Ford F53 Ride Improvements

Dale.Traveling wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:
I can adjust each bag individually. I run them at 60psi, and that made a big difference on keeping the "sway" in check. It was quite noticeable. I could drop them down and give that a try. Do you have suggestions on what pressure other than to just give it a try? They are 0-90psi bags.

How much of a difference did the Koni shocks make? The current ride on smooth roads is great, and on small pavement wear the ride is OK. It's when we get to the washboard roads and pot holes where it becomes Kidney slamming. After a day of getting beaten up I noticed my DVD player no longer worked. My wife was having trouble reading that day as well.

Thanks!

Al

Getting the bag pressure takes a bit of trial and error for each coach. When I did the install I took the project out a few extra steps and added a 12VDC compressor, valves and piping so I could adjust pressure on the fly. Cool idea but in I've only changed pressures while moving twice.

My normal weights are light on the front axle and heavy on the rear. All of my liquid load (fuel, propane, potable and waste water) is carried behind the rear axle along with my largest storage areas. As such the rear axle need the assist more than the front. Plus being able to adjust on the fly I've found 20 psi front and 60 psi rear works well. Axle weights are 5750 lbs of 7000 lbs front GAWR and 10400 Lbs of 11,000 rear GAWR.

In order of installation - CHF was a major change concerning handling and body roll while Koni's did seem to make a very noticeable difference with general ride comfort. At least a lot more than the bags which were installed next. The noticeable change with the bags was a reduction of suspension bottoming. Last installed was a Blue Ox rear track bar (what they call it). I've been surprised when trucks suddenly appear at my left elbow.

Try one easy check. But a dab of grease on the front and rear frame/axle bumper and go for a ride. If the grease is smeared when you get home you're bottoming out so maybe higher bag pressures are needed or if extreme new leafs.

Good ideas, thanks! My front axle is 6090, and my rear is 12,800 tanks filled and my wife and I sitting in it with full load (packing). Yeah, I think track bar and anti sway bar are one and the same. When the Hellwig gets installed I'll leave the bags at 60psi to see the difference, then once I get a handle on it I'll drop the bags to 40psi and see if the ride improves any. The good news is my wife and I are hooked - love going out. I'm about 3 years from retiring, so we're already making "plans". My current work will allow me some flexibility with travel, as long as I have an internet connection and an airport near.

I'm an Engineer by education and work so I'm becoming an RV nerd. Not a surprise. When I go to the chassis shop the owner likes to sit down with me and discuss the Ford chassis, so I'm trying to suck up as much knowledge as I can, as he's 72 now.

During this last trip the driver's windshield wiper arm fractured during a rainstorm. Great, just what I needed - a caddywompus wiper. Fun, fun. So at the next campground I pulled out my drill and tools and redrilled a hole and put a bolt through it, and it got me another 2000 miles. Still looking for a replacement arm. But it's all good....

Al