F53 Drivability

[tommy_salmon]

I know this has probably been covered ad nauseam in the past, but I can seem to find any info from the past posts. I have already done the budget stabilizer modification and it helps, but my handling on my 2013 Winnebago Vista is still like rowing a bathtub on the ocean. I am almost always towing a Jeep Wrangler while driving, but I have problems with or without towing. What suspension/steering mods have y'all done on the F53 chassis that helped most, and what did not work? Also, I drive in the mountains a lot, and the engine noise gets really annoying pretty quickly, and my wife and I can't even carry on a conversation. Any solutions for the noise? After 11,000 miles, I'm thinking I have to make a change to this rig, move up to a diesel pusher, or go back to a 5er! Thanks in advance for your reply!

[#2]

We too had a vista 30. Upgraded to a sightseer 33c. Almost 35'. Same motor/ chassis
The bigger coach seems quieter, more stable, still loud on upgrades, but better. W/o the dp cost

[wolfe10]

And, this is not just Ford. It applies to all HD solid axle chassis, including OTR trucks.

[jerseyjim]

Wedges and shims for Ford front ends is nothing new. Had to use them to re-align my old 1986 Bronco. Much better than heating up and bending the solid front axle.

[wolfe10]

The way caster angle is adjusted (and properly adjusted) on a solid front axle is by inserting wedge-shaped shims between axle and chassis mount.

Nothing strange about it.

Lots of places sell caster shims for solid front axles:

http://www.truckcomponentsonline.com/TRUCK-CASTER-SHIMS_c_316.html

[holstein13]

Yellowboat. wrote:
I had our 2006 F-53 chassis aligned when new and the alignment shop added wedges to adjust alignment. The alignment shop said that wedges allow them to adjust castor without bending the axle. My reading on this web says to get as much positive castor as specs allow to improve driveability.

I've heard this "added wedges" thing before and even heard it from my own alignment shop in South Florida.

The whole idea of adding wedges or bending axles makes little sense to me and I'd love for someone to explain why a chassis manufacturer would design their front suspension in such a way that adding wedges or bending an axle would be necessary, ever.

When I asked the expert alignment guys at Spartan about this, they said that it should never be necessary. They said that other alignment shops simply don't know what they are doing and if they work on both front wheels they should be able to synchronize them so that it isn't necessary.

I tend to think that it makes sense not to need them.

[Yellowboat_]

I just picked up our new 2016 Sightseer 33C yesterday. We drove it home in a wind storm. Neighbor said that there were gusts to 80 mph. Two different people were killed by falling limbs.

I had the dealership install s rear trac bar, rear sway bar, and Safe-T-Plus steering damper. Had problems with the rear sway bar as I have the new 2016-F-53 chassis with a six speed transmission. The sway bar that is designed for the 2006 through 2015 chassis did not fit. Roadmaster sent a team to look at the new 2016 chassis. They fit a sway bar designed for a Tiffin on my coach. Roadmaster got the data that they need to engineer sway bars for the new chassis.

It drove well. I felt the sidewinds but they were manageable. I didn't feel the need for a death grip on the steering wheel. I was passed by several 18 wheelers and a bus. I didn't feel a bow wave. One 18 wheeler cut off a side wind for a moment and I made a slight correction.

My.operator's manual advises to get an alignment after the coach is loaded for travel. I had our 2006 F-53 chassis aligned when new and the alignment shop added wedges to adjust alignment. The alignment shop ssid that wedges allow them to adjust castor without bending the axle. My reading on this web says to get as much positive castor as specs allow to improve driveability.

Safe travels. JD

[timmac]

tommy salmon wrote:
I know this has probably been covered ad nauseam in the past, but I can seem to find any info from the past posts. I have already done the budget stabilizer modification and it helps, but my handling on my 2013 Winnebago Vista is still like rowing a bathtub on the ocean. I am almost always towing a Jeep Wrangler while driving, but I have problems with or without towing. What suspension/steering mods have y'all done on the F53 chassis that helped most, and what did not work? Also, I drive in the mountains a lot, and the engine noise gets really annoying pretty quickly, and my wife and I can't even carry on a conversation. Any solutions for the noise? After 11,000 miles, I'm thinking I have to make a change to this rig, move up to a diesel pusher, or go back to a 5er! Thanks in advance for your reply!

Your going to have to do improvements and than you will be happy, you have one already done, what you need next is Monroe shocks, because they ride softer than the stock shocks, airbags also work good set at proper pressure {50psi in back and 22 psi in front}, and the best way for the noise is sound deadening material with sound proofing material installed over the top, do the doghouse, parts of the fire wall and under the floor under the drivers/passenger seat, I did all this and my ride is softer and at least 50 percent quieter.

The reason DP ride better is because they spend more $$ in that department to make it ride soft, gas chassis cost a whole lot less and they skip in that area, also the motorhome makers add no sound proofing in the doghouse area what so ever, use that $100,000 less that you paid for the gas chassis and do improvements, it should cost under $5000 for the improvements and you can keep the extra $95,000 and have a nice vacation..

[jerseyjim]

I live with what I've got. No "handling" problems...but I cannot lose concentration or the thing will wander. So.....it trained me. Don't notice "excessive" noise...but when the V-10 has to "work"...it does. The only noise that might annoy me is when the BIG fan kicks in. But then, it has to.

[frankdamp]

The reason the F53 rides like a bread truck is that underneath all the RV BS it IS a bread truck. Your choice is either to live with it or spend enough money to have bought a DP in the first place to make it ride like one.

It really depends on your annual mileage. Do you want to spend enough money to buy 8 years' worth of gas and CG fees to get a DP-like ride? We decided to drive a bit more slowly, live with the ride issues and actually be able to use the rig, rather than being $10K out of pocket and not be able to use it.

Our annual utilisation was about 2000 miles. It depends on your priorities, I guess.

[bigdog2]

I guess it depends on what you are used to. If you came from driving an SUV then a 35' motor home will be much different. I have been a trucker most of my working life so the motor home in my signature is easy. I did have the alignment done not long after we bought the rig new. I have not done any other mods to affect handling and don't need to. I think the relationship between wheelbase and rear overhang makes a lot of difference in handling.
Yeah, If I had mucho money I would have a nice DP but the rig we have suits our needs and it fits the rv space we have reserved for the winter so whatever works for you?? 😄

[holstein13]

tommy salmon wrote:
Guess I'll try the trackbar before I do anything else. The motorhome only has 11,000 miles and has driven the same since new, so I don't really think an alignment is in order. I will try to get it weighed and adjust tire pressures accordingly - I was always taught to go by what's on the Nader sticker for tire pressures, so that is what I've been doing.

Many manufacturers don't align their chassis before sending them out. On page one of my Fleetwood manual, it said to get the coach aligned right away.

My Nader sticker was way off. Besides, it can change when you change tires.

[Effy]

tommy salmon wrote:
Guess I'll try the trackbar before I do anything else. The motorhome only has 11,000 miles and has driven the same since new, so I don't really think an alignment is in order. I will try to get it weighed and adjust tire pressures accordingly - I was always taught to go by what's on the Nader sticker for tire pressures, so that is what I've been doing.

Mileage has little to do with alignment. There is a very good chance your RV was never aligned when it left the factory. I had a brand new MH a few years ago and ruined a tire in 10k miles due to it being out of alignment, so I wouldn't rule this out.

[tommy_salmon]

Guess I'll try the trackbar before I do anything else. The motorhome only has 11,000 miles and has driven the same since new, so I don't really think an alignment is in order. I will try to get it weighed and adjust tire pressures accordingly - I was always taught to go by what's on the Nader sticker for tire pressures, so that is what I've been doing.

[Billinwoodland]

The old DP vs gasser debate continues. If i were full time, I would definitely go in the DP direction. When I was shopping, I crunched the numbers. That's a lot of cash to be sitting in the driveway depreciating (DP). I bought a newer quality gasser at 1/2 the price it sold for new, it is a reasonable ride on the highway, and darn comfortable at camp. My only complaint, which I knew prior to purchasing it, is the 5,000# limitation on the toad. The ford RPMs scream when on a climb, but my wife and I are able to converse at a normal level, and I don't find the noise from the doghouse much more then my Toyota truck. If you have the cash, and don't mind having a bundle sitting in the driveway, go for the DP.