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Lelah · 10-23-2021, 10:35 AM

New-to-me 2006 Fleetwood Terra 26Y Workhorse chassis getting ready for a cross country trip (our first trip). Any suggestions for ride improving upgrades?

Thank you!

Flyer15015 · 10-23-2021, 10:52 AM

How handy are you ?
What shape is she in ?
How old are the tires ?
All systems function as they should ?
Have you had an RV before ?
Will you be towing ? What ?

Lots of questions need to be asked to give you good answers.

For me, I bought a 2004 Pace Arrow in January with 36K on the clock and brand new tires on it, so the first thing I did was to throw on a set of Bilstein shocks and I'm happy with the way she drives. Others have added track bars and anti sway bars and steering stabilizers, which equals a WHOLE BUNCH of $$$. Two trips to Florida and back to Colorado and I don't see the need for all that stuff. Of course others will add their viewpoint as we go along....

In any case, welcome aboard !

Mike in Colorado

Lelah · 10-23-2021, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

How handy are you ?
What shape is she in ?
How old are the tires ?
All systems function as they should ?
Have you had an RV before ?
Will you be towing ? What ?

Lots of questions need to be asked to give you good answers.

For me, I bought a 2004 Pace Arrow in January with 36K on the clock and brand new tires on it, so the first thing I did was to throw on a set of Bilstein shocks and I'm happy with the way she drives. Others have added track bars and anti sway bars and steering stabilizers, which equals a WHOLE BUNCH of $$$. Two trips to Florida and back to Colorado and I don't see the need for all that stuff. Of course others will add their viewpoint as we go along....

In any case, welcome aboard !

Mike in Colorado

Flyer15015:

I won't be doing ANY of the work myself. Rig is in the shop right now getting a full check.
Rig is in very good shape, overall, 72,000 miles, well taken care of.
Tires are 4 years old, 16,000 miles, always covered when not traveling.
All systems functioning.
I've never had an MH that I'm responsible for or been the primary driver of. My husband and I had a HR many years ago, but he took care of everything, including the driving.
Won't be towing anything.

Hope this help, thank you for the help!
Lelah

jeff0210 · 10-23-2021, 12:07 PM

Purchased our 2004 Lapalma last year. W 22 workhorse of coarse. Must people stop upgrading when they reach a comfort level while they are driving. My coach has Koni FDA red shocks all the way around, safe t plus stabilizer and four corner air bags were added on as well. Trip down to Florida was a little bit rough, and of coarse I had to learn the ins and outs of driving a big rig. On the way back to Ohio lowered the tires by about 5 pound and the airbags by 10. What a difference in comfort. May make a few more adjustments to the pressures. Other than that I doubt i'll make anymore improvements.

Skip426 · 10-23-2021, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lelah

New-to-me 2006 Fleetwood Terra 26Y Workhorse chassis getting ready for a cross country trip (our first trip). Any suggestions for ride improving upgrades?

Thank you!

Lelah ; take your serial number and use this decoder to get exact info on your Workhorse chassis . Different series ( P or W ) and chassis GVWR require different upgrades for the best handling .

Lelah · 10-23-2021, 01:01 PM

Skip426: Thank you very much! Mine is W18 apparently

Lelah · 10-23-2021, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff0210

Purchased our 2004 Lapalma last year. W 22 workhorse of coarse. Must people stop upgrading when they reach a comfort level while they are driving. My coach has Koni FDA red shocks all the way around, safe t plus stabilizer and four corner air bags were added on as well. Trip down to Florida was a little bit rough, and of coarse I had to learn the ins and outs of driving a big rig. On the way back to Ohio lowered the tires by about 5 pound and the airbags by 10. What a difference in comfort. May make a few more adjustments to the pressures. Other than that I doubt i'll make anymore improvements.

jeff0210: Thank you! This is what I'm considering:

Safe-T-Plus Stabilizer, Sumo Springs, Koni FSD shocks, SuperSteer Rear Trac Bar.

wolfe10 · 10-23-2021, 01:29 PM

I am a little surprised that the Terra 26Y is on the W chassis.

Pretty easy to confirm:

Look under the front. The P chassis has an independent front suspension-- looks kind of like the suspension of a Chevy PU.

The W has a solid front axle.

They are COMPLETELY different suspensions with upgrades unique to each.

Lelah · 10-24-2021, 02:00 AM

[mod edit]
On to my latest question. The rig is in the shop (TNT MotorSports in McMinnville OR) getting a look-at. I've been looking at ways to improve the ride and wondering about some suspension upgrades. TNT MotorSports was the only place I could find with an RV Tech but are they capable of adding Trac Bars, Sway Bars, Steering Stabilizer, Sumo Springs, etc. to my W18?

Thank you much!!

Oemtech · 10-24-2021, 07:48 AM

Most those addons cann be done by you with proper set of tools. Me I would go for:
1. Rear Trac bar
2. Koni shocks
3. Steer Safe

TexasJeff · 10-24-2021, 07:57 AM

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's chemo and truly hope she is able to beat cancer. For the life of me, with all the medical knowledge today, why can't we solve the problem of cancer yet?

Just a couple points come to mind and neither addresses your questions regarding suspension directly.

As you're getting to know your motorhome and prepare to go on your trip, I would seriously address hoses, belts and tires. Nothing ruins a trip like having a hose or tire blow, or a belt break. Since these items are best addressable before crossing the wide-open expanse of the western US, if I were spending money on my motorhome, I'd rather first do it with items that could most readily ruin or hamper my trip. Replacing hoses and belts with new ones sure would insure against unforeseen interruptions. And tires can dry out and crack or rot so if there is any question at all regarding it, I'd replace the tires.

As fun as RV'ing is for me, as well as having a rolling home to leisurely see the country up close, they can absolutely be money pits. If you're not careful, you can spend alot of money trying to customize and improve your motorhome, to the point where maybe just buying a newer one to start with would have made more sense. You bought your motorhome for a reason so I would suggest to take your time with things like softening up the suspension or doing marginal things with an eye toward overall improvement. If you can do the work yourself, then parts cost is much less of an issue. But paying for expensive labor and then trusting whoever is doing the work is competent and honest is a whole other topic.

Just random thoughts and worth about as much as you paid for them. Good luck on your trip. Travel safe and have fun!

Mudfrog · 10-24-2021, 09:30 AM

I agree with TexasJeff,,, the important thing is to make sure the running gear in in good shape. Hoses, belt, brakes, fluid levels (engine oil, transmission, differential), fluid change if not sure when last done. Chassis lubrication, tire pressures, and if equipped, air bags function and pressures as well.

Ours is an 2003 P32 on a short wheelbase, a bit different than a W series Workhorse. Because I know it's not supposed to be a sportscar, I've never ever given a thought to trying to make it ride better. We sometimes get pushed a bit by strong winds and passing big rigs but it provides a comfortable ride otherwise. I have never experienced any "white knuckle" driving.

AKIQPilot · 10-24-2021, 09:57 AM

Some good suggestions already concerning belts, hoses, idler pulley, track bar, Konis, etc. One additional suggestion is to get a good Scangauge to monitor engine and transmission parameters. Monitor your fuel trims and temperatures closely as you start out on your trip. Nothing will destroy an 8.1 faster than a lean condition in the fuel delivery system. A Scangauge will keep you aware of critical engine and transmission data and give you plenty of time to react if those parameters get out of spec.

Lelah · 10-24-2021, 11:44 AM

Thank you Oemtech, TexasJeff, Mudfrog, and AKIQPilot for the advice. Since I began looking for a MH 2 months ago for this trip I have gotten priceless information from this forum.

Sorry that I forgot to mention in my original post that I am a 58 year old, female teacher with very little automotive knowledge or experience. Some very smart people on this forum tried to dissuade me from purchasing a MH but I just didn't see any better way to get me and my 2 elderly dogs across the country and then have a place to live next door to my daughter for 6 months. So here I am.

All that to say, when you start talking about fuel delivery systems, chassis lubrication, and doing any of this work myself, well.....my eyes start to hurt. I have put myself on a crash course, through this website and others to learn all I possibly can while I'm getting ready to leave.

The motorhome is supposed to be getting a thorough go-thru at the shop, but now that several of you have given me some specifics I will call first thing and make sure that everything is being checked that can be checked.

The rig was well taken care of by previous owner who kept the tires covered when not in use. They are 4 years old with 16,000 miles. After it's out of the shop I'll be taking it to a local tire center (Les Schwab) to replace the valve stems with longer ones that will be easier for me to fill as needed. I'm also planning on getting a TST 507 TPMS.

The reason that I have been considering the suspension upgrades is the concern with my ability to handle a big rig in wintery weather while making my way across the country. I'll be trying to get to Knoxville as quickly as possible while, of course, driving safely (well rested, safe speeds, etc.) I believe Class A gasers have a reputation for not handling as well as DPs. So anything that I can do (relatively quickly) to improve that handling may be worth the expense.

All advice/words of wisdom is GREATLY appreciated.
Lelah