jassrnj
Bath, PA
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Joined: 09/26/2011
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I just purchased my first Motorhome. It is a 2000 Fleetwood Southwind Storm 34T with the Ford V10. I would like to improve the handling. It rocks side to side and I am going to install a new set of shocks. What eles can I do to help keep it straight on the road and reduce the push & pull when trucks pass me.
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travelzoo
NW
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Joined: 11/18/2008
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Start with this cost free fix Free fix and you may not need to do any thing else.
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randallb
On the road
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Joined: 11/19/2007
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RELAX!!! If you learn to relax behind the wheel you will save yourself a lot of money by not trying to reengineer how a shoebox travels down the road. There will be countless people who swear by this or that aftermarket suspension item but none will have a positive effect if you do not learn how to relax and not over react while driving said shoebox.
Randy
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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randallb wrote:RELAX!!! If you learn to relax behind the wheel you will save yourself a lot of money by not trying to re engineer how a shoebox travels down the road. There will be countless people who swear by this or that aftermarket suspension item but none will have a positive effect if you do not learn how to relax and not over react while driving said shoebox.Randy
Ditto x 10! And really should be repeated often.
I cringe when I see people adding aftermarket and changing these MH's. If it would have made it handle better they would have put it on at the factory.
Quote:Start with this cost free fix Free fix and you may not need to do any thing else. Same thing here. If it were meant to be cranked tight on another hole the factory would have done it.
I went to look at a used Class A and on the dash was a hole. Asked the owner what it was for? It had to do with some add on to tighten the front end to prevent sway or steering or whatever. He then took me out to his garage and showed me just how great that gadget worked.....a huge broken twisted piece of iron was what he had to show me that almost took his life when it broke off as he was making a turn and he was left without steering on a 40 ft MH.
On used MH's - Replace shocks, springs and tires all of these contribute to how a vehicle handles correctly. These all parts that fatigue over time and are 'meant' to be replaced.
Just my 5 cents, keep the change! 
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
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GSF
full-timing in North America
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Joined: 06/04/2004
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On my MH, the biggest handling difference came when I figured out that the front spring airbags had to be properly inflated.
George
97 Airstream Land Yacht
01 PT Cruiser Dinghy
2011 Can-Am Spyder RT-S
Cappy - Pekinese Burglar Alarm
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Dale.Traveling
Newport News, VA
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Joined: 12/16/2010
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Other than shocks, which there is a good probably they are original, not much without spending a lot of money. The chassis, Ford F53, is a truck plan and simple with hug flat sides for wind to push on and the center of gravity makes for a lot of rolling motion. Not much different than what the UPS guy (or gal) is driving. Without redesigning the suspension checks these items:
Sway Bar bushings - originals will either dissolve with time or become stiff and brittle. Check front and rear. This was my problem with the rear bushings. Looked like they melted and dripped down the axel.
Tire pressure - start with what the coach builder recommends then go up in small changes, 5 psi changes is a good start. Never go below what the builder recommended and don't exceed what the tire maker recommends. The higher you go the ride will start getting a bit harsh.
New tires - if the tires are five to seven years old based on the date code consider replacement.
Wheel alignment - never hurts if it's been a while. Also have them check for wear in the balls joints and other steering and suspension components of the front end.
Get the coach weighed at the corners if possible and try and balance the load on each tire as best you can by moving storage items around.
2006 Hurricane 32D aka 'Moby' the Whale
FCC(SW) US Navy Retired 1980-2003
Stella my Navigator
Bogart the All American RV Dog
and
Cocoui waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge
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deereone
NE
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Joined: 12/20/2005
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rockhillmanor wrote:randallb wrote:RELAX!!! If you learn to relax behind the wheel you will save yourself a lot of money by not trying to re engineer how a shoebox travels down the road. There will be countless people who swear by this or that aftermarket suspension item but none will have a positive effect if you do not learn how to relax and not over react while driving said shoebox.Randy
Ditto x 10! And really should be repeated often.
I cringe when I see people adding aftermarket and changing these MH's. If it would have made it handle better they would have put it on at the factory.
Quote:Start with this cost free fix Free fix and you may not need to do any thing else. Same thing here. If it were meant to be cranked tight on another hole the factory would have done it.
I went to look at a used Class A and on the dash was a hole. Asked the owner what it was for? It had to do with some add on to tighten the front end to prevent sway or steering or whatever. He then took me out to his garage and showed me just how great that gadget worked.....a huge broken twisted piece of iron was what he had to show me that almost took his life when it broke off as he was making a turn and he was left without steering on a 40 ft MH.
On used MH's - Replace shocks, springs and tires all of these contribute to how a vehicle handles correctly. These all parts that fatigue over time and are 'meant' to be replaced.
Just my 5 cents, keep the change!
Don't knock the free fix listed. Many of us Ford chassis owners have made the change. Many of us have driven thousands of miles since the change with only postive results. It's easy to change, 15 minutes and if you don't think you want it left that way after a test drive, 15 minutes will change it back.
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Gsmitty77
San Diego
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Joined: 10/09/2006
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98 F53 V10, T28 Bounder. Dramatically improved handling by:
-Koni FSD front, Adjustable on Rear, set to 3
-New poly bushings (maint item, as the OEM were shot)
-Road Master Rear sway bar (on ours, the 18K Lbs chassis, this was a second Sway bar
-Rear pan hard bar
-Four corner weight, and tire PSI set per tire Mfg recommendations
-Safety-T-Plus
-Air Tabs
-Front end alignment, with toe in set accordingly. (Surf search on this, and find a shop that knows the F53, the straight down the road feel is really impacted by alignments/toe in that are not set right.)
If you have not done so, suggest that all of the above was overkill, and that probably two or three changes will make you happy.
Some items I consider a safety item, and so should just be worked in:
-Koni's (our OEM shocks were shot)
-PSI Tire set to 4 corner weight
-Proper Front End alignment/toe in set
-Poly Bushings (maint, OEM shot)
-Safety-T-Plus (tire blow out insurance, and helps the handling too)
-Air Tabs Other then the PSI in the tires, the lowest cost mod. Really helped in passing truck situations, and in variable shifting cross winds. Back of coach and toad stayed cleaner too. The Air Tabs, made our longer drives much more relaxing.
After that, I would suggest you do the rear pan hard bar, and see if that takes care of you the rest of the way.
And guys, the early V10 F53 chassis, were deployed with different components for different RV manufacturers. So depending on how your rig was delivered, you may see some dramatic improvement in how 'add on's' help the handling. On our rig, a very big improvement. Relaxing is good, but better handling equals higher safety margins in emergency situations. I determine where to spend my money, and feel I made the right choice for me and my family. The new owner of our T28, had a BIL drive his coach. He was amazed of the handling compared to his 32' storm, and started adding components to his rig too.
Best to all, be safe, have fun,
Smitty
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bukib
home
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Alright here we go...I find this entire post remarkable in its propensity to make you spend hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars trying to solve a problem that is not really a problem. Handling accessories for motorhomes are the mechanical equivalent of Hydrocodone. The problem is still there. But your investment somehow makes it more tolerable. There are only two things you need to know:
1. Dont look where you are. Look where you are going. Shift your visual focus from 50' in front of the unit to as far as you can clearly see. I call it "the Bonneville Effect". The farther you look ahead the wider the road becomes.
2. When you encounter the occasional semi passing or a gust of heavy wind...dont try to push the wind. Simply, using your hand on the bottom of the wheel, 'lean' against it. Steer nimbly. Dont try to push the wind. simply lean against it. You will not die in a multiple rollover and body-erasing fire. You will keep on truckin. Quit worrying. This is supposed to be fun.
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Gsmitty77
San Diego
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Joined: 10/09/2006
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IMO, anything that improves the handling of any vehicle, enhances safety. Car, bike, truck, RV...
It is OK that others have different opinions, but it does not make mine unreasonable.
On our Bounder. I bought it knowing it needed tires, shocks, bushings, brake flush (something else that I recommend be done like clock work, again for safety). This was also our first RV, and part of the rational for buying this RV, was to see if we liked the experience. (I knew I did, from having been RV'ing with friends at a younger age.) If my DW did not like the experience, it would have been game over. So I did 'overkill' the items I added to our rig. Each and everyone I added, helped/improved the 'feel' and handling. It was not until I added the Air Tabs, that my wife started feeling more comfortable driving the rig in truck traffic. She still did not like the shifting cross winds, as wind shifts could result in a 1/2 lane change before she caught and adjusted. This was dramatically reduced with the Air Tabs, but not eliminated.
If you are in any rig that does not handle well, and you are planning to keep the rig for a period of time. Why not improve the handling to enhance your comfort while on the road?
Best of luck to you all, and make your own choices, not what I, or other posters say... When in doubt, and if close enough to swing by, Henderson's Line up diagnostic is a full proof way of getting your rig evaluated to see if handling improvements can be made. Jordans (may have spelled this wrong), also has good reputation in Florida.
Smitty
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