Community Forums

VACMAN · 02-08-2009, 02:42 PM

In 2008 the DSDP had the comfort drive without an adjustment knob. In 2009 they put an adjustment knob on them. Have anyone drove models? and if you have can you tell much differece in the two?......VACMAN

Route 66 · 02-08-2009, 02:52 PM

I've driven both.

The knob enables you to reduce the effect or assist of the Comfort Drive.

I prefer the maximum assist, so I left the knob at the max setting.

TheJazzMan · 02-08-2009, 02:59 PM

I drove an '08 Essex with Comfort Drive for 15 miles and was sold on the stability of the steering. I subsequently bought an '09 that has the adjustment knob and I'm glad that I did. I find that I adjust the resistance depending on the crosswind and road surface. Also, when manuevering in close quarters, I like to adjust it all the way down to 0. Most of the time I've kept it between 1 and 3. I find anything greater than 3 or so just makes the steering too stiff and I lose the feel of the road completely. I just checked and I currently have it set at 1 3/4. What I don't know is what setting (0 - 5) is comparable to the fixed setting on the '08. I'd guess 2 1/2 based on my driving experience.

VACMAN · 02-08-2009, 03:35 PM

Route66. Do you think the the one without the knob would be equal to the one with the knob on max?...Vacman

Route 66 · 02-08-2009, 03:41 PM

That is my understanding.

Jetsmania · 02-08-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Do you think the the one without the knob would be equal to the one with the knob on max?

Hi! When you say max, do you mean the easiest to steer, or hardest to steer? Paul

Route 66 · 02-09-2009, 03:34 AM

I've contacted Ken Sherwin, the TRW engineer who developed Comfort Drive, and asked him to post the straight scoop.

racer0624 · 02-09-2009, 03:38 AM

Randy, et al,
I also turn mine to 0 for campground or town driving and turn it up to 3+/- for more resistance at highway speeds.
I was told that the '07/'08 was equal to a 0 on the '09. I drove an '08 for about 50 miles and remember that it steered very easily.

KenSherwin · 02-09-2009, 04:37 AM

Let me clarify the controllable efforts a bit:

I just talked to Newmar and the current production coaches have an efforts scale running from 1 to 5. The prototypes had a scale from 1 to 6, but that does not affect the actual operation. The control does not affect the efforts while standing still because I don't think anybody wants to work hard at steering in a tight space.

If you set the control at the minimum setting of 1, it steers the lightest or easiest, and the efforts do not change as you speed up. Even though I think it is seriously light, I know some people who like it that way, so I'm happy for them.

If you set the control to maximum, the efforts will be the heaviest. I know some people who like it that way and I'm happy for them, too. I even know one family where he likes it the lightest and she likes it the heaviest, so they can both be happy. That must be the happy knob.

Excuse me. I get carried away sometimes.

Most people set it in the 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 range most of the time. The good news is that there's no wrong answer. You set it where it feels right for you right now. I know many people who start the day with it set fairly stiff (high number) and progressively lower it as the day wears on and the eggs & bacon wear off. Some like to stiffen it up in gusty wind with the theory that it holds center better, but others lighen it up in the same gusty wind with the theory that being lighter makes it easier to compensate when the wind blows them sideways. They're both right because it works for them.

There is also another way to use it that's my personal favorite. After driving a while and it's time to stop and walk around the coach to get the kinks out of my back, rather than stop like I KNOW that all of you do, I'll stiffen it all the way up, lean forward, and drive with my elbows on the wheel. You NEVER drive like that, do you? With the original ColumnDrive, the setting was too light to be comfortable driving with your elbows.

As a comparison, the original had the high speed setting about the equivelent of 1.8 on the 1 to 5 scale, so the adjustable one will go from half the effort of the original to 3 times the efforts. In other words, a bit lighter to a lot stiffer.

Did that clear it up any?

Jetsmania · 02-09-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Did that clear it up any?

Hi Ken! I think so.

For those of you who do not know Ken, he is the inventor of the Comfort Drive System. I prefer the 1.5 - 2 setting. Jill is always up around 5 when she drives. Paul