Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Does your LD squeak and rattle as you roll?

February 16, 2015, 02:34:57 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 151169

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I'm still interested in possibly ordering a 2015 LD rig --- still don't know which size, but leaning toward the longest one.

As you are rolling down the road (assuming it's a fairly decent road), is your rig making noises?  Does it squeak, rattle, and somewhat annoy you?  Are some of the noises fixable or are they in such a place that getting to them would be too expensive or nearly impossible?

Not talking about dishes in the cabinets or other things like that which could be cushioned or better secured if you wanted to do so.

If you bought your rig new, did it have noise issues from the get go or did it take a few pot holes to start that?

Re: Does your LD squeak and rattle as you roll?

Reply #2 – February 16, 2015, 03:57:00 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 151177

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1997 30ib 120k still no noises or rattle, quite rig I have had

Johnny B

Re: Does your LD squeak and rattle as you roll?

Reply #4 – February 16, 2015, 06:30:52 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 151180

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Richard

　

Our first LD, a 1983, was 20 years old, with 110,000 miles, when we sold it.
It was remarkable how quiet it was when emptied for sale. Our 2003 23.' was and is quiet, except for the pots and pans and one problem that occurs in some LDs, including both our 1983 and 2003 LDs.

The connection between the cab and the overhead  bunk, on Fords, is made with sheet metal screws, and with nuts and bolts on the older Chevy models.                                     If this connection loosens or fails, their will be a squeaking sound right above the driver's left ear or the passenger's right ear, that occurs on certain road surfaces.       https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157616624554265/                                                                                                                       I have not seen this problem in later models and assume LD has corrected it at the construction stage.

Repairs are not complicated but it is a restrcted area to work in.                                 Removal of the trim carpeting, and a couple hundred staples, it the toughest part.                                                                                                                                      On Chevys, the nuts and bolts can be tightened and then secured with Locktite.                                                                   On Fords, the connection uses sheet metal screws that go through the metal cab, up into 3/4" plywood above. When disassembling his area, searching for the cause of squeaks, I find sheared off sheet metal screws.
My guess it's caused by lateral stress beyond the capacity of the screws to resist. When stressed to far sideways, tempered sheet metal screws do not deform, they shear off.                                                                                                      Did be the assembler have his screw gun set at too high a torque?  Maybe it didn' get enough screws?  What ever, they break off.
The broken screws are impossible to get out so my cure is to add many more new screws, spreading the loads over more fasteners.                                                                             A pneumaic stapler makes the re-installation of the trim carpet a quick job.

If this problem occurs, it should be one that Mothership fixes, for the original owner.
One  nosie that is often heard is front brake sqeaking, usually when rolling slowly through a campground. Hot brakes and very hard brakes pads can make noise.
The chrome wheel covers can make noise at low speeds too. More of a problem with older models.

Generally, you will not find a tighter RV than a LD. I have looked at a lot of them.

Larry

Re: Does your LD squeak and rattle as you roll?

Reply #6 – February 16, 2015, 10:34:13 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 151189

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My '05 MB, "Yonder" is fairly low use and stored indoors, averaging less than 3,000 miles a year. At 25K miles I finally had enough of a noise that only occurred if a significant rolling or twisting moment occurred between chassis and coach. It wasn't the sort of noise that occurs when something is banging around, but you could easily tell what was going on due to when it happened.

Tightening the chassis frame to coach bolts, underneath the rig, returned peace and tranquility to uneven roads. Easy fix that has been well documented on the list.

bumper

Re: Does your LD squeak and rattle as you roll?

Reply #8 – February 17, 2015, 11:18:48 am

Yahoo Message Number: 151198

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"Tightening the chassis frame to coach bolts, underneath the rig, returned peace and tranquility to uneven roads. "

Lazy Daze bolts the coach to the frame cross-members with a series of 3/8"  carriage head bolts, which loosen with time, miles and the pounding of bad roads.
When new, the carriage head bolts sit on top of the plywood floor. The plywood eventually compresses under the carriage head, loosening the bolts.
LD Owner Manual back in the 80s instructed the owner to periodically tighten the frame bolts.
Many LD owners report that their MHs are much quieter after the first or second tightening, ours included.

Finding the carriage bolt's nuts, under the floor can be a challenge, each floor plan has a completely different distribution..
To tighten, I use a 9/16" combination wrench and a 9/16" 3/8" drive deep socket, on a long extension, with a 3/8" ratchet.
Only snug the nuts to maybe 15-20 ft/lbs, any tighter and you risk either the carriage head breaking loose and spinning or pulling the bolt head too far into the plywood .
I recommend doing this after the first year or two of ownership and them every few years.

Larry

Re: Does your LD squeak and rattle as you roll?

Reply #10 – February 23, 2015, 02:22:26 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 151296

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If you drive much in CA, I can guarantee your coach rattles or squeaks.
Dale from Downey.