I’m being told all gas class A are on the same chassis ??

For new class A coaches the only choice is the Ford F53 chassis.

But the F53 chassis comes in many variations to accommodate different sizes of motor homes.

Wheelbase lengths are:

Wheelbase - 178"
Wheelbase - 190"
Wheelbase - 208"
Wheelbase - 228"
Wheelbase - 242"
Wheelbase - 252"

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) starts at 16,000 pounds for the shortest chassis and goes up to 26,000 pounds for the longest chassis.

These differences in the Ford F53 chassis makes different length and weight chassis handle differently.

I had a 29 foot MH on a 18,000 pound GVWR chassis and it was very difficult to drive. I now have a 35 foot MH on a 24,000 pound GVWR chassis and it is very easy to drive.

I have read on forums that the heavier GVWR chassis behaves better on the road. I know that my 18,000 pound chassis required constant inputs to keep it centered in a lane. My 24,000 pound chassis stays in the center of a lane without as much effort so drivers fatigue is much less.

Also you can get 22.5 inch tires on the larger chassis and I believe that also makes a difference.

Safe travels JD

luberhill wrote:
Then why are people here telling me the Vista 18 ft don’t handle wel ??

When I bought my motorhome Gassers cam on at least Two or Three different chassis. one was designed for Motor home use the other is a Truck conversion basically.

WHy do you have handling issues.. 4 Answers/suspects.

1: ALignment.. NOT done at the factory
2: SWAY (Think fans at a rock concert holding up their Bic's and swaying side to side) side to side rocking of the RV. Since my RV is on a chassis built for RV use. they put an oversize Sway bar so.. Well it's 13 years now and I"m just starting to notice some sway. may need to have it inspected .

2: WAG.. The suspension is LEAF SPRING with a solid front axle. I am old enough to remember when Independent Front Suspension" was a big advertising thing for pick up trucks. Cars have long had that feature (A-Frame front suspension). and now may have Strut suspension in the rear as well.

With LEAF springs yes the axle can move up and down relative to the body to absorb bumps in road (or help absorb) but what they do not tell you is the body can also move side to side over the axle.

So imagine the front moves to the right as the rear moves to the left. You compensate since you THINK you are moving right. Then they swap. No the front is left of center while the rear is Righ. again you compensate so you go down the road like this /\/\/\/\/\ (Exaggarated but it is the best I can ASCII).
How to stop that? Trac Bars. I'm told the rear is best but I got good results with a Front. May add the Rear later. Untra Power is the one I wish to add.

Finally we have steering stablizers.. I like the ones where you can make minor adjustments from the driver's seat.. Blut Ox Tru-Center was the only one that had that when I had mine installed. Safe-T-Steer has it as an option today.

I would have your co-pilot follow with the towed for a few miles (Say freeway entrance to first rest area) and perhaps use a dash cam to film your RV. see what isues it has. then apply cures as above.

It is true that just about (if not all) new Class A gas motorhomes are built on a Ford F53 chassis that have various lengths, tire sizes, gear ratio’s, and max GVWR’s. Older models could be built on either Ford or Chevy/Workhorse, and perhaps Dodge.

What Vista Class A is 18ft?

They should be telling you it doesn't handle well.

The vast majority of gas class A's made today are built on the Ford F53 chassis. The Winnebago Vista is indeed one of these majority. None of them are anywhere near as short as 18' (and I'm not aware of any 18' class A's, for that matter).

A few (generally smaller) ones are built on other chassis, such as a bare E350/E450 chassis. The Thor Axis and Vegas are examples.

Note that there's a lot more to good or poor handling than just the chassis that's used. The weight and balance of the unit, the length relative to the wheelbase, the setup of the chassis and suspension, etc. all can have a significant impact.

i have no answer except, some people don't know what they are talking about