2018 V10 Ford Class A Rough ride!!

[campingfig]

First long trip taking out our brand new 2018 winnebago Vista. Roughest ride ever! Feel every bump in the road and am seriously concerned about damage or things shaking loose. 5 days into trip and unit is getting new squeaks!!Any suggestions on how to improve the suspension. Are there modifications that can be done to the suspension like air bags different shocks or something? would love to hear.


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[mromberg]

Love when someone comes back to update and put a true conclusion to the thread.

[campingfig]

update: Last year I installed a set of 4 Bilsteins on it and WHAT A HUGE difference. Never lowered or needed to adjust tired pressure. Have to say....major investment on getting these shocks installed. The ones that came with the Ford chassis factory...NO GOOD. No...they weren't fine and the ride felt like I was driving on the frame alone. Taks for your help everyone! Happier with my ride now. Does it feel like I have airbags? NO....but I definitely don't feel everything on the road like I use to....back when even the smallest road imperfection would shake the house. 🙂

[rvfigs]

timmac wrote:

rvfigs wrote:
I recently jumped into a Fleetwood Flair with the f53 chassis. It was definitely rough.

I did what Timmac did...CHF and tire pressure. Next are the Monroe shocks.

I run all my tires at 80lbs. Notice a small improvement.

Timmac...Is it okay to run 75lbs in front? Can we go that low?

Thanks for your input.

Yes I have the 14 ply G rated tires, one size stronger than the factory tires, when I had my motorhome weighed it was light in front axle and had about 2000 lbs spare carrying weight at 80 psi as to the tires rating, and Hankook AH11 also states the tires can be as low as 70 psi and still carry more weight than my front axle, so I set the fronts at 75 psi almost 3 years ago and no issues except a softer ride in front, I even carry a heat sensor gun to measure temps and the front tires run cooler than the rears that are inflated to 90 psi but I do tow a heavy trailer.

NOTE: Don't go below 80 psi with the 12 ply F rated 19.5 tires that some motorhomes have.

https://www.hankooktire.com/us/files/technical-manual/02_Product_Information_9.pdf

Awesome information. I had no idea about the g rating of tires. I have the G670 g rated 14 ply. Been running them at 80lbs.

[mikim]

https://www.hendersonslineup.com/

This is where we took our 2012 Allegro.

[campingfig]

dhuse wrote:
Take it from another Southern Californian, our roads are the WORST in the country. Fortunately my teeth are glued in or they would be shaking loose! I drive a '14 Storm.

No Kidding! notice that every time I travel. Where does our tax $$ go?

[dhuse]

Take it from another Southern Californian, our roads are the WORST in the country. Fortunately my teeth are glued in or they would be shaking loose! I drive a '14 Storm.

[wolfe10]

Have you confirmed that tire pressure is that recommended for your ACTUAL WHEEL/AXLE WEIGHTS?

What did the service center do?

[campingfig]

Drove it for two weeks..jsut got back. VERY rough ride ...feel like I am destroying my rig. :o( Yes..my first class A. but really....feel like the tires are bolted diretly to the frame. 😞

Gjac wrote:
These rough ride issues are hard to diagnose because they are very subjective to the driver. Is this your first Class A? I see it is a 2018 so I assume it is new to you. They will always drive like a big truck at best never like a car or DP. Before you spend a ton of money with add on's to improve the ride give your self a chance to drive it and get comfortable with it. When I first bought mine 14 years ago it was a white knuckle ride all the way home. After several long trips and several thousand miles later I drive it with one had like a car even when passed by trucks. After you get comfortable driving it adjust the air pressure based on the weight, try to re position the stuff inside so each tire carries the same weight and is balanced then do the CHF if needed. What is the length of the MH and wheel base of the MH?

[Goldencrazy]

I went through many thousands of dollars looking for good gas ride. Air pressure is cheap and best. About 80 psi in most cases is the guess without weighing. Sumo springs help. Koni shocks help. Yours has bilstein from factory. Kelderman is about six grand. Improves things. A new system called liquid springs about 12 grand. I now have a 43 ft DP. That made the biggest difference. But i reiterate it starts and ends with softer tires.

[T18skyguy]

timmac wrote:

T18skyguy wrote:
Get the air pressure right, then put a set of Bilstein shocks on it. The difference was so dramatic that I was upset that I hadn't done the shocks sooner. That's why Jayco has Bilstein's stock on their j ride rigs now.

I thought Bilstein shocks were standard on the F-53, I removed my Bilstein shocks and installed soft Monroe RV shocks, made a difference but not by a lot.

For anyone who gets Bilsteins, it's important to get the right set.
There are at least two different sets that are calibrated for the weight of your rig. I went from the stock factory to the Bilsteins, and the difference was night and day. I had Monroe's on my truck and I liked them too.

[johnsonbert]

We had 2 F53 chassis, a 99 and 2001. On both of them, the builder had designed some of the heavy components over and/or behind the rear axle, one being the 75 gal fresh water tank. This left the front axle in an unloaded condition. I ended up putting several hundred lbs in the furthest forward compartment and that seemed to load the suspension a little so you felt the road, but it was not like a concussion shock on the tar cracks in the road, when the suspension had no weight on it. I also went to the Monroe RV shocks. I did try the Koni's on one of the rigs and they helped also, but much more expensive than the Monroes. Hope this may help, have a great day. Happy Trails. Bert

[timmac]

rvfigs wrote:
I recently jumped into a Fleetwood Flair with the f53 chassis. It was definitely rough.

I did what Timmac did...CHF and tire pressure. Next are the Monroe shocks.

I run all my tires at 80lbs. Notice a small improvement.

Timmac...Is it okay to run 75lbs in front? Can we go that low?

Thanks for your input.

Yes I have the 14 ply G rated tires, one size stronger than the factory tires, when I had my motorhome weighed it was light in front axle and had about 2000 lbs spare carrying weight at 80 psi as to the tires rating, and Hankook AH11 also states the tires can be as low as 70 psi and still carry more weight than my front axle, so I set the fronts at 75 psi almost 3 years ago and no issues except a softer ride in front, I even carry a heat sensor gun to measure temps and the front tires run cooler than the rears that are inflated to 90 psi but I do tow a heavy trailer.

NOTE: Don't go below 80 psi with the 12 ply F rated 19.5 tires that some motorhomes have.

https://www.hankooktire.com/us/files/technical-manual/02_Product_Information_9.pdf

[Gjac]

These rough ride issues are hard to diagnose because they are very subjective to the driver. Is this your first Class A? I see it is a 2018 so I assume it is new to you. They will always drive like a big truck at best never like a car or DP. Before you spend a ton of money with add on's to improve the ride give your self a chance to drive it and get comfortable with it. When I first bought mine 14 years ago it was a white knuckle ride all the way home. After several long trips and several thousand miles later I drive it with one had like a car even when passed by trucks. After you get comfortable driving it adjust the air pressure based on the weight, try to re position the stuff inside so each tire carries the same weight and is balanced then do the CHF if needed. What is the length of the MH and wheel base of the MH?

[FloridaRosebud]

My 2006 National SeaBreeze LX has the Ford F53 chassis and it about beat us to death on the trip up to Columbus Ohio from Florida (Our first long trip in the RV). It has new Bilstein shocks and I lowered the tire pressure to 80psi front and 85psi rear and it still rides rough. I had called Bilstein earlier this month and they told me they did not have a softer riding shock, as their shocks are direct replacements for the stock shocks. So looks like I need to go to the Monroe RV shocks and give them a try. On smooth pavement it rides good, but as the road gets rough it is really a hard ride. Very fatiguing over 4 days...

Al