F-53 suspension sagging on passenger side
2001 Ford 5-53 (33 footer). The passenger side seems to sag about 1.5 to 2 inches. Investigating, sup-pliers tell me this is a "known problem" and there seems to be 3 fixes for this. 1- air bags ...
Forum Discussion
Some manufactures are "Known" to overload one side of the RV or the other.
Ford did not overload the chassis, or build it crooked. With time, the owner might have put more weight on one side or the other, and the springs weakened over time. .
Like someone stated, you can make a spring block of your own with some 4" wide steel, 1/4" thick, and say 10" long. Put one of these under each spring where it is sagging, and it will lift the factory springs. Race car drivers do this to their RV's all the time, then overload the heck out of the chassis by towing a extremely heavy trailer!
But the first step is to get side to side weights, with the fresh water tank with the 'normal' amount of water that you carry, and put about 5 each 1 gallon water containers in the refrigerator to simulate weight of food in there. Full or at least 3/4 full fuel tank too.
If your side to side weight are off by only 300 pounds, you will be fine, and not indicate the source of the problem. If more than say 600 pounds side to side, or one tire is overloaded, it indicates the problem.
Good luck!
Fred.
Ford did not overload the chassis, or build it crooked. With time, the owner might have put more weight on one side or the other, and the springs weakened over time. .
Like someone stated, you can make a spring block of your own with some 4" wide steel, 1/4" thick, and say 10" long. Put one of these under each spring where it is sagging, and it will lift the factory springs. Race car drivers do this to their RV's all the time, then overload the heck out of the chassis by towing a extremely heavy trailer!
But the first step is to get side to side weights, with the fresh water tank with the 'normal' amount of water that you carry, and put about 5 each 1 gallon water containers in the refrigerator to simulate weight of food in there. Full or at least 3/4 full fuel tank too.
If your side to side weight are off by only 300 pounds, you will be fine, and not indicate the source of the problem. If more than say 600 pounds side to side, or one tire is overloaded, it indicates the problem.
Good luck!
Fred.
