New Class C owner stability control??

[stew9483]

Just got back from my first trip in our NEW Thor Chateau 31E Motorhome and I must say there were a few white knuckle experiences. It was rather windy the first day. So I have went and purchased a Roadmaster Reflex steering stabilizer and a Hellwig rear sway bar hoping this will help out a lot. Have any of you tried these products on your Class C? They came highly recommended and I want to enjoy this RV not be scared to drive it. We bought it to head across country and to enjoy the camping life style again. We had a travel trailer back in the 90's and loved it. Now the kids are grown and its our time. Hope to get these installed next week before our next trip.

[stew9483]

That cool to know someone close by. Glad you are liking yours. We love ours.

[wbwood]

stew9483 wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. I am use to pulling travel trailers so yes the MH is a new beast for me. On my way home I handled it a lot better but it did take some getting use to. My tire pressure is around 65-70. I plan on getting the unit weighed soon to determine correct pressure for each axle. Was also hoping that by going with the steering stabilizer and the rear sway bar it would help with the passing 18 wheeler s and cross winds. I love this new motorhome. This newbee just has a lot to learn. lol. Thanks again for all the comments.

Hey, I'm right down the road from you in Troutman. We have a Chateau 31L.

We haven't had any issues as you noted with ours. We had a 35' TT before that we pulled with an F250 Crew Cab. The motorhome is a much nicer experience. Do we get push from an 18 wheeler? Yes, but very little. Compared to the TT that is. Also, are you towing something?

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

When we bought our new 2004 C on an E-450 chassis, our dealer specifically explained that the alignment done at the factory is done on the EMPTY chassis. Once you load up your RV, you change those specs dramatically. And he was right - our C was "floaty", the steering felt unresponsive with wide swings, on our local county roads as we drove it home. It was almost scary.

But he also had said to load it up like we were going on a big vacation (full fuel, half-tank of freshwater; lots of gear/food/etc) and then take it and have it realigned. $67 later - the difference in handling was stunning!! Rock-solid, it drove like a family van. We never did any other steering modifications. It drove solidly through 35 mph crosswinds, being passed by big trucks on 2-lane roads, and down twisty, rough, country roads. It drove as solid and tight, 50,000 miles later, as it did right after the re-alignment.

[mredneck]

I have just moved over to a Class C from Travel Trailers. I noticed some walking on the front end when it was empty and I drove it home. Loaded for camping it drives much better. I will get it weighed in a couple of weeks and then change my tire pressure accordingly. this is some great information.

[stew9483]

Just had my Roadmaster front steering stabilizer installed and the Hellwig rear sway bar. I must say it made a huge difference. I also pumped my tires to 70 psi in the front and 75 psi in the rear. Drives a lot better with out all the waggle. I can get use to this.

[j-d]

Ford uses "Swing Axles" under their trade name "Twin I-Beam." Chevy uses double-wishbone like most cars used to use. That design keeps the wheels more vertical when the chassis is raised.

Ford looks like this

[ron_dittmer]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

ntar827 wrote:
It appears that the comments are from owners of C's on a Ford chassis.

Are the problems also there with the Chevy?

Thanks

No, the Chevy based Class C does not have the same problems in stability that the Ford Based Class Cs have.

To learn more about Chevy Based Class Cs Just Click Here.

I read on this forum all the time how the handling issues are so much worse with the Ford compared to the Chevy/GM. I also read that the dimensions on the frame of the Ford are so much better than that of the Chevy. So why these handling differences?

In camp grounds, when I see the front of a Ford raised on hydraulic levelers, the front wheels are literally tucked underneath at a significant inward (pigeon-toe) angle. Does the Chevy do the same? If not, maybe this is the matter at hand. When the Ford front hits a bump, leans, etc, you then need steering correction.

[IAMICHABOD]

ntar827 wrote:
It appears that the comments are from owners of C's on a Ford chassis.

Are the problems also there with the Chevy?

Thanks

No, the Chevy based Class C does not have the same problems in stability that the Ford Based Class Cs have.

To learn more about Chevy Based Class Cs Just Click Here.

[ntar827]

It appears that the comments are from owners of C's on a Ford chassis.

Are the problems also there with the Chevy?

Thanks

[gotsmart]

j-d wrote:
Few men are more expert in RV driving/handling issues than the Henderson clan in Grants Pass Oregon. I made it a point to visit there and saw it as a pilgrimage, those guys are that good.

They install a lot of Roadmaster items and of course they make and install the Super Steer product line. I visited Hendersons Line Up and Super Steer while I was there, separate buildings at the same site. Oddly to me, they like the Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer. I would have expected them to carry Roadmaster's Reflex stabilizer but didn't get into discussion of why. John Henderson did alignments for years, and did the E-Series with the additional caster discussed so often here. 5* left and 5.5* right, left camber +1/4*, right camber 0* and just a little positive toe. He said adding an S-T-P unit to the front was equivalent to upping the caster. That surprised me, yet it seemed they're doing less caster changes and more S-T-P installs. Anyhow, Reflex should offer the same benefits as S-T-P. I can see where it might be a little harder to adjust since it uses one coil spring in a push/pull setup vs. two coils in S-T-P where one spring extends as the other compresses. Just remember what I said earlier: Any stabilizer with springs MUST be installed dead center, or it'll introduce a steering "pull" that wasn't there before.

Sounds familiar. It's what I have on my E450.
http://forums.goodsamclub.com/Index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26960889/gotomsg/26994178.cfm#26994178

[j-d]

Few men are more expert in RV driving/handling issues than the Henderson clan in Grants Pass Oregon. I made it a point to visit there and saw it as a pilgrimage, those guys are that good.

They install a lot of Roadmaster items and of course they make and install the Super Steer product line. I visited Hendersons Line Up and Super Steer while I was there, separate buildings at the same site. Oddly to me, they like the Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer. I would have expected them to carry Roadmaster's Reflex stabilizer but didn't get into discussion of why. John Henderson did alignments for years, and did the E-Series with the additional caster discussed so often here. 5* left and 5.5* right, left camber +1/4*, right camber 0* and just a little positive toe. He said adding an S-T-P unit to the front was equivalent to upping the caster. That surprised me, yet it seemed they're doing less caster changes and more S-T-P installs. Anyhow, Reflex should offer the same benefits as S-T-P. I can see where it might be a little harder to adjust since it uses one coil spring in a push/pull setup vs. two coils in S-T-P where one spring extends as the other compresses. Just remember what I said earlier: Any stabilizer with springs MUST be installed dead center, or it'll introduce a steering "pull" that wasn't there before.

[TXiceman]

First step is to weigh the rig in travel mode, all gear on board and adjust the tire pressure according to the load. Next, DO NOT carry more than 1/4 tank of fresh water on the road. The tank is most likely under the bed and back of the axle. This unloads the front axle and does not help steering at all. I think you will find that you are really close to the chassis weight limits.

Now while loaded fro travel, get the front end alignment set by a good truck suspension shop...not a Ford dealer.

Based on out experience with a 31' Minnie Winnie DL, the chassis does not have enough anti-roll bars or shocks to handle the load. Get some heavy duty Hellwig anti-roll bars with urethane bushings (both front and rear) and HD Bilstein shocks.

One step more is to put the Air Lift air springs on the front and rear.

With these changes, our Minnie Winnie was transformed from a difficult to drive to a pleasure to drive even in the wind. The "steering stabilizer" is a crutch and does nothing toward correcting the chassis problems.

Ken

[ron_dittmer]

Test driving a new show-room rig before buying will be a hit-or-miss when it comes to revealing handling issues. Once the rig is loaded with fresh water and all the rest, it will handle differently. But even then you won't know if the rig has handling issues until you get on the open road and then the environment around you changes for the worse. All is well until you experience a day full of gusting cross winds.

I advise to also upgrade your front stabilizer bar. Not just your rear bar. Having both front and rear stabilizer bars upgraded to "Heavy Duty" will help a lot. But understand that everything helps. There is no total cure. After-all, it is a huge box that winds will play with.

[Rick_Jay]

stew9483,

As a wild guess, I'd say that on a rig that size, tire pressures of 65-70 are way too low for the rear tires, and most likely too low for the front as well.

Make weighing it (loaded as you travel) a priority and adjust pressures accordingly. Then see what, if anything, else needs to be done. Always try the cheapest options first. 🙂

~Rick