One of the local Ford dealers in our area claim to be one of the biggest F53/Motorhome service centers in the country (Gator Ford east of Tampa Florida). They have a 60,000lb lift and run specials for RV service. I am going to make an appointment soon to get an alignment on our new motorhome. I was wondering if anyone had ever had a Ford dealer do the cheap handling fix. I really enjoy driving the new motorhome but it does have a lot of body roll when taking corners. Before I spend any money on suspension mods I'd like to try the CHF first as long as it doesn't affect the Ford warranty.Burch

I'm also curious what they say. The CHF changes the geometry on both ends of the sway bar. It limits the suspension travel by the swaybar bottoming out and becoming a mechanical limit it was never designed for. I realize that and still did the rear only. Not the front. I also have never heard of a problem from it. If you take the front links off, place the jack stands on the frame with the front tires jacked off the ground. the front links are about 5" too short to connect to the swaybar's holes closest to the axle. If they were connected in the holes closest to the axle, they would be holding the suspension up about 5" over dips or anywhere the suspension needed the travel, the shocks would be the limiters otherwise. A buddy of mines sway bar broke in a turn and he rolled the pick up truck. I can imagine what a RV would be like if it broke in a turn.

See no reason for them not to do it for a service fee. The holes are there as an optional attachment point. Same for the rear ones.

Post back with what the Ford dealer says, please.

the extra hole is not for the cheap fix. it is to reinforce the link attachmenthttps://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.thedieselstop.com/faq/9497faq/tsb/tsb/files/041102.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiFpP3jnJ3VAhUBYz4KHZV7BcwQFgguMAE&usg=AFQjCNFHs-qn7_h-nwEuLsKBnpd0nWf1kA

PursuitInsight wrote:the extra hole is not for the cheap fix. it is to reinforce the link attachmenthttps://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.thedieselstop.com/faq/9497faq/tsb/tsb/files/041102.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiFpP3jnJ3VAhUBYz4KHZV7BcwQFgguMAE&usg=AFQjCNFHs-qn7_h-nwEuLsKBnpd0nWf1kA Exactly. But, it helps so much by moving the bolts people wish it was otherwise. The factory SHOULD just put a large enough bar to handle the weight of the finished product

Cheap Handling Fix at Ford Dealer | Good Sam Community

stvdman
Explorer
Jul 31, 2017
MetalGator wrote:
stvdman wrote:
I just had it done (front only) at White Marsh Ford in Baltimore..drove from MD to Orlando and back, nice improvement. Going to do the rear ones next time I have it in for service.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did the Ford dealer charge you for the adjustment?

1 Hour of labor and $5 shop supplies, total was like $120.
DryCreek
Explorer
Jul 31, 2017
jyrostng wrote:
"I replaced the links with longer ones and that fixed that problem."

Did you take the longer front (stock) sway bar end links and use them on the rear? It helps as they are an inch longer than the stock rear links.
jyrostng
Explorer
Aug 01, 2017
DryCreek wrote:
Did you take the longer front (stock) sway bar end links and use them on the rear? It helps as they are an inch longer than the stock rear links.

No, not yet, I just moved the rear with the stock links, If I get ambitious in this Texas heat, I will. I kept them.
Rustybird
Explorer
Oct 26, 2017
Our motorhome is a 32ft 2004 Fleetwood Fiesta on a Ford F53 chassis. I diid the CHF on the front and was hopeing to see good results. Just drove it 120 miles when we would stop or do a turn the springs would hit the sway bar making a very disturbing metal clunking sound. It improved the sway some, but not worth the mechanical problem. I have changed back to the forward position holes on the sway bar. Kudos to this site for its great information from members.
PastorCharlie
Explorer
Oct 27, 2017
Why would anyone drive off-road in such a rugged road condition that the motor home bounce would lift the wheels off the roar surface?
MR_MAC
Explorer
Oct 31, 2017
I did my front with good results, but a few times the sway bar hit the springs when I hit a pot hole, also a few times when using leveling jacks the bars were laying on the springs as the font tires were off the ground. I getting ???? about this, thinking of going back. A track bar I installed on the rear was the best result of my handling fix.

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