Class A wandering ?

[94fxds]

I'm considering buying a used class A motorhome and have been looking at several 2007 Fleetwood bounders and southwinds in 32 to 33 foot range. I just went with a friend who bought a used 2009 36' Georgetown with 19,000 miles with the workhorse chassis, 8.1 chevy engine. I helped him drive it home 500 miles. The owner just put on new Bridgestone 22.5 tires. I drove for about 150 miles and it took 100% concentration just to keep this motorhome in the lane. I was driving at around 62 mph and when large trucks passed it pushed the motorhome all over the place. It seemed to be worse on interstate blacktop and better on cement roadway. Does anyone have any experience with the Fleetwood gas class A models. If they all drive like this Georgetown I will keep my truck and trailer.

[tropical36]

94fxds wrote:
I'm considering buying a used class A motorhome and have been looking at several 2007 Fleetwood bounders and southwinds in 32 to 33 foot range. I just went with a friend who bought a used 2009 36' Georgetown with 19,000 miles with the workhorse chassis, 8.1 chevy engine. I helped him drive it home 500 miles. The owner just put on new Bridgestone 22.5 tires. I drove for about 150 miles and it took 100% concentration just to keep this motorhome in the lane. I was driving at around 62 mph and when large trucks passed it pushed the motorhome all over the place. It seemed to be worse on interstate blacktop and better on cement roadway. Does anyone have any experience with the Fleetwood gas class A models. If they all drive like this Georgetown I will keep my truck and trailer.

Some have no complaints with the W series chassis and others have after market equipment installed from Helwig or others, like sway bars which I'm most sure the W series has not. In contrast, our P30 chassis, that so many complain about, handles like a dream and only requires one finger for keeping it on the road in a straight line.
As for driving any of them, it's about 50mph for us, which helps tremendously with everything and we drive the toad at 60mph. 70mph is for conventional cars IMO and have never figured out why a semi is allowed to travel at the same speed as a sports car. Think about it. Also the speed limits are the same up here in WV, as they are in FL, so think about that as well, if you will and try to explain the logic in it all.

[1fastdad]

As far as caster seting on a worhores axle you can ad tapered shims between the axle and spring to change it. The problem with most MH is what they call the tail wagging the dog. When you have a lot of mass behind the rear axle compared to in front of the axle it will move the unit around. When buying a MH get as long a wheelbase chassis as you can compared to the size of the MH.

[Bigdog]

Asphalt pavement will develop ruts after time and they will throw you around too. Cement pavement basically doesn't. I have,however,seen concrete develop ruts in areas where there is a lot of traffic using studs. Like on the mountain pass roads around the Pacific NW.

[falconbrother]

As far as I can tell all the gasers do this some. It was a big deal for me that first year or so. Now I have figured this thing out and I barely notice it except for the occasional surprise gust of wind. I can anticipate trucks so it's not an issue. It used to really stress me out on a crowded interstate but, not any more. The hardest drive we ever made in that area was leaving one beach campground for another one about 100 miles North. The wind was kicking up hard the whole way due to a storm blowing through. Out on the interstate I kept the speed around 50-55 and white knuckled it most of the way. The cross winds were brutal that day but, we made it and no worse for wear.

[Z71_4x4]

Rwake901 wrote:
I had the same problem with mine but its on the Ford F53 chassis. I would be wore out by the time we got to where we were going. Installed a rear track bar, problem solved!

x2
Track bar was the answer for me! New Koni shocks helped also.

[Crazy_Ray]

Have STEER SAFE put on

[richarfg]

I can't say that anything will completely eliminate the need for attentiveness. I changed shocks on my old coach, and it seemed to help. I was told that having a bigger anti-sway bar would do it, but that is quite pricey. The most logical sounding reply to this thread seems to be having the bushing on the anti-sway bar replaced. It's definitely the least expensive, and easiest to do yourself. Best of luck to you.

[Rwake901]

I had the same problem with mine but its on the Ford F53 chassis. I would be wore out by the time we got to where we were going. Installed a rear track bar, problem solved!

[RFCN2]

94DFXS - Here is the key. Determine in the extensive test drive you take (at least an hour) that the one you are going to buy handles well. Before I bought my first motorhome about 10 years ago we rented a dozen. Almost all of them drove very well. A couple were like what you described. Make sure you get a good one. Do not buy something that the seller is going to add something to that will fix the handling problem.

Bounders have sold in the many many thousands. They still make them. Several of my friends have them. One of my very close friends has a diesel pusher version. Just make sure the one you are going to buy doesn't "bound" all over the road before you put a dime down on it.

[Carvin_Marvin]

I put AH-11's on my 02 W-22 3400 miles ago. It never ever wandered before, it does now. I have been running 95 psi. I dropped it to 90 psi. No difference. Will have toe in checked. Although I don't have a clue as to why the toe in would change, but it acts as though it is toed out or zero toe. The tie rod ends all appear to be tight. 90,000 miles. Just another mystery. Marv

[rgatijnet1]

RLS7201 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
The Workhorse chassis all have solidly mounted front and rear sway bars. There is no rubber bushings to wear out or adjustment on them since they are bolted steel to steel.
Caster and Camber angle is fixed on the W series chassis and only the toe-in can be adjusted. It is important to have the alignment checked with a loaded coach on the W series chassis.

Almost true. Caster is adjustable, and under extrema conditions the axle can be bent to adjust camber.

Richard

In my Workhorse manual it says that the caster and camber angle are designed in to the axle and are not adjustable. It also says to contact Workhorse if there is a problem and that it is NOT recommended to bend the axles. I know the old Ford twin I-beam axles could be bent but Workhorse just recommends installing a new axle.

[RLS7201]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
The Workhorse chassis all have solidly mounted front and rear sway bars. There is no rubber bushings to wear out or adjustment on them since they are bolted steel to steel.
Caster and Camber angle is fixed on the W series chassis and only the toe-in can be adjusted. It is important to have the alignment checked with a loaded coach on the W series chassis.

Almost true. Caster is adjustable, and under extrema conditions the axle can be bent to adjust camber.

Richard

[bluwtr49]

Yes, new tires do require some miles before they track perfectly...no idea why and I was a skeptic until I got new tires. Took about 1500 miles give or take.

Air pressure a bit to low will do it.

A heavily loaded coach will handle better than an empty one..again not idea why but that does seem to make a difference.

[Goldencrazy]

Trac bar on rear and steering stabilizer will help in addition to other suggestions on loading and tires.