Driving issues almost solved - but.....

[BeaverCamper]

I have a 2014 Coachmen Freelander 22QB on a Ford E-350 chassis.
It came with stock steering stabilizer, front and rear sway bar.
I installed an aftermarket RSSC steering stabilizer, front and rear helwig sway bar and a trac bar. We previously owned a truck and camper and had sway issues in VERY windy areas like the southwest until we installed Helwig sway bars. They helped with most of the issue.
Anyway the RV now handles pretty good but we still get a slight wander or as my wife calls it "slop" in the steering wheel. It is almost like occasionally you feel like you don't have complete control of the wheel.
If we can solve this last issue we can relax and enjoy our RV!
Thanks for your suggestions.

[jdog]

Are you towing a car?

[j-d]

There was a question about the Ingalls Adjustable Bushing fitting E450. I Does because it Must. Since 2008, E-series Axles, Ball Joints and Upper Ball Joint Bushings are the same across the product line. The different series use different Hubs (for Dual Wheel vs. Single and the lug bolt arrangement) and Springs but the rest is the same. If somebody has an older E150 the parts might be different.
I've toyed with getting a set of adjustable bushings, and doing a Cut and Try Alignment. Get it so I like it then buy fixed bushings to go permanent with. Two shops I called said if they find adjustable bushings they remove them. They've seen them come apart/come out. Go deep enough and the companies that sell the bushings do not want them used in RV conversions, box trucks, etc. Since there is not an E450 "van" (only some form of cutaway) that probably explains why they don't list them. Even though they do in fact fit.

[BeaverCamper]

Great link Harvard. Thanks to all for the advise. Sounds like the next step is to get an alignment and ask for Caster to be as close to 5 as possible.
Have a great day!

[Harvard]

BeaverCamper wrote:
...
Anyway the RV now handles pretty good but we still get a slight wander or as my wife calls it "slop" in the steering wheel. It is almost like occasionally you feel like you don't have complete control of the wheel.
...

These words are precisely my experience circa 2011

[BeaverCamper]

Yes Michelin LTX all around.

[j-d]

BC - 80PSI is needed to carry the capacity of the E450 rear axle. I expected, though, that late model E350 would now have Load Range E tires. They didn't used to, but it just seems to me it'd be cheaper to furnish all the same tires on both series. What tires to you have? Michelin LTX?

[j-d]

bob_n, I have it from another forum member that Ford reduced the steering "boost" (providing a little less "help") but not till around 2008. I wonder if that Ford dealer had a tweak that anticipated that. I really wonder what they did. The Power Steering seems to be the classic hydraulic pump and gearbox arrangement. But goodness! If the truck is going down the road with Antilock Braking tweaking the Brakes here and there because of some Stability Control, that would explain part of the E-Series poor gas mileage...

[BeaverCamper]

All the tires are Michelin load range E - up to 80 lbs.

[bob_nestor]

I owned a new 2004 E-350 that had the wander problem. Steering was like a video game with no road feel or feedback. That RV was lost to an 18-wheeler and his insurance replaced it with an identical new one also on a 2004 E-350 chassis. The second one didn't have the wanter problem and had good road feel. I talked to an old Ford engineer about it and he said it was an issue in the drive-by-wire firmware in the computer, and taking it into a Ford truck dealer for tweak in the feedback loop would have resolved the problem. Don't know if that's true since the one with the bad steering feel was lost in to the 18-wheeler.

[j-d]

You're welcome...

What are your GAWR Front, GAWR Rear, and Tire Load Range? Used to be the E350 came with Load Range "D" tires and max pressure was 65. E450 came with Load Range "E" which allow up to 80. If you have LT225/75R16, I'll guess they're "E", at least all the replacements seem to be.

Funny story, neighbor has the "little" Hummer (H3? the one based on a Chevy S-10) and it was time for replacement tires. Sam's Club installed Load Range "E" tires on it and, yep, aired up to 80. He wondered why it rode hard...

[BeaverCamper]

Thanks Sunny Florida. I will check our weight next chance. It is free here in Oregon, we just drive onto a ODOT scale. Have done this many times.
A note on tire pressure. We have 2 stickers in the front driver door. One is from the manufacturer (Ford) and one is from Coachmen. The one from Coachmen states 75 front and 65 rear. I agree too much air can create some wander. I usually ran front tires about 5-8 lbs light on the truck camper.

[j-d]

Tire Pressures... I misread. There is simply NO WAY the correct Front Tire Pressure is 75-PSI!!! If your E350 has a 5000-pound GAWR Front, then 2500-per wheel comes out between 70 and 75-PSI. When E450 had the 4600-lb GAWR Front, max would actually be 65-PSI. At 75-PSI with a coach your size, you don't have any "contact patch" between tire tread and road. It'll wander and steering'll feel light.
So, print out the Michelin page. Load the RV as ready for a camping trip and go to the truck stop. If you tow a vehicle or trailer, hitch it up too. The truck stop's CAT Scale will give you Front, Drive, and Trailer weights. Drive will be Coach Rear and Trailer will whatever you're towing. Adjust pressures based on Front and Drive.
You may find you don't need to do anything more...
There's something about human nature where many of us will spend $1000 on chassis improvement parts before we'll spend $10 (which is what TA charges for CAT Scale) to see what we're working with. I'm not accusing you or anybody else...I was one of those. When I finally DID weigh it, I was shocked at how much MORE it weighed than any of my information would have indicated.

[txhood]

I bought a Thor 22E on the same chassis last year and also experienced problems with sway and wonder. Several people suggested front end alignment and said Ford would pay for it. They would not. I did contact Thor and they reimbursed me for the alignment because it was significantly off. My rig weighs about 11k lbs. The door sticker says the same as yours, 75/65. However, the Michelin tire chart recommends 45 front and 50 rear. I added a RoadMaster steering stabilizer. My first trip since the mods will be in 2 weeks. I will know then if they have made a difference.

[Road_Dog]

Get a front end alignment!