handling/ride on new MH

I'm one of those guys who insists on a smooth car-like ride on my coach. Of course, I drove 27,000 miles on my last gasser coach in 3 years and I already have 13,500 miles on my new DP coach in 10 months so I think I drive more than the average poster on this site.

On my gasser, I had to align it, adjust the tire pressures, do the CHF, get air bags and sway bars to make it ride the way I wanted to. This made me very happy and I enjoyed learning about the suspension. Not everyone is like me and that's OK. People value different things.

But to answer your question about how this happens, there are several factors. The coach and the chassis are manufactured by two different companies. The F-53 chassis builders do not know what configuration and weight will eventually end up on the chassis. This makes it impossible for them to optimize the suspension. The coach builders take a more or less hands off approach to the chassis. They don't want to hurt your warranty and most buyers simply do not care or don't know any better to demand better.

Go ahead and take the plunge. Once you get the tire pressures correct, do a four corner alignment, and the CHF, you'll probably be 75% of the way towards a nice ride anyway without spending much money at all.

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
As I read the class A posts, to learn for a future purchase, I see lots and lots of posts about doing mods to make the handling better. I have seen things about the CHF, adding stabilizer bars, and all kinds of stuff to relatively new MH's. Do you really have to spend thousands of dollars doing mods to make a new (or almost new MH) drive acceptably? I am not able to do those type mods myself, and know absolutely nothing about suspension and handling problems, so am concerned. How can the manufacturers sell a MH at over $100K, and not have a driveable vehicle. My $30K truck drives great, why can't they do it on a MH?

As I read the class A posts, to learn for a future purchase,

I see lots and lots of posts about doing mods to make the handling better.

If you have been reading a while you will notice there are two types of RV’ers, those that enjoy the RV, and those who enjoy Modifying the RV. While the mod’s will add something the Coach (Usually not much) the Coach will go down the road just fine without any Modifications – Provided the Coach is in proper alignment and been maintained properly.

I have seen things about the CHF, adding stabilizer bars, and all kinds of stuff to relatively new MH's.

Again I go back to my original observation those who do and those who don’t. A Cheap Handling Fix is not always cheap and in in my experience changes little (JMHO backed up by more than a few $$$ in mod’s).

Do you really have to spend thousands of dollars doing mods to make a new (or almost new MH) drive acceptably?

No I’ve driven a 37” gas slide out Coast to Coast with no issue and a lot of fun. It needed no modifications to make it preform as advertised. (7 mpg’s – sleeps 2 –dinner for 4 – drinks for 6- 50) Now I did want to carry more – sleep in a bigger bed – larger shower – bigger TV – softer ride – more like a condo – so after 5 years and 60 thousand miles I ordered a Diesel Coach, I still drive the same roads, entertain the same numbers of people and thoroughly enjoy the Coach but the view out the front window is the same.

I am not able to do those type mods myself, and know absolutely nothing about suspension and handling problems, so am concerned.

Find a coach, take a REAL test drive and be sure you are comfortable in it and join the rest of us with a class A we love and enjoy. Now after a while you may want to make a change or two – I added air bags to my gas unit – no real change – I added the headers later and had NO change. So now with the diesel I change the oil to get my fix at working on it and so far so good -- it still runs.

How can the manufacturers sell a MH at over $100K, and not have a driveable vehicle.

How many miles do you have in these un-drivable units? – again the most important thing I have found is to be sure the alignment is correct, the brakes work and that I do not try to overdrive the Coach – In my 500K miles of driving RV’s these two are the most important and are the only thing to really be concerned about.

My $30K truck drives great, why can't they do it on a MH?

They can and do, just the level of drive is different and the cost can be from the 3 times to a hundred times more than the cost of your Pickup, trust me the experience that you have in the used $30,000 class A is no different than the experience of the $3M Class A when you are both Parked in Yellowstone or the San Juan’s just enjoying the Air and the View.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that while there are many different types of RV’ers the truth is we all enjoy the same things and the only issue is not sitting in front of the TV but getting out and enjoying the country and many of the sights. You need to remember you are driving a HOUSE when you travel in a class A and Pulling the Car/Truck, so expect the ride to be a little different.

BOL,

I love anti sway bars, must have on any MH, Airbags all around and I don't need steering stabilizers, never have in 4 million miles since 1966.Proper tire inflation and either Michelins or Bridgestone. I don't trust any others and have seen several blowouts with Firestone.

I have modified 5 gas motorhomes increasingly getting larger. Safety is first reason. Comfort second. I don't want a DP and the money I have spent is still far from the DP range.

I agree in principle with the above.

But, there ARE significant differences in how different RV's ride and handle.

Long wheelbase/overall length has a lot to do with it.

All suspensions are not equal.

Attention to weight distribution (fore and aft and side to side) sometimes take a back seat to "interior design".

Chassis and coach makers make compromises on suspension components to stay price competitive. Others "invest" in upgraded suspension components.

We have owned three DP's over the last 15 years, and there ARE differences.

There are a few categories of "off the shelf" MH's. The 2 most prominent differences are gas VS diesel platforms. You rarely hear DP owners on an Air bag suspension complaining of ride quality and handling. But you pay for that. Almost all the complaints are on gas chassis, specifically the Ford F53. Now each MH even from the same manufacturer are weighted and built a little different so each will ride a little differently. But on average the F53 is notoriously harsh. I can speak from personal experience after owning 2 MH's of from the same brand and even as far as the same model but different floor plans, each one rode differently. The F53 chassis is used for a lot of applications, MH's is only one. They are used for Box trucks, delivery trucks etc.. You see a lot on the CHF mainly because it's free. The F53 comes with 2 settings since Ford has no idea what the intended application will be when they build the chassis. So it's a quick and easy mod to adjust. But that's about the end of thought that goes into ride comfort from Ford with respect to MH's. The F53 is a "generic" chassis built for many purposes so it has generic suspension. Unlike passengers cars where the suspension is built specifically for the vehicle. Frankly I hate the F53 but it's the only game in town for a gas MH. It rides very harsh on anything but pristine roads. Sounds like the cabinets will pull themselves loose from the walls. The engine is loud etc. It's used by MH manufacturers because they can, not because they should. It's a cheap readily available platform. But the high heavy profile of a MH - in my opinion - is not right for the F53 but really there's no other choice, so people are forced to accept it, pony up for a DP, or don't own a MH. My advice, drive a few and see what you think, not what everyone else thinks. One small note, dealers will never adjust the sway bars, and rarely have the psi set to weight but rather the sticker so usually they have too much psi. Something to consider. But regardless, the F53 frankly is a poor platform for MH's. But your options are limited. I love my MH, but if I am being honest, sometimes I really hate driving it. The sad part is, in general terms of gasser MH's it's relatively smooth and quiet. But by comparison to anything else I have ever driven, it's horrible. The general consensus is to chalk it up to "it's not a car". You decide if that's acceptable.

Most of the mods are for gas MHs that tend to weigh at the upper limits of the GVWR of the chassis. Often it's the nut behind the wheel as it's easy to over steer something this long when you are used to driving a PU. My rig does not have any of the mods above and 12-14 hour days are not a problem... actually it's a pleasure partly because you can see so much better that high up. For three times the money I'd hope so.

What Ron said is largely true. For years I thought my MH rode good because of the added Steer Safe that is suppose to keep the tires running straight. This is a $500 mod if you do it yourself. The MH had it on when I bought it so I just believed it helped. I drove home from OH to CT without it because of an accident and felt no difference in the handling of the MH. I still drove it with one hand even with passing trucks. I think weight distribution, tires being balanced, tires not out of round, a good front end alignment, and learning to drive the MH will be your cheapest mods.

The top heavy MH tends to roll with the variations of our current highways (and what is said above about aerodynamics of a MH).

Trackbars tie the frame to the axles to reduce the reaction to the body roll.

Anti-sway bars try to reduce body roll during cornering and also assist with the uneven road surfaces to reduce body roll.

Air bags in most cases provide a cushioned ride and also assist in keeping the coach level if one side becomes loaded more than the other.

Steering controls such as Saf-T-Plus, etc. are designed to keep the steering centered and prevent sever steering reactions to blowouts, potholes, etc.

My motorhome came with 3 of the 4 and I added the 4th for $550.

For sure motorhomsa have zero aerodynamics. You can feel passing cars and trucks because of the air they are pushing into you. Any little breeze from the side will cause over/understeer and see-sawing of the steering wheel. This has absolutely nothing to do with the suspension but the slab sides of the MH. The best way to minimize handling problems is to weigh your unit when full of carry ons and fuel. Go the website of the tire manufacturer of your tires and find the proper inflation levels. You will be amazed at how much better the handling is with properly inflated tires.