Steer Axle Bushings

Our bus had a broken shock and it pulled to the right a little. There are two shocks on each side, 4 total for the steer axle. When a mechanic told me he was ordering me a new shock for the right tag where the top post had been snapped off I told him to get 1 more for the front, and install. I get a call back, now both shocks on the right front are broke and he believes its because of worn out bushings. I dont doubt this, 215000miles, it does pull that way and shocks are broken. Excuse me Jon if I misname the parts but for lack of a better term TORQUE ARMS. There are 5 of them up front, a bushing on each end. Cost of the bushings 6bucks each, labor, mabye 2 hours each arm? Anybody ever did this job? How hard can it be? Is this something that is normally at the end of its lifespan at 2000000 miles? These arent something that are greased. There kinda like the equal to control arm bushings on a car. I can imagine what the back axle is like, probably pretty much the same.

Joe when we bought our coach in 98 we heard a rattle under the floor. when we put new steer tires on the guy said there was a broken shock, hence the noise. After a new shock was added we drove the bus for a few thousand mile and another broken shock. The shocks wern't the right ones for the bus, Called prevost and ask for the right number of shock for the front, had my tire guy match the number up and it was fixed for good. So check to see if the right shocks are on your coach.

Joe,

So far I have not had to replace bushings. Shocks, yes, steering dampener, yes, but no bushings.

Out of curiosity however I asked Prevost what was involved in replacing the bushings. Bear in mind you have quite a few of them, both in front and the rear and they serve to position the axles, while allowing the normal up and down movement.

Prevost quoted 40 hours of labor. I can't say that I disagree with that number. If I get to the point where I will do mine, I already have the impact wrench and large size box and open end wrenches, and the only thing I would want would be an arbor press to push them out, and some come alongs or ratcheting straps to hold the various axles and other suspension members in place when I removed the swing arms and other parts with bushings.

I would also plan on a front and rear alignment when the job was done.

As you all must know, I just had the torsion arm bushings put in by Jacksonville. If I can remember correctly there were about 26 or 28 of them. New shocks also. The jobe took the better part of 4 days and some of the time there was 2 men working on it. J'ville had some power tools but not as many as Jon has.

The final bill was well over $4000.00. It was a job that I wouldn't take on in my best days.

The coach is about 95% happy now as far as steering. 100% happy with the owner.

Thanks Dalej I will check that. Lew, how many miles did your bus have when you did those pesky bushings? Lew, your supposto be proofreading the replies to my threads not giving incomplete replies like others, tighten it up a little uh?

Hey Joey, I had about 155,000 on the bugger. When the bushings came off, I could not see a thing wrong with them. I guess they loose their stiffness after years of use. Mine is a 90. I'm only sorry that I didn't change the front shocks but they told me that had been changed about 5 years ago.

Ill bet ya yhere were a lot of members groaning when you posted that answer.

I have replaced all the shocks on my 97 and I am going to replace all the bushings when they come in. IBP has these bushings upgraded to a poly material instead of rubber. I live in Jacksonville and pick up my parts from the Prevost dealer here, I have not seen a lift in their shop to raise a coach but I can tell you that with my coach six feet up the task does not look that complicated to me, I guess I will see! I just finished the Prevost update for the air system which prevents the coach from squatting when low on air and replaced the check valve and regulator for the belt air bag systems, this update is for all coaches thru T5774 and of course mine is T5772!!! Any way it really did the job. I am thinking of rerouting the generator and Webatso exhausts out the sides instead of the back and make it match the Very BLING updated exhaust pipe from IBP, any thoughts on this??

I routed my exhausts that way because my driveway pitches up so steep the transition from the road to the driveway would flatten the tips if I was not careful.

If you are interested I will post some photos. I brought the generator exhaust out the RH rear side, and the Webasto comes out under the door to the Webasto. Not a great solution but it keeps both from getting dinged on the driveway.

Roger Foster has both his exhausts exit on the LH side as a pair, angle cut and they look good and are protected from damage. Maybe Roger will also post a picture.

Posts like the one's above almost make you wish you bought a plastic coach and trade it in every five years. This is brutal reality. Please don't scare me like this again.
Harry