Cheap Handling Fix

[TeJay]

Ray,

I also had those same concerns but all those holes dead end while still in cast iron. That's what we called a " Blind hole" so no chance of anything leaking.

If you have not installed a thread repair kit called a "Heli-Coil" here's basically what happens.

The stock stripped threads are drilled out. That is part of the metal shaving I didn't want to get into the cavity. Then a larger tap is screwed into the hole and makes threads to install the coil. Yes more metal shavings. A coil the same size as your original bolt is threaded into the hole. I've installed dozens and they work very well.

In fact that is exactly what is used to repair blown spark plugs on the Triton V-10 aluminum heads. To reduce the amount of shavings getting into the cylinder head liberal amounts of grease are used hoping they stick to the drills and taps.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by TeJay

Yep you gotta watch out for those wild bums!!!

Last month myself and a friend had to remove his differential (DF) cover plate on his DANA 80 DF to check and see if the cover plate bolts went all the way into the DF where the gears and oil resided. We had to install 2 Heli-cools for 2 stripped cover plate bolts.




The cover bolts repairs went well and he reports after a several thousand mile trip that all 4 TB cover bolts are secure and the TB is doing its job very well.











!!.[/B]

Are you saying that the track bar mounting bracket movement stripped out the diff. housing bolts ?

Was it a aftermarket or home made bar ?

[Bigfoot_]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Are you saying that the track bar mounting bracket movement stripped out the diff. housing bolts ?

Was it a aftermarket or home made bar ?

Yeah, the Ultra-Trac includes longer bolts..... so sounds like maybe not that one!

[TeJay]

twinboat,

Not sure what stripped the bolts but yes it was two of the bolts used to hold a DIY track bar.

The plates were 1/2" thick and we used bolt that were 1/2" longer. Should not have cause two bolts to strip. The guy who did the torquing while he is not a trained service technician follows instructions and did use a torque wrench. He told me that one bolt kept getting loose even after he tightened it so he asked me to check them as he was not comfortable.

When I checked them sure enough that one was mushy and I checked the remainder and one more was also mushy. I knew it was stripped.

Since we repaired the two holes they have been fine. I installed the same plate on our RV and I have yet to have any issues with any bolts and they are torqued to 45 ft/lbs.

I'm still not sure why his two bolts stripped. I always use a torque wrench and I'll assume he did as well but something happened. It's fixed now so on with the show!!!!

[Bigfoot_]

Originally Posted by NXR

Thanks!



I may have forgotten to mention that the motorhome is at the dealer for warranty work for the last week and a half, I was out of town visiting my kids who work during the day and I am of the personality type who needs to understand the whys and not just the whats because I really, really hate not being prepared for possible issues before and after...

It was a very interesting read and watching the progression of experiences gave me a better understanding:

- Just move the links. It takes a 15mm and an 18mm deep well socket, maybe wrenches of the same size and maybe an impact wrench or breaker bar. Unless you're in Alaska doing prohibited maintenance in a campground on your back. Then just use a crescent wrench.

- I hate that Ford uses "interference bolts". (I'd never heard of those before so I had to read up on them. It would have been very concerning to me if the bolts had not just spun out once they were loosened but now I know that's how "interference bolts" work.)

- Can't get one bolt in because the holes do not line up anymore. Use a bottle jack to force the bar up. You're off-level side-to-side, just level it with blocks and not the jacks. If the holes won't line up, put the bolt in the highest one first because it's easier to force the sway bar up than force it down. The jacks usually need to be retracted.

- The bolt now hits the springs. When installing the bolt try turning it 180 degrees and see if that will give it enough clearance.

- Got a clunk, what's the torque? (66 ft. lbs.)

- My rear sway bar runs under the differential. My rear sway bar runs above the differential. (It seemed that older units ran under and newer ones above but I am still unclear on this one.)

- The sway bar now hits the springs or differential and the tires come off the ground sooner when using the leveling jacks.

- The problem seems to be the change in the sway bar link angle. Need to get it back to where it was originally by making the sway bar links longer somehow.

- I used Hellwig adjustable links.

- Hellwig says their links are not for F53's, not strong enough. (Only one person seems to have actually asked Hellwig, though. Many people reported no issues using the Hellwig links over many years. Others reported premature bushing wear.)

- If you use Hellwig's adjustable links anyway, swap the bushings so the Ford OEM ones are used in the Hellwig links. Or drill the Hellwig's out. Or something else to make sure there is a tight fit. The Hellwig bushings may need trimmed a bit shorter.

- Just cut and extend the OEM links two or three inches.

- I have a "Z bracket". What do I do with it? Turn it around. Leave it off. (It seems the Z bracket was added for a few years to eliminate the clunk but then removed. Then it came back and seems to have splines now. Maybe.)

- My sway bar links have curves. (Seems to be on some 24K and 26K chassis's)

- I used Jeep Wrangler links because they're longer. (Do the Chrysler/Jeep sway bar links use precisely the same bushings as Ford F53 OEM links?)

- I decided to build some extension plates and retain the original links. (I have not seen what to use for bolts, washers and nuts to hold the plates to the sway bar.)

- I have no rear bushings left! Ford changed to polyurethane bushings in the 2012 model year and they are far more durable. You can buy replacements on ebay from an iRV2 member. Use a special poly lubricant, not petroleum-based. It's very sticky so use disposable gloves.

- My rear sway bar brackets fractured or the bolts fell out or the bracket is totally gone! (I have not read what the torque of the bracket-to-frame bolts is supposed to be. It seemed to be implied as 66 ft. lbs. as well. This seems to be a manufacturing defect on certain years whether it was insufficient torque or something else.)

- No one has reported a front bracket fracture, just rears.

- Rear CHF. If you extend the front links, put the front links on the rear because they're a bit longer. No, no need to change the rear links because the geometry doesn't change that much. I did the rear first and wow, a big difference. I did the rear second and not much of a difference.

- The ride is much harsher. The ride has not changed. (The semi-consensus seems to be that the ride can be harsher in certain conditions but for the vast majority of people the improved sway control far outweighs occasional harshness. Some people report the Koni FSD shocks helped out a lot for bad bridge joints, which are teeth-jarring for me at times.)

The "I added Koni's, Sumos. Roadmasters, a rear trac bar, steering stabilizer, air bags, etc." discussions were particularly interesting to me since I had read up on a lot of those. Seeing the comments in context to other changes was enlightening.

Did I get the nine-year summary complete?

Ray

You missed the rear Z brackets which won't rotate, unless you hit the bolts pretty hard or remove the entire link and press them out.

[TeJay]

Not sure why Ford added the serrated bolts to the Z-brackets but they did. All I can tell you is they can be removed rotated and reinstalled with some effort. I'd use a wedge instead of just extra banging with a hammer. A wedge provides more force with less possible damage than just hammering.

If Ford didn't want anybody to use the extra hole then they should just not spend the time/money to put the darn thing in. If the stupid Z-bracket is really necessary then why didn't they use it on the front and rear top and bottom on every RV chassis they made?? No answers to the question??

Base on Fords inconsistent implementation of the Z-bracket I'm not to concerned about using it at all. When was the last or anytime you read about a link breaking or coming loose??? Show me the post. Why is the Z-bracket used?? I've had adjustable plates installed for at least 25,000 miles front with not one single issue. What's the big deal???

[Bigfoot_]

Yeah, none on the front of our rig. I did try using a wedge pickle fork but I was worried about messing the bushings up. It is really easy to remove the rear links from the chassis and a piece of cake to pop them out in a press. (this only seems to be an issue on newer models - see CHF Frustration thread)

[NXR]

Originally Posted by TeJay

Why is the Z-bracket used?? I've had adjustable plates installed for at least 25,000 miles front with not one single issue. What's the big deal???

Dunno but I've got four of them on the rear of mine, one on each side of each link. 2019 22,000 chassis. None on the front. Is it usual to have one at the top to secure the link to the frame? I do not recall reading about that before.

The front links are 10.5" and would need extended to 13.0" to maintain the same geometry.

Does anybody know what that white crud is all over those front nuts and bolts? This thing only has 650 miles on it but it looks like heavy corrosion.

Ray

[Bigfoot_]

Originally Posted by NXR

Dunno but I've got four of them on the rear of mine, one on each side of each link. 2019 22,000 chassis. None on the front. Is it usual to have one at the top to secure the link to the frame? I do not recall reading about that before.

The front links are 10.5" and would need extended to 13.0" to maintain the same geometry.

Does anybody know what that white crud is all over those front nuts and bolts? This thing only has 650 miles on it but it looks like heavy corrosion.

Ray

Yes, that's the same as the 2018, the simplest thing is to pop the upper two bolts off, remove the links on both sides, pop the bolts out using a press or vice, and the reinstall in the CHF position realigning the Z brackets, and draw the splined bolts in at the right orientation for the CHF as you torque them.

On the crud, my 2018 has the same crud on those very large nutserts where the crossmembers connect with the frame rails. The chassis sit outside in the rain until they are built at the factory, so rust shows up a few places.

What state are you in?

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot_

What state are you in?

Thanks. Ohio.

Ray

[Bigfoot_]

Originally Posted by NXR

Thanks. Ohio.

Ray

Be interesting to see if F53s in dry states (AZ, NV etc) have the same corrosion.

[Oucamptoo]

I had to try it I also moved the sway bar location to the rear holes to see if it improves the sway however coming from a racing background I am curious that with the Links at almost a 45 degree angle it will reduce the strength and force on the bar. I also replace the front shocks with Bilstein replacements. When I remove the front shocks off my 2017 Tiffin Open Road they had absolutely no rebound so I feel that in itself will make a huge difference. Planning a trip this weekend to Ohio from North Carolina curious to see the Improvement through the mountains.

[woodbender]

Take a look at posts 5746 through 5753 for perspective on the front link lengths.

[TeJay]

NXR, (Ray),

I've seen that a few times over the years. Maybe a manufacturer of some fittings use some sort of corrosion protection that corrodes but won't rust. Once it is exposed to the elements it develops what you see and that's as bad as it will get. It has to be something like that because the crud as you described it is on every fitting, even and consistent all over.

I recall some states years ago decided to do something like that with metal guard rails or barriers. They did nothing to them and they developed a covering of rust which they expected and that was it.