We made the plunge and bought a Thor ACE 30.1. We had a fifth wheel for about 5 years and wanted to be more comfortable going down the road. Our fifth wheel camper was 30 foot and the motorhome is about that, so about the same size. So far we have 2 things we don't like about PEARL. We bought it on Dec. 7, if you get the reference. Anyhow, it has limited towing, which is my fault for not checking. I wanted to tow a full size truck and a golf cart, but am limited to 5,000 lbs. I guess thats out.The other thing is the highway swaying. Its all right as long as I keep it under 50, but any faster and I find myself fight the wheel to keep it in my lane. I talked to the dealer and he suggested several things to check. Front end alignment, tire pressure, and adding a sway bar system. I would think a new unit would come with the proper equipment (sway bar stuff) already installed. Maybe the bigger motorhomes dont have the same problems with control. I had no problems with the fifth wheel set up.Has anyone else experienced these issues? Thanks

First step is to load the MH as it would be for travel and get it weighed. Best is each corner separately but at least each axle separately. Set the tire pressures per the load/inflation tables for your tires. Over inflated tires on the front end reduce the tire/road contact area and side to side friction with the road surface making it easier for the front end to slide left/right in varying crosswinds and when trucks pass. Next step would be an alignment.

After you adjust the air pressure and get the alignment (every new car I ever bought was out of alignment when i bought it), get a SteerSafe and see where that leaves you. Next steps would be the largest sway bars you can get and a trac bar. I don't know if a shock upgrade would be necessary on a new coach.When I got my 02 Winnebago Sightseer, I couldn't hardly keep it on the road. Alignment and tire pressure helped a lot. Higher tire pressures do not help handling. SteerSafe took it to another level. Mine did require 1 adjustment. I installed every handling add on I could find on the internet. After all that it handles very well. Henderson Bell cranks, Henderson front springs (no airbags), SteerSafe, polyurethane sway bar bushings front and rear, Bilstein shocks, rear trac bar, and timbren type helper springs front and rear (because I couldn't get bigger sway bars) and a few other things that I can't remember. I kept telling myself that even owners of new units have to go through this. Looks like I was right.

A couple of things. 1) Check your tire pressures and if you don't get it weighed, use the GAWR's and set the PSI to what the tire manufacturer's guide says. The numbers may be less than what is on the placard. DO not use the tire sidewall numbers as they are meaningless on your motorhome. 2) Go over to iRV2.com and look in the Ford chassis owners section for a very long discussion on Cheap Handling Fix or just do a Google search. Don't spend a lot of money on stuff until you try the simple first.

Take it to a front end shop and have them put as much castor they can put in the front end.

Turtle n Peeps wrote:Take it to a front end shop and have them put as much castor they can put in the front end.I did that on my Excursion and it helped. I never thought of doing it on the Motorhome. I used Henderson Specs.

My motorhome is hard to control at highway speeds.

jspringator
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Take it to a front end shop and have them put as much castor they can put in the front end.

I did that on my Excursion and it helped. I never thought of doing it on the Motorhome. I used Henderson Specs.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Take it to a front end shop and have them put as much castor they can put in the front end.
wildtoad
Explorer II
Jan 21, 2017
A couple of things.

1) Check your tire pressures and if you don't get it weighed, use the GAWR's and set the PSI to what the tire manufacturer's guide says. The numbers may be less than what is on the placard. DO not use the tire sidewall numbers as they are meaningless on your motorhome.

2) Go over to iRV2.com and look in the Ford chassis owners section for a very long discussion on Cheap Handling Fix or just do a Google search. Don't spend a lot of money on stuff until you try the simple first.
jspringator
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
After you adjust the air pressure and get the alignment (every new car I ever bought was out of alignment when i bought it), get a SteerSafe and see where that leaves you. Next steps would be the largest sway bars you can get and a trac bar. I don't know if a shock upgrade would be necessary on a new coach.

When I got my 02 Winnebago Sightseer, I couldn't hardly keep it on the road. Alignment and tire pressure helped a lot. Higher tire pressures do not help handling. SteerSafe took it to another level. Mine did require 1 adjustment. I installed every handling add on I could find on the internet. After all that it handles very well. Henderson Bell cranks, Henderson front springs (no airbags), SteerSafe, polyurethane sway bar bushings front and rear, Bilstein shocks, rear trac bar, and timbren type helper springs front and rear (because I couldn't get bigger sway bars) and a few other things that I can't remember. I kept telling myself that even owners of new units have to go through this. Looks like I was right.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
First step is to load the MH as it would be for travel and get it weighed. Best is each corner separately but at least each axle separately. Set the tire pressures per the load/inflation tables for your tires. Over inflated tires on the front end reduce the tire/road contact area and side to side friction with the road surface making it easier for the front end to slide left/right in varying crosswinds and when trucks pass. Next step would be an alignment.

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My motorhome is hard to control at highway speeds.

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