Front sway bar

[M Laughy]

I have a W18 Workhorse. 2010 Thor hurricane. I was going to upgrade my front sway bar but when I got under the coach I noticed that there isn't a front seay bar.

I can't believe Thor / Workhorse wouldn't have put on a front sway bar. Does anyone else have this issue? Can you recommend an aftermarket sway bar that will bolt directly on ?

[AKIQPilot]

Originally Posted by M Laughy

I have a W18 Workhorse. 2010 Thor hurricane. I was going to upgrade my front sway bar but when I got under the coach I noticed that there isn't a front seay bar.

I can't believe Thor / Workhorse wouldn't have put on a front sway bar. Does anyone else have this issue? Can you recommend an aftermarket sway bar that will bolt directly on ?

Actually I believe there is a front anti sway bar on your coach, it just doesn't look like what you expect an anti sway bar to look like. For sure the W22 and w24 chassis had them. There is a 2" square tube that connects to the leaf spring near the front and spans from one leaf spring to the other. The way this tube is bolted to the front of the springs acts to reduce sway and body roll. It looks different but does a fairly effective job of reducing sway. Many Workhorse chassis had 2.5" square tubing spanning between the springs both front and rear. These drastically reduced sway on those chassis.

An additional, aftermarket anti sway bar, will reduce sway even further and definitely improve handling when in windy conditions or going slow over uneven surfaces like pot holes or driveway approaches.

Lots of good anti sway bar options out there for your coach.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Work...active&ssui=on

[CamJam1]

+1 to what AKIQPilot said, and from personal experience I highly recommend aftermarket sway bars if you're finding your coach is a handful to drive. They're expensive, but they made a world of difference in how my coach handles. You don't remove the factory sway bars when you add aftermarket bars.

Trac bars are another great upgrade. Their main benefit is in reducing the "tail wagging the dog" effect caused by passing trucks.

If you want to complete the trifecta, go for a steering stabilizer too!

[George Schweikle]

As AKIQPilot mentioned, you already have something that functions as an anti sway bar. My Workhorse Chassis Guide states the front 2.5 in. "Stabilizer Tube" became standard in Sept. 2003. It also mentions the same type of rear stabilizer, but no introduction date, so this may have been standard from the start of the W chassis production.

Are you having handling problems that need to be addressed?

Originally Posted by M Laughy

I have a W18 Workhorse. 2010 Thor hurricane. I was going to upgrade my front sway bar but when I got under the coach I noticed that there isn't a front sway bar.

I can't believe Thor / Workhorse wouldn't have put on a front sway bar. Does anyone else have this issue? Can you recommend an aftermarket sway bar that will bolt directly on ?

[M Laughy]

Originally Posted by AKIQPilot

Actually I believe there is a front anti sway bar on your coach, it just doesn't look like what you expect an anti sway bar to look like. For sure the W22 and w24 chassis had them. There is a 2" square tube that connects to the leaf spring near the front and spans from one leaf spring to the other. The way this tube is bolted to the front of the springs acts to reduce sway and body roll. It looks different but does a fairly effective job of reducing sway. Many Workhorse chassis had 2.5" square tubing spanning between the springs both front and rear. These drastically reduced sway on those chassis.

An additional, aftermarket anti sway bar, will reduce sway even further and definitely improve handling when in windy conditions or going slow over uneven surfaces like pot holes or driveway approaches.

Lots of good anti sway bar options out there for your coach.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Work...active&ssui=on

Thanks, I recently drove 3000 miles and when I got home I was ready to sell it. Everything affects it from trucks, uneven roads, and wind. I did put a track bar on the back that helped a lot. I have spent a lot of time remodeling the coach. I also spent $11,000 on the back axel when a wheel bearing when out and chewed up the axel and axel case. I have no faith in Workhorse that company pulled out of the RV business and left all of us with a Workhorse chassis with absolutely no support.

[CamJam1]

I've been down this road (no pun intended) with my W22. My suggestion: Front sway bar and a steering stabilizer. Roadmaster makes both those products.

Some will say you should get the rear sway bar first, but the front sway bar made the biggest difference on my W22, so I would try that first.

Good that.you already have the rear trac bar. That really helps with passing trucks. The front sway bar and steering stabilizer should really help with the wandering and crosswinds. Nothing will make it nice to drive in 30+ mph winds, but my coach used to be a handful on all but the nicest roads on the calmest days, and now it's a joy to drive. We put about 7k miles on our coach in the last year and only had one day where the drive was not a pleasure. National Weather Service data showed 33 mph winds and 45 mph gusts for that time and location when I looked at it later, so we really should have parked it.

This isn't just a Workhorse problem. Ford F53 chassis has a lot of the same issues. These devices should have been standard equipment from the factory.

One question I should have asked earlier: What is the length of your coach and the wheelbase? A long coach with a short wheelbase will be inherently less stable than one with a longer wheelbase.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by M Laughy

I have no faith in Workhorse that company pulled out of the RV business and left all of us with a Workhorse chassis with absolutely no support.

You have the executives at Navistar to thank for that. It was Navistar who bought WCC and then shut it all down, leaving a lot of good people who created the best front gassers ever assembled, out if work.
Now that Navistar has been acquired by VW, maybe some of those Navistar geniuses will have the same thing done to them.

[F4Gary]

Before you do anything, go to a good truck alignment shop and get a good front end alignment with as much caster as they can get. 5+ degrees.
This will improve the "wandering" down the highway more than anything.
That and a Safe T Plus steering stabilizer.

Drive that and then see if you still want a front anti-roll bar since you already have the factory one (most likely the 2.5" one).


Also tire pressures, but that's another thread.

[CamJam1]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Before you do anything, go to a good truck alignment shop and get a good front end alignment with as much caster as they can get. 5+ degrees.
This will improve the "wandering" down the highway more than anything.
That and a Safe T Plus steering stabilizer.

Drive that and then see if you still want a front anti-roll bar since you already have the factory one (most likely the 2.5" one).


Also tire pressures, but that's another thread.

I don't disagree with this advice, but I will say that I added a front sway bar AFTER adding caster and a Roadmaster Reflex steering stabilizer and it was the icing on the cake. They certainly helped, but it wasn't until I added the front sway bar that I finally had my coach driving the way I wanted.

[George Schweikle]

CamJam1, I hope this is appropriate to the discussion: Did you already have the factory 2.5 in square tube front bar, and added an additional traditional style front sway bar?

Asking since our recent W22 purchase came with 2.5 in. bars and track bars both front & rear, KONI FSD shocks, and handles very well except for some wandering that I hope is addressed by recent caster increase. Upcoming road trip will determine if changing caster from 2 degrees to 4 1/2 is sufficient; the alignment shop didn't have any shims for more caster.

Originally Posted by CamJam1

I don't disagree with this advice, but I will say that I added a front sway bar AFTER adding caster and a Roadmaster Reflex steering stabilizer and it was the icing on the cake. They certainly helped, but it wasn't until I added the front sway bar that I finally had my coach driving the way I wanted.

[CamJam1]

Originally Posted by George Schweikle

CamJam1, I hope this is appropriate to the discussion: Did you already have the factory 2.5 in square tube front bar, and added an additional traditional style front sway bar?

Asking since our recent W22 purchase came with 2.5 in. bars and track bars both front & rear, KONI FSD shocks, and handles very well except for some wandering that I hope is addressed by recent caster increase. Upcoming road trip will determine if changing caster from 2 degrees to 4 1/2 is sufficient; the alignment shop didn't have any shims for more caster.

Yes, my W22 had the 2-1/2" square factory bars front and rear and I added a Roadmaster front sway bar. I had already added a Hellwig rear sway bar a couple years before. I left the front bar until last as I didn't expect it would make much difference, but I was wrong.

My suggestion is to do the caster first and see how it feels after that. If you're still not satisfied try the steering stabilizer, and leave the sway bar for last. I say this only because the sway bar is pricey, though I installed mine myself and it was not difficult.

The steering stabilizer can make the steering feel a bit heavy at times, but it really cut down on the wandering.

Finding a place that will Install the caster wedges is not always easy so wouldn't hurt to do the steering stabilizer first if that's easier for you. They're not hard to install yourself if you have some big sockets and a breaker bar for the u-bolts.

[George Schweikle]

The caster has already been changed from 2 to 4 degrees and I'm waiting for our upcoming trip South to evaluate this. If not suitable, I plan to find a shop to install wedges for 6 degrees; which seems to be the maximum recommended.

My thought is to only install a spring based steering stabilizer as an absolute last resort. I know many swear by these things, but I don't see that they actually change any steering geometry, spring rate, sway control, or ball joint play, rather they just add something for the power steering to work against. That said, an old saying is "Never say never"

Originally Posted by CamJam1

Yes, my W22 had the 2-1/2" square factory bars front and rear and I added a Roadmaster front sway bar. I had already added a Hellwig rear sway bar a couple years before. I left the front bar until last as I didn't expect it would make much difference, but I was wrong.

My suggestion is to do the caster first and see how it feels after that. If you're still not satisfied try the steering stabilizer, and leave the sway bar for last. I say this only because the sway bar is pricey, though I installed mine myself and it was not difficult.

The steering stabilizer can make the steering feel a bit heavy at times, but it really cut down on the wandering.

Finding a place that will Install the caster wedges is not always easy so wouldn't hurt to do the steering stabilizer first if that's easier for you. They're not hard to install yourself if you have some big sockets and a breaker bar for the u-bolts.

[CamJam1]

Originally Posted by George Schweikle

The caster has already been changed from 2 to 4 degrees and I'm waiting for our upcoming trip South to evaluate this. If not suitable, I plan to find a shop to install wedges for 6 degrees; which seems to be the maximum recommended.

My thought is to only install a spring based steering stabilizer as an absolute last resort. I know many swear by these things, but I don't see that they actually change any steering geometry, spring rate, sway control, or ball joint play, rather they just add something for the power steering to work against. That said, an old saying is "Never say never"

George, I also did not believe that a steering stabilizer could be as beneficial as people had said, but it was. It was the second-to-last gizmo I tried for that very reason. I don't claim to understand exactly how it works (provides resistance to tie-rod slop perhaps?) but one drive convinced me. Since you're already at 4 degrees caster I'd be inclined to try the stabilizer next.

As I said earlier though, I was never truly happy with my coach until I added the front sway bar as well. Of course, every coach is different as are every driver's preferences.

It's frustrating that we're left to sort out our coaches ourselves when they shouldn't have left the factory without at least some of these devices, but such is life.

[George Schweikle]

CamJam1, thanks for your comments & information. I hope this conversation has been beneficial to other Workhorse chassis owners.

Design of experiments theory says to only change one thing at a time so the caster change to 4 degrees will be evaluated on our upcoming Florida trip. If a wandering condition still remains, I will either change caster to 6 degrees, or consider a steering stabilizer, as the next step.

Originally Posted by CamJam1

George, I also did not believe that a steering stabilizer could be as beneficial as people had said, but it was. It was the second-to-last gizmo I tried for that very reason. I don't claim to understand exactly how it works (provides resistance to tie-rod slop perhaps?) but one drive convinced me. Since you're already at 4 degrees caster I'd be inclined to try the stabilizer next.

As I said earlier though, I was never truly happy with my coach until I added the front sway bar as well. Of course, every coach is different as are every driver's preferences.

It's frustrating that we're left to sort out our coaches ourselves when they shouldn't have left the factory without at least some of these devices, but such is life.