2021 Chassis Class A Motorhomes

We purchased a 2021 Fleetwood Bounder 33C last July. Yes plug wires were a big issue as 2 days into our 6 week trip we had 3 wires fail & right front Bump Stop fall off. We waited 58 days before getting unit back. Heavier sway bars & bump stops along with a software handling Ford added made a big difference. However it still rides like a lumber wagon. We just finished a 5300 mile trip out west reaching altitudes of 10,690’. We installed 5 Star Tuning & love that, never below 45 mph or 4th gear. We drive at 70 & on flats were seeing 8.6 mpg (not towing). In mountains 7.4. Very pleased with V-8 performance. One issue all F/53 2020/2021 seem to be dealing with is ABS/Traction Control lights coming on with bumps or a speed approaching 75-76. Ours as a number have had we had a damaged Tone Ring & WheelSpeed Sensor. All seem to be on right rear. Now after 14,500 miles we are still dealing with that & it appears now to be a software problem. So far 100 days at Ford & counting!

After reading many other sources/posts elsewhere, I've learned the 2021 chassis has been improved with suspension upgrades/updates. I had done extensive suspension work on my old class C and when I traded it in, it drove like a car. Other than some slide rattles to be worked on, the new chassis drives like a dream....

Bdublu wrote:
I've seen a lot of comments/discussion on 'old' RV boards about handling problems in relation to the Ford F53 chassis and recommendations of suspension mods & add-ons. I've driven nearly 2k miles from Oregon to Southern CA & back home to Northern CA in our new 2021 Vista 29V (V-8) and think it drives just as well as my 20 year old Fleetwood Class C. Is this still an issue??

Are you saying a brand new Class A on the new chassis drives comparably to a 20 year old Class C?

I have read on another forum of a few people who have the new F53 V8 chassis. Apparently there are issues with the spark plug wires overheating and causing misfires. There is an easy fix but supplies are hard to come by right now as the new parts are on back order.

I've seen a lot of comments/discussion on 'old' RV boards about handling problems in relation to the Ford F53 chassis and recommendations of suspension mods & add-ons. I've driven nearly 2k miles from Oregon to Southern CA & back home to Northern CA in our new 2021 Vista 29V (V-8) and think it drives just as well as my 20 year old Fleetwood Class C. Is this still an issue??

It will be nice to see if they will integrate all the electronics they said they would. Auto high beams, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and so on.

Yes a mileage Improvement would be nice, but ride quality would be a huge welcome. I would love to see an air ride option and maybe a new front suspension, like a HD independent setup with airbags as an option!

I think the mpg on efi rvs is pretty good considering. I drove big block carbureted 80’s trucks and vans that never broke 10 mpg. EMPTY.

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
It will also be nice to see if there's any change in fuel economy --- it's about time something was done to improve the abysmal mileage Class A's get, and certainly the technology is there to do so.

Don't expect miracles; when you're driving a relatively heavy vehicle with all the aerodynamic efficiency of a barn, fuel economy will be poor. (For that matter, when you're driving a light vehicle with the same barn-like aerodynamics, fuel economy will only be marginally better most of the time.) The technology that would help the most would be to change the shape of the front and especially the back end of the motorhome to reduce drag, but that would result in a noticeable decrease in living space.

Haven't seen any yet, but look forward to the change. The steering wheel on every V10 chassis Class A looks exactly like the wheel of the F150 I bought in 1997! So, that alone will be refreshing. It will also be nice to see if there's any change in fuel economy --- it's about time something was done to improve the abysmal mileage Class A's get, and certainly the technology is there to do so.

I really wish they would do something with the suspension. It's been around in the same basic form for....what? 40 years or so?