Steering stabilizer

[MURPHY55347]

I used to have a class A gas motorhome and switched to class C. Now going back to class A. Steering on the class C has a much tighter on center feel and you don't find yourself sawing the wheel back and forth to go in a straight line like on the class A. Will a steering stabilizer help? Does the stabilizer make it more difficult to maneuver at slow speeds like backing into a campsite? I see there are several different types. Shock absorber, spring, and electronic. Right now I would lean toward a Safe T Plus mainly based on cost and functionality. What advice can you offer?

[Harvard]

Tyre Inflation vs Handling

This is just a theory:

When the pressure in a tyre is reduced the contact patch is enlarged. The total dynamics of the rolling tyre start where the “rubber hits the road”. As such one half of the increase in the contact patch length is added to the mechanical trail there by increasing the straight line stability in the same manner as increasing the caster angle.

(Mechanical Trail is the moment arm between the steering pivot point (fore) and the center of the contact patch (aft))

[MURPHY55347]

We will be picking up the new motorhome on Tuesday. Thanks for all the info in general and specifically regarding the steering stabilizer. In doing some research on the chassis it turns out it should already have front and rear stabilizer bars as well as a front track bar. This is according to a Ford commercial chassis spec sheet. This makes me more optimistic that even if it doesn't handle well right of the bat I will have a few less things to do to make it right.

[rgatijnet1]

I use the Blue-OX adjustable steering stabilizer. It allows me to push a button on the dash to adjust it while driving on different road conditions. With a fixed steering stabilizer, it may work fine on some roads and may not work as well on other roads or wind conditions.

[Goldencrazy]

The steering stabilizer is also a safety feature. In heavy winds it really helps. Torsion bar based are my preference like Roadmaster. The Blue Ox Trucenter is pricey but seems to be a nice oprion to ease driving fatique.

[George_Beggs]

I found that if I put the maximum weight on the front axle the motorhome traveled true and straight. Also don't fill the water tank more than half full.

[neilnbe]

If you want it to drive MUCH better put in a REAR Trac bar like the one from Henderson Line up or something similar (no I don't work for them or sell their products). It doesn't sound right but generally the sawing back and forth your feeling is actually the rear end. The front safe t plus in the front will help but typically won't make that big of a difference. Before the current rig we have now, we had the F53. I did all of the chassis mods to try and get it drive able. Did the shocks, the front safe t plus, weighed, front end alignment etc. It helped, but the rear Trac bar is what made the most improvement. The rear Trac bar was at least twice the improvement of all the others combined. It was immediately night and day. Driving with one hand was no problem with or without a toad. If all your after is to have the wheel come back to center when you let go of the wheel then the safe t plus (or something like it) is good. But if you want it to drive and handle better, then the rear Trac bar is it.

[phil-t]

MURPHY55347 wrote:
I don't want to get hung up on the aspects of a good alignment. I know about the cheap handling fix, sway bars, track bars weighing the coach and proper tire inflation. What I am trying to fix is the inherent sloppy on center feel of the steering wheel that seems to be present on all F53 chassis. That's why I would like to limit this conversation to steering stabilizers and if people feel it has any impact on the sloppiness and what type work best.

So, are you saying that all of those items mentioned have been checked and/or adjusted on your coach? Because many of them can cause the problem you want to correct. Most steering stabilizers have some sort of spring arrangement to bring the steering back to center if it is moved off. They may, or may not help your particular issue.

[Harvard]

Quote: What I am trying to fix is the inherent sloppy on center feel of the steering wheel that seems to be present on all F53 chassis
End Quote:

Too little P O S I T I V E C A S T E R 🙂

[MURPHY55347]

I don't want to get hung up on the aspects of a good alignment. I know about the cheap handling fix, sway bars, track bars weighing the coach and proper tire inflation. What I am trying to fix is the inherent sloppy on center feel of the steering wheel that seems to be present on all F53 chassis. That's why I would like to limit this conversation to steering stabilizers and if people feel it has any impact on the sloppiness and what type work best.

[phil-t]

garyemunson wrote:
F-53s will not track very well unless the toe-in is set correctly. Loose front end parts also contribute to wander. If the grease boy doesn't understand that kingpins need grease, those will wear quickly. When the toe-in is set properly, tires will wear on the outer edge a little (generally enough to necessitate replacing the front tires before the rear). The price of admission for big truck tracking straight. Front end techs that aren't familiar with long chassis with straight axle adjustment will try taking off some of the toe-in to help with the tire wear. Boom. Wandering motorhome.

So, what's your recomendation for toe setting on the F53? Factory says ZERO. I believe in a little toe but hesitate to change from the recommendation. It's also set where a reputable chassis shop put it, changed from 1/8" IN to 0. They found no problems with the chassis, as far as wear goes. This did not seem to change the "wander" I have now, and before the alignment; even in calm, smooth surface conditions. I do not believe it is me doing it with steering corrections, as some suggest. Been driving for a lot of years and think I recognize an alignment issue when I encounter it.

[garyemunson]

F-53s will not track very well unless the toe-in is set correctly. Loose front end parts also contribute to wander. If the grease boy doesn't understand that kingpins need grease, those will wear quickly. When the toe-in is set properly, tires will wear on the outer edge a little (generally enough to necessitate replacing the front tires before the rear). The price of admission for big truck tracking straight. Front end techs that aren't familiar with long chassis with straight axle adjustment will try taking off some of the toe-in to help with the tire wear. Boom. Wandering motorhome.

[doxiemom11]

We have the Saf T Plus on our Class A Ford V10 chassis. We also did the cheap handling fix on both front and rear.

[Harvard]

A unit that wanders may need more positive caster.

POPULAR MECHANICS MAY 1973:
START QUOTE:
If too little caster exists, the car will wander and weave,
thus necessitating constant corrections in steering.
END QUOTE:

There are at least two ways to increase the effective
runtime caster (see Self Aligning Torque):

1. Decrease the tire inflation pressure to the required
minimum for load (to increase Pneumatic Trail), and or

2. Increase the caster angle during an alignment
(to increase caster trail).

[enblethen]

I would suggest first thing to do is get a good alignment. The new chassis is aligned without a body. Once body is installed and then your ready for the road supplies changes the rig's configuration.
Make sure rig is weighed to insure tire pressures are correct.
Once these items are done see how it handles for you.