Body Roll

[10forty2]

So we took our first mini-trip this past weekend on the coach and had an absolute BLAST!! Everything worked great and we couldn't have enjoyed ourselves more unless someone else paid for everything!

BUT.....traveling down the interstate to our destination, I noticed an unnerving amount of top-heavy body roll in a couple of places when entering a curve on some slightly uneven pavement. Other than that, it handled very well at 70MPH and never checked up when a tractor trailer passed me or as I passed another tractor trailer in a straightaway. I was expecting a heavy pull towards them but never experienced that. Maybe it's just me, not being used to driving such a top-heavy vehicle, but should I be looking for another issue? Shocks? Sway bars? Springs? Improper tire pressures? Other?

[Camper_Ken]

Lots of good infohere
I had them install an additional rear sway bar, a heavier front sway bar, rear trac bar, Koni FSD shocks, and a Safe-T-Plus. Now it handles the way it should.

Ken

[wildmanbaker]

10forty, the torque for the sway bar clamps is 66 ft. pounds, per the 04 workshop F-53 manual.

[cdl2]

Let us know how it handled.

[10forty2]

Got my rear bushings replaced last night...the OEMs were completely gone...melted away and what remained was gummy. I ran out of daylight before I could replace the front bushings, but they actually "LOOKED" okay. I'll probably go ahead and replace them anyway since I have the new poly bushings for the front too.

I tried to get the sway bar in place for the McKinley Fix, but apparently I'm geometrically challenged, since I couldn't make the end links fit into the second set of holes without risking hitting the differential housing with the sway bar when the rear axle moves. I'll ride around on the coach with just the new bushings and see if that corrects my body roll/sway problem before making further modifications. Otherwise, I guess I'll have to purchase longer end links to make the switch.

To be continued.........

[10forty2]

Effy wrote:
I never torqued mine to any spec. I tightened them to what I thought was good and check periodically.

I used to do that until I wrung off some really expensive bolts on my motorcycle. Now, whenever possible, I use proper torque values. :S

[Effy]

I never torqued mine to any spec. I tightened them to what I thought was good and check periodically.

[cdl2]

If you have a torque wrench ......remove the bolts/nuts with it & measure the torque.

[10forty2]

So...in looking around on the magical inter-web, I cannot seem to find the answers for which I seek....

Anybody know the torque values of the bolts/fasteners for the sway bars? I'll be replacing the bushings on both front and rear as well as moving the end links to the second bolt hole for added stability...want to make sure I get everything torqued back properly, especially since the new poly bushings will be thicker than what's coming out of there.

[RLS7201]

10forty2 wrote:
Quick update, I crawled under the coach and discovered that the rear sway bar bushings are completely missing....no wonder it was swaying..... Soooo, I ordered a complete front and rear set of poly bushings and will do the McKinley fix when they come in. For reference to others who may come across this thread...here is the bushing set I ordered:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRONT-REAR-Sway-Bar-Bushings-Ford-F53-Class-A-Motorhome-1999-2011-/281153537...

You did it right. Eric makes good stuff. I have some of his very first castings and they still look new.

Richard

[J-Rooster]

Slight side to side roll is normal in high profile vehicles. And if you have roof air it can increase with side winds.

[10forty2]

Quick update, I crawled under the coach and discovered that the rear sway bar bushings are completely missing....no wonder it was swaying..... Soooo, I ordered a complete front and rear set of poly bushings and will do the McKinley fix when they come in. For reference to others who may come across this thread...here is the bushing set I ordered:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRONT-REAR-Sway-Bar-Bushings-Ford-F53-Class-A-Motorhome-1999-2011-/281153537...

[10forty2]

Thanks Smitty! As I posted earlier, the coach doesn't seem to have any wag or steering problems, just a lot (well, a lot to me anyway) of body roll on uneven pavement. Tractor trailers passing me didn't even phase the coach and it steers very true and tight. I'm going to try to the inexpensive way of fixing that sway, as described in the link above to the McKinley Fix (also called the Cheap Handling Fix). When I do it, I'm also going to replace my rubber OEM sway bar bushings with the poly bushings to get even more stability. All totaled, I'll be in it for less than $100 and about an hour worth of driveway work on my back under the coach. If that doesn't fix it, then I'll go deeper, one component at a time....probably starting with shocks.

[Smitty77]

If you are setting this coach up for a few years of usage ahead, do have the full suspension checked. Different manufacturers had different F53 suspension components ordered from Ford for the chassis as delivered to them. So the only way to know for sure what you need, is to inspect and see how your coach came equipped as ordered from your coach builder.

Our 18K lbs 1999 F53 Chassis, in a 98 T28 Bounder, came stock with IMO a rear undersized tow bar, and no other handling aids. We ended up doing:

1) Safety-T-Plus (more for emergency handling in case of a front blow out)
2) Added rear Roadmaster Sway Bar
3) Added front and rear Super Suspension aids from Henderson's Line-up
4) All rubber fittings replaced with Poly Bushings
5) Front toe in adjusted to help it keep true going down the highway
6) Four corner weight, and air PSI set to the Tire Manufactures levels
7) Rear Koni Adjustables, set on level 3, front Koni FSD's
😎 Air Tabs

This was over about a 6 month period, and very noticeable improvement in handling, body lean, and overall comfort while driving down the highway. Even after all of the mod's, the coach would be first 'pushed' by big trucks air bow wave as they came by. And then second 'sucked' in as they finished passing us. I also still really needed to watch the road and adjust while driving in shifting heavier cross wind conditions. I was very surprised that the Airtabs, the cheapest added part in all of these modifications, really helped these two areas quite a bit. (Do a search on Airtabs, and come to your own conclusion. And you'll note in my posts on Airtabs that while MPG did seem to go up a bit for me, it was for sure not the reason I added Airtabs. And, you'll see many consider them snake oil:)!)

I should note that the T28 and that 18K Lbs chassis, did not have a sever rear overhang as larger F53 coached rigs can have. If you are a bit longer, that 'tail wag' could be much more pronounced.

If you are near Henderson's Lineup, they will do a full analysis of your suspension and give you a recommendation on things to do. But, other good shops around this country too. So just keep checking around where you are for shops with good reputations.

Best of luck, and have fun,
Smitty

[travelzoo]

ddndoug wrote:
The first thing I would check is the rear sway bar bushings. Ours had completely rotted away. Once I replaced them it was a huge difference. Then I added new shocks and the combination of the two has made driving much more enjoyable.

To answer your question.... No, there should be no significant load on your sway bar if it is sitting level and on a level surface. No need to jack the coach or axles up.

Doug

You might find a small bottle jack useful when lining the holes back up, or some other means of leverage. For me it was just a little more than these old 71 year old arms have to give.