Suspension Improvements?

[nseaver]

We recently added Safe-T-Plus steering control and front and rear sway bars to our 2016 Bay Star 3004. These were great improvements and made a huge difference in handling on the highway! We still have a little more bounce than we would like. For additional ride quality, should we add springs or shocks or both?

[edgray]

Suggest you visit the Ford chassis forum and read about the "CHF"

[DenverTransplant]

New bigger sway bars do the same thing the CHF does. Additional things to consider

Replace OEM Bilstein shocks with Koni FSD's (got rid of the porpoising the coach would do over bridge expansion joints, pavement joints and other bumps in the road)

Install a rear track bar (biggest improvement for me - got rid of almost all of the push from passing trucks)

SumoSprings to remove sway even above what sway bars do. I haven't done this yet, but its on the wish list.

[nseaver]

DenverTransplant - We did see a big improvement with the addition of the sway bars and steering control. We hadn't considered a track bar, can you explain the difference between the sway bar and the rear track bar? This is our first MH and we love it, but a year and a half later, we're still learning what we need! Seems to be no end to the wish list!

[OHMikeandKay]

We're picking up a 2018 Bay Star 3124 next week and I'm conversing with the shop right now. He's only familiar with Sumo springs for improvement. Roadmaster track bar isn't available from his supplier. What's a recommended brand? I'd rather have the MH set up to enjoy immediately OR should this type of improvement be done at a Ford truck shop?

Thanks,
Kay

[sedaliaterry]

I have done (in order):

• Safe-T-Plus
• CHF
• Added front and addition rear Road Master Sway Bars
• Koni FSD's (Really smoothed the bumps out)
• Trac-Bar
• Sumo springs front and back.

Did all the work DIY (except rear Sumo's cause I don't like taking the big 22's off myself), to save $$ (picking up useful tools with some of the savings).

Rig drives nice and solid. We came back from a fishing trip last Sunday in strong winds towing our 18ft boat. Coming up I-25 from Colorado Springs to Castle Rock, I was following another Class A gasser in the right lane doing 60-65mph.

Daughter asked why is that RV in front of us crabbing so hard and wiggling so much. I told her he was fighting the wind hard, trying to steer into it. While I could feel some of the gusts hit our rig, I was not being pushed. Big difference from 1st white-knuckle experience the wife and I had in the wind.

While I still respect the wind and do not drop my guard, I no longer pucker. Some shorter rigs like mine seem to be affected more by wind handling or big trucks going by (which I do not feel at all anymore).

Having been pushed uncontrolled off the road by a gust, caused me to start stepping through the upgrade paths to try and get a handle on it. As stated, it is suggested to try the CHF 1st (after the Steering Stabilizer). For some, this has solved all issues and for others, they claim no issues to begin with. Not the case for me...

[Stuart W]

Originally Posted by nseaver

We recently added Safe-T-Plus steering control and front and rear sway bars to our 2016 Bay Star 3004. These were great improvements and made a huge difference in handling on the highway! We still have a little more bounce than we would like. For additional ride quality, should we add springs or shocks or both?

Take a look at this I have a description of sway bars and track bars
Cheap Handling Fix
http://www.irv2.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4210654

[DenverTransplant]

Originally Posted by nseaver

DenverTransplant - We did see a big improvement with the addition of the sway bars and steering control. We hadn't considered a track bar, can you explain the difference between the sway bar and the rear track bar? This is our first MH and we love it, but a year and a half later, we're still learning what we need! Seems to be no end to the wish list!

The sway bar provides a force to resist leaning. A track bar locks the axle to the frame. Newer F-53’s have a track bar on the front but not the back. That big box sits on a pair of leaf springs that allow the box to be pushed relative to the frame, and is then no longer parallel to the frame. The tail then wags the dog and the rest of the coach goes along for the ride. Our ACE has all of the tanks behind the real axle so the weight made things worse.

The rear track bar locks things down. You still can get a little push, but it’s not amplified by springs. Best thing we did as we aren’t getting pushed off the road any more. Also helps in high winds. You still get a push you have to correct for, but the back end isn’t waggling

[vsheetz]

Endure all the standard stuff is as it should be. Alignment, etc. Tire pressures set by weight.

Then a steering stabilizer, CHF, and rear track bar. These will have the biggest impact.

After all the above - evaluate if you think you need to spend any more money. I stopped at this point on a previous coach with F53 as I was satisfied with the rude and handling.

YMMV. IMHO.

[FLJOE]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Endure all the standard stuff is as it should be. Alignment, etc. Tire pressures set by weight.

Then a steering stabilizer, CHF, and rear track bar. These will have the biggest impact.

After all the above - evaluate if you think you need to spend any more money. I stopped at this point on a previous coach with F53 as I was satisfied with the rude and handling.

YMMV. IMHO.

On our previous coach (38' gas with F-53 suspension), I ended up with these steps to improve handling:
1) Weighed coach and adjusted psi
2) Front end alignment, it needed it.
3) CHF
4) Safe-T Plus installed at their factory.
5) Sumos all around.

When all was said and done we had spent just under $1,800 on modifications/adjustments. Prior to taking these steps it was almost impossible to drive our 2015 rig in cross winds of 20mph or greater. After all the mods we could easily travel in those conditions. However, with winds of 25mph and greater it could still be a challenge at times. The F-53 suspension will never handle like a DP.

[M8tor]

A lot of good information has already been passed along. I looks like you already addressed two important things which are sway and steering stability. You would now like to address the excessive bounce (or porpoising). We recently had the same concern and replaced the shocks all the way around. That helped a great deal. You will see a lot of recommendations for Koni shocks. We went with after market Bilstein shocks and are very happy with the result.

The three main suspension concerns are:
Sway - helped by CHF, bigger sway bars, or Sumo Springs
Tail Wagging - helped by installing a track bar.
Bounce (Porpoising) - helped by new shocks. I imagine Sumo springs would help here as well since they attach to both frame and axle. Might mask the need for new shocks though.

Good luck!

[brucemcdou]

Originally Posted by M8tor

A lot of good information has already been passed along. I looks like you already addressed two important things which are sway and steering stability. You would now like to address the excessive bounce (or porpoising). We recently had the same concern and replaced the shocks all the way around. That helped a great deal. You will see a lot of recommendations for Koni shocks. We went with after market Bilstein shocks and are very happy with the result.

Good luck!

NSeaver - I second (or third?) the recommendation to replace the OEM shocks with Koni FSDs. Our previous coach was a gas Class A on a short Workhorse chassis. Our first upgrade was to replace the shocks and wow, what a difference. We expected it to smooth out the bumps/bounce, but it also went a long way to controlling the roll and sway. We did eventually add rear anti-sway bar and Safe-T-Steer but nothing made as noticeable a difference as the shocks.

[Longshot308]

The biggest bang for our buck was installing Sumo Springs on the front only. It's not hard to do and takes just a couple of hours. It really improved the front end bounce. The coach is much more controlled when pulling out of gas stations, not as much body roll. I have not yet added a steering stabilizer, plan to in the Fall. I have on order the Koni shocks, front only. The rear rides fine in mho and the front is where we ride. Good luck