Improved Ride & Handling

[countrypair]

What is the recommended choice for improved ride & handling? Is it shocks or air bags, or both? 2007 Terra LX 32K F53, V10 5 speed.

[taiowa]

for me, it was simply replacing the bushings on the sway bars. start by checking all the rubber parts in the suspension. front first, then rear.

[ga traveler]

I am a big fan of Ride Rite air bags. Installed them on my coach, my son-in-laws, and dozens of customers. All my customers thought the improvement in the F53 ride was great. about 20% insisted i put them on the rear also. If you install them, put the front pressure at 24 psi.

[Fiesta48]

Please explain how adding compression (air bags= more resistance) to a already stiff suspension can improve ride. Semi-technical factual reasoning please.
I understand why it might help handling.

[LVJ58]

The thing that worked to significantly improve the ride on our 2000 coach was the installation of Koni FSD shocks on the front suspension. Later installed air bags front & rear which added slightly to ride improvement.

[Topflite51]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVJ58 The thing that worked to significantly improve the ride on our 2000 coach was the installation of Koni FSD shocks on the front suspension. Later installed air bags front & rear which added slightly to ride improvement.

My suspension reacted the opposite, significant improvement with the addition of front air bags. Absolutely nothing with FSD's in the front. I had installed the FSD's before the air bags.

CAUTION: It appears that front air bags on F53's only work when rear bags are all ready on rig.

Use low pressure in front, most use between 20 to 25 lbs, 50 to 80 in rear.

[Don/Lou]

My experience as follows:
1-Koni shocks all around -Minimal improvement was disappointed!
2-Front air bags- Terrible made it worse!!
3-Davis Tru-trac front- 200 % improvement
FWIW
Don

[Camping4fun]

Start in the rear auxiliary sway bar and a rear track bar. The sway bar will take care of the top of MH swaying and the track bar will take care of the wiggle in the rear.

[Wizard]

I will add also, my tv would shake on some roads so bad I thought it was going to fall out:

Koni's all the way around, absolutely no improvement, waste of money

Ride rite air bags on front made a little improvement, was up to 20 PSI when I traded the coach.

As for why air bags would make a difference, no idea, should not improve ride but did.

[TXiceman]

Air bags increase the spring rate and shocks control the dampening. What is the handling issue that you want to address?

Ken

[ga traveler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta48 Please explain how adding compression (air bags= more resistance) to a already stiff suspension can improve ride. Semi-technical factual reasoning please. I understand why it might help handling.

You are not compressing the spring. You are doing the opposite. You are putting a rubber bladder filled air between the axel and the frame. You are offloading the springs. I have worked on hundreds of high end coachs and have never seen one with springs. All the top dollar coachs use airbags.

[troyrice76]

With regards to the sway bar and track bar. What are some links to where one could purchase these. Any thought on the Sumo Springs?

[LVJ58]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topflite51 My suspension reacted the opposite, significant improvement with the addition of front air bags. Absolutely nothing with FSD's in the front. I had installed the FSD's before the air bags. CAUTION: It appears that front air bags on F53's only work when rear bags are all ready on rig. Use low pressure in front, most use between 20 to 25 lbs, 50 to 80 in rear.

Based on your experience and that of others it would appear what works for some doesn't work for all. I'm still pleased with the way mine turned out.

Happy trails

[jimsbarbecue]

Just went through this with a 1996 Georgie Boy. It had front air bags when we got it.
Removed the air bags. rode better without and the bags had some damage and would need replacement.
So far have put in Konis all around
front and rear trac bars
Changed sway bar bushings
Installed Sumo Springs (Which will work with trac bar in front . Air bags don't)
Lubed the front leafs.
All helped. The trac bars and the Sumo Springs being the best.
Did all in steps and found items like the trac bars and Sumo Springs made a difference doing front and rear.
I would still do everything again.
Lubing the leafs in the front is the first thing to do so the springs are working right. Air pressure and weighing the coach should be a first item too.