodrich Torsilastic Suspension
GREAT news. Navistar, in buying out Monaco/Safari, came across a warehouse with a number of original equipment B.F. Goodrich Torsilastic parts.
Ralph Andrews who owns a Safari coach with torsilastic suspension and is very familiar with this suspension on the Safari products bought the whole lot. He owns Pioneer Metals: http://www.pioneermetalworks.com/
What you want if you are out of ride height adjustment in the rear is the 19,000 pound rear springs (I have never seen the fronts give problems).
I would suggest you speak to Ralph Andrews, the owner of Pioneer Metals and the designer of many suspension upgrades for the Safari applications of the Torsilastic Suspension.
To determine if you need suspension parts:
Look at your shackles– they attach the torsilastic beam to the shim stack (two rubber joints). If the rubber in the shackles is bad, the metal will no longer be centered in the rubber and will need to be replaced.
To determine if you need torsilastic springs, you need to measure your ride height AND count the number of shims in front/behind each wheel position.
FOR FORETRAVEL U225 AND U240: From the flat area at the top of the wheel well behind each wheel position to the ground (loaded as you travel, flat surface, jacks stowed) should be 32-33″. If below 32″, BUT you have shims left in front/behind a wheel, removing one shim (1/4″ thick) from in front and behind that wheel position RAISES the coach at that wheel position 1/4″. Shim count in front/behind a wheel position MUST be the same, but each wheel position can be different.
FOR SAFARI, contact Ralph Andrews for ride height specs for your coach. The concept is basically the same as for the Foretravels, though the measurement point will be different.
If you are out of shims or close to out of shims and are at or under the minimum ride height spec, consider replacing the springs.
If you need to replace the springs, I recommend 2 springs, 4 shackles, 2 installation kits.
FOR FORETRAVEL OWNERS: If you are in the Texas area, contact the Foretravel service about having the parts installed. Foretravel will not be stocking the parts, but Mike Grimes (Parts Manager) said it would be possible, if you contact him, to arrange for the parts to be drop-shipped to Foretravel and then installed by them.
For information on parts (he has a parts/price list he can e-mail to you), contact: Ralph Andrews: [email protected].
Ask him to send you a copy of the Torsilastic Parts List. I will re-post when he has the parts on his website.
If you have questions on your Foretravel Torsilastic suspension, feel free (as many of you already do) to contact me: [email protected].
This is the first Torsilastic parts I have heard about in 5+ years, and suspect that the few he has will go quickly.