Frustrated with the way our 2003 30 ft. Class C; Ford E-450 chassis drives(65000 miles). We flat tow a Ford Focus. With little wind on a smooth highway I would rate it a C for the steering, handling feel. My Ford Focus and a 2007 Chevy half-ton I had would rate an A or B in comparison. On narrow winding roads or with a wind it would be an F. Dangerous and tiring. The MH wanders, requires constant steering input and feels like there's lots of play(moving the steering wheel with no response). I've tried having some sort of front shock devise added, and found the front wheels were poorly balanced and over inflated by 15 lbs. Seemed better at 1st but not really. Been advised it might be the long overhang behind rear axle. Don't know where to go for a solution. If the steering gear needs replaced, how much$$ ? I'm thinking nothing will do it until the slack/play is removed??Also wondering how close to "normal" mine is? Must be thousands of these on the road. HELP.

Look up topics regarding front axle alignment then shock absorbers. I had both done to my 2009 Cambria and it steers and tracks fine. I installed Koni's. Basic shocks that come with the coach stink. Mine also has heavy duty stabilizers front and rear. The shock absorber upgrade will eliminate that banging, teeth chattering slamming that occurs on RR tracks and other road imperfections. You know the sound, you ask yourself are these tires or wooden wagon wheels? I have towed my JK Wrangler and I did not feel it at all.

When I read your description it at first sounds like a trailer with too much tail weight. But you are flat towing so that shouldn't be a problem. However if your coach is extremely tail heavy it might be exaggerated when trying to pull. Have you noticed if the handling feel changes depending on if you are accelerating or coasting? How about the tow bar, is it fairly level, nose up or nose down? How does the MH handle when not towing? would you put handling back up to an A or a B? I would try an alignment shop as there might be a worn part or parts that is contributing to the wandering feel.

It seems that the E350/450 chassis comes from the factory with an alignment that is NOT good for a motorhome application.AND....in my experience, almost NO RV dealerships are equipped to handle the alignment, even though some will claim that they are.So....before you spend a lot of money on throwing parts at it, find a truck service shop that can do a proper alignment. It did WONDERS for the stability on my C.NOTE: Even though it had only ~30K miles on it, the first place I went tried to tell me that it needed close to $1000 in new parts in the front end before they could do an alignment. The second and third places I went said no such thing. Be careful of scams.

That era Class C tended to be very front-light, because that was just before the motorhome makers started using the 220"+ wheelbases common now on 30' coaches. I recommend getting axle weights (loaded, ready for travel) before doing anything else. Ford requires a minimum of 32% of the coach's weight to be on the front axle, but 35% is even better.

I need to know about power steering affect with the rack or pinion. if anyone hv knowledge please with me your idea. thanks in advance.

Handling/steering. | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

Hank85713
Explorer
Jul 29, 2019
you dont indicate if you have rear airbags or if ya do what pressure is utilized. I would recommend new shocks, install airbags if not there and then set tire air pressure to maybe 65 front and 70 or so in rears. My unit would do same thing so played with air shock settings (use around 60psi) and tire pressures as noted. Made a big difference. Am going to replace shocks all around with monroe gas-matics and do brake job at same time. Just havent gotten around to doing it since being back home from our trip.
Jennifer_Koper
Explorer
Jul 29, 2019
I need to know about power steering affect with the rack or pinion. if anyone hv knowledge please with me your idea.

thanks in advance.
carringb
Explorer
Jul 29, 2019
That era Class C tended to be very front-light, because that was just before the motorhome makers started using the 220"+ wheelbases common now on 30' coaches. I recommend getting axle weights (loaded, ready for travel) before doing anything else. Ford requires a minimum of 32% of the coach's weight to be on the front axle, but 35% is even better.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Jul 29, 2019
It seems that the E350/450 chassis comes from the factory with an alignment that is NOT good for a motorhome application.

AND....in my experience, almost NO RV dealerships are equipped to handle the alignment, even though some will claim that they are.

So....before you spend a lot of money on throwing parts at it, find a truck service shop that can do a proper alignment. It did WONDERS for the stability on my C.

NOTE: Even though it had only ~30K miles on it, the first place I went tried to tell me that it needed close to $1000 in new parts in the front end before they could do an alignment. The second and third places I went said no such thing. Be careful of scams.
opnspaces
Navigator III
Jul 29, 2019
When I read your description it at first sounds like a trailer with too much tail weight. But you are flat towing so that shouldn't be a problem.

However if your coach is extremely tail heavy it might be exaggerated when trying to pull. Have you noticed if the handling feel changes depending on if you are accelerating or coasting? How about the tow bar, is it fairly level, nose up or nose down?

How does the MH handle when not towing? would you put handling back up to an A or a B? I would try an alignment shop as there might be a worn part or parts that is contributing to the wandering feel.
klutchdust
Explorer II
Jul 29, 2019
Look up topics regarding front axle alignment then shock absorbers. I had both done to my 2009 Cambria and it steers and tracks fine.
I installed Koni's. Basic shocks that come with the coach stink. Mine also has heavy duty stabilizers front and rear.
The shock absorber upgrade will eliminate that banging, teeth chattering slamming that occurs on RR tracks and other road imperfections. You know the sound, you ask yourself are these tires or wooden wagon wheels?
I have towed my JK Wrangler and I did not feel it at all.

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Handling/steering.

26 Replies

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