Cheap Handling Fix

[Modela]

Originally Posted by Huck.hickson

On my 1st long trip since doing the fix. From melboune fl to stephen f austin sp, tx. The handling is great. Get very minor push from 18wheelers that is barely noticeable unless i am battling a crosswind also. Got beat to death on the corduroy parts of I-10 in LA but still a happy camper. Any ideas for smoothing the ride? My bottom knows how those drivers in the covered wagons must have felt.

I put Koni shocks on the front of mine. The old ones were worn out. Made a great improvement.

Huck, We try to please here in LA. If you think we don't have enough corduroy in our roads, just let us know and we will put more on our roads. (LOL) Before I replaced my front shocks I 220 just about beat me to death. It took about 90% of the rough ride out, but I can still feel the corduroy.

[CJ7ole]

I just finished my CHF yesterday, along with replacing one bad rear Koni shock. So far just a short trip to the storage yard, but I can already feel the difference. Front took ten minutes using the stock links, the rear a few hours, plus waiting for the Hellwig 7962 adjustable links to arrive. Stock links in the rear wouldn't work as the sway bar hit the differential. With the adjustable links, the angle between the bar and the links is now a perfect 90 degrees with the suspension loaded (not on jacks). I elected to reuse the Ford bolts/brackets but on two of them, the bushing was frozen to the bolt. I used a mini cutoff blade on my Dremel to split the bushing so I could get it off. First one took an hour to fuss with until I came up with the Dremel method, the second one was 10 minutes. As others did, I drilled out the new bushings to 15/32" to fit the Ford bolts.

I have an arbor press in my shop, so pressing the steel bushings into the poly bushings and then the poly bushings into the rod ends was a snap. A vice, or even a hammer probably would have worked. But, man, the lube they supply was more like a really sticky glue, nasty stuff. Sorry, no pics.

One issue I have, is that now I have a loud clunk under my feet when the front suspension flexes. I checked and don't see any interference, as all I did was move the rods to the rear holes so it is a bit of a mystery. Everything was torqued to 60 ft-lbs. The front and rear poly sway bar bushings looked to be in very good shape, so I didn't even consider changing them out.

[Dunner]

They're supposed to be 66 ft. lbs. It might a difference.

[D in Davie]

I finally had the CHF done for me. The service department at the 595 Truck Stop in Davie FL. did it for $123.21. It took them less than a hour. The only other fix I have done to this suspension was to replace the bushings on the rear sway bar with the blue poly ones. The factory bushings were gone with only 21,000 miles. I did that myself. I noticed a significant improvement with the CHF. The unit no longer leans going around a curve and seems to require less constant effort to keep it in the traffic lanes. The real test will come when I tow my toad vehicle behind my Baystar 3202. This model has the 208 inch wheelbase and it has a long section aft of the rear wheels. With the toad attached the extension behind the rear wheels it creates a lot of minor swaying from left to right. Driving with head and cross winds were a nightmare. I'm hoping this will reduce that problem. I leave in three weeks for a 2 month road trip up east so I'll give it a good work out and report further. I think this will be a good test of the CHF because I have done nothing else to the chassis.

[KSCRUDE]

Originally Posted by D in Davie

I finally had the CHF done for me. The service department at the 595 Truck Stop in Davie FL. did it for $123.21. It took them less than a hour. The only other fix I have done to this suspension was to replace the bushings on the rear sway bar with the blue poly ones. The factory bushings were gone with only 21,000 miles. I did that myself. I noticed a significant improvement with the CHF. The unit no longer leans going around a curve and seems to require less constant effort to keep it in the traffic lanes. The real test will come when I tow my toad vehicle behind my Baystar 3202. This model has the 208 inch wheelbase and it has a long section aft of the rear wheels. With the toad attached the extension behind the rear wheels it creates a lot of minor swaying from left to right. Driving with head and cross winds were a nightmare. I'm hoping this will reduce that problem. I leave in three weeks for a 2 month road trip up east so I'll give it a good work out and report further. I think this will be a good test of the CHF because I have done nothing else to the chassis.

You already have a front trac bar. I have the same wheelbase rig that you do. I added a rear trac bar and we pull a trailer and we have very little tail waggin the dog that you are experiencing. The CHF will not do a whole lot for this. It will tighten up the rocking and rolling sway but that's about it. A set of Koni shocks will help with your pounding on cracks and bridges. They are worth every Penney and make the rig smother and quieter. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

[Huck.hickson]

We have a thor ace 29.1 and got the chf done front and rear. We are towing a Fiat 4 down. We are currently on a trip from melbourne florida to helena montana. From San Antonio, to Flagstaff, the winds have been vicious. Still wrestle the coach but the difference is i still feel in control. Passing trucks are barely noticed unless i am in the middle of a wind gust and suddenly the break the wind.

[clyon51]

Originally Posted by Huck.hickson

Passing trucks are barely noticed unless i am in the middle of a wind gust and suddenly the break the wind.

When I break the wind I only get a small vibration in my seat, but DW throws a fit and calls me a pig.

Sounds like you have a fantastic trip going there! Enjoy!

[Dunner]

Well?






Sorry, couldn't resist. X2

[ezridermd]

Originally Posted by CJ7ole

I just finished my CHF yesterday, along with replacing one bad rear Koni shock. So far just a short trip to the storage yard, but I can already feel the difference. Front took ten minutes using the stock links, the rear a few hours, plus waiting for the Hellwig 7962 adjustable links to arrive. Stock links in the rear wouldn't work as the sway bar hit the differential. With the adjustable links, the angle between the bar and the links is now a perfect 90 degrees with the suspension loaded (not on jacks). I elected to reuse the Ford bolts/brackets but on two of them, the bushing was frozen to the bolt. I used a mini cutoff blade on my Dremel to split the bushing so I could get it off. First one took an hour to fuss with until I came up with the Dremel method, the second one was 10 minutes. As others did, I drilled out the new bushings to 15/32" to fit the Ford bolts.

I have an arbor press in my shop, so pressing the steel bushings into the poly bushings and then the poly bushings into the rod ends was a snap. A vice, or even a hammer probably would have worked. But, man, the lube they supply was more like a really sticky glue, nasty stuff. Sorry, no pics.

One issue I have, is that now I have a loud clunk under my feet when the front suspension flexes. I checked and don't see any interference, as all I did was move the rods to the rear holes so it is a bit of a mystery. Everything was torqued to 60 ft-lbs. The front and rear poly sway bar bushings looked to be in very good shape, so I didn't even consider changing them out.

Did you reuse the bushings (both steel and poly ) from the original units on the adjustable links? I bought a set of links for the front but couldn't use them because the new rubber bushings were too wide for the bracket. if possible could you send photos of the rear install?

[scooterbob]

My first trip( 1300 miles) since the CHF on front was completed and I must say what a difference it has made, No sway and very stable. Between the CHF and the 5 star I am in heaven driving now.

[garykk]

Originally Posted by ezridermd

Did you reuse the bushings (both steel and poly ) from the original units on the adjustable links? I bought a set of links for the front but couldn't use them because the new rubber bushings were too wide for the bracket. if possible could you send photos of the rear install?

I re-used the factory sleeves and bushings for the front, just pressed them out and installed in the Hellwig links, that way I could use the factory bolts.
On the rear, I used the Hellwig links as well but on those I had to drill out the sleeves on the Hellwigs to use the factory bolts as the factory links were different.

[wyorancher]

Originally Posted by scooterbob

My first trip( 1300 miles) since the CHF on front was completed and I must say what a difference it has made, No sway and very stable. Between the CHF and the 5 star I am in heaven driving now.

My rear mod worked ok without the helwig hangers. The front required longer hangers. I see quite a difference in handling. However I also have the rear trak bar & Roadmaster anti-sway plus steer safe.

[CJ7ole]

Originally Posted by ezridermd

Did you reuse the bushings (both steel and poly ) from the original units on the adjustable links? I bought a set of links for the front but couldn't use them because the new rubber bushings were too wide for the bracket. if possible could you send photos of the rear install?

On the front I just moved the existing links to the rear holes. On the back where I needed the Hellwig links, I drilled out the Hellwig steel sleeves to accept the Ford bolts so I could use the new poly bushings. MH is in storage, when I get it out I will take a pic. The Hellwig poly bushings compress quite a bit to match the length of the Hellwig steel bushings when you tighten the bolts.

[wyorancher]

Originally Posted by CJ7ole

On the front I just moved the existing links to the rear holes. On the back where I needed the Hellwig links, I drilled out the Hellwig steel sleeves to accept the Ford bolts so I could use the new poly bushings. MH is in storage, when I get it out I will take a pic. The Hellwig poly bushings compress quite a bit to match the length of the Hellwig steel bushings when you tighten the bolts.

On the front when I used the helwig hangers I also drilled them out so I could re use the Ford bolts.