New Shocks

[Joe Camper]

Big half of the shock is top u r correct.

I have a pair of 260 for the drives new uninstalled purchased from Prevo I would like to peddle. If u would like them for half of what prevo wants and cover half the shipping get ahold of me I will send them to u.

[drivfour]

Thanks Joe but decided to return what I had and ask for the correct set. ordered shocks also and now I think Prevost sent wrong parts. I asked for the drive and tag shocks. got two yellow gas, and four white 630134. Are these correct? I had already ordered and recd Koni fronts.

[Joe Camper]

Well......if u want 3 different shocks on 3 different axles they are. Koni on the front r good. I'd go with the same 6 on the back and they would be the yellow Monroe instead of the white. The rear 6 shock positions will accept the same shock, prevo offers 5 different choices why they sent u multiple styles for the rears is beyond me but I've encountered thay myself in the past. Isint that fun. U also can use what they sent u only issue being the Monroe come with bushings the others do not if they sent you that stuff or not I don't know.

You're probably going to encounter some push in fittings on those air bags are pulling off and you're not going to be wanting to put the new bags on with them.

Another thing so that you don't get snookered. The old airbags a lot of them have coarse thread posts on the bottom and fine thread posts on the top but installers don't always notice that. Then the new bags that they send you will be all coarse thread studs top and bottom and people don't notice that either. When ordering your bags getting make sure you get enough additional new nuts to make up for that change. Hopefully the last set of bags to be put on that bus didn't have that happen to them making it difficult to get certain ones loose but you'll know right off if you do.

Have a rattle can of black handy so u can shoot the mounts for the bags while they r out.

U have a 97 and the fenders do not hindge up. Here is another helpful tip.

If you're just replacing airbags and shocks and that's it you do not, I repeat, u do not have to remove the inner Drive Tire just the Outer Drive tire and the tag Tire. The front airbag for the drive axle and its corresponding shock could be taken out of there without pulling that inner dual off it's in no way in the way. Also after you've removed the outer drive tire but before you go to take the inner rubber flap down to expose the front bag and shock don't go in there with the intention of taking that rubber flap completely out. Take the top three of the four bolts loose and take all the hardware down the outer edge loose and just let that flap lay down and in on the inner drive tire without taking it completely loose. When you go to put it back in its going to go back in so much easier for you versus taking it completely out. That rubber flap is very difficult to get lined up and put back and especially when you're doing it for the first time. Trust me on this you'll be happy you did this is one of those silly little things that make this job way way better.

If you take my advice and leave the inner drive axle dual in place be sure to check the tightness of the inner wheel nuts before you put the outer wheel back on.

Another thing you've got those custom nut covers on that Marathon have you ever had those off if not take a good look at what you got and remove them slowly take some pictures they only go back on right one way and the last thing you want is your wheel jewelry to be wobbling and falling off that would be a points deduction.

Good luck be careful it's looking to me like you're going to do this yourself feel free to give me a call I'll be happy to help you out along the way if you need it.

[TheGadgetGuru]

I'm enjoying this thread and am learning as I read through it. So, here's a shocking question:

Is it best to replace the shocks at a mileage interval or wait until there's a problem? If it's mileage, what interval do you recommend as a preventive measure?

[Joe Camper]

If you have koni's those are supposed to be forever will let the guys that have had them on the bus for a whole bunch of miles be the judge of that I don't have that data.

If u use the Monroe gas shocks on the front or those front gas from prevo the black ones they will get u 20,000 miles. If you have a straight axle and you don't have four shocks up front that's definitely an upgrade that you want to do really really noticeable Improvement on the straight axle going to four shocks. Koni for independent front suspension is what most guys get and set them for firm not soft if u do. Even though their lifetime I don't know if I'd want to keep them in there for longer than 10 years but maybe you can.


On the rear you could do it a couple different ways correctly in my opinion. If your budget can afford it put koni back there if not go with the yellow Monroe gas Matic shocks they're only about 60 bucks a piece. you can go 50,000 miles on them on the rear and that's a great value and those are really good shocks.

[CLRH2O]

With fear of being just a little *too* aggrandizing... can I just say that we're all REALLY freaking lucky to have you here on the boards Joe!?

You're an unending fountain of real world functional info - and the community would be less without ya.

Thanks man