We just brought our '06 unit home last night...a 700 mile drive. It is on Ford E 450 chassis, and is our first experience driving something other than a truck/5er. First...The steering initially was "nervous" or "twitchy". A small movement of steering wheel, caused a "pretty good" response. This seemed to get much better (or I got used to it) the farther we drove!! It has brand new tires, could this have been caused by new tires that just needed a little road time? Next... Body roll seems excessive (it "ain't no Mustang Cobra")! It has new Bilstein shocks. Increasing the air bag pressure seemed to help. But, I'd like a little more. Could a anti-sway bar be added, or a more heavy duty one installed (haven't crawled under it yet,to see what is there). Or...do I just adapt! Thanks!

You're going through what many of us did when we got our first motorhome, you'll get used to the differnce in driving, sometimes takes 20 or 30 miles when you haven't been driving it for a long time. Sounds like you have a good unit and it's well equipped with about the best shocks you can buy.

OK, so first off you're going to get a lot of "Opinions" that will range from 'You Must' do all these changes to 'If you can't drive it the way it is, You're not a real man'....so maybe that's a little extreme, lol. Seriously, people either believe in making mods or they are totally against them it seems.Here is what I did and why,-Bigger front and rear Hellwig sway bars...because they make a very noticeable difference and they are fairly cheap, especially if you can do your own labor.-Good shocks, I went with Koni FSD , but it sounds like you already have new and good ones installed.-Align the front end with as much positive caster as they can get as it gives the steering a much better "feel" and reduces the numbness inherent in the factory steering.I did all the above to make it more comfortable for my wife to drive. YOU WILL get used to the way it drives now the more you drive it, however in our case my wife might drive 1-2 times a month and the above changes makes it drive closer to the way her SUV does and makes her much more comfortable. Good Luck !

Got a good start with the Bilstein shocks and new tires!Make sure the tires are properly aired up to specs, hint weigh the MH front end, rear end , then if possible each corner. Next up replace the undersized front anti sway bar pronto. Can't believe ford would use the same bar on 150-450 .Do that first , you may get away without having to upgrade the rear with a thicker one!?I bought both front and rear Hellwig Anti Sway Bars, made a hugh difference in the swaying dept. Some on the wondering but I ordered up and am waiting for the Saf-T-Plus steering stabilizer to show up and replace stock excuse of one as well.Replaced the shocks as well , listening to comments instead of my past experience I went with Koni's wish I'd stuck with my past experience and stayed with the Bilstein's !!

blownstang01 wrote:-Align the front end with as much positive caster as they can get as it gives the steering a much better "feel" and reduces the numbness inherent in the factory steering. To make a significant difference in the steering, you need MORE caster adjustment than the factory parts give you.Do a search here for "caster" and look through the matches for what parts are necessary to do the fix.It really makes a WORLD of difference.Then, of course, you need to find a competent and honest shop to DO the front end work. The first place I contacted told me that I needed a complete front end rebuild, to the tune of about $1,000 which two other places had already told me I did NOT need.I've never noticed excessive sway with mine, but I did have some box truck experience before. It is a big, top heavy rig; I don't think you will ever improve the "sway" much.

I would get the front end alligned. It's alligned at the factory with nothing on the back. Once the "house" is loaded on it changes the allignment quite a bit and it isn't usually rea-adjusted after that.

First Drive -A Question orTwo | Good Sam Community

23 Replies

OFDPOS
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
Got a good start with the Bilstein shocks and new tires!
Make sure the tires are properly aired up to specs, hint weigh the MH front end, rear end , then if possible each corner.

Next up replace the undersized front anti sway bar pronto. Can't believe ford would use the same bar on 150-450 .
Do that first , you may get away without having to upgrade the rear with a thicker one!?

I bought both front and rear Hellwig Anti Sway Bars, made a hugh difference in the swaying dept. Some on the wondering but I ordered up and am waiting for the Saf-T-Plus steering stabilizer to show up and replace stock excuse of one as well.

Replaced the shocks as well , listening to comments instead of my past experience I went with Koni's wish I'd stuck with my past experience and stayed with the Bilstein's !!
blownstang01
Explorer
Aug 04, 2017
OK, so first off you're going to get a lot of "Opinions" that will range from 'You Must' do all these changes to 'If you can't drive it the way it is, You're not a real man'....so maybe that's a little extreme, lol.
Seriously, people either believe in making mods or they are totally against them it seems.
Here is what I did and why,
-Bigger front and rear Hellwig sway bars...because they make a very noticeable difference and they are fairly cheap, especially if you can do your own labor.
-Good shocks, I went with Koni FSD , but it sounds like you already have new and good ones installed.
-Align the front end with as much positive caster as they can get as it gives the steering a much better "feel" and reduces the numbness inherent in the factory steering.

I did all the above to make it more comfortable for my wife to drive. YOU WILL get used to the way it drives now the more you drive it, however in our case my wife might drive 1-2 times a month and the above changes makes it drive closer to the way her SUV does and makes her much more comfortable. Good Luck !
Islandman
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2017
You're going through what many of us did when we got our first motorhome, you'll get used to the differnce in driving, sometimes takes 20 or 30 miles when you haven't been driving it for a long time. Sounds like you have a good unit and it's well equipped with about the best shocks you can buy.

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First Drive -A Question orTwo

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