2017-2016 Roadtrek 190P Rear Suspension

[Loren]

My wife and I are brand new to the RV lifestyle. After much research, we bought a brand new 2017–2016 Roadtrek 190P. Less than three months old.

Major problem: the rear suspension. The rear end bounces around too much: hits a bump, flies into the air, and crashes back down. No one can ride back there!

Thoughts or advice? Many thanks!

[booster]

To a large extent it is the nature of vans, as most bounce a lot in the rear unless they have an air ride conversion like some of the Sprinters. We have heard rear riding complaints about nearly every brand and style around, i think.

The Chevies do run low in the back, with the rear springs right down on the very stiff, very progressive overload leaf, making for a very hard bottom of bump and pitching rebound.

We have messed around with ours to smooth it out a bunch, but don't have anyone that rides in back to know if it is rideable smooth or not.

What we did was add air bags to to support some of the weight and get the rear higher and off the overload spring some. That helped, but it still would hit the overload on bigger bumps and be noisy and jarring. I had the overload rearched down a bit to get more clearance before it hit, and that helped a bit more.

I finally decided to try the newer style airbags that have an internal overload bump stop inside them, so the overload leaf in the springs is not needed to hold the weight if a bag fails. I removed the overload leaf and support about 3000# of the rear weight (60 psi in the bags) on the airbags, so much less on the springs. The airbags seem to give a significantly smoother ride, and instead of hitting the very stiff overload leaf on big bumps, it now hits the much softer and less progressive bump stop inside the bag for a softer landing. We have only had about 7K miles on this latest change, but it does seem be much less harsh and quieter in the rear than before. Again, though, we don't ride in back.

If you have ever ridden in the back of a 15 passenger van, you will find the exact same issues, and that is why those seats are rarely used.

[Loren]

Originally Posted by booster

To a large extent it is the nature of vans, as most bounce a lot in the rear unless they have an air ride conversion like some of the Sprinters. We have heard rear riding complaints about nearly every brand and style around, i think.

The Chevies do run low in the back, with the rear springs right down on the very stiff, very progressive overload leaf, making for a very hard bottom of bump and pitching rebound.

We have messed around with ours to smooth it out a bunch, but don't have anyone that rides in back to know if it is rideable smooth or not.

[snip]

If you have ever ridden in the back of a 15 passenger van, you will find the exact same issues, and that is why those seats are rarely used.

Thanks so much for your swift reply. So, can I assume that air suspension is the ultimate upgrade, sort of the Holy Grail? What does it cost, and what improvements can one expect?

[booster]

Originally Posted by Loren

Thanks so much for your swift reply. So, can I assume that air suspension is the ultimate upgrade, sort of the Holy Grail? What does it cost, and what improvements can one expect?

I don't think anyone makes a full air ride for the Chevy, just Sprinter and maybe Promaster and Transit coming or here. I think the Sprinter one is more than $10K.

A partial system that uses overload bags and the existing springs in a Chevy would be somewhere under $1000 without an onboard compressor and a bit over with one. The big question would be if it would give you enough for full rider comfort in the rear.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by Loren

...bounces around too much: hits a bump, flies into the air, and crashes back down. No one can ride back there!

Thoughts or advice? Many thanks!

Well, honestly, those seats are not for riding.

The seat belts are just a marketing ploy -- to get you to think that this is a 5 passenger vehicle. No sane person would want to sit there for more than a trip to the neighborhood grocery store (or beer store).

[Ron J. Moore]

Ironic the rear seat discussion came up! I had to pick up my wife from an airport about 100 miles away and asked my 18year old grandson if he wanted ride along. He road on the couch coming home...trying to be tactful, he said he would never "volunteer" for a RV ride, ha! If an 18 year old has problems with comfort...I can't imagine a senior adult riding comfortably. I guess it is for show only - and for the bed system, ha. The jump seat is another "I'd rather stay home" items; okay when parked, but worthless for a trip. Ron