How is the Ford (Class A) chassis supposed to handle?

[TriumphGuy]

Hi all,
I see similar topics going on right now but don't want to hijack so here goes...
We switched our GS magazine "option" to MH magazine (from Trailer Life) in anticipation of going to a MH in the next year. I've since seen two issues where they review a MH on the Ford chassis and complain how "bad" it is.
I just want to know how bad "bad" is ... my frame of reference is my TV in my sig (2000 F250 7.3 towing a 35' 5er). My truck ain't exactly a handling machine, and the steering is kinda numb - but it generally goes straight and stays straight.
I'm fairly picky when it comes to my cars - wanting direct feedback and excellent handling through twisty roads, but I don't expect that out of a heavy duty vehicle. I expect my truck to handle like a truck but be fairly stable and predictable. I also expect the same out of a MH ... reasonable expectation? I've read about the "cheap handling fix" that many do - some add sumo springs ... etc. I can handle some level of aftermarket modding, I do it to all my other vehicles 🙂
Most of the MH we're looking at have the Ford v10, some have the Workhorse and a couple odd ones are on the FRED chassis.

thanks!

[bsinmich]

Since you have looked at Workhorse I can give my comment on having one for 11 years. I had a 2003 Mountain Aire 38' on a W22 chassis. Some complained that it was not enough CCC. I weighed each wheel position and was never close to over loaded, even with full water tanks. There was a recall on the brakes for the W20 & W22 chassis. The W24 had different brakes. The recalls have been done as far as I know. I had great MPG when I had that MH. I got 8.5 overall when I sold it and was never without a toad. The 8.1L engine is larger than the V10 Ford in Cubic Inches but it runs a lot slower so there is never the engine racing noise. In 2005 the Allison transmission came out with 6 speeds and grade brake that would automatically downshift when you tap the brake going downhill. Ford was always trying to catch up to the Allison Transmission. Parts are not a problem since there are so many Chevrolet trucks on the road. The ride was a little smoother than the Ford of the same vintage.

[Dale_Traveling]

I've done several modification to my coach in search of the perfect ride and at this point in time looking back the lowest cost stuff made the biggest difference. Coach weight and proper tire pressure, replaced worn out rear sway bar bushings, replaced worn shocks and moving the end links on the sway bar (aka cheep handling fix). Last owner insulated the engine cover so heat and noise are no worse than my Honda Accord. The coach tracks well, it response to steering input and wind sway from passing vehicles is easy to feel coming on and to correct for.

I think having stuff in the coach that makes a lot of noise when moving, mainly dishes, pots, pans and such, the effect of poorly maintained roads are amplified by the noise when compared to my daily driver. Also since I only have a few feet within my lane to move around a lot of the time I have no choice but to take the hit rather than avoid.

Over all I would call the performance of the chassis with my coach fairly stable and predictable with one down check being weather related wind gusts. With trucks I know it's coming and can be ready for it. Not so much with weather. Steady wind you can deal with but the rouge gust will push you around. I've come close to getting pushed out of my lane but not quite.

[hanko]

Hikerdogs wrote:
We're on our second motorhome built on the F53 chassis and have had little or no handling problems with either one. We did add a secondary sway bar to our 2001 chassis, but other than that it didn't need any modifications in over 100,000 miles. Our 2013 motorhome has about 25,000 miles on the odometer and doesn't needed any modifications.

One big thing to look for is the wheelbase length in comparison to the overall length of the motorhome. The larger the wheelbase to overall length ratio the better the handling.

Many RV manufacturers stuff the largest box they can on the smallest chassis, in part to keep the price down. The net result is an overweight, and unbalanced machine that handles poorly.

I agree

Another thing to be aware of is that regardless of the manufacturer no 26,000 lb., 30+ foot long machine is going to perform and handle like a sports car. The chassis construction and suspension system is completely different and designed for a totally different purpose.

You might be able to take corners at 60 mpg and accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds with your Corvette, Mercedes, or Audi, but add another 20,000+ pounds to the chassis and see how it handles. Remember a motorhome is just that, a house on wheels not a go faster performance machine.

[hanko]

TriumphGuy wrote:
Hi all,
I see similar topics going on right now but don't want to hijack so here goes...
We switched our GS magazine "option" to MH magazine (from Trailer Life) in anticipation of going to a MH in the next year. I've since seen two issues where they review a MH on the Ford chassis and complain how "bad" it is.
I just want to know how bad "bad" is ... my frame of reference is my TV in my sig (2000 F250 7.3 towing a 35' 5er). My truck ain't exactly a handling machine, and the steering is kinda numb - but it generally goes straight and stays straight.
I'm fairly picky when it comes to my cars - wanting direct feedback and excellent handling through twisty roads, but I don't expect that out of a heavy duty vehicle. I expect my truck to handle like a truck but be fairly stable and predictable. I also expect the same out of a MH ... reasonable expectation? I've read about the "cheap handling fix" that many do - some add sumo springs ... etc. I can handle some level of aftermarket modding, I do it to all my other vehicles 🙂
Most of the MH we're looking at have the Ford v10, some have the Workhorse and a couple odd ones are on the FRED chassis.

thanks!

take notice on the different F53 chasis options there are. take like the 36 ft bounder is on a 22,000 lb chasis with a 228 inch wheel base, go to the tiffin 36 footer, and its a 252 inch wheel base and a 24000 lb chasis. my tiffin 36 LA handles great for what it is.

[427435]

I have driven trucks before and did not expect my older F53 to handle like my Corvettes or my (at the time) Grand Marquis. However, there was room for improvement on my used MH.

The shocks were shot and I replaced them with Koni FSD's. Big improvement on not only sway but greatly reduced harshness over tar strips etc. The rear hung a little low and the passenger side was lower than driver side. Air bags and more pressure on passenger side took care of that.

Lastly, I got an alignment done and was sure to get the caster set to 4-1/2 degrees. Huge improvement with handling/tracking.

Oh yes, I had also gotten 4 corner weights and had the tire pressures set correctly.

Today, it drives and handles fine (for a MH). I have no problem comfortably driving it for long periods. Any F53 will also drive and handle fine if you take care of these things.

[10forty2]

So, right off the bat, I felt like my coach drove remarkably well when I got it. That is, until I headed out for my first real run of just over an hour one-way. It had severe body-roll or sway. After some research on these forums and other places, I got under the coach and found that the sway bar bushings were completely worn out. Replaced them with new poly bushings and the ride/drive was greatly improved. BUT....it still rides/drives like a 36' long vehicle with heavy-duty tires/shocks and a 12' tall solid wall for wind to push against all while trying to move 20K+ lbs down the highway. Needless to say, when you consider all that, I think it drives pretty good!

WIth that said... The F53 chassis has springs/shocks and heavy-duty suspension....you WILL feel the road and every bump in it. The F53 chassis is a gasoline chassis....you WILL hear the engine and feel some heat on a long trip. It's not a deal breaker for me. There are some more recent modifications to the gearing and other sound dampening that makes it more acceptable, but overall, it's still an up-front, hi-revving gasoline engine that is right under your feet, between you and your passenger.

Just remember, you are driving a motorhome...not a luxury car. It will handle differently but you do learn to drive it quickly.

[Hikerdogs]

We're on our second motorhome built on the F53 chassis and have had little or no handling problems with either one. We did add a secondary sway bar to our 2001 chassis, but other than that it didn't need any modifications in over 100,000 miles. Our 2013 motorhome has about 25,000 miles on the odometer and doesn't needed any modifications.

One big thing to look for is the wheelbase length in comparison to the overall length of the motorhome. The larger the wheelbase to overall length ratio the better the handling.

Many RV manufacturers stuff the largest box they can on the smallest chassis, in part to keep the price down. The net result is an overweight, and unbalanced machine that handles poorly.

Another thing to be aware of is that regardless of the manufacturer no 26,000 lb., 30+ foot long machine is going to perform and handle like a sports car. The chassis construction and suspension system is completely different and designed for a totally different purpose.

You might be able to take corners at 60 mpg and accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds with your Corvette, Mercedes, or Audi, but add another 20,000+ pounds to the chassis and see how it handles. Remember a motorhome is just that, a house on wheels not a go faster performance machine.

[Busskipper]

TriumphGuy wrote:
Hi all,
I see similar topics going on right now but don't want to hijack so here goes...
We switched our GS magazine "option" to MH magazine (from Trailer Life) in anticipation of going to a MH in the next year. I've since seen two issues where they review a MH on the Ford chassis and complain how "bad" it is.

Bad is a relative term – compared to …. what? I own and drive a 1996 F350 and I also owned and drove a gas Trop-i-Cal on a F-53 (66,000 miles) chassis – I love them both but they are totally different animals. I use the truck for Hauling a Gooseneck trailer with a small Bobcat loader, it pulls great, goes straight and stops …but it is not a joy to drive, either loaded or unloaded. While the F-53 was not perfect, it was, fun, comfortable, safe, and a house on wheels, cruised at 72, stopped, and handled well.

I just want to know how bad "bad" is ... my frame of reference is my TV in my sig (2000 F250 7.3 towing a 35' 5er). My truck ain't exactly a handling machine, and the steering is kinda numb - but it generally goes straight and stays straight.

Because we are using similar vehicles for comparison let me just say IMHO, the Trop-i-Cal was a dream compared to the F350. And if the two were sitting out there as the only two options I would not hesitate to take off in the Trop-i-Cal, (And drive to California – from Maryland). The truck would require a pot of gold at the end of the trip, with it being the only option for getting it to the bank. : )

I'm fairly picky when it comes to my cars - wanting direct feedback and excellent handling through twisty roads, but I don't expect that out of a heavy duty vehicle. I expect my truck to handle like a truck but be fairly stable and predictable. I also expect the same out of a MH ... reasonable expectation? I've read about the "cheap handling fix" that many do - some add sumo springs ... etc. I can handle some level of aftermarket modding, I do it to all my other vehicles 🙂

I like to think I’m picky also, with the exception that I like to think I’m pretty educated in knowing what to expect in the vehicle I’m driving. (I often will just go for a drive – in the car for – to get away)

Most of the MH we're looking at have the Ford v10, some have the Workhorse and a couple odd ones are on the FRED chassis.

I think you will need to drive it yourself to be sure – and if I were you I’d request a long- 60 mile+ drive to see how you like it. I was in Heavy Construction for 30 years so I have driven all types of vehicles and like to think I have some idea how they work – IMHO you need to remember you are going to be sitting in the front seat of a house – sitting on a truck – driving down the road - albeit a very comfortable set up it is still a house on a truck – not a Lexus.

thanks!

Tried to address your questions and hope this is some help, we loved the Trop-i-Cal but a DP is just another step up in the progression of RVing, so we progressed - I just needed a little more space and a little more quality, hence the DP in my signature. But we enjoyed driving the F-53 Coast to Coast and all through the Rockies and the East Coast, it was a blast to drive and served me well.

BOL,

Last little bit of advice - load it up and then get a wheel alignment - you and most other drivers of F-53 will be amazed at the difference that will make, in both the ride and handling.

[Effy]

A reiteration of what you will find on other threads, but the F53 chassis - IMHO - is a poor platform for a MH. The problem is, it's been the only platform for years now. The F53 is manufactured by Ford for many purposes. And since Ford has no idea what purpose or how the chassis will be used, it has generic suspension and one that favors industrial use. The chassis and the MH are manufactured separately and married together. The MH manufacturers really don't do a thing to the chassis to make it ride or handle any better. Every MH - even the same brand and model will ride differently because of weight distribution and other factors. Think of it this way, if you gave 20 neighborhood kids the same skateboard you bought from Wal-Mart and told them to build a dog house on it to push down a hill, you'd get 20 different designs and all would ride like they are on a skateboard, but every single one will track differently. My personal experience after having 2 MH's from the same brand, same model but different floor plans is this; they both handled differently and one was louder than the other. My new 29.2 handles a lot better and is quieter, but frankly it's still horrible on anything but perfect roads. Concrete or anything but a surface smooth as glass and it sounds like the cabinets will be ripped from the walls. It tracks ok from doing the CHF but I can tell it's still too tall for the platform. By comparison, an OTR truck handles much more solid and it's taller. Why? because the platform was built for that purpose. Your pick up truck handles great. Why? because the chassis and suspension was designed and built specifically for it. Most gasser MH's are loud and handle horribly. Why? Because they all use a chassis designed for many completely different things. BTW, you don't hear this issue much from DP owners. Because they use a chassis better suited to a MH. There are a ton of "fixes" for the F53, which gives some indication of how bad it is. A lot of folks have disillusioned themselves into thinking it's acceptable or even pleasant. The F53 for MH's is - at best - tolerable if you get the right setup. I'm glad to see MH magazine finally doing some critical reviews on it. But if you want a newer gas MH, that's your only choice, which may be why many of us talk ourselves into thinking it's OK. If you didn't want a gas MH but were talked into driving one, you'd come away with the unbiased opinion that it can be a loud and scary ride.

[smacdiesel]

The f53 chassis is known to be all over the place when driving down the road. In stock form it sways side to side, bounces up and down, and if it's over 34' with swag in the rear when pushed by turbulence. I have poured thousands of dollars into my suspension with pretty much every upgrade available, sumo springs front and rear, koni shocks, 1 3/4 torsion bars front and rear, rear trac bar and a safety steer. It is an amazing driving machine with this setup, the only shortcoming is i still get some excessive play at the wheel. Up next is a banks system.

[Falcon35]

I switched from a F350 pulling a 35 ft 3 slide fifth wheel to our coach on a Ford.I do feel the side winds a little more. At this point that is the only gas choice you have in new coach. I have done the CHF and had the front end alined. It will not drive like your Audi or like a air ride pusher. I have driven in some real heavy cross winds and have not had a problem staying in my lane. I have read some of the negative posts regarding the high notice of the V10. I find if I back off just a little bit it shifts up a gear and it is not bad at all.

[Kayteg1]

What was wheelbase in that 2000 F250? I had short base and it did handle like passenger car.
Now with my 2007 F350 on coil front I am racing BMW at green lights.
The main problem on MH is narrow tires requiring high pressure.
Years ago I bought wide rims from Carlise (?) and going from 80 psi tires to 50 psi tires made it day and night.
Technology those days change on weekly basis, so comparing experience from 10 years ago to today is like comparing dinosaur to horse racing.
Find RV show, dress nicely and ask for test drive.
I don't think real drive-by-wire technology come on the roads yet.
The throttle-by-wire went into 3rd decade on the roads and was ironed to be rock-solid, while brake-by-wire systems were eventually abounded.
Radar-adjusted cruise control is available only on top brands and seems to still have baby teeth.
Computer-controlled steering is called "driverless" and even those cars pass test, seems they have long legal road to go.

[hanko]

Son of Norway wrote:
I'll just add an opinion for when you are test-driving motor homes. I believe that a well-engineered and properly-maintained motor home should essentially handle and steer like a comfortable car. Even my HR still does, and you should expect that when you move into a class A.

Miles

little bit of an over hang on that dude. do you need wheelie bars?

[OLYLEN]

I know there are some that don't handle well. My E450 handles OK or better. A lot has to do with tire pressure, alignment, and loading. You can't put a feather boa up front and the 500# monkey in the back and have the RV handle, drive well. There are also fix's like steering stabilizers, track bars, and air bags that claim to work,I have non. But have had the Safe-T-Plus installed on a DP and it made all the difference in the world.

LEN

[WyoTraveler]

JMHO. I have had a 5er, a TT, 2 MHs and 4 TCs 2 goose neck stock trailers. I have found towing a 5er I never felt the cross winds or rocking and rolling that I felt in MHs, TTs, and TCs. Does that mean that my 5er never moved around like the others? NO! It just means I never felt the movement when in my PU towing it. I Still had to tie down my dining chairs and my recliners. I was just under a false illusion that my 5er wasn't moving around. I'm not saying one is better or worse than the other. I am saying any high profile object moves around in cross winds. Since I have driven Crown and MCI buses all I wanted is for my MH, on a Ford chassis to feel as close as possible to a bus. I realize that my Ford chassis MH will never drive that way but I did several mods to get the best feel possible. A rear trak bar, rear anti sway bar, rear air bags, rear CHF. On the front safe steer, and anti sway bar. I tried the front CHF. Wore out bushings in 3000 miles driving WY mountain roads and I didn't get the feel I was looking for. CHF on the front may work out great for others. That is great. Just not for me. I liked my 5er, TT, TCs and MHs. I just chose a MH this time.