LiquidSpring Suspension

Ah, sorry Al -- I didn't connect you with the dialogue on the iRV2 forum!

JaneSiver wrote:
Anyone out there upgrade their E450 SD Class C (Triton V10) with a Liquid Spring rear suspension (liquidspring.com) or know someone who did?

Call Liquid Spring and ask them for references to someone who did this to their E450.

BTW, it is my understanding that this was one of the first applications for Liquid Spring (Ambulances).

Anyone out there upgrade their E450 SD Class C "toys" (Triton V10) with a Liquid Spring rear suspension (liquidspring.com) or know someone who did?

wgoldman wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

mc.cc wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
If it's a Ford chassis, do the cheap handling fix first. That improves the ride and performance.

Already done that, plus it has new shocks, new rear sway bar (Hellwig), and proper tire inflation (after weighing the MH). Handling is much better but it still rides rough.

Al

It's good to know there is no magical fix for our F53's. I was hoping if I sank some more money into a sway bar that it would be that one last secret miracle. I'm thinking I should probably just keep my thousand bucks and chaulk it up to normal.

I hear you. In truth, it's a truck chassis, so it rides like a....wait for it....a truck. :R

That said, my handling improved a ton doing the above mods and tweaks. I can now drive it with one hand if I wanted and not be stressed. I'm just looking for smoothing out some of the ride without moving to a DP. The change to Koni shocks appears to help some (I've not done that yet) but most of the reviews on-line and comments from fellow RVers say it's marginal. At about $1500 for the shocks and install I'll wait until my Bilsteins wear out before I do that. The reviews of the liquid suspension, however, have been very good. I am just looking for someone on this site who has actually done the install and their real world thoughts.

Al

I guess that would be me . . . I had the LiquidSpring system installed in my 2017 Tiffin Open Road a little over a year ago and have driven 13,000 miles since then. I wrote my original review in the blog post below, and I've added some more recent impressions in the Comments section below that article. Of course, I'd be happy to answer any specific questions here.

From springs to LiquidSpring, part 3: Road test

-- Bill

Hey Bill!! I'm the guy that you've been communicating with on the iRV site. I was looking to see if there were other folks who had gone down the same path here. I told my wife we need to budget for the changeover next year if possible. We'll see if my budget allows for it.

BTW - the accelerometer reading are great showing the difference in ride (I'm an engineer who has had vibration analysis training - the app you used is pretty basic and it's response time probably doesn't show the entire story - one with quicker response time and a true 3 axis accelerometer would probably show even more of a difference.)

Al

Al

Here is everything I've done to my 05, that probably has the shortest wheelbase to length ratio of any motorhome, and after all of this, it handles pretty well. After buying it I thought what have I done! I mowed down a row a cones on the way home. It cost some money, but since I spent $15,000 on the MH I had a little to spend. I can't spend $12,000 0n a $15,000 coach.

Untitled by jspringator, on Flickr

FloridaRosebud wrote:

mc.cc wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
If it's a Ford chassis, do the cheap handling fix first. That improves the ride and performance.

Already done that, plus it has new shocks, new rear sway bar (Hellwig), and proper tire inflation (after weighing the MH). Handling is much better but it still rides rough.

Al

It's good to know there is no magical fix for our F53's. I was hoping if I sank some more money into a sway bar that it would be that one last secret miracle. I'm thinking I should probably just keep my thousand bucks and chaulk it up to normal.

I hear you. In truth, it's a truck chassis, so it rides like a....wait for it....a truck. :R

That said, my handling improved a ton doing the above mods and tweaks. I can now drive it with one hand if I wanted and not be stressed. I'm just looking for smoothing out some of the ride without moving to a DP. The change to Koni shocks appears to help some (I've not done that yet) but most of the reviews on-line and comments from fellow RVers say it's marginal. At about $1500 for the shocks and install I'll wait until my Bilsteins wear out before I do that. The reviews of the liquid suspension, however, have been very good. I am just looking for someone on this site who has actually done the install and their real world thoughts.

Al

I guess that would be me . . . I had the LiquidSpring system installed in my 2017 Tiffin Open Road a little over a year ago and have driven 13,000 miles since then. I wrote my original review in the blog post below, and I've added some more recent impressions in the Comments section below that article. Of course, I'd be happy to answer any specific questions here.

From springs to LiquidSpring, part 3: Road test

-- Bill

GREGORYJ wrote:
Have you checked on Kelderman's 2 stage front and rear air suspensions for the Ford F53.

https://kelderman.com/shop/?vehicle_year=16&vehicle_make=26&vehicle_model=78

Interesting. Looks like the Firestone airbags I currently have. I've just not changed out the spring set to a lighter rated spring. I have found that running the airbags at 30psi to 40psi does help smooth the ride a bit. However it's still jarring going over bridges and on rough roads. I didn't see any reviews of their product.....

Al

mc.cc wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
If it's a Ford chassis, do the cheap handling fix first. That improves the ride and performance.

Already done that, plus it has new shocks, new rear sway bar (Hellwig), and proper tire inflation (after weighing the MH). Handling is much better but it still rides rough.

Al

It's good to know there is no magical fix for our F53's. I was hoping if I sank some more money into a sway bar that it would be that one last secret miracle. I'm thinking I should probably just keep my thousand bucks and chaulk it up to normal.

I hear you. In truth, it's a truck chassis, so it rides like a....wait for it....a truck. :R

That said, my handling improved a ton doing the above mods and tweaks. I can now drive it with one hand if I wanted and not be stressed. I'm just looking for smoothing out some of the ride without moving to a DP. The change to Koni shocks appears to help some (I've not done that yet) but most of the reviews on-line and comments from fellow RVers say it's marginal. At about $1500 for the shocks and install I'll wait until my Bilsteins wear out before I do that. The reviews of the liquid suspension, however, have been very good. I am just looking for someone on this site who has actually done the install and their real world thoughts.

Al

Have you checked on Kelderman's 2 stage front and rear air suspensions for the Ford F53.

https://kelderman.com/shop/?vehicle_year=16&vehicle_make=26&vehicle_model=78

FloridaRosebud wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
If it's a Ford chassis, do the cheap handling fix first. That improves the ride and performance.

Already done that, plus it has new shocks, new rear sway bar (Hellwig), and proper tire inflation (after weighing the MH). Handling is much better but it still rides rough.

Al

It's good to know there is no magical fix for our F53's. I was hoping if I sank some more money into a sway bar that it would be that one last secret miracle. I'm thinking I should probably just keep my thousand bucks and chaulk it up to normal.