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Old 03-16-2016, 07:07 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by powercat_ras View Post
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.
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Old 03-16-2016, 07:12 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
The biggest problem is they build motor homes on bread delivery truck chassis.
close...the biggest problem is Ford has no competition... so they can continue to do things that are not right with no repercussions....

total miss match of parts. dangerously assembley is all A "OK"
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Old 03-16-2016, 07:12 AM   #17
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My RV was built in 1994 and had 58K miles on it with little to no maintenance by its former owner. I’ll go down your list and give you my first impressions and what I ultimately did to correct things.

My coach rides ruff... My RV had a ride that felt like I was riding on the back of Flipper, the original Bilstein shocks were totally gone. I installed a set of Monroe Magnums and couldn’t be happier.

my coach sways a lot... I never noticed much of any sway in my RV, of course I fixed the shocks first thing after driving it 15 miles home.

my coach shakes and vibrates... same as above.

my coach gets blown off the road when trucks pass... I noticed an annoying push/pull during my first travel adventure, a 6K trip over the Rockies and along the west coast. I quickly became used to the push/pull so it wasn’t an issue on the trip. However, when I returned I installed new sway bar bushings (the old ones were totally gone). In addition, I corrected a second problem not mentioned here. Because of worn rear springs my RV’s rear end was hanging a bit low so I added rear suspension air-bags to compensate for the weak rear springs. The end result was that after restoring the sway bars and beefing up the rear suspension the push/pull was totally gone. My RV now handles strong gusty cross winds very well too.

So there you have it. My last trip was 875 miles from San Marcos TX to Sierra Vista AZ and what a wonderful ride. I’d look down at my speedometer and realize I was pushing 80mph and not even know it! BTW I’d also replaced the worn out 460 V8 with a rebuilt long block assembly and I installed exhaust headers, hence the constant speed corrections, all those fresh new ponies just wanted to run!

Steve
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Old 03-16-2016, 07:19 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by Geocritter View Post
My RV was built in 1994 and had 58K miles on it with little to no maintenance by its former owner. I’ll go down your list and give you my first impressions and what I ultimately did to correct things.

My coach rides ruff... My RV had a ride that felt like I was riding on the back of Flipper, the original Bilstein shocks were totally gone. I installed a set of Monroe Magnums and couldn’t be happier.

my coach sways a lot... I never noticed much of any sway in my RV, of course I fixed the shocks first thing after driving it 15 miles home.

my coach shakes and vibrates... same as above.

my coach gets blown off the road when trucks pass... I noticed an annoying push/pull during my first travel adventure, a 6K trip over the Rockies and along the west coast. I quickly became used to the push/pull so it wasn’t an issue on the trip. However, when I returned I installed new sway bar bushings (the old ones were totally gone). In addition, I corrected a second problem not mentioned here. Because of worn rear springs my RV’s rear end was hanging a bit low so I added rear suspension air-bags to compensate for the weak rear springs. The end result was that after restoring the sway bars and beefing up the rear suspension the push/pull was totally gone. My RV now handles strong gusty cross winds very well too.

So there you have it. My last trip was 875 miles from San Marcos TX to Sierra Vista AZ and what a wonderful ride. I’d look down at my speedometer and realize I was pushing 80mph and not even know it! BTW I’d also replaced the worn out 460 V8 with a rebuilt long block assembly and I installed exhaust headers, hence the constant speed corrections, all those fresh new ponies just wanted to run!

Steve
just guessing here... but I know for a fact that you don't have a F53 chassis...

I'm gonna guess that you have a john deer.... what size tires and rims do you have??
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Old 03-16-2016, 07:35 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by LVRVLUVR View Post
close...the biggest problem is Ford has no competition... so they can continue to do things that are not right with no repercussions....

total miss match of parts. dangerously assembley is all A "OK"
So are you saying that FORD is building a chassis that is out of DOT compliance and is to dangerous to be on the road???

I agree competition would be good for the users in the industry but i think the above statement is over-reacting a bit and needlessly putting fear into new coach buyers. Not everybody is an expert mechanic and can tell every little small thing that an expert may say " this could be done better" on a vehicle, any vehicle produced today.
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Old 03-16-2016, 07:50 AM   #20
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just guessing here... but I know for a fact that you don't have a F53 chassis...

I'm gonna guess that you have a john deer.... what size tires and rims do you have??

LVRVLUVR I don’t doubt you’re sincerity in the least, but according to my RV’s VIN # I have a Ford Super Duty F53 Chassis. In answer to your question my RV rides on 235/85R-16 tires.

Steve
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:14 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by Geocritter View Post
just guessing here... but I know for a fact that you don't have a F53 chassis...

I'm gonna guess that you have a john deer.... what size tires and rims do you have??

LVRVLUVR I don’t doubt you’re sincerity in the least, but according to my RV’s VIN # I have a Ford Super Duty F53 Chassis. In answer to your question my RV rides on 235/85R-16 tires.

Steve
I stand corrected... I was refurring to the super duty wide chassis with the 19.5 wheels
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:16 AM   #22
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So are you saying that FORD is building a chassis that is out of DOT compliance and is to dangerous to be on the road???

I agree competition would be good for the users in the industry but i think the above statement is over-reacting a bit and needlessly putting fear into new coach buyers. Not everybody is an expert mechanic and can tell every little small thing that an expert may say " this could be done better" on a vehicle, any vehicle produced today.

that's exzact what i'm say'n... they are selling a chassis that you can't shift the gears..and won't stay in their lanes....
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:23 AM   #23
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save your money... the rear track bar does zero if the real problem is addressed...
First thing I did was the rear track bar made a huge difference in wander and getting blown around by trucks.

Sure would be nice to know why a proven component like a track bar is not the issue. Track/Panhard bars or watts linkage are pretty much used across the board on live axles to improve this kind of stuff. They have basically no downside other than cost, they don't have ride trade-offs unlike stiffer sway bars and helper springs.

Ford puts on one the front in the F-53, but skip the rear for cost. My jeep has them front and rear, DP's have them but you have to on anything besides leafs, with leafs you can cheap out because they will sort of hold the axle in place, but leafs will deflect because after all they are a spring unlike a solid bar.
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:27 AM   #24
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OK, so how did you fix the problems?? Inquiring minds want to know!
You stated that everyone that rides in your rig loves it. Please tell.

I'll be picking up a 2016 Newmar Canyon Star 3014 soon and want to just improve the ride some....however I must say it rode musch better the all the 2015's we took out by far!
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:29 AM   #25
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First thing I did was the rear track bar made a huge difference in wander and getting blown around by trucks.

Sure would be nice to know why a proven component like a track bar is not the issue. Track/Panhard bars or watts linkage are pretty much used across the board on live axles to improve this kind of stuff. They have basically no downside other than cost, they don't have ride trade-offs unlike stiffer sway bars and helper springs.

Ford puts on one the front in the F-53, but skip the rear for cost. My jeep has them front and rear, DP's have them but you have to on anything besides leafs, with leafs you can cheap out because they will sort of hold the axle in place, but leafs will deflect because after all they are a spring unlike a solid bar.
first off, if you mount a go pro on the rear.... it doesn't move....
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:35 AM   #26
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OK, so how did you fix the problems?? Inquiring minds want to know!
You stated that everyone that rides in your rig loves it. Please tell.

I'll be picking up a 2016 Newmar Canyon Star 3014 soon and want to just improve the ride some....however I must say it rode musch better the all the 2015's we took out by far!
ok,... here goes...

the 2016 ford chassis, have better shocks from the factory..they are revalved from the 2014's
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:37 AM   #27
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I stand corrected... I was refurring to the super duty wide chassis with the 19.5 wheels
My 95 F53 Coachman Santara had 16" wheels. Chevy had 19.5 wheels.
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:41 AM   #28
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first off, if you mount a go pro on the rear.... it doesn't move....
Did you? Would love to see it. It doesn't have to deflect much to cause big steering corrections.

I felt it right away, the coach went from two handed to one handed driving in wind or with passing trucks, my wife can now drive it too, she had a real hard time before.

Why did Ford put one up front if leaf springs don't deflect? Why did Jeep put them on YJ's front and rear with leafs from the factory?
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