Third suspension upgrade?

[Bentgypsy]

To my 2018 Baystar sport 2812, i’m planning to add a steering stabilizer and a rear track bar.
Assuming that the rear track bar will help with some side to side sway, what would you recommend for a third suspension upgrade especially if I wanted a less bumpy, smooth ride?
P.S. I do wonder about the need for a steering stabilizer and whether or not I should get a heavy duty rear Sway bar instead of a track bar (?).
My immediate goal is to reduce side to side sway and a bumpy ride. I confess that I have erroneously kept low pressure in the tires hoping that that would produce a smoother ride.

[R.Wold]

Have you done the CHF yet? That would be the first step. Then a track bar - lots of info on those for the F53 here too. I wouldn’t invest in a steering stabilizer unless you have unstable steering (bump steer, a lot of tire vibration from the front end, etc). If you do the CHF (or have done it) my advice is to maintain the original geometry of the sway bars with longer links. I used adjustable links in the front (Hellwig - $100 from Summit) and the orig front links in the rear. Also I replaced my 10 year old Bilsteins on my Bay Star with Konis and while it added additional stability it also made the ride a bit more rough. When I sold it I passed along the Bilsteins and suggested he consider putting the front orig shock back on.

[wolfe10]

1. Set tire pressure based on actual weights.


2. Rear track bar.


3. Upgrade shocks-- Koni FSD's are the gold standard.


Before considering a steering stabilizer, I would have front end CASTER set toward maximum for better tracking.

[Luv2go]

With the Canyon Star I:

Adjusted tire pressure after 4 corner weights. Used tire mfr weight chart recommendations +5PSI.

Had a front end alignment done. I could not get the alignment shop to increase my caster as it was "in spec", I should have verified they would before going in. There is a TSB from Ford on this titled QVM Bulliten No. Q-59 Clear Vision and Alignment policy change.

Added the CHF, front with the Hellwig links with the original Ford sleeves/bushings. Note there is some controversy about using these adjustable links on the CHF thread, though I never had an issue. Did the CHF rear with the front links, they happened to work perfectly, keeping the bar away from anything else at suspension extremes. The CHF reduced the really bad sway, more at slow speed entering/exiting parking lots and gas stations, etc. I did the front links first and waited several months to do the rear, the most effect seemed to be with the front.

Installed a rear track bar (the front already had a track bar). That almost eliminated the "tail wagging the dog" feel I had when being passed by large vehicles or getting hit by crosswind gusts. The coach was a real handful in these situations before doing this, definitely a white knuckle experience.

Installed steering stabilizer. I happened to use a Reflex, it was most cost effective. That improved handling even more.

After all these there was much less stress going through narrow construction zones, passing and being passed by large vehicles and experiencing crosswind gusts. Going in and out of gas stations was much less eventful (before doing the CHF DW had an "event" where a top cabinet flung open and tossed dishes all over the place, breaking many). After all these fixes long drives (8 hr +) were actually enjoyable.

[R.Wold]

Originally Posted by Luv2go

With the Canyon Star I:

Adjusted tire pressure after 4 corner weights. Used tire mfr weight chart recommendations +5PSI.

Had a front end alignment done. I could not get the alignment shop to increase my caster as it was "in spec", I should have verified they would before going in. There is a TSB from Ford on this titled QVM Bulliten No. Q-59 Clear Vision and Alignment policy change.

Added the CHF, front with the Hellwig links with the original Ford sleeves/bushings. Note there is some controversy about using these adjustable links on the CHF thread, though I never had an issue. Did the CHF rear with the front links, they happened to work perfectly, keeping the bar away from anything else at suspension extremes. The CHF reduced the really bad sway, more at slow speed entering/exiting parking lots and gas stations, etc. I did the front links first and waited several months to do the rear, the most effect seemed to be with the front.

Installed a rear track bar (the front already had a track bar). That almost eliminated the "tail wagging the dog" feel I had when being passed by large vehicles or getting hit by crosswind gusts. The coach was a real handful in these situations before doing this, definitely a white knuckle experience.

Installed steering stabilizer. I happened to use a Reflex, it was most cost effective. That improved handling even more.

After all these there was much less stress going through narrow construction zones, passing and being passed by large vehicles and experiencing crosswind gusts. Going in and out of gas stations was much less eventful (before doing the CHF DW had an "event" where a top cabinet flung open and tossed dishes all over the place, breaking many). After all these fixes long drives (8 hr +) were actually enjoyable.

This all sounds “spot on”!

[Alpine36]

After all these there was much less stress going through narrow construction zones, passing and being passed by large vehicles and experiencing crosswind gusts. Going in and out of gas stations was much less eventful (before doing the CHF DW had an "event" where a top cabinet flung open and tossed dishes all over the place, breaking many). After all these fixes long drives (8 hr +) were actually enjoyable.

I think we've all had that "event" happen at one time or another.
The worst for me was the loss of a big bottle of Baileys Irish Cream...
What an awful mess that was.
FWIW, the Helliweg rear sway bar did wonders for our old Winnie, however it was not on a 53 chassis. (GM) It eliminated about 2/3 of the tail wag. Also added rear AirLift bags with only about 15psi...wow.
Amazing difference.