Ye ole steering wander problem...
This question/comments is in regard to a 2017 Thor Freedom Elite 29FE. The problem is the old story of steering wander. I’ve had the wheels balanced and the front end aligned. I tried to get the align...
Forum Discussion
j-d has it right.
But if you are like me, degrees of caster and all that tech-talk becomes over-whelming. So here is my plain and simple story about our rig "Wandering" all over the road.
When we bought our 2007 E350 chassis motor home brand new, it handled like a drunken sailor. A few months later, I took the rig fully loaded as if ready to leave home for a trip, to our local truck suspension shop HERE. George at Champion Frame Align recommended the following which I agreed to having Champion do.
- rear heavy duty Roadmaster stabilizer bar
- front heavy duty Roadmaster stabilizer bar
- front Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer
- heavy duty Koni-RV adjustable shock absorbers set to the strongest setting
- rear Henderson trac bar
- front wheel alignment which required offset bushings.
The difference went from a drunken sailor to a stead-as-she-goes experience. I went from two hands clinging to the steering wheel compensating constantly, to one hand gently holding it steady. Driving it for the past 10 years since the work was done, has been a real pleasure. My wife and I both enjoy driving, even with trucks passing, reasonably uneven road surfaces, and the occasional side blast of wind.
If I had it to do over again back in 2007, I would have gone with the heavy duty Bilstein shocks because I still get a little front end up/down porpoising action because our rig is light up front and heavy behind the rear axle. Today because they are now available, I would consider the Koni-FSD-RV shocks.
But if you are like me, degrees of caster and all that tech-talk becomes over-whelming. So here is my plain and simple story about our rig "Wandering" all over the road.
When we bought our 2007 E350 chassis motor home brand new, it handled like a drunken sailor. A few months later, I took the rig fully loaded as if ready to leave home for a trip, to our local truck suspension shop HERE. George at Champion Frame Align recommended the following which I agreed to having Champion do.
- rear heavy duty Roadmaster stabilizer bar
- front heavy duty Roadmaster stabilizer bar
- front Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer
- heavy duty Koni-RV adjustable shock absorbers set to the strongest setting
- rear Henderson trac bar
- front wheel alignment which required offset bushings.
The difference went from a drunken sailor to a stead-as-she-goes experience. I went from two hands clinging to the steering wheel compensating constantly, to one hand gently holding it steady. Driving it for the past 10 years since the work was done, has been a real pleasure. My wife and I both enjoy driving, even with trucks passing, reasonably uneven road surfaces, and the occasional side blast of wind.
If I had it to do over again back in 2007, I would have gone with the heavy duty Bilstein shocks because I still get a little front end up/down porpoising action because our rig is light up front and heavy behind the rear axle. Today because they are now available, I would consider the Koni-FSD-RV shocks.
