I have a 2001 Itasca Suncruiser built on a 2000 Ford F53. Just got back from a long trip. Overall it did fine, but am looking for suggestions on what to make it a little easier to drive. I have Koni FSD shocks, and I am overall ok with the ride. The problem the driving. I get blown all over the road when a truck passes by. If I encounter an uneven piece of pavement, the coach swings from side to side very easily. I'm not sure if anything can be done to help, but I'd appreciate any suggestions or success stories.

If you have not done the "Cheap Handling Fix" as noted on the Ford Chassis forum in IRV2, you may want to consider it. I made the modification- which one can do at home with just a few tools- in less than an hour on each of the last 2 F-53 motorhome chassis we've owned. It really made all the difference in the world and put us back in control of our wiggle wagons and "tamed the beasts".Check it out.

To almost stop that on my 99, I put airbags on all four corners. No regrets at all. The added benefits I got was when the winds blows out here, I just air up the other side by 10 lbs or so and I can still move without getting blown all over the road. This is at a reduce speed but we are still moving forward.

Too little front end +caster can manifest itself as "loose steering" (and wandering) at highway speeds.

I have Steer Safe on my V10. Best thing I've done. Google Steer Safe.

americanrascal wrote:If you have not done the "Cheap Handling Fix" as noted on the Ford Chassis forum in IRV2, you may want to consider it. I made the modification- which one can do at home with just a few tools- in less than an hour on each of the last 2 F-53 motorhome chassis we've owned. It really made all the difference in the world and put us back in control of our wiggle wagons and "tamed the beasts".Check it out.I did the "Cheap Handling Fix" to my 2003 F53 and it was night and day! It relocates the sway bar links to reduce the sway. It's a DIY project with a few tools and a good jack or levelers. Took about an hour to do. Also found my rear sway bar bushings were GONE. The "Cheap Handling Fix" is feed if you DIY but the sway bar bushings cost me about 90 bucks. I'd like to try one of these but the price gives me reason to pauseBlue Ox Steering StablizerThere's also a link kit for the rear axle that people say helps.Rear link kitbut the cheap handling was enough for me.UPDATE: I have a clunk in the front caused by the sway bar links hitting the spring. I will be installing longer adjustable sway bar links in the front.

Suggestions for making my F53 a little easier to drive

Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Jun 23, 2016
Philip.Saran wrote:
,,, I was told the Cheap quick fix "can" break the links, has anyone had that problem?

25,000 miles in four years up and down the eastern sea board and excursions west to the Mississippi and no problems related to the CHF.

Coach weight and tire pressures set accordingly, alignment checked and set, rear poly sway bar bushings, CHF, Koni shocks on all four corners and a rear track bar, installed in listed order. Also replaced the front axle frame bumpers not for any potential improvement but because the originals were crumbling. Installed air bags on all four corners but the improvement was marginal for the cost and effort.

Correct tire pressure, CHF and the rear track bar has the greatest effect on sway, wander and general straight line performance. Koni shocks helped with taming poor road surfaces. The coach is still a general purpose truck chassis but much better than the day I drove it home for the first time. I'm pretty much done with suspension mods.
427435
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
wildmanbaker wrote:
Philip.Saran wrote:
I have a Safe-T-Steer stabilizer on the front end and a track bar added to the rear of my MH. Keep the front tire pressure at 95psi and the rear at 100psi.

I was told the Cheap quick fix "can" break the links, has anyone had that problem?

I don't know of anyone coming forward with having problems with the sway bar end links breaking or bending. Shocks, sway bars will help with side to side rock, alignment will help with straight ahead steering, but the "tail wagging the dog" will require a track bar on the rear, and possibly the front also.

Tail wagging is often caused by "sawing" at the steering wheel to keep the MH in its lane. Adequate caster greatly reduces the need to be constantly turning the steering wheel back and forth.

To put it another way, my 35' MH doesn't have either a tail wagging problem or a track bar.
americanrascal
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
Philip.Saran wrote:
....
I was told the Cheap quick fix "can" break the links, has anyone had that problem?

Have run the CHF on the two rigs I've had during the past 3 years -- over 20,000 miles- Florida to Alaska and back- and all over the eastern US. Been on some wicked roads in those journeys. The only thing that happened was I had much better control and safer drive. ---- and I didn't spend a dime making the change.
TNGW1500SE
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
Philip.Saran wrote:
.................I was told the Cheap quick fix "can" break the links, has anyone had that problem?............

I've really research it and never heard of that.

Remember,,, Ford put the holes there.
wildmanbaker
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
Philip.Saran wrote:
I have a Safe-T-Steer stabilizer on the front end and a track bar added to the rear of my MH. Keep the front tire pressure at 95psi and the rear at 100psi.

I was told the Cheap quick fix "can" break the links, has anyone had that problem?

I don't know of anyone coming forward with having problems with the sway bar end links breaking or bending. Shocks, sway bars will help with side to side rock, alignment will help with straight ahead steering, but the "tail wagging the dog" will require a track bar on the rear, and possibly the front also.
Philip_Saran
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
As for where to get a front end alignment I go to the Mid Duty Ford dealer that works on trucks/big rigs and RV's Rush Ford in Commerce CO.
Philip_Saran
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
I have a Safe-T-Steer stabilizer on the front end and a track bar added to the rear of my MH. Keep the front tire pressure at 95psi and the rear at 100psi.

I was told the Cheap quick fix "can" break the links, has anyone had that problem?
427435
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
TNGW1500SE wrote:
427435 wrote:
NAUTIQUE wrote:
kmb1966 wrote:
I have a 2001 Itasca Suncruiser built on a 2000 Ford F53. Just got back from a long trip. Overall it did fine, but am looking for suggestions on what to make it a little easier to drive.

Hey kmb,
Lots of good suggestions above.
Mine's a 2000 GBM on a 1999 F53. These were my steps:
Started with new tires & Bilstien shocks.
Added Steer Safe.
Added Ultratrac rear trac bar from Brazel's.
Did the Cheap Handling Fix.

If I were to do it again, I'd just about reverse the steps.
First I'd get it weighed and make sure tires are good & aired-up correctly. Then I'd do the CHF. Then add a rear trac bar.

The CHF really tightened-up the "side to side: rock and general handling input. Do this first & see how you like it - Great no-cost mod.!
The Rear Trac bar really helped the "tail-wagging-the-dog".
The Steer Safe is a nice extra saftey feature & helped tighten up the steering.
My rig rides pretty nice now (well for a delivery truck chassis! :) )

Those all may be beneficial but, before spending money on add-on's, get it aligned with 4+ degrees of caster. With a good alignment, you may well be satisfied with the handling as I was.

The only problem getting an alignment is finding a place that can do it RIGHT. Many shops say they can but..........

Find a shop that does truck work--------that's what I did. I did have to insist on getting the caster changed when it was at only about 3 degrees.
TNGW1500SE
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
427435 wrote:
NAUTIQUE wrote:
kmb1966 wrote:
I have a 2001 Itasca Suncruiser built on a 2000 Ford F53. Just got back from a long trip. Overall it did fine, but am looking for suggestions on what to make it a little easier to drive.

Hey kmb,
Lots of good suggestions above.
Mine's a 2000 GBM on a 1999 F53. These were my steps:
Started with new tires & Bilstien shocks.
Added Steer Safe.
Added Ultratrac rear trac bar from Brazel's.
Did the Cheap Handling Fix.

If I were to do it again, I'd just about reverse the steps.
First I'd get it weighed and make sure tires are good & aired-up correctly. Then I'd do the CHF. Then add a rear trac bar.

The CHF really tightened-up the "side to side: rock and general handling input. Do this first & see how you like it - Great no-cost mod.!
The Rear Trac bar really helped the "tail-wagging-the-dog".
The Steer Safe is a nice extra saftey feature & helped tighten up the steering.
My rig rides pretty nice now (well for a delivery truck chassis! :) )

Those all may be beneficial but, before spending money on add-on's, get it aligned with 4+ degrees of caster. With a good alignment, you may well be satisfied with the handling as I was.

The only problem getting an alignment is finding a place that can do it RIGHT. Many shops say they can but..........
427435
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
NAUTIQUE wrote:
kmb1966 wrote:
I have a 2001 Itasca Suncruiser built on a 2000 Ford F53. Just got back from a long trip. Overall it did fine, but am looking for suggestions on what to make it a little easier to drive.

Hey kmb,
Lots of good suggestions above.
Mine's a 2000 GBM on a 1999 F53. These were my steps:
Started with new tires & Bilstien shocks.
Added Steer Safe.
Added Ultratrac rear trac bar from Brazel's.
Did the Cheap Handling Fix.

If I were to do it again, I'd just about reverse the steps.
First I'd get it weighed and make sure tires are good & aired-up correctly. Then I'd do the CHF. Then add a rear trac bar.

The CHF really tightened-up the "side to side: rock and general handling input. Do this first & see how you like it - Great no-cost mod.!
The Rear Trac bar really helped the "tail-wagging-the-dog".
The Steer Safe is a nice extra saftey feature & helped tighten up the steering.
My rig rides pretty nice now (well for a delivery truck chassis! :) )

Those all may be beneficial but, before spending money on add-on's, get it aligned with 4+ degrees of caster. With a good alignment, you may well be satisfied with the handling as I was.