The real problems and fixes for the Ford F53 chassis..

[LVRVLUVR]

First off, I am a professional, expert in the automotive and RV chassis field..

So what do I hear in the field???

the most common complaints are..

My coach rides ruff...

my coach sways a lot...

my coach shakes and vibrates...

my coach gets blown off the road when trucks pass....

so what do you think the biggest problem is?????

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

First off, I am a professional, expert in the automotive and RV chassis field..

So what do I hear in the field???

the most common complaints are..

My coach rides ruff... I am a first time RV'er. i still feel that my coach isn't that Bad of a ride, are transition cracks a PITA? YES -- but i don't fault the coach for that it is the same in my GMC truck. so i installed front and rear sway bars. I thing the improvement was very dramatic. Less sway, less road issues transferred to my coach, and overall ride improved especially on good to moderate roads.

my coach sways a lot... I am not sure this was ever a big problem on my coach.

my coach shakes and vibrates... Again, it is not anything that i didn't expect and we are very particular how we load the interior rattle items. I have very little vibration and with the dog house installation the noise fatigue is greatly reduced.

my coach gets blown off the road when trucks pass.... before my sway bars we felt even 1 ton trucks passing; after, hardly nothing. It was never a situation even before the SB's that i felt i was going to loose control or run out of my lane.

Overall, I think sway bars are the biggest improvement you can put on the F-53 chassis and give a wide range of benefit to the overall coach. You can get very high quality bars for $800-$1000 (for both less if you just choose the rear) and then install yourself or have a technician do it. worth every penny IMO

[l1v3fr33ord1]

LVRVLUVR-

If you're an expert, why are you asking?

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

My coach rides ruff... I am a first time RV'er. i still feel that my coach isn't that Bad of a ride, are transition cracks a PITA? YES -- but i don't fault the coach for that it is the same in my GMC truck. so i installed front and rear sway bars. I thing the improvement was very dramatic. Less sway, less road issues transferred to my coach, and overall ride improved especially on good to moderate roads.

my coach sways a lot... I am not sure this was ever a big problem on my coach.

my coach shakes and vibrates... Again, it is not anything that i didn't expect and we are very particular how we load the interior rattle items. I have very little vibration and with the dog house installation the noise fatigue is greatly reduced.

my coach gets blown off the road when trucks pass.... before my sway bars we felt even 1 ton trucks passing; after, hardly nothing. It was never a situation even before the SB's that i felt i was going to loose control or run out of my lane.

Overall, I think sway bars are the biggest improvement you can put on the F-53 chassis and give a wide range of benefit to the overall coach. You can get very high quality bars for $800-$1000 (for both less if you just choose the rear) and then install yourself or have a technician do it. worth every penny IMO

thanks for the reply..... the real problem is coming...lets hear from a few others first

edit...???? you didn't ever have a problem with sway??? but you bought front and rear sway bars???? why???

[Dennis Dean]

oh mY bad, i thought you where asking which one do ppl think is the real problem. I am all ears now LOL

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

LVRVLUVR-

If you're an expert, why are you asking?

I'm not asking... I'm telling... thanks for posting...

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

oh mY bad, i thought you where asking which one do ppl think is the real problem. I am all ears now LOL

you were right....lets here from others to see if anyone knows whats happening...

people that ride in my f53 are amazed...

thanks for posting

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

edit...???? you didn't ever have a problem with sway??? but you bought front and rear sway bars???? why???

WEll, first i am new to RV owner ship and i do not love working on vehicles. I read a lot about the sway issues and the ride issues, knew the front factory sway was on the lite side and had not found out about the CHF until after my purchase. The front sway was $300 and just felt i would replace it anyways since i had already purchased it and would just improve overall coach life. The rear i feel is the biggest improvement and i have both the roadmaster sway bar and the factory one on my unit. I may still install the blue ox trac bar but if i do it will be my installation and not a technician. Yes it may be overkill to a long time technician but i am not concerned at having to much chassis control. I also have a front steering stabilizer as well.

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

WEll, first i am new to RV owner ship and i do not love working on vehicles. I read a lot about the sway issues and the ride issues, knew the front factory sway was on the lite side and had not found out about the CHF until after my purchase. The front sway was $300 and just felt i would replace it anyways since i had already purchased it and would just improve overall coach life. The rear i feel is the biggest improvement and i have both the roadmaster sway bar and the factory one on my unit. I may still install the blue ox trac bar but if i do it will be my installation and not a technician. Yes it may be overkill to a long time technician but i am not concerned at having to much chassis control. I also have a front steering stabilizer as well.

save your money... the rear track bar does zero if the real problem is addressed...

sway is the most common mistaken thing on f53 motorhomes

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR

save your money... the rear track bar does zero if the real problem is addressed...

sway is the most common mistaken thing on f53 motorhomes

thought the trac bar was specifically for sway?

[twinboat]

The biggest problem is they build motor homes on bread delivery truck chassis.

[LVRVLUVR]

another problem I run in to is the description of the problem... people say they have a sway problem.... when really they have a swerve problem...so they keep fixing the sway....and still have the swerve

sway...move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backward and forward or from side to side:

swerve...change or cause to change direction abruptly

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

thought the trac bar was specifically for sway?

trac bar has nothing to do with sway...most misinformed chassis part

[powercat_ras]

Trac bar limits lateral movement of the axle to the arc generated by the trac bar arm length.

Without a trac bar the lateral movement is more, in that case it is limited by the leaf springs.