Cheap Handling Fix

[Lincolnut]

OK you can put me down as a beliver..........I made the CHF today and drove 250 miles with a 30 MPH side wind most of the way and trucks do not bother the roll of the Holiday Rambler and the wife said it was great so I am a Happy Camper (pun intended)..............

Thanks for the advise.............

Mike

[reubenray]

I am ready to do the CHF once my motorhome gets here. It ships this week. I checked and I have the 15 and 18 mm sockets and a bottle jack. I am debating on getting a cheap "crawler" to lay on. My driveway is concrete and has very little slope to it.

[marcusf]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I am ready to do the CHF once my motorhome gets here. It ships this week. I checked and I have the 15 and 18 mm sockets and a bottle jack. I am debating on getting a cheap "crawler" to lay on. My driveway is concrete and has very little slope to it.

I love my crawler. Safety glasses are a must. I got a pair with a bifocal reading lens and it makes it a real joy to roll around underneath. No more sliding around on the unpadded concrete.

Marc

[bdickson]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I am ready to do the CHF once my motorhome gets here. It ships this week. I checked and I have the 15 and 18 mm sockets and a bottle jack. I am debating on getting a cheap "crawler" to lay on. My driveway is concrete and has very little slope to it.

I followed Dunner's lead and went with a shade tree crawler. Readily available at the cardboard recycling dumpster.

[Dunner]

Actually, Dunner used a commercial moving blanket over 3/4" crushed rock and squirmed a lot. My cardboard wasn't big enough.

[jmckinley]

Commercial moving blankets are found in Dunner's attic. Section B, Row C

[Dunner]

Did you find the body yet?

[wyorancher]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I am ready to do the CHF once my motorhome gets here. It ships this week. I checked and I have the 15 and 18 mm sockets and a bottle jack. I am debating on getting a cheap "crawler" to lay on. My driveway is concrete and has very little slope to it.

I also torqued the bolts to 60 lbs. Back is piece of cake. In the front if you decide to change out hangers it is more difficult. The upper bolts are more difficult to reach. I needed a breaker bar on my socket wrench. I used the Helwig hangers. I also had to drill out the Helwig hangers to 15/32 because Ford bolts were larger.

[reubenray]

Fortunately I have my own mover's (uhaul) blankets in the attic to use.

I will check to see if I have anything to use for a cheater bar.

[wyorancher]

Originally Posted by reubenray

Fortunately I have my own mover's (uhaul) blankets in the attic to use.

I will check to see if I have anything to use for a cheater bar.

I have an impact wrench but afraid of breaking bolt off if they used red thread locker so did it by hand. I'm 75 & just slid on the concrete.

[jimlaurielucy]

How many of you have felt the need to add a rear trac bar after completion of the cheap handling fix?

[clyon51]

Originally Posted by jimlaurielucy

How many of you have felt the need to add a rear trac bar after completion of the cheap handling fix?

Have thought about it, but really see no need. I've been in some really heavy crosswinds and still drive one handed. In my case, if I ever added one, it would just be to see any difference.

[garykk]

I did the front first and then a trac bar, just did the rear but have not used the MH since. Will find out next week if there is any difference.

[TeJay]

Hello to all,
Back in 1999 we purchased a Dutch Star on the F-53 chassis. We sold it in 2010 and switched to TT's. Big mistake. When you drive a Mercedes and go back to a Chevy it becomes obvious. I sure wish somebody back at that time had done the CHF. I've read all but the last few pages of this thread. Many,many thanks to all who have posted and especially to the pioneers for this FIX. Anytime you can help people it has to feel good.

Now on with the show. We have ordered a 2014 Vista 30T and I've researched this forum for handling fixes for about 2 weeks. Back in 2000 I added the Bilstein shocks, Firestone air bags all around with a compressor and it helped a bunch. When we get the new coach probably in June or July I'll drive it home and perform the CHF. I don't know what Ford has done recently to the F-53 or for the current 2013 or 14 chassis on which our coach will be built.

To perhaps better understand what or how the CHF works lets think of the sway (or ant-isway) bar, as a torsion bar because that's exactly what it is. It operates like a long spring anchored at both ends, as goes through its twisting efforts when the coach hits road undulations and cross winds of all sorts. When a wind hits the side of the MH the bar twists. The twist stores energy in the bar which transfers to the opposite anchor point and that energy resists further twisting. When the anchor point is moved closer to the pivoting points, which are the bushings, it's like moving your hands 1/2 way down a ratchet then trying to loosen a stubborn bolt. If you move 1/2 way down the ratchet handle it takes twice as much energy to move the ratchet handle. That's what happens with the CHF. It takes more energy/effort to twist the torsion bar so the coach resists the movement to the side. This reduces coach movement or sway. Because the anchor points are attached to the coach frame and the energy is transferred to the torsion bar a suspension spring has been located so it can resist movement at right angles to the frame.

These are just my thoughts as I read, and read, and read post after post so I could get a handle on how this works. 35 years of explaining stuff like this and it's a difficult habit to break.

Thanks again to all who have contributed.

TeJay