Ride in new f-53 chassis question

["007"]

I have owned many Ford MH chassis's from 86 to 2003.
The 460 was a good engine but mine suffered from manifold problems until I got a 96 V10.
Owned two others and did place Banks systems on all V-10 because of shell shock from 460 manifold problems.
The early Ford's were a truck chassis built for motor home MFG's and during my period were the only chassis to get on a MH.
I was always a Ford Man.
The Fords with a Newmar box needed some help for support of box added leaf springs on one and I installed a Air Lift Bag system on another.
Around 2001 the Workhorse chassis came out and in 2003 I purchased a Newmar on the Workhorse chassis.
To say the least the ride and the support of coach was like a different world to behold on the Workhorse chassis.
Well now we have a new maybe better chassis with the new Ford Motorhome RV Designed 22,000 to 26,000 chassis.

So my question is how do you like the new Ford chassis and if you were a Workhorse owner moving to Ford did you find a difference as when you moved from OLD FORD's to Workhorse and now BACK to the new designed Ford Motorhome chassis.
I see no new motorhome in my future, but maybe others as I, would like to get your response.
Thank you for your input.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 007 So my question is how do you like the new Ford chassis and if you were a Workhorse owner moving to Ford did you find a difference as when you moved from OLD FORD's to Workhorse and now BACK to the new designed Ford Motorhome chassis.

Roger, if you look at the Blog I wrote in December 2009 that might answer a lot of those questions.

I know that there isn't any change from 2010 to 2011 because Ford jumped the gun and never really made a 2010 chassis. They went from a 2009 to a 2011. Having just attended the RVIA Show this past December 2010 shows the same product from 2 years ago. Reference: Ford F-Series for 2011

One thing about the Ford F-53 is that it's comfortable where it is and without any competition it'll probably stay that way. As you know Workhorse uses the Allison 2000 series 6 speed and 4 piston Quadraulic calipers. No matter how you work the numbers for the weight ratings for the rail with gearing and or a spring rate everything else pretty much is conventional. The brakes are the Bosch Hydro-Max and use a 66mm and a 73mm on the front axle these are 2 piston slide type brakes like you already have.

If you buy a gas powered motorhome you're going to be back in the Model T days where you will be asked ask ... "What color black would you like?"

Not saying that there's anything wrong but in my opinion ... there is no going back.

[Topflite51]

For any future improvement in gas chassis Ford needs competition. I would hope that WH would look at the GM 6.2 gas engine, it has promise. It is rated at 403 HP and 417 lbs torque. With some tweaking by GM, I can easily see it going higher than those numbers.

Otherwise, Driver is right when he says "What color black do you want?"

[GSGracie]

I have a 1999 f53 chassis and I am most unhappy with the ride. It is very hard, and i feel every bump. The Mirada has air shocks at the back, but they only have about 25 psi in them, so they are not exactly hard. When I get a bit more money, it is the first thing I will get looked at. Any suggestions on how to improve the ride will be warmly welcomed and may even get you 15cents (50% more than Seajay offers!).

[KJB]

I have nothing to compare regarding RV ride since my 2011 F-53 is my first RV. However, I am looking to improve the ride which I consider to be rougher than I want it to be. Adjusting tire pressure to the weight chart helped but I am likely going to have the Kelderman air ride system installed this spring. While I have not been able to come up with a lot of testimonials about the Kelderman system, I have not heard anybody say it was a mistake. It is expensive ($5,000+) and possibly not worth considering on an older chassis.

[mavric65]

The bottom line is these are not air ride diesel pushers ........... We will never get that feel since these are truck chassis........ I wish i could afford one but its not in the cards for me and i am quite happy with my F-53 and its ride though not perfect i love my coach and greatly appreciate that i have it.

["007"]

If you buy a gas powered motor home you're going to be back in the Model T days where you will be asked ask ... "What color black would you like?"

DriVer I can agree with what you said since 08 the chassis has changed from what Model T day Fords I had and I was just interested in what the 08-2011 chassis's have to feel like driving them as we experienced when driving our New Workhorse back in 02-03.
There was some problems with those years as we found out and we invested more monies into them.

So with the Ford new chassis it may require some mods also as KJB has pointed out on his new 2011 chassis for an improved ride.

I had problems with rides on my Fords and added leaf springs to one and put in the air bags on the other.

This new chassis by Ford is being advertised as redesigned for a motor home chassis.

That should be different then our old Ford F-53's which I always considered a truck chassis & which I also did not have a problem with because of their at the time good drive system and much improved one when I added the Trans-Command by Banks.

We do not know KJB's weight class but the chassis I saw at show last year was the 24,000 or 26,000 they had on display and it was a far cry from my Ford Model T 96-99 V-10's that I had.
New air intake system, 5 speed transmission and heavier spring suspension system.
So with all that change I still would like peoples input.

People with older chassis there are some things that can improve your chassis but like some one already said its not going to be a air ride DP but your not in a DP's money level either.

With owners of gas coach's we can still travel any place and enjoy the RV lifestyle and have as good a time as a DP owner.
Most appliances are the same and maybe allot simpler to operate, some times with all the bells & whistle's it does not pay to own when there are problems.
Thanks for your posts to get this thread moving.

[tderonne]

I'm going to try my best at a bit of an F53 history lesson.

First off, the pre '99 stuff. I really don't know much about them. I know the 1997 model year was the last year of the "old" chassis. I kind of lump all these together. There were changes through the years, older ones had carbureted 460 engines with 3 speed automatics, most of the '90's ones had EFI and 4 speed autos.

The 1999 model year (which started early, since there was no 1998 model) debuted the V10 and other upgrades. Wide track front end, 19.5 rims and tires, big 4 wheel disc brakes. New frame. I believe there were 16K, 18K, and 20.5K pound GVWR version offered. Not much difference between them. This chassis really up'd the ante, Workhorse wouldn't catch up until the W series in 2001. (Not really counting the rare P12 Chevrolet chassis).

The 2000 model year added the uprated "power improved" V10.

In 2004 a new frame was introduced. It no longer got smaller at the rear axle. The ride height was increased 2.4" along with the frame change (needed the jounce clearance for the axle). I think this was the year that the 22K pound GVWR chassis was introduced. 22.5" wheels and tires were optional on some chassis and standard on the 22K I believe. A front track/panhard became either available or standard depending on the GVWR.

The 2005 model year was skipped.

In 2006, the "3 valve" V10 was introduced along with a 5 speed transmission. It was the old 4 speed with 2 first gears, so it wasn't a huge change. Axle ratios remained the same. Up until this year all axles were 5.38 ratio. I think this was also the year the 24K and 26K version were introduced. They have "bigger" frames, and slightly different steering and braking systems. They also got a 6.13 axle ratio. (Note that no chassis upgrades happened this year, they were done in 2004.)

They 2006 chassis remained fairly unchanged through the 2009 model year.

2010 was skipped (they have a habit of this, eh?).

2011 introduced a "new" F53 chassis. Larger fuel tank and some other tweaks. Each GVWR chassis got it's own suspension tuning (shocks, bushing, swaybars).

Overall, I don't consider the '99 to '11 chassis as being too much different. They are all RV chassis. Sure they used truck parts, but they were all designed as RV chassis.

I have the "what's new for 20XX" for 2003 to 2011 downloaded. I have some reading to do. I'll update some of the "I think"s when I can get into them, but thought it was worth getting the info out while the topic is hot.

('04 owner myself, and former Ford engineer.)

[Clifftall]

My 08 rides like a dream. My pressures are exactly where they should be according to my weight .As we used to say when comparing rides " it's not a Caddy ". My DW and I are Happy.

[billyb]

Ditto , Cliff- ours is only 33 , but rides like a big one

[LVJ58]

Our 2000 38' coach also had a very harsh ride before we installed the Koni FSD shocks which vastly improved the ride.

The ride comfort in our coach was further enhanced after installing the Firestone Ride-Rite air bags front and rear. Running 65psi in rear and 25-30 in front we now enjoy a very comfortable ride.

Of course the ride in our coach won't approach that of the big heavy DP's with full air suspension. However, I have read on other forum posts where some folks with DP's were experiencing a rough ride in their coach and installed Koni FSD' shocks, which according to them, alleviated the problem.

Based on our experience with a coach on the Ford chassis we wouldn't hesitate to buy another. I only wish Ford would offer a rear engine v10 gas pusher chassis as Workhorse did. Oh Well.....

Safe travels to all

["007"]

Thanks for the post Tim more of a incite to a good Ford product.

["007"]

LVJ58 almost the same products, I put on the Bilsteins at that time but the KONI's are better.
Found after the upgrades coach rode allot better.
Would like to see some new gas engine on a Workhorse myself just do not think it will be a Ford, they want the RV market like they had before.

[mikron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clifftall My 08 rides like a dream. My pressures are exactly where they should be according to my weight .As we used to say when comparing rides " it's not a Caddy ". My DW and I are Happy.

We totally agree, on our 3 F53, this is a 2007 under our 2008 Windsport and it is our 2 nd Windsport. First was a coachman and they all ride fine. Yes a DP will ride better but they for the cost ride better.