Hi Gjac,
Yes, that sums it up.
About the E350 and E450 IFS (independent front suspension). Alone it has no faults other than a wimpy front stabilizer bar with the poorly designed end-link grommet problem. The 2008 and newer has a much better design. Regardless if you have a 21 foot E350 or a 32 foot E450, many people replace the front stabilizer bar with a much more robust heavy duty version for improved handling. The same applies in the rear.
The E350 models 2007 and older, Ford did not install any kind of rear stabilizer bar, wimpy or otherwise. So if purchasing one that old, if the previous owner did not install a heavy duty one, plan on that as well.
Our rig is built on a 2007 DRW 11500 pound E350. A few months after buying the rig new in 2007, I invested in the following suspension improvements. Our rig has since handled like an SUV, not an RV.
- installed a heavy duty rear stabilizer bar (no bar existed)
- replaced the wimpy front stabilizer bar with a heavy duty version
- installed a rear trac bar (to eliminate the tail wagging the dog)
- replaced the stock shocks with heavy duty versions (today I have HD Bilsteins)
- replaced the wimpy front steering stabilizer with a heavy duty Safe-T-Plus version
Concerning why the higher horse powered 3-valve V10 engine does not fit in the E350 and E450 engine area. That thing is "HUGE" by comparison. Everything above the engine block is taller to accommodate the 3-valve design. Given the limited space and the angle of the V10, it's clear why Ford installed the 2-valve version in the E-series. It seems even the stripped chassis would get the same 2-valve version or there would be no room for your feet. The foot wells are tight already.
