sway bar and steer safe

[bferrara]

I have a ford f-53 chasis with steer safe. is it possible or necessary to add a sway bar or does the sway bar attach to the steering assembly the steer safe is already attached to.

[Gjac]

I have had the Steer Safe on my MH for 10 years and 80k miles. I always thought that it improved the ride but it was installed when I bought the MH. I had a accident where the steer safe was destroyed on the left hand side and I drove home from Oh to Ct with the springs removed on the right after the front end was rebuilt. I felt no difference without the Steer safe, it drove the same as before with one hand.

[phnguyk]

lonewolf80 wrote:
Answering my own question, lol, I'm confusing the Steer Safe to the Safety Steer steering stabilizer. That's the comparison to Roadmaster. I do know the difference that Steer Safe brings to the game. Duh on me!

My parents recently installed the steer safe on their axis 24.1. It's what I plan on installing on our f53 class A soon. It really tightened up their steering.




http://www.steersafe.com

[lonewolf80]

Answering my own question, lol, I'm confusing the Steer Safe to the Safety Steer steering stabilizer. That's the comparison to Roadmaster. I do know the difference that Steer Safe brings to the game. Duh on me!

[lonewolf80]

Just wondering if everyone that has either already installed the Steer Safe or plan on buying one made a comparison to the Roadmaster steering stabilizer. From what I can tell they do the same thing, constructed the same though the RM has the spring exposed, but the Roadmaster is around $200 less. I went with the Roadmaster because they have a good reputation and the savings. Just wondering.

[PCronin68]

I installed a Henderson rear trac bar that made some improvements on by 2014 Bounder 34b but i will be installing a steer safe before my next long trip.

[flyfishingfool]

I put a steer safe,front and rear roadmaster sway bars and a Henderson rear trac bar it made a huge difference on our bounder 36R

[Effy]

10forty2 wrote:
Hmmm, I just assumed that all the F53 chassis headed for motorhome factories came standard with front and rear anti-sway bars already installed. Seems like it would almost HAVE to be standard on heavy truck chassis regardless of where they headed after they left the chassis factory. In essence, they are just big torsion springs that keep side-to-side body roll at bay.

With that said, if you DON'T have anti-sway bars (not track bars...there's a difference) already installed I would HIGHLY recommend installing front and rear anti-sway bars with poly bushings.

To answer your question on the Steer-Safe, I feel pretty sure that installing an anti-sway bar wouldn't interfere with it. I don't have one on my coach, but best I can tell from the videos showing their installation, the Steer-Safe and Safe-T Steer and others like it connect onto/between the steering linkage and to the frame to dampen sudden jerks to the steering linkage from road hazards or blowouts....just like shock-absorbers do to reduce up and down bounce from the road.

The F-53 comes with sway bars, but they are always set in the loosest position and have to be adjusted (CHF). In lighter Mh's they do Ok but heavier ones need a more robust set. There are no track bars or safe-t-steers to mitigate bump-steer. And forget about the springs and shocks. They do a poor job of smoothing things out. The F-53 transmits every road imperfection to the coach. IMHO I would much rather MH manufacturers order chassis without any of the stock springs, shocks, sway bars etc, and put decent sets on based on the needs of the coach. Fine if they bump the price, most folks spend a lot more doing it aftermarket anyway. These things should be options.

[10forty2]

Hmmm, I just assumed that all the F53 chassis headed for motorhome factories came standard with front and rear anti-sway bars already installed. Seems like it would almost HAVE to be standard on heavy truck chassis regardless of where they headed after they left the chassis factory. In essence, they are just big torsion springs that keep side-to-side body roll at bay.

With that said, if you DON'T have anti-sway bars (not track bars...there's a difference) already installed I would HIGHLY recommend installing front and rear anti-sway bars with poly bushings.

To answer your question on the Steer-Safe, I feel pretty sure that installing an anti-sway bar wouldn't interfere with it. I don't have one on my coach, but best I can tell from the videos showing their installation, the Steer-Safe and Safe-T Steer and others like it connect onto/between the steering linkage and to the frame to dampen sudden jerks to the steering linkage from road hazards or blowouts....just like shock-absorbers do to reduce up and down bounce from the road.

[bferrara]

thank you all very very much. spoke to roadmaster and they recommended adding the rear first. I didn't realize that until I posted here. thanks again.

[lonewolf80]

Effy, I think because of the lack of competition and a relatively small market for Ford in their grand scheme of things makes them reluctant or care to much about upgrading the ride and handling of the F53. Funny when I bought my first RV, a 2000 Allegro with the older chassis, someone asked me how's it drive? My response was if you have ever driven any Ford truck that's how it drives. IMHO I think its part of Fords DNA to build loose chassis' and steering boxes.

[Effy]

For the relatively small price considering what you pay for a MH, why don't they come standard? Most complaints about gassers are the ride and handling of the F53. Tons of posts on fixes and remedies. Manufacturers should make this stuff standard or at least options. Since we all pay to have this stuff done after market, I am sure most of us would love to pay a little more when we buy to have it ride right when we buy them. Be curious to see if the new workhorse rides any better. I'm typically a ford man but I'd look at a WH if it rode better and quieter off the shelf.

[wolfe10]

phnguyk wrote:
Yeah if you dont have one you can add it. Also look into a rear track bar really tightens the steering up.

Agree. A rear track bar is where I would start.

[phnguyk]

Yeah if you dont have one you can add it. Also look into a rear track bar really tightens the steering up.

[WyoTraveler]

The front anti sway bar on the F53 already gets replaced when upgrading. Doesn't have anything to do with steering. I have steer safe and like it. I also upgraded my front anti sway with Roadmaster. Works well for me. My F53 is a 2013 MH on a 2012 chassis.