Seattle mechanic to do suspension work on 1980 720 motorhome?

[Middle man]

Just read this,wow! I have a sunrader and the suspension was shot when I bought it.What I did was take it to the local shop and the young mechanic easily, redid the entire front end.Its fairly simple he said and ordered the parts the same day.I knew it was above my abilities, I also needed the alignment and being a older dude I didn't want to do it.It wanted to porpoise down the road also. We put monroe shocks on the front monroe air on the rear. The front shocks sucked,switched to kyb [ someone already sugested ] and now with 120 psi in the rear it handles well.As for other mechanical and electrial issues these guys walked me through some issues I didn't understand...questions that were in the search mode I hadn't even checked.I read all posts alittle each day TO LEARN from them.I don't give a shit about your previous experience,I also have my own! Never stop learning and thanks to the Ratsun crew for the respect and advice.My sunrader is kicking ass down the road.

[kb25t17]

Just read this,wow! I have a sunrader and the suspension was shot when I bought it.What I did was take it to the local shop and the young mechanic easily, redid the entire front end.Its fairly simple he said and ordered the parts the same day.I knew it was above my abilities, I also needed the alignment and being a older dude I didn't want to do it.It wanted to porpoise down the road also. We put monroe shocks on the front monroe air on the rear. The front shocks sucked,switched to kyb [ someone already sugested ] and now with 120 psi in the rear it handles well.As for other mechanical and electrial issues these guys walked me through some issues I didn't understand...questions that were in the search mode I hadn't even checked.I read all posts alittle each day TO LEARN from them.I don't give a shit about your previous experience,I also have my own! Never stop learning and thanks to the Ratsun crew for the respect and advice.My sunrader is kicking ass down the road.

Hey another 1980 Sunrader and its a Datsun!  Very cool!

 

Thanks for the info on using the KYB shocks instead of Monroe. My suspension upgrade is on hold until late fall due to lack of budgetary funds and several day surgery things I have to undergo, cataracts, etc.

 

It think I am going to give Taylor Brake Service on Elliott ave in Seattle a try for the front end suspension work. They were highly recommended by several people in my neighborhood coffee shop. Its a small shop, locally owned, not a chain and they have been in business a long time.  They also have a 5 star rating on Yelp and it is mentioned often that their prices are lower than other shops. Despite the word Brake in the title they are a full service shop. But as they are a brake shop I might as well ask about a brake upgrade when I have it in their shop as they will do custom work there.  Its just a few miles away and I can catch a bus to and from there that stops close enough to home to be walking distance. I need to be able to bus or bicycle if my friend is too busy to give me a ride.

 

First up though is I have to replace the throttle cable. That is fortunately a DIY job that I can handle. Good thing its DIY for me since its not going down the road under its own power without a new one. The replacement cable should arrive Monday or Tuesday this week.

[banzai510(hainz)]

KYB  Gas A Just or the bigger Monomax.  they at reasonable price

 

The KYB GR2s are nothing special  avoid these.  just a just gas shock but better than most worn out junk.

[kb25t17]

KYB  Gas A Just or the bigger Monomax.  they at reasonable price

 

The KYB GR2s are nothing special  avoid these.  just a just gas shock but better than most worn out junk.

thanks!

[kb25t17]

Just read this,wow! I have a sunrader and the suspension was shot when I bought it.What I did was take it to the local shop and the young mechanic easily, redid the entire front end.Its fairly simple he said and ordered the parts the same day.I knew it was above my abilities, I also needed the alignment and being a older dude I didn't want to do it.It wanted to porpoise down the road also. We put monroe shocks on the front monroe air on the rear. The front shocks sucked,switched to kyb [ someone already sugested ] and now with 120 psi in the rear it handles well.As for other mechanical and electrial issues these guys walked me through some issues I didn't understand...questions that were in the search mode I hadn't even checked.I read all posts alittle each day TO LEARN from them.I don't give a shit about your previous experience,I also have my own! Never stop learning and thanks to the Ratsun crew for the respect and advice.My sunrader is kicking ass down the road.

I learn new things everday. I also read post everyday. What I didn't care for is being criticized over and over again for asking for a recommendation for a shop. I did not care for being treated like an idiot for asking for that kind of help when I need that kind of help. Sometimes the long time people in forums need a little shaking up about their manners.

[kb25t17]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the above were answers to your question... basically it isn't rocket science to change some shocks or add a rear sway bar... any shop (not just those mentioned) can do this. You never replied about the engine tag even. If you can ID your truck as a regular 2wd with a camper on it then proper springs that are stiffer would be a good option. Make a decision what you want done and take it to one of the above mentioned places and tell them to do it.

 

Any extra info about brakes or suspension is just enthusiastic people trying to help a fellow 720 owner. This is what a forum is, it helps you and the information helps anyone else that reads this thread even years from now.  So chill out, take a pain med read through this again because your answer is there, simply value added.

Sorry that I did not drop in every day to reply to all the questions immediately as this forum has not been my highest priority in the last month. I have been undergoing various medical testing this past month. Stressful time for me and yes I do need to take some Ibuprofen everyday of my life for pain. I just lost the ability to read or see clearly for distance in my right eye due to a sudden PVD. Eye surgery for cataracts coming soon and obviously I can't be crawling around under a car risking the possibility of debris getting into my eyes while they are healing from surgery. Plus unfortunately I just found this last week after painful procedures the week before that I need to have a surgery to remove a mass on my ovaries in addition to removing both of my ovaries and tubes as that mass may or may not be cancerous. That surgery is also going to be taking place this fall.  Also my arms are developing nerve damage issues and falling asleep from a spinal nerve compression issue so I need to see an orthopedic surgeon for that as my previous surgeon has retired. That condition makes it difficult to apply any kind of force to wrenches for doing things such as changing out bushings or shock absorbers. The nerve function test and surgeries are very painful and I am not looking forward to the near future with all these appointments and surgeries this fall. 

 

So Datzenmike what I really want from you is for you to get off and stay off of my case because you have rudely and unnecessarilly been on my case since I started this thread. I have already told you that I can't at this time DIY my own suspension. But my statement of that did not penetrate through to your brain so I have clearly spelled it out  for you in the above paragraph why I need to get someone else to do that suspension work for me at this point in time in my life. I have no idea why you are feeling compelled to attack me but I suggest when you feel tempted to do so just go and hit some other punching bag instead of trying to punch me out.  Remember it is not nice to hit girls especially when they are crippled senior citizens :)  Here is your new rule that I am setting for your immature behavior. You need to treat me the way any decent man would want a guy to treat his mother who was also experiencing medical problems. You need to remember that you would not expect your own mother to crawl under a car and work on her suspension if she was also having medical issues. You don't get to be my judge of what I ought to be able to do and you don't get to do things like insulting me and telling me to go take pain meds as an insult. You are hereby forewarned I will report you to the forum owner if you continue  acting out this way. I have a zero tolerance policy for being bullied. Telling people to go and take pain meds is exactly the kind of thing  cyber bullies in forums do and it is against the rules of this forum for you to act in this way. Third strike is next and that means you are out if you do it. I would suggest you not say another word to me since you can't control what you do say.

[datzenmike]

Sorry that I did not drop in every day to reply to all the questions immediately as this forum has not been my highest priority in the last month. I have been undergoing various medical testing this past month. Stressful time for me and yes I do need to take some Ibuprofen everyday of my life for pain. I just lost the ability to read or see clearly for distance in my right eye due to a sudden PVD. Eye surgery for cataracts coming soon. Plus unfortunately I just found this last week after painful procedures the week before that I need to have a surgery to remove a mass on my ovaries in addition to removing both of my ovaries and tubes as that mass may or may not be cancerous. Also my arms are developing nerve damage issues and falling asleep from a spinal nerve compression issue so I need to see an orthopedic surgeon for that as my previous surgeon has retired. The nerve function test and surgeries are very painful and I am not looking forward to the near future with all these appointments and surgeries this fall.  So Datzenmike what I really want from you is for you to get off and stay off of my case because you have rudely and unnecessarilly been on my case since I started this thread. I have no idea why you are feeling compelled to attack me but I suggest when you feel tempted to do so just go and hit some other punching bag instead of trying to punch me out. You are so out of line at the moment that I am very tempted to report you for it. LAY OFF ME RIGHT NOW!!  Remember its not nice to hit girls especially when they are crippled senior citizens :)  Here is your new rule that I am setting for your immature behavior. You need to treat me the way any decent man would want a guy to treat his mother. That means you don't get to be my judge and you don't get to do things like telling me to go take pain meds. You are hereby forewarned I will report you to the forum owner if you continue  acting out this way. I have a zero tolerance policy for being bullied and telling people to go and take pain meds is exactly the kind of thing a cyber bully in forums do and it is against the rules of this forum for you to act in this way.

 

I can't see anything in my posts that were anything less than helpful. I haven't been 'on your case' 'attacking you' 'compelled to punch or hit' you, I haven't judged you nor bullied you, and last of all I have not been rude. I have made 6 posts in your topic all helpful or pointing out how helpful all the other replies were. So if you can't read them, have someone else read mine to you and see.

 

 

 

 

All the above were answers to your question... basically it isn't rocket science to change some shocks or add a rear sway bar... any shop (not just those mentioned) can do this. You never replied about the engine tag even. If you can ID your truck as a regular 2wd with a camper on it then proper springs that are stiffer would be a good option. Make a decision what you want done and take it to one of the above mentioned places and tell them to do it.

 

Any extra info about brakes or suspension is just enthusiastic people trying to help a fellow 720 owner. This is what a forum is, it helps you and the information helps anyone else that reads this thread even years from now.  So chill out, take a pain med read through this again because your answer is there, simply value added.

 

 

As for the pain med quote, after reading paragraph after paragraph about your spinal problems and physical disabilities I assumed you would be on pain medication. If you are not, I highly recommend that your quality of life would be much improved if you were and you would be (dare I say) less cranky.

[kb25t17]

Datzenmike. Please stop bullying me for being disabled. That kind of behavior reflects badly on you as a person. You are not doing harm to me, you are doing harm to yourself. It is regrettable that you would present yourself to your peers in this manner.

 

I have been very clear throughout this thread that the reason I was asking for a recommendation for a reliable, local, independent and affordable repair shop to help me with my suspension work is that I was not physically able to do that work myself. I have explained this to you over and over again. There has never been any call for you or any other member of this forum to criticize me for my physical limitations.

 

It is uncalled for you to tell me how quickly I must respond to other people's comments. I responded  as I could given my current circumstances.

 

There are limits to how much pain medication anyone can take.  You should never tell anyone to take more pain medication as it is illegal for you to give anyone advice on pain medication as you are not a physician. As you are not a physician you are therefore simply being an abusive bully.

 

What you are saying is inadvisable. Please stop talking to me and I am asking that for your own sake. You are digging the hole you are inhabiting deeper and deeper.

[thisismatt]

You started off on the defensive; I can't say I'm surprised how this thread went.  Mike is a forum admin, so good luck with your plight.

[datzenmike]

A fool of myself? I've had years of practice and patience dealing with other contentious people, scammers, and trolls.

 

Well you're going to have to show me where I criticized you for not doing the work yourself because I can't find it. Maybe your mixing me up with some other poster. Either way you're wrong.

 

I did say that it's not rocket science to change springs and shocks and any shop mentioned can do it. I also said that it doesn't have to be a suspension shop, that (again) any shop can do the work.

[datzenmike]

It is uncalled for you to tell me how quickly I must respond to other people's comments. I responded as quickly as I could given my current circumstances.

There you go again. Where have I said how quickly you have to respond to other comments?

 

There are limits to how much pain medication anyone can take.  You should never tell anyone to take more pain medication as it is illegal for you to give anyone advice on pain medication as you are not a physician. As you are not a physician you are therefore simply being an abusive bully.

 

Cease and desist.

 

It really could only be taken as another helpful suggestion.

[Lockleaf]

Kb - if you don't like datzenmikes commentary, your best bet is to ignore it. You wouldn't be the first person on this forum to dislike someone else's mannerisms. There are a number of us who dislike one another. You can even block people so their posts don't even show up.

 

However, you also need to take it easy. You gave us all crap about how we needed to show off our projects when you didn't ask, etc etc. Yet now you're back here telling us your going to ask some random shop about brake upgrades, the exact thing we mentioned and you got squiffy about.

 

Unless they are a Datsun specialty shop, they won't have any idea what being done. The guys on these forums are the guys making those upgrades happen. Do your research here, tell them what you want, it will come out perfect.

[510freak]

Whatever you do.Dont change the font.

You have been warned

[Middle man]

When u apoligize to these people,u get to talk to me again.If u think the world is an asshole maybe just maybe its uuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[HRH]

I heard you can put 510 calipers on a 620 frame?  Is that true?  Can someone help me do that?  Ooo, mini-truckin' magazine!!   :D  Oh, and a 4wd extended cab D21 is 3800 pounds curb weight.  Maybe 3750 minus some tools, but mine weighed in at 3800.  Makes it really close to 4000 with me in it.

 

510freak, how DARE you change the font!!! ;)

[kb25t17]

I need a reference for a good but reasonably priced shop in the Seattle area to work on my 1980 720 suspension.  Not a lot of miles on it, only 87K and its never been in an accident but after 35 years the rubber in the bushings is not what it should be and there is too much sway going on. I can get an RV shop to handle the stuff in the rear area if need be since it is not standard to a 720. The 1980 is an odd ball 720 with unique things about it compared to some other years. I do have a reference repair manual that shows those differences but does not state part numbers. Would appreciate any reference materials to have on hand that does show part numbers for this year and model.

 

Its a motorhome which means it needs a tall door and roof to fit inside a garage.  I don't have a place to work on it myself plus I have a lousy back. I am mechanically inclined but it is not going to be a DIY project I can take on.

What a firestorm you guys love to create about a very simple question.

 

Now that I have located a good but reasonably priced shop (even though it was without your assistance) you might try to be happy for me.

 

 I am only asking about upgrade options for the brakes out of curiosity to hear the thinking of a shop that does custom brake jobs. As I stated I am not in need or a brake job as mine have very little wear on them. The shop has been in business a great many years and work on all kinds of vehicles. I checked with them and they have experience with 720s, and yes they have some of them have owned Datsun's themselves.

 

I do thank everyone who suggested some shops even though they were not close enough to me to work.

 

I do appreciate the advice about which shocks will be most suitable as it is related to my question about obtaining part numbers that are suitable.

 

 

Now the thread is done. I have my answer, the special entertainment is over and you can all return to your regular scheduled programming.

[datzenmike]

Of course it needs new shocks and rubber bushings. Would I have asked for a recommendation to a shop that does suspension work for another reason ;)

 

 

I do know that some people who have been in forums for years on end can't resist telling people all about the vehicles they own thinking they don't know anything about them. That they always assume that if someone asks for the reference to the name of a good shop they must be ignorant. As I stated, I have a bad back and I don't currently have a place to work on my rig. What I do not need is  someone to tell me I need suspension work, obviously I know that or I would not have talked about needing suspension work. What I need is the name of a reliable shop in Seattle who does good work on 720s and is familiar enough with them that they realize the 1980s have unique aspects to them that other 720s don't.  Of course now I am being redundant as I already said that as my request when I started this thread. :)

 

This is not my first 720, I bought my first one in 1984 and put lots of miles on it ;). Back then I did a lot of my own work on my vehicles when they needed things done. But in 1985 while working as an aircraft mechanic at Boeing my back got trashed by a person letting go of a heavy object we were carrying instead of setting it down before they let go. A 75 pound instant download of force blew out two discs in my back and damaged other areas too. Like any old spinal injury it does not get any better with age. So I need to hire this kind of stuff out instead of doing it myself.  So newbie or not I am simply asking for a recommendation of a shop. I am not asking what do I need to have done to it. Just because I can't do the work does not mean I don't know what needs to be done.

 

Unfortunately many times the people who work at dealers are not all that familiar with the older models. But that is not a universally true fact that one should assume. It is something that has to be asked of the shop manager. Of course it is in their best interest to state that their people can handle it so its trial and error time. Guess I was just hoping to get lucky and find someone here who knows someone in Seattle who is excellent with the oldies but goodies. I tried one shop with a good reputation in my neighborhood. They had it for a month before they got it sorted out that it was not like other 720s. I gave them the repair manuals but they still could not get it through their heads and kept ordering the wrong parts and using the wrong settings. I don't want to go through that again which is why I asked for a recommendation in this thread. But now I am kind of sorry that I bothered to ask.

 

 

 

 

From a sociological and psychological perspective it is amazing what a paranoia tempest in a teapot a simple question about looking for a reputable repair shop has turned out to be among the long time members of this group. Get over it, this is not any kind of a weird question, you are not under attack. I am not out to get you or take advantage of you. This is not about YOU or your fellow members, you don't have to put up all these walls of defense over nothing. I just wanted the name of a reputable repair shop. You are the people who are attacking me, and for what? This kind of response to my thread serves no purpose. All I did was ask a very simple and basic question. If you didn't have the answer there was never any need to respond to my question. Or maybe you are just so bored out of your skulls that you are creating controversy where it does not exist simply to have something to post about? Quit trying to fabricate something out of nothing because nothing is what it is.

 

 

The fact that I never asked for advice on brakes and don't even need to do work on my brakes as they were recently replaced does not stop any of you from taking this thread over to talk about YOU and your projects.

 

Wow are you guys are really bored is all I can say about that. Go work on your Datsuns...go take them for a drive. Its summer time, enjoy it while it last instead of wasting time answering questions that were not even asked and giving advice that is not even needed.

 

 

I learn new things everday. I also read post everyday. What I didn't care for is being criticized over and over again for asking for a recommendation for a shop. I did not care for being treated like an idiot for asking for that kind of help when I need that kind of help. Sometimes the long time people in forums need a little shaking up about their manners.

 

 

 

 

So Datzenmike what I really want from you is for you to get off and stay off of my case because you have rudely and unnecessarilly been on my case since I started this thread. I have already told you that I can't at this time DIY my own suspension. But my statement of that did not penetrate through to your brain so I have clearly spelled it out  for you in the above paragraph why I need to get someone else to do that suspension work for me at this point in time in my life. I have no idea why you are feeling compelled to attack me but I suggest when you feel tempted to do so just go and hit some other punching bag instead of trying to punch me out.  Remember it is not nice to hit girls especially when they are crippled senior citizens :)  Here is your new rule that I am setting for your immature behavior. You need to treat me the way any decent man would want a guy to treat his mother who was also experiencing medical problems. You need to remember that you would not expect your own mother to crawl under a car and work on her suspension if she was also having medical issues. You don't get to be my judge of what I ought to be able to do and you don't get to do things like insulting me and telling me to go take pain meds as an insult. You are hereby forewarned I will report you to the forum owner if you continue  acting out this way. I have a zero tolerance policy for being bullied. Telling people to go and take pain meds is exactly the kind of thing  cyber bullies in forums do and it is against the rules of this forum for you to act in this way. Third strike is next and that means you are out if you do it. I would suggest you not say another word to me since you can't control what you do say.

 

 

What a firestorm you guys love to create out of a very simple request.

 

That we created? That's almost funny.

 

I'm still waiting for you to explain your earlier comments about me criticizing you for not doing your own work, (I did not) criticizing you for how fast you answer posts, (I did not) and being rude to you. (I don't believe I was) Show me one post of mine that wasn't in some way helpful to you. 

[HRH]

 

I think this is relevant here.

[kb25t17]

That we created? That's almost funny.

 

I'm still waiting for you to explain your earlier comments about me criticizing you for not doing your own work, (I did not) criticizing you for how fast you answer posts, (I did not) and being rude to you. (I don't believe I was) Show me one post of mine that wasn't in some way helpful to you. 

This is firestorming...

[HRH]

I don't think he wants help Mike.  I'd simply suggest the yellow pages.  It's not like Datsuns are complex.

[maltese]

I don't think she wants help Mike.

[datzenmike]

This is firestorming...

 

This... is trolling.

[kb25t17]

This... is trolling.

and that is flaming...

 

Don't you get it Datzenmike? This thread is done, its over. No one wants to see Pots calling Kettles black. It serves no purpose other than to amuse you to demean me.

[datzenmike]

So you get to accuse me of things I haven't done and it's ok? and now you've done it yet again?

 

Datzenmike. Please stop bullying me for being disabled. That kind of behavior reflects badly on you as a person. You are not doing harm to me, you are doing harm to yourself. It is regrettable that you would present yourself to your peers in this manner.

I haven't said one word about you doing your own work. The only comment about that was from Hainz...

 

get under the truck and change this simple thing first. Get soem KYBs MomoMax or Gas adjust and see what happens

Half hour job or hour at the most in the parking lot if you have a jack.

 

then get back to us

My back is bad also.

After you explained your 'condition' he replied...

 

Les Schwab/Midas

 

It is uncalled for you to tell me how quickly I must respond to other people's comments. I responded as I could given my current circumstances.

Show me where I said that.

 

 

 

I'm still waiting for you to explain your earlier comments about me criticizing you for not doing your own work, (I did not) criticizing you for how fast you answer posts, (I did not) and being rude to you. (I don't believe I was) Show me one post of mine that wasn't in some way helpful to you.

 

Still waiting.....

[kb25t17]

Then you will be waiting forever. I don't do the copy, paste over and over again in an attempt to gather a bunch of kindling just to try and start up a big firestorm. What you just did is exactly what I mean by firestorming. You want to fan the flames, you are obessed with fanning the flames.

 

You have made it obvious you don't like me, now get on with your life and find some joy to fill it.