class A safety
good morning all im pretty new to rving and learning as much as i can , im a retired bmw tech with 20 years under my belt . and proud of it, so i know pretty much the auto business my fiancée a...
Forum Discussion
bmwdriver2019,
I think Doug pretty much nailed it with his response. If I may, I'd like to add a bit more.
First, I have to say I had a chuckle when I read your username. Have you ever driven a high center of gravity vehicle before? LOL You're right. The motorhome is NOT a BMW, but perhaps you're so used to that snappy handling of a sport sedan, the difference was excpetionally unnerving. A full size van doesn't handle like a luxury sedan, either. One has to understand the type of vehicle they're driving. An RV is not only longer and therefore susceptible to bow-wave pushes from trucks and such, but also has a very high center of gravity which impacts handling.
Remember, Ford makes the chassis and when it leaves Ford, that's all it is. It's up the RV Manufacturer to put the house on it. The same chassis might be the base for possibly dozens of various floorplans. Each floorplan might load that chassis differently, depending upon where water/waste tanks are located, appliances, the number and size of slideouts, the number of AC's on the roof, etc. There are a lot of variables in the equation. Not to mention that in some cases, manufacturers do a very poor job of distributing the weight side to side or front to back, and have even been known to sell models which exceed the axle weight ratings set by the manufacturer. Or, sell a rig where it's dry weight is just under that of the specs, so as soon as you put people, food and some water in it, you're over loaded. Remember that more weight behind the rear axle lifts weight off the front axle, and that can affect handling. That's not Ford's fault, it's that of the RV manufacturers.
Along with what Doug said, I'd recommend that you get your rig weighed. Have it fully loaded to travel with food, fuels, water, people & stuff. Best time to do it is when you're heading out on your next trip, right after you fill the tanks (fuel & water). Four corner weights are best, but even front and rear axle weights are a good start. From those weights, make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure for the load they are carrying on each axle. Dealerships & tire stores tend to inflate tires to the maximum pressure on the sidewall of the tire. I think for the vast majority of RVs, that results in tires that are over-inflated for the weight they are carrying which can result in a harsh ride and harder to control vehicle. So, if you haven't done that yet, find some truck scales nearby and have it weighed.
Then, as Doug mentioned, have it aligned.
If it still has some issues, there are things you can do and devices you can add/upgrade which can give some additional help. There are numerous posts on this forum which address that.
I really don't see what you described as being a safety issue on the level at which NHTSA should get involved. As I mentioned above, Ford has no idea how the chassis will ultimately be used by the RV manufacturer. How could they be made to be responsible? Now if there were a lot of accidents and deaths involving the F53 chassis that were attributed to a poor suspension design, that would be different. But I don't believe there are. Or, if the issue was brake calipers locking up and fuel rail clips leaking gasoline (which WERE an issue for Workhorse), then those items need to be addressed by the manufacturer. And they were. But holding Ford responsible for less than ideal handling on a vehicle which probably isn't set up properly (meaning to Ford's specs) to begin with? Kinda unfair to do that.
By the way, my rig is on one of those "Workhorse" chassis's. We've had it since it was new. It handled pretty well, better than I expected it to, and I was a newbie to the RV world when we bought it. But after the first year or two, I did opt to upgrade to better shock absorbers for better control. They definitely helped and it was worth the expense at the time. Back in the 2000's, Ford and Workhorse had to continually make improvements to gain buyer support. The competition there was to everyone's advantage. That said, the Workhorse Chassis generally cost anywhere from $2-$4,000 (memory is a bit foggy there, but I think that was about it) more than a comparable Ford unit, and the majority of people and dealerships opted for the Ford chassis. This was for buyers who either didn't understand the difference, didn't care, or just wanted to spend the extra dollars.
Ok, much longer than I intended. Hopefully this helps put some perspective on things for you. I can say that the more you drive the rig, the more comfortable you get doing so.
Good Luck and let us know how you make out with any improvements.
~Rick
I think Doug pretty much nailed it with his response. If I may, I'd like to add a bit more.
First, I have to say I had a chuckle when I read your username. Have you ever driven a high center of gravity vehicle before? LOL You're right. The motorhome is NOT a BMW, but perhaps you're so used to that snappy handling of a sport sedan, the difference was excpetionally unnerving. A full size van doesn't handle like a luxury sedan, either. One has to understand the type of vehicle they're driving. An RV is not only longer and therefore susceptible to bow-wave pushes from trucks and such, but also has a very high center of gravity which impacts handling.
Remember, Ford makes the chassis and when it leaves Ford, that's all it is. It's up the RV Manufacturer to put the house on it. The same chassis might be the base for possibly dozens of various floorplans. Each floorplan might load that chassis differently, depending upon where water/waste tanks are located, appliances, the number and size of slideouts, the number of AC's on the roof, etc. There are a lot of variables in the equation. Not to mention that in some cases, manufacturers do a very poor job of distributing the weight side to side or front to back, and have even been known to sell models which exceed the axle weight ratings set by the manufacturer. Or, sell a rig where it's dry weight is just under that of the specs, so as soon as you put people, food and some water in it, you're over loaded. Remember that more weight behind the rear axle lifts weight off the front axle, and that can affect handling. That's not Ford's fault, it's that of the RV manufacturers.
Along with what Doug said, I'd recommend that you get your rig weighed. Have it fully loaded to travel with food, fuels, water, people & stuff. Best time to do it is when you're heading out on your next trip, right after you fill the tanks (fuel & water). Four corner weights are best, but even front and rear axle weights are a good start. From those weights, make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure for the load they are carrying on each axle. Dealerships & tire stores tend to inflate tires to the maximum pressure on the sidewall of the tire. I think for the vast majority of RVs, that results in tires that are over-inflated for the weight they are carrying which can result in a harsh ride and harder to control vehicle. So, if you haven't done that yet, find some truck scales nearby and have it weighed.
Then, as Doug mentioned, have it aligned.
If it still has some issues, there are things you can do and devices you can add/upgrade which can give some additional help. There are numerous posts on this forum which address that.
I really don't see what you described as being a safety issue on the level at which NHTSA should get involved. As I mentioned above, Ford has no idea how the chassis will ultimately be used by the RV manufacturer. How could they be made to be responsible? Now if there were a lot of accidents and deaths involving the F53 chassis that were attributed to a poor suspension design, that would be different. But I don't believe there are. Or, if the issue was brake calipers locking up and fuel rail clips leaking gasoline (which WERE an issue for Workhorse), then those items need to be addressed by the manufacturer. And they were. But holding Ford responsible for less than ideal handling on a vehicle which probably isn't set up properly (meaning to Ford's specs) to begin with? Kinda unfair to do that.
By the way, my rig is on one of those "Workhorse" chassis's. We've had it since it was new. It handled pretty well, better than I expected it to, and I was a newbie to the RV world when we bought it. But after the first year or two, I did opt to upgrade to better shock absorbers for better control. They definitely helped and it was worth the expense at the time. Back in the 2000's, Ford and Workhorse had to continually make improvements to gain buyer support. The competition there was to everyone's advantage. That said, the Workhorse Chassis generally cost anywhere from $2-$4,000 (memory is a bit foggy there, but I think that was about it) more than a comparable Ford unit, and the majority of people and dealerships opted for the Ford chassis. This was for buyers who either didn't understand the difference, didn't care, or just wanted to spend the extra dollars.
Ok, much longer than I intended. Hopefully this helps put some perspective on things for you. I can say that the more you drive the rig, the more comfortable you get doing so.
Good Luck and let us know how you make out with any improvements.
~Rick
