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Jipo John · 10-27-2015, 01:22 AM

As a newbe to motor homes I am needing some information. I have a 2001 alpine 36 mdds as the new owner of this rig I took it on our maiden voyage from Nevada thru Oregon and into seattle,Wa. And back The wind was bad and a lot of the time was spent on two lane hiway,the wind and rumble strips kept me on my toes. The steering box feels tight the tires are almost new and shocks are good. I am thinking steering stabilizers, any input will be greatly appreciated. I have driven Big Rigs and owned them for 45 year and have never had a ride like this, even when hauling cattle with a air ride tractor and trailer.
Thank You John Telles

GraySeal65 · 10-27-2015, 05:55 AM

I put a Safe-t-plus stabilizer on mine, made a huge difference. but with a 20 mph cross wind it's still fun to drive. I found that opening the bed room windows a bit lets the wind pass through the bus and calms down that rear steer problem some.

If the wind is greater than 20 most folks stay where they are a while longer but not being retired that isn't an option for me so sometimes back roads are the option.

Birddog Pilot · 10-27-2015, 06:42 PM

Perhaps on a Bounder, or other coaches, the stabilizer might improve the handling, but I tried the Safe-T-Plus for a little over 4000 miles, hated it and removed it, a total waste of time and money.
Sure, it makes the coach go straight, as it is designed to do, but the actual steering becomes much stiffer. Maneuvering becomes a full time job on winding and switchback roads as the STP attempts to make the coach go straight. Even lengthly curves became noticeably annoying with the STP.
I also felt that the stabilizer placed too much resistance on the power steering system. I say this because after considerable maneuvering on mountain and coastal winding roads here in California I found that the power steering unit began to make what sounded like fluid cavitation noise when large steering inputs were initiated. At the beginning of a route segment when the steering components were cold there would be no unusual noises, but after the system had warmed to operating temperature, and under continuous large steering inputs, then the fluid noise was constant and very noticeable. At the end of that 4000 mile trip the STP was removed. We are now about to complete another lengthy trip, without the STP, and all steering charactericts have returned to normal with a complete absence of any fluid transfer noise. I definitely feel the STP places way too much resistence and working loads on the power steering system, and may indeed do more harm than good.
One of the delights of owning an Alpine is the outstanding handling characteristics. I do not believe the STP will do anything to enhance these already superb qualities.

jetar · 10-29-2015, 07:22 PM

Of course we all have our opinions and results. I put the stabilizer on in 2005 after a front right blow out and taking 200 feet of guard rail out!! My experience is not similar to Bird dog. There is some resistance, small, IMO, on turning, but the adjustment is critical. If the stabilizer is not correctly adjusted the coach will tend to not go in a straight line. I would not go without it and we generally travel on 2 lane highways. I have at least 100,000 miles on the coach with the stabilizer.