Ford F53 rear suspension

[Steeler34]

Well, still looking for the cause of a low speed rumble. Thought it might be the hangar bearing, but all good. No weights on tires. COuld it be just the period it takes for beads to center up? Not sure if it has beads or not, new to me a few weeks ago.
When underneath, noticed that both aft sway bar bushings are gone. Only option seems to be the factory replacements.
Whay no aftermarket for Ford chassis??

Milton

[Dutch Star Don]

Steeler......I'm sure they make aftermarket bushings. You need to look for truck replacements, not motor home replacements.

[TeJay]

Steeler34,
Go to the top of the forum page and on the right side is a search box. Type in, "sway bar bushings/ F-53 chassis, and you will come up with a bunch of choices. Find one from a guy named, "Skutterood" or something like that. He makes replacement bushings out of Poly for the F-53 chassis. They will run you about $50 for a set but they are good.

You didn't list the year or make of your coach. That will a ways help when asking specific questions. The guy who makes the bushings told me that starting on the 2012 chassis Ford made their sway bar bushings out of the poly. The poly is way better than stock.

TeJay

[Steeler34]

TeJay,

Thanks,

Will check that out.
It is a Tifin, Allegro 35QBA

[WBandJ]

Here is the link to ebay for the bushings Ford F53 Class A motorhome Rear Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings 1999 2011 | eBay

[Steeler34]

Perfect Wild Bill. Got it..

Milton

[Still Bill]

Also check your rear shackle bushings at the tail end of your rear leaf springs. Ford warranty covered the replacement of mine on my 2013 Itasca Sunstar 30T with only 5K miles. The bushings on the leaf springs themselves were totally fine; however, the rubber shackle bushings were obviously defective.

Bill

[T Gibson]

Steeler34, while your doing the bushings check with Ford on updated brackets and bolts (heavy duty) and, look on the fourm for the "CHF" for the F53 to do at the same time.

[TeJay]

Still Bill,
You've got my attention. We have a 2014 WBGO Vista 30-T so we might have that shackle issue. This is the first time I've heard or read anything regarding this issue on the F-53 MH suspension system.

Did you have any symptoms regarding those bushings??? Did the dealer have a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) regarding replacing those bushings? I know enough to lift, and pry around the shackle bushings so I will give it a look when the temps get above 40.

Thanks a bunch,
TeJay

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by TeJay

Still Bill,
You've got my attention. We have a 2014 WBGO Vista 30-T so we might have that shackle issue. This is the first time I've heard or read anything regarding this issue on the F-53 MH suspension system.

Did you have any symptoms regarding those bushings??? Did the dealer have a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) regarding replacing those bushings? I know enough to lift, and pry around the shackle bushings so I will give it a look when the temps get above 40.

Thanks a bunch,
TeJay

TeJay-I got this from a different thread. It was new to me also. Yes, there is a TSB on it. Here's a website that gives the details on the TSB:

2011 Ford F-53 Rear Suspension Technical Service Bulletins (TSB)

2011 F53 and F59 suspension TSB - Forest River Forums

[Still Bill]

Originally Posted by aauummm

TeJay-I got this from a different thread. It was new to me also. Yes, there is a TSB on it. Here's a website that gives the details on the TSB:

2011 Ford F-53 Rear Suspension Technical Service Bulletins (TSB)

2011 F53 and F59 suspension TSB - Forest River Forums

My issue was not related to the rear sway bar. It was solely about the rubber shackle bushing located at the tail end of the rear leaf springs. While researching my problem, I did note that there had been a TSB about F-53 rear sway bars...but, that was not anything related to my issue.

With all my past history of being a fleet manager, I venture to guess that Ford just received a bad batch of rubber used in these assemblies from a supplier. Hopefully, it was only a one time event; but, something to check...More likely for those with 2013 model year F-53's.

Again, my shackle bushings were "toast" (being metal-to-metal on one side) after only 5,000 miles. Otherwise, the heavy cast metal portion of these shackle assemblies looked fine.

FYI...Ford replaced my whole shackle assemblies (with the pre-installed bushings) per their 36 month chassis warranty; so, any free replacement (similar to mine) should currently apply to most 2012-2014 F-53 vehicles.

Attached is a photo of the shackle assemblies that were replaced. Took this at the dealership when I picked up the mh after work was completed.

Bill

[spanuts]

aauummm thanks for the info on sway bars i wonder if there is any recall on the leaf spring rubber bushings

[Still Bill]

Originally Posted by TeJay

Still Bill,
You've got my attention. We have a 2014 WBGO Vista 30-T so we might have that shackle issue. This is the first time I've heard or read anything regarding this issue on the F-53 MH suspension system.

Did you have any symptoms regarding those bushings??? Did the dealer have a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) regarding replacing those bushings? I know enough to lift, and pry around the shackle bushings so I will give it a look when the temps get above 40.

Thanks a bunch,
TeJay

TeJay,

No TSB is available. I may have been one of their first reported cases to date. But, Ford definitely knew where to send me to get it fixed. Was not a Ford Truck shop...was a very knowledgeable RV specialty shop.

Was about 75 degrees when I got under mine...LOL

Bill

[spanuts]

stillbill pictures worth a thousand words thanks