Community Forums

NXR · 11-07-2019, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfuelman

I just purchased my '04 Chassis last July, and it had new rear sway bar bushing installed when I recieved it. They are already looking like they need to be replaced. They are blue poly, and the bar looks like it is trying to push out through the rear.

Any thoughts on this? I though I would do the CHF when I replace them over the winter. (that's how I found them, looking to size up the CHF job)

What is the best brand replacement to buy for the bushings?

Thanks in advance.

Several people reported they bought theirs from here: https://www.ebay.com/usr/skuterdude

Apparently that person also hangs out here and several people know him.

Ray

WyCamper · 11-07-2019, 08:19 PM

I guess I'm really missing something here. I even crawled back under mine a couple months ago to make sure I wasn't just forgetting something, but I don't think so. Someone please explain the whole splined bolt/press dilemma.

Remove both nuts, remove bolt from rear hole.
Separate link w/bracket from SB
Move link to rear hole, while rotating z-bracket 180º.
Push bolt through rear SB hole.
Insert bolt through bracket and front SB hole.
Apply blue thread-lock.
Install and torque nuts.
I had to loosen the top link bolts on mine in order to pivot the link to the rear hole.

dfuelman · 11-07-2019, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

Several people reported they bought theirs from here: https://www.ebay.com/usr/skuterdude

Apparently that person also hangs out here and several people know him.

Ray

Thanks, I'll look him up.

dfuelman · 11-08-2019, 12:04 AM

Now, after going to Skuterdude's ebay site, I may have bigger problems. Looks to me like someone installed front bushings and retaining straps to the rear axle SB mount location. I do not have the pillar block looking mount like shown in Skuterdude's pictures.

Gonna crawl under tomorrow and verifie, I hope I am mistaken. Don't know where I would ever buy the pillar blocks to hold the bushing on the rear. This would also explain why they have worn out so fast.

twinboat · 11-08-2019, 04:08 AM

The piller block looking retainers are not used on all rear sway bars.

Most newer Ford's used the straps. Plenty of pictures of them bent and broken on the CHF post.

NXR · 11-08-2019, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyCamper

I guess I'm really missing something here. I even crawled back under mine a couple months ago to make sure I wasn't just forgetting something, but I don't think so. Someone please explain the whole splined bolt/press dilemma.

Earlier z-brackets did not have the spline issue. It feels like maybe the 2018 and/or 2019 chassis's used them.

If you have a real bolt head on the bolt that goes through the rear link bushings you do not have the spline issue. I do not have that. My rear bushing bolt "head" is thin, about the size and has the round shape of a thick washer.

HTH,

Ray

WyCamper · 11-08-2019, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

Earlier z-brackets did not have the spline issue. It feels like maybe the 2018 and/or 2019 chassis's used them.

If you have a real bolt head on the bolt that goes through the rear link bushings you do not have the spline issue. I do not have that. My rear bushing bolt "head" is thin, about the size and has the round shape of a thick washer.

HTH,

Ray

Mine is too. Looks just like the one in post #5878.

NXR · 11-08-2019, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyCamper

Mine is too. Looks just like the one in post #5878.

And yours just spun? You have a 2015, so either a 2014 or 2015 chassis? Good for you. I removed both nuts, removed the rear bolt and the z-bracket would not budge. Well, would not budge with a reasonable amount of effort, that is.

Ray

MadeinTexas · 11-10-2019, 04:11 PM

JM... Was reading the post. Did the sway bar or the end links ever break?

dfuelman · 11-12-2019, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

The piller block looking retainers are not used on all rear sway bars.

Most newer Ford's used the straps. Plenty of pictures of them bent and broken on the CHF post.

Thanks for this, I was not aware. Mine is an '04 and does have straps to hold the bushings. Everything is there, the bushings have just worn very fast (just over a year and they are wasted. Only thing I can figure is maybe they did not lube them when they were replaced (???), I really don't know. They appeared new, when I bought the RV last July 2018. Again, thanks for the info, I will get new ones on order and install them before our next trip in March.

TeJay · 11-12-2019, 10:07 AM

Madein Texas,

If you want more information on the stabilizer bars (SB) and brackets failing check this STICKY!

ATTENTION !!!! Ford F-53 Owners READ!!

The above link covers the brackets especially on the rear based on the fact that very few if any of the front brackets have issues.

As far as links breaking I have only read of a very few. The latest was just last week and it is an unusual story. The owner was in Eureka Springs AR which is less than an hour from us. We connected and apparently he got off a road to allow traffic to pass and when he enter the road he heard a loud pop. He stopped and saw a broken SB link but it is shaped in a lazy "S".

As far as we can determine it's used on some (few) 22-K and 24 K units. I welded the broken link in case he couldn't find one. He also ordered 2 links and used one of the new ones before he departed for TX last Friday. One link was a Ford dealer $35. The other was from Rock Auto for $13.

He reported back and got to Dallas last night and all is well except it's colder than heck. It's 13 degrees here in AR and in the mid 20's in TX.

The links just don't break in the normal course of driving an RV. I have never read of or heard of any SB bending or breaking.

NXR · 11-12-2019, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

As far as links breaking I have only read of a very few. The latest was just last week and it is an unusual story. The owner was in Eureka Springs AR which is less than an hour from us. We connected and apparently he got off a road to allow traffic to pass and when he enter the road he heard a loud pop. He stopped and saw a broken SB link but it is shaped in a lazy "S".

Wasn't there a mark on one of his leaf springs leaf that indicated that perhaps the spring was hitting the link due to the shortened range of movement when just relocating the front links?

Ray

powercat_ras · 11-12-2019, 05:44 PM

Question for TeJay - I think the answer will be valuable to others too...

I did CHF 3 years ago front and rear on my 18,000 GVWR Winnebago Vista 27N.
I just moved the links and did not make any other modifications. At the time I understood that many just did it this way and did not use plates or modify anything to retain the original geometry. At least on my 18K chassis nothing has ever hit with the new geometry and I am getting the improved handling benefits.

Are you still OK with just reversing the links or do you now recommend that even on the lighter chassis like the 18K that you modify with plates to retain the original geometry?

Thanks again for all the great support to everyone on the CHF thread over the years ! ! !

TeJay · 11-12-2019, 09:30 PM

We also have the 18 K chassis with 40,000 miles on the CHF. The unit had 40 miles on it when I did the CHF in a CG up in Forest City, Iowa.

It's good either way. Many have just done the CHF and all is well. I made the adjustable plates so SWAY could be changed to more than one position. I also realize most will select either the CHF position or the additional hole 1" greater. They still have a choice.

Many of us during the early months of the CHF didn't like the angle that was created. We felt it caused added strain on the link bushings. Hence the extensions and plate ideas came into being. The point is the F-53 chassis is much tamer and easier to drive with the CHF.

The other choices are just that choices. Any of the choices worked well and there's no apparent extra wear with bushings or links with any of the choices. Nothing is breaking and nothing is falling off even after 30,000 to 40,000 plus miles as many of us have on our rigs.

If I'm not mistaken even John McKinley has only just done what he originally did back in the summer of 2010 in a CG in AK which was to move the links from the outer to inner hole. It's still the easiest and cheapest ride and handling improvement for the F-53 chassis around.

As one who likes to tinker and try to improve almost anything that we buy I feel good just making small improvements in anything. It's often what gets me out of bed and into the shop to tinker. While traveling the mind is constantly thinking of what's the next project and how can it be made better.

I've got another idea rolling around in my head for an improved suspension front & rear that won't cost over $500 per axle. It could/should significantly improve the F-53 ride. I've gathered a few parts and working on a finished prototype. It should be ready for install before the end of the year.

I'll share more when I have something to show. Based on my internet research nobody has done anything like this. The idea is a bit more complicated than the adjustable plates and I'm involving a few more advisors to iron out and improve the design. That's all the information I want to share for now.