Steering has lite feeling

[WA7NDD]

Bought low mileage V-10 1998 Four Winds 22rk last September with 36K miles on it. It was very clean, the outside fiber glass shined, new oil, and everything in the house worked. Took it on a 250 mile trip right away. The only thing I could find that bothered me is the steering feels very lite, as if there is not weight on the front wheels.

Have and appointment next month to have the V-10 flushed, water hoses replaced, serpentine belt replaced, new thermostat, fuel filter, and shocks replaced. I bought new Bilstine heavy duty shocks on line. If the steering is still lite I'll have the caster set to the +5 range. If that does not work I'll install a steering stabilizer. The steering bothers me the most because of 18 wheelers sucking on me as they past.

Anyone have this really lite feeling to the steering as if there is little weight on the front end?

[jadatis]

I once read of that you have to have at least 30% of the total weight on the front axle.
After weighing you can calculate that percentage, or put it in my motorhome tire pressure calculator.

Or give the details here of tires and weiged loads , then I will do it for you and give a picture of the filled in spreadsheet.
If you then also give GAWR's and GVWR, I can make the picture complete, and it gives also weightdivision, used percentage of gawr etc.

For the suction when a truck passes you can also keep as right as possible , if then the Truck keeps as left as possible the suction is less.

First you have to weigh the motorhome in the way you drive it, so fully loaded.
There are ways , even with a normal truck-weigt scale to measure per wheel( pair). And seperate wheel(pair) weighing would be the best.
This is by driving over the scale with only one side of the vehicle , if there is enaug space besides it.

Then substact that wheelweight from the first measured axleweight to get the other side of the axle.

But with a large overhanging motorhome, the front gets lifted up and with that the alignment chanches , so new alignment should be done fully loaded too.

My opinion is that you should first weigh and get the pressure right.
And it might prove to be enaug, and you dont have to chanche anything else.

But dont use the pressure/loadcapacity lists the tire makers give in America , they lead to to much deflection in the lower loads , wich you will probably need. That is why they stop going lower at a sertain point ( most 75% of maxloadpressure) and for verry low loads it would even give to high pressure, And you still experiënce to light stearing.
The light stearing is mainly courced by the low gripp because of the high pressure for the load.
Also before looking in list add 10% to the weight for reserve.
Then use my made lists wich take care that the deflection stays the same over the whole range , and so allows to go verry low in the pressure.

[bob_nestor]

I had a similar problem with absolutely no road feel in the steering in a new 2005 E350 Class B. Driving it was a bit like playing a video game. It was replaced with another new 2005 E350 after being totaled by an 18 wheeler. The second one didn't have the steering problems the first one had. I talked with an engineer who used to work for Ford and he told me that the problem could have been a feedback issue in the steering loop in the computer. He said it could be fixed with a firmware adjustment by a Ford dealer.

[TyroneandGladys]

Before spending money look at the simple basic stuff that is less than 10 dollars. Load it up as if for a trip full gas water tanks etc. and go get it weighed minimums or front axle and rear axle. Get a tire pressure chart and set the pressure= for the weight you have. Second if your front axle is not at least 75% of the rated weight you are to light. Readjust your load till you get to that percentage. Weight behind the rear axle takes weight off the front axle. Then if you still have the problem start spending some money,

[WA7NDD]

Thank you for all your comments. It all helps. I am 70 and had some physical problems about five years ago that keeps me from crawling around on the ground. I did back the MH out today and drove it around. I happened to be standing in front of it some thirty feet and noticed there is a steering stabilizer. I got a mirror and looked at it. Looks like original most likely 16 years old so it will be replaced also. We have a big truck alignment shop in Idaho Falls so I'll take it there after everything is change out per my original post. There are several scales around also, farming community, so I get that done also.
Thank You again, to all.

[Harvard]

WA7NDD wrote:
.....
If the steering is still lite I'll have the caster set to the +5 range
.....

Yes, yes, yes. 🙂

[Desert_Captain]

Don't beat yourself up about feeling those 18 wheelers when they blow by you. The simple physics is that an 18 wheeler passing you at 75 or 80 (yes, I live in Arizona), is pushing a huge bow wave of wind. There is nothing you can or should do to your rig to change that. About all you can and should do is pay more attention to that left mirror and simply anticipate a bit of a blow as they pass. I don't always see them coming (but I should), and even when they surprise me it is just a puff, nothing that is going to drive me to the shoulder.

I have a 2011 E-350 chassis and it rides and drives like a dream. Seems like most of the handling problems are found on the E-450's on the larger/longer C's. I have no plans to make any changes but we have lots of unused payload available. I have 3368# of payload and loaded for a typical trip are 1500# under that. :C

[Oldme]

The advice that Headbasket above is exactly what I found
with my 2000 E450 24' Class C.

I had the brake system redone by a local independent truck center that opened it's shop in 1970. The owner checked everything and said I overinflated the tires at 80 PSI. He adjusted them downwards. Perfect handling after that.

I contacted the tire manufacturer and they advised that without a 4 corner scale weight, they would not recommend any tire PSI settings. I still have to do that.

The problem was the tire only had a center footprint and not the whole tread
making contact.

So far 72 PSi has worked well on the front.

[DUNEBUGGYDOUG]

Most of these problems, but not all, are because of light front end.Just to check it out I took stuff out of rear storage and put concrete blocks in front storage bins.Before doing this I had front end rebuilt/aligned, installed Bilstein shocks, Hellwig sway bars front and rear and still had a problem.J-D , who is pretty sharp on these things, suggested lowering air pressure , which I did and it helped some .Weigh your rig and base your tire pressure on the weight , not what is stamped on the tires.Mine is a 1998 31 footer with a lot of rear overhang and not much storage place up front so I basically have the same problem as apparently we all do .Hope this helps you a little bit .Hang on

[Handbasket]

Start with front tire pressures. If you're running the "80 psi" so often quoted 'because it says so on the sidewall', you're running too much air. But since I don't own a Ford, I'll let others comment on the correct amount.

Jim, "Doesn't expecting the unexpected make it the expected?"

[ron_dittmer]

You are on track to resolve your floating motor home, a very good first attack.

If not already upgraded by the previous owner, I suggest you consider a heavy duty front stabilizer bar.....and the rear bar too. They will help with the trucks passing, cross winds, and you taking on hair-pin turns in mountains and canyons. They'll improve your braking in such turns, keeping all tires firmly planted on the road to help slow down. It's an affordable "safety and comfort" improvement.

[carringb]

Have you driven other Ford trucks from the same era? I only ask because Ford used to over-boost the steering on all trucks, until 2005 in the F-series and 2008 for the E-series, so the "light" feel may be normal. Aside from that, both a scale check and alignment check would be good places to start. Ford says a minimum of 32% of the rig's total loaded weight must be on the front axle.

[donn0128]

Two possible problems, The first one is likely the cause. Too much weight on or behind the rear axle. This will unload the front axle causing you problem. The other possibility is front end alignment. With it loaded like your going on a trip get it to the scales and find out for sure.