John&Joey
Some Location
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Last fall I complained a lot about the F53 having a terrible ride. I did state that once we got further south the roads got better and so did the ride. Since then a few things have happened.
During last winter there was a month in a campground where the levelers took most of the weight off the front wheels. During that time period a heard two separate bangs from the front end. On the drive back to Minnesota, I noticed that the ride wasn’t so bad. I figured it was just me getting use to the rig and nothing more. But it did make be wonder.
This fall when I changed the oil and greased the rig I looked at the leaf springs. It appears to me that not only does the tire go up and down, but they can also deflect back. Some old Ski-Doo’s snowmobiles had the same design.
So I took out the penetrating oil and sprayed into the rubber hanger brackets (don’t know what they’re called) and between the leafs. Well on today’s drive over some terrible roads I really noticed a change. Even DW said it seems to be riding a lot smoother (not great, but good.)
Since these things sit so much, could we be loosing some of the suspension to simple corrosion? Or am I just getting use to the handling of the rig?
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HillbillyExpress
California
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You might be onto something. I have a 2001 HR Admiral with the F53 chasis. Had it on jacks for a week while putting a Banks system on. Figured I would go through all of the running gear and lub the chasis, etc. I too noticed a big difference after lubricating the leaf spring hanger brackets in the front-end suspension this summer. I plan on hitting all of the rubber joints on the chasis this winter to see if it has the same effect next summer.
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FIRE UP
Ramona, CA. USA
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Hi guys,
The F-53 chassis and it's venerable rough ride has been discussed just a few times here. On one end of a leaf spring suspension, the spring is basically solidly mounted with a bracket and a bolt. The other end is mounted on or in, a "shackle". Those shackles have two pivot points. They have to have that because, just in case you didn't know, as an "arched" spring is compressed, it elongates, so, the bottom end of the shackle will move back and forth as the spring compresses and rebounds back to its arched position.
If, those pivot points are binding in any way, because of age, corrosion, rubber bushings binding, what ever, it won't let the shackles swing back and forth and therefore wont let the spring compress to take up some of the bumps. Spraying some sort of lube on those pivot points may have some effect on how well they work. However, since it's made up of rubber and steel, I'm not sure of the best lube you could spray it with that won't damage the rubber. Good luck.
Scott
Scott and Karla
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livingaboard
Everett wa
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I don't buy it. I am not buying that a little corrosion is going to prevent a 20,000 lb rig from going up and down properly or that the corrosion is going to prevent suspension articulation with 20,000lbs on top of it.
Worn out parts will cause problems
Dave
Everett, WA
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U, F53 Triton V-10
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halfcab
SouthEast
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I never had an F-53 front end apart to know how hard or easy things moved/flexed. But I could see where some lube here and there could help "some", and mostly on an older chassis. A night and day differance...NO!
A 7000 lbs front suspension as the F53 is going to be stiff.
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topflite51
In The Desert of Nevada
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Penetrating fluid and rubber do not mix. If the application of the fluid really did help, probably time to consider having those rubber mounts/bushings replaced.
 David
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John&Joey
Some Location
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topflite51 wrote:Penetrating fluid and rubber do not mix. If the application of the fluid really did help, probably time to consider having those rubber mounts/bushings replaced.
Hey TopFlight, what would be a better lubricant??? What makes you say that rubber and penetrating fluid do not mix anyways
To a prior poster, I never said night and day, but without a doubt, I (and DW) can tell the difference. Just finished 400 miles today on some very bad roads (MN/IO border.) It was much better then last fall when we did the same I35 trip south. Without a doubt there is something going on here.
Before I got my rig it sat in a heated garage for four years. Last fall when I took it south it would knock the fillings out of your teeth. Now, well it ain't perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better.
Here's something to think about to all the posters that "don't buy it." Why in the world would anybody buy this chassis in the first place if it would knock your fillings out?
How do the UPS guys last all day driving it? Why do some F53 owners complain (like I did) more then others? If that rear shackle does not pivot then you just defeated what the engineers designed!
Again it ain't night and day, but it is noticeable.
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topflite51
In The Desert of Nevada
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Try a silicone lubricant instead for rubber. Might even try a tire mounting lubricant for that matter. Most penetrating oils are volatile. They tend to evaporate leaving the rubber even drier than before, thereby causing a worsening condition. But, as I said, if it provided that noticeable of a difference, probably should consider replacing those bushings.
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Dick A
Spokane
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Back in the late fifties and early sixties when I worked part-time in a service station (Yeah, I know, you young folks don't remember those! ) we had a sprayer with a liquid compound called rubber lube we shot all the bushings with as part of a lube and oil change job. I don't know if the stuff is still around but you might check with one of the "older" counter folks at NAPA.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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I have just about every lube in my bay, but that "rubber lube." I do have a heavy duty motorcycle chain lube which I wonder now if that would be a good choice for rubber bushings? Might have to read the cans and pick one. The penetrating oil I used wasn't WD40 BTW, it was some non-moisture replacing stuff with Teflon. I don't think the bushings are bad either. They do not look cracked or anything like that, plus the rig currently has only 41K on the block.
Thanks guys for your input. We're back on the road for the winter, so I can use all the help that I can get and I do appreciate it when it's given.
On the topic of "service stations" tell me more Pops , was it true that they would even check the air in your tires for free? Just kidding , I spun a wrench at one also.
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