Community Forums

JohnGalt1061 · 07-03-2015, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

Will an Advil work for an exploded head???

I sure hope so.

How did it handle before and how does it handle now?? I/we want to know if "The whole ball of wax" did the trick???

Thanks,
TeJay

Since I'm a newbie I don't have tons of seat time like others but after the fixes to me it feels tighter and more responsive to steering input, less body roll when turning and while it obviously won't ever handle like a car or even an SUV the changes seem to have moved the handling a BIG step in that direction. Feels much more controllable. Forgot to mention that the "ball of wax" included the 5 Star Tune as well which made the transmission shift pattern much more civil.

TeJay · 07-03-2015, 06:26 AM

Hey Jeff everybody is a newbie at least at the beginning. Thanks for the response. Glad it's worked out for you. Very few have not seen a marked change in coach ride and handling.

The TUNE is also a good investment. We have only taken one trip of about 400 miles and I was impressed. Much more relaxed driving.

Take care and enjoy,

TeJay

sc300turbo · 07-03-2015, 06:59 PM

thank goodness for forums....
im new to RVing and picked up a Winnebago 2010 sightseer 35j....f53 chasis with 10000 miles on it....also has 22.5 rims
I LOVE the RV but after some highway time and strong winds I found myself looking for some assistance.
I drive a fire truck for a living so im very comfortable with the size...just would prefer some better braking and handling......
anyway..found this thread after driving back from Beverly beach in florida....im down in Miami...
I did my front and rear sway bars......adjusting tires psi from 101 where it was cold to the 90 that Winnebago recommends.....
while underneath I checked the bushings on the sway bar and the fronts were perfect but the rear I could tell wear from side to side movement....they are intact but are pushing out a little bit on the sides....so im going to replace those with the polyurethane and make a track bar.....after that ill consider a steering stabilizer
now I need to take her for a ride and see how the difference is....

fun fun...now back to getting my golf cart in shape and figuring out what to do for wiring on my jeep to be toad...this is addicting
Jeff

ps thank you tejay for the help...been talking to him via PM

Knightab · 07-06-2015, 05:30 AM

Here is an update:
For those not aware or interested what I have done to my coach so far includes the CHF, Steering Stabilizer, Rear Trac bar and Sumo Maxim Springs and also Centramatic wheel balancers.

This past weekend was the first to try all these things under optimum conditions. Wind speed was ZERO, the wind farm up on I30 in ohio didn't have enough wind to turn a blade on over 400 windmills. It was eerie to see them all standing still like a ghost town! lol. Anyway, I drove from Ohio to Elkhart Indiana and the drive was flawless! Semi's did not push coming from the rear or suck while passing. I cruised at 65 most of the time and it was just a nice relaxing experience compared to previous handling. Literally the coach could be driven with one hand at the 6oclock position on the wheel.

Now add in any strong crosswinds and all bets are off as I found out last month with the same mods. So don't make any negative decisions till you have driven the coach after changes in optimum or equal situations as before.

TeJay · 07-06-2015, 07:03 AM

Tab,
I'd agree with your assessments. We had some very strong cross winds coming back from FL in early April. They were probably the worst that I have ever experienced. Or maybe I'm just getting older and can't take them as well. At any rate that's when it was decided to forge ahead with the planned MODS.

The CHF was the first. In April I added a bigger steering stabilizer shock. One specifically designed for a MH. New Koni shocks and centramatics front and rear. Also did the TUNE which was a great improvement to shifting. Have only driven it about 200 miles and of course no real high winds so the jury is still out on the final R/H assessment.

Common sense tells me it's probably as good as it's going to get for an 18,000 LB coach on the 19.5" tires. I'm sure some new Michelin tires would also help some. At least that's what I've read. Maybe some front and rear air bags will help some so that would be the last item to realistically try.

It will be what's it's going to be. If the Spring type winds are to bad we'll just park it and wait. When the winds are moderate into the mid range and maybe slightly stronger I'll feel confident enough to try to drive.

I am certain that the coach would be setting home or in a CG under very strong wind conditions without the changes. We are much better off than before all the mods.

TeJay

sc300turbo · 07-06-2015, 09:25 AM

who offers tunes for the f53 2010?

how was the difference with the centramatics?...I get some wobble/vibration around 67-72 some much less in the 50+mph range.....

TeJay what steering stabilizer did you go with?....curious if I have a stock one?

Knightab · 07-06-2015, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc300turbo

who offers tunes for the f53 2010?

how was the difference with the centramatics?...I get some wobble/vibration around 67-72 some much less in the 50+mph range.....

TeJay what steering stabilizer did you go with?....curious if I have a stock one?

5Star tuning for the tune. I bought the centramatics and feel virtually no vibration at speed.

sc300turbo · 07-06-2015, 09:44 AM

thank you knightab... did you have vibration before the centramatics?...

and I heard banks engineering does tunning too...any different?
one thing id love to upgrade is the braking....

Knightab · 07-06-2015, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc300turbo

thank you knightab... did you have vibration before the centramatics?...

and I heard banks engineering does tunning too...any different?
one thing id love to upgrade is the braking....

I had some slight front end vibration at speed. Coach was new. I have no knowledge of the banks tune.

TeJay · 07-06-2015, 03:56 PM

Tab,
Steering stabilizer what do you think I got??? I built it, just like the rear track bar. Why pay the high price when you can build it. If you or anybody else needs or wants to see pics I've got some. I used the Bisletin steering stabilizer shock. Shocks have to be made specifically for horizontal operation.

When I installed the centramatics I hesitated because they recommend that you remove all weights. I thought that if they were balanced why remove the weights but that's what they said so I did it. Everything is smooth riding. I'm happy with the results.

I've not read much regarding the Banks Tune. It may be good. Many of us on these forums are familiar with the 5-Star TUNE and are for the most part very pleased. I'm also aware that they are continuing to make improvements with some issues.

What they are doing is a very, very long involved complex process. Several posters have had some minor issues with the TUNE and 5-Star is willing to work on making changes but they do take time because of the complexity. I'm very willing to continue to support their efforts both in the initial TUNE and any improvements that might come down the road.

There are several posts devoted to the 5-Star TUNE. Read them and make a decision.

TeJay

Knightab · 07-06-2015, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

Tab,
Steering stabilizer what do you think I got??? I built it, just like the rear track bar. Why pay the high price when you can build it. If you or anybody else needs or wants to see pics I've got some. I used the Bisletin steering stabilizer shock. Shocks have to be made specifically for horizontal operation

TeJay

I don't understand what involved me about the steering stabilizer?

TeJay · 07-06-2015, 07:27 PM

Sorry Tab it was sc300turbo who asked me about the steering stabilizer that I used.

TeJay

Knightab · 07-06-2015, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

Sorry Tab it was sc300turbo who asked me about the steering stabilizer that I used.

TeJay

whewww! So it's not me going senile! Lol

alank · 07-06-2015, 08:20 PM

Today while mowing yard, I noticed something hanging down from the rear axle. This evening, when I finally remembered, I went out to have a look and it was the left sway bar mounting bracket ( U-shaped bracket) hanging down. The top piece was still solidly bolted to the axle bracket. The bracket broke at the 90* bend and was hanging down. The bottom nut was spot welded to the mounting bracket and all the spot welds were broken with the bolt was screwed into the nut about 1 1/2 turns. Wouldn't have been long before it fell off. The rubber bushing was still on the sway bar.

The bracket had been broken about half way through for some time and now the rest of the bracket broke. The support arms had been moved to the short hole positions.
We just finished a 1700 mile trip arriving home yesterday and the strange thing is that I can't give you any idea when the bracket broke. It never drove any differently on any of the trip and it was about 90% 4-lane roads. This is on a 22,000 chassis.