We have been full timing for three years pulling a fifth wheel. We purchased a 2013 37' Winnibago Itasca Meridian. We have driven it for about 500 miles, it seems like I constantly need to be slightly turning/adjusting the steering wheel to keep the coach going down the center of the road. If I take my eye off the road to grab a drink the coach will drift, normally to the right. It doesn't seem to pull to the right just drift. I know its a bad comparison but while driving the one ton truck pulling a 42 foot fifth wheel I could pretty much keep one hand on the wheel and the rig would go straight down the road. My question is, since this is the only motorhome I've driven, is it normal to constantly adjusting and slightly turning the wheel to keep the thing on the road? Thanks for any useful information!

No, it is not normal to have to input steering corrections all of the time but driving a Class A is different from a pick up truck. Naturally the road surface can affect your steering but after 500 miles you should have experienced different road surfaces. Wheel alignment is something that should be checked as well as tire pressure to make sure that all tires are balanced. They do make a steering stabilizer that is helpful to some drivers. It looks like a shock absorber mounted sideways to to your tie rod and is adjusted to keep your coach going straight on a flat road surface. The cheapest thing to check is your tire pressure and then I would check wheel alignment. Four wheel thrust alignment is the best, if the shop is equipped to do it. This insures that your rear axle is pushing straight to your front axle. After all of that is checked and eliminated as a problem, you will still find that the Class A drives different than your 5th. You should be able to relax behind the wheel, however.

You get little more push from a cross wind in a motor home than a trailer because of the big flat sides, and it's less aerodynamic on the front, so a passing 18 wheeler's wake turbulence will be more obvious. However, in no wind conditions, a wandering coach usually indicates some issue with the front suspension, balls joints, tie-rod ends or excessive steering box/arm play. Take it to a good truck shop for a checkout.I can let the Sahara go for short periods on a good road, but I find that my hand on the wheel is enough pressure to move the coach if I stop paying attention.

That is not normal. I would get the rig weighed, adjust the air pressure to that specified by the tire manufacturer.Then take it to a good alignment shop, not some tire shop.

I hear you OP. I thought the same thing last summer when we went from a 5er to a MH. After 3K miles now you kind of get use to it. I think I was not looking far enough down the road for my corrections. Setting up high and looking down and not out to the horizon caused me to over steer. The biggest change is in windy conditions. The fiver wasn't bad at all. The MH is like a giant kite :B

I had front end alignment done, air was right, I ended up putting on STEER SAFE and no more being all over road. STEER SAFE worked for me. JMO

Steering a Motorhome | Good Sam Community

jplante4
Explorer II
Apr 03, 2016
You get little more push from a cross wind in a motor home than a trailer because of the big flat sides, and it's less aerodynamic on the front, so a passing 18 wheeler's wake turbulence will be more obvious. However, in no wind conditions, a wandering coach usually indicates some issue with the front suspension, balls joints, tie-rod ends or excessive steering box/arm play. Take it to a good truck shop for a checkout.

I can let the Sahara go for short periods on a good road, but I find that my hand on the wheel is enough pressure to move the coach if I stop paying attention.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Apr 03, 2016
No, it is not normal to have to input steering corrections all of the time but driving a Class A is different from a pick up truck. Naturally the road surface can affect your steering but after 500 miles you should have experienced different road surfaces. Wheel alignment is something that should be checked as well as tire pressure to make sure that all tires are balanced. They do make a steering stabilizer that is helpful to some drivers. It looks like a shock absorber mounted sideways to to your tie rod and is adjusted to keep your coach going straight on a flat road surface.
The cheapest thing to check is your tire pressure and then I would check wheel alignment. Four wheel thrust alignment is the best, if the shop is equipped to do it. This insures that your rear axle is pushing straight to your front axle.
After all of that is checked and eliminated as a problem, you will still find that the Class A drives different than your 5th. You should be able to relax behind the wheel, however.

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