Jayco Melbourne, Steering is loose?
We have just gotten a 14 Jayco Melbourne and my husband sees nothing wrong with the steering but when I tried to drive it I had a hard time driving it for a long time because the steering wheel had l...
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The stock stabilizer is very easy to replace; it's more or less a shock absorber mounted horizontally between the steering tie rod and the frame. It's nice and accessible in the front of the chassis. I replaced mine just a few days ago (it was definitely worn out, with signs of oil dripping from it), and I think it took maybe a half an hour, much of which was arranging a jack to take pressure off the suspension because the tie rod happened to be blocking the stabilizer mounting bolt in the fixed bracket.
However, if there is actual play in the steering, the stabilizer isn't going to correct that problem. You'd have to either adjust or replace the steering box and/or tie rod ends, most likely, or some suspension bushings. A bit of staring at things while wiggling the steering wheel ought to make clear what, if anything, is loose.
Sometimes the tendency with long vehicles is to oversteer because the response to steering inputs is rather more gradual than with a car. This is more commonly a difficulty where the driver's seat is over or in front of the front axle, as in many class A's. If you consciously try to make smaller corrections it might work out better. Needless to say, that doesn't in any way mean avoiding cranking the wheel over hard when navigating a parking lot or making a sharp turn, but rather more applies to the little corrections when cruising down the road to keep in the correct spot in the lane.
(Like tatest, I also drive a Fit in addition to my motorhome. When going from the motorhome to the Fit, it takes a mile or two before I adjust and stop nearly swerving into the ditch on the slightest of curves. There's a very big difference in the steering rate between the two vehicles!)
However, if there is actual play in the steering, the stabilizer isn't going to correct that problem. You'd have to either adjust or replace the steering box and/or tie rod ends, most likely, or some suspension bushings. A bit of staring at things while wiggling the steering wheel ought to make clear what, if anything, is loose.
Sometimes the tendency with long vehicles is to oversteer because the response to steering inputs is rather more gradual than with a car. This is more commonly a difficulty where the driver's seat is over or in front of the front axle, as in many class A's. If you consciously try to make smaller corrections it might work out better. Needless to say, that doesn't in any way mean avoiding cranking the wheel over hard when navigating a parking lot or making a sharp turn, but rather more applies to the little corrections when cruising down the road to keep in the correct spot in the lane.
(Like tatest, I also drive a Fit in addition to my motorhome. When going from the motorhome to the Fit, it takes a mile or two before I adjust and stop nearly swerving into the ditch on the slightest of curves. There's a very big difference in the steering rate between the two vehicles!)
