Community Forums

NXR · 08-18-2021, 06:33 PM

We're at a rally and a fellow who's had his new 22K GVWR chassis for less than a year said he and his wife are very discouraged about how it handled. He said even a passing car would cause the body to sway. Trucks and winds made it difficult to control.

I popped underneath and the attach pic is what I saw.

Yup, the passenger side sway bar bushing came fully out from under the bracket and ended up in the middle of the sway bar. I felt around all there was no gap at all between the bolts, the bracket, and the frame on either side. The bushing is slightly torn on one edge but otherwise looks great.

Forest River is trying to get a local Ford dealer to give him an appointment.

If that doesn't work out we may try to replace the bushing ourselves. Does anyone know what the torque is on the V8 2" rear sway bar bolts?

I know the V10 is 66 ft lbs but these bolts look a lot larger than mine.

Ray

mack73 · 08-18-2021, 08:02 PM

Bushings are still back ordered. See my thread for my temp fix which is still holding after 1500 miles but since you still have the bushing you should be fine.

The bolt and that bracket can easily hold 100+ lb ft. Just get a long wrench and go to town on it, plus add some locktite. And check all the bolts while you are there.

TeJay · 08-19-2021, 03:42 PM

If you don't have a torque wrench or don't know the actual torque just torque them to 70 ft/lbs and add some blue lock tight.

I still find this absolutely amazing that FORD had issues with the rear SB bushings failing after 8-9 years of use then the bracket bolts came loose bending and or breaking the brackets.

Now they have a new chassis with new and bigger SB's and the same thing is still happening. This is not an isolated incident. It's happening with several units with less than 2,000 miles.

Check with skuterdude. He's a contributor on these forums and he just might start making replacement bushings so you guys won't have to wait. His bushings are better made anyway!!!! He uses higher quality materials to make them and that's why they are tougher.

FlyingRVers · 08-19-2021, 11:27 PM

We lost two of the bolts on our SB bracket at the same time we experienced the spark plug wire failure - about 4,000 miles. The Ford dealership we took it to replaced all four nuts and bolts with replacements from Ford. The new nuts were nylock. These are high tensile strength nuts and bolts. I don’t know what they were torqued to.

TeJay · 08-22-2021, 02:11 PM

Those having issues with bushings or not getting bushings contact Skuterdude and see what answers he might provide. If somebody has a decent bushing send it to him and he will make a replacement.

I still find this an incredible situation in which FORD finds itself. They had this same issue of loose bracket bolts, bent or missing brackets and bolts. This started in 1999 and went up through and including their new design. Most of that stuff was fixed by the owner because it happened after the warranty period expired. Now it's happening with as few as 1,000 miles. They strengthened the rear bracket but the bolts and bushings are still coming loose. These are being handled under warranty but are they doing anything to prevent the bolts coming loose again. Well it has been reported they are using a Nylock nut. Why not just use blue lock tight. It works very well as we are all aware. Why isn't FORD aware???

Vagabond51 · 08-23-2021, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

We're at a rally and a fellow who's had his new 22K GVWR chassis for less than a year said he and his wife are very discouraged about how it handled. He said even a passing car would cause the body to sway. Trucks and winds made it difficult to control.

I popped underneath and the attach pic is what I saw.

Yup, the passenger side sway bar bushing came fully out from under the bracket and ended up in the middle of the sway bar. I felt around all there was no gap at all between the bolts, the bracket, and the frame on either side. The bushing is slightly torn on one edge but otherwise looks great.

Forest River is trying to get a local Ford dealer to give him an appointment.

If that doesn't work out we may try to replace the bushing ourselves. Does anyone know what the torque is on the V8 2" rear sway bar bolts?

I know the V10 is 66 ft lbs but these bolts look a lot larger than mine.

Ray

This is precisely what happened to mine mid 2000 about 3 months after delivery. Was having some repair done within my first year and while driving out I noticed a clanking when I made a left turn (was easy to recreate). Did a u-turn and back to the dealership (North Trail RV in Fort Myers—GREAT service dept!). My service rep and a Newmar rep jumped on and I drove it around. They got out and under the RV and saw it immediately, except mine was torn in half. Took it to Desoto Ford (Arcadia, FL—not a good experience (unrelated to the long wait)). At that time, I had to wait 3 months to get the bushing in! Damn COVID-19!

The ride now is really nice in my opinion.

mr.tommy · 08-29-2021, 09:10 AM

On the bolts, like Tejay said, add a little BLUE loctite on the threads—not red—and torque to 66 ft.lbs.

Bushing info:
Contact Skuterdude on Ebay. He has the right stuff. I believe he will sell just the end link bushings.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F53-Cl...e0f717ddb02787

Boydoo · 10-12-2021, 09:53 PM

Count me in also. I crawled underneath for the first time on 10/12 and saw that the left rear shackle and bolts are missing for the stabilizer The bushing was wrapped around the middle bottom of the stabilzer. When picked up we had 518 miles now at 1600 miles. So now the logistics of getting this looked at. I found a Ford dealer but wants us to leave with him for 2-3 days as his RV bays for full. We are full time so that means a hotel for 3 days and I guess we will have to empty the refrigerator.
Are the shackle and bolt parts readily available?

mack73 · 10-12-2021, 11:03 PM

Guess you are luckier. I'm still waiting for the bushing that has been backordered for the last couple months.

Bracket seems to be available and it looks to be slightly different for the chassis weights.

22k: https://parts.ford.com/shop/en/us/br...tionId:4419302

24k/26k: https://parts.ford.com/shop/en/us/br...tionId:4419302

Bolts are crazy expensive ($22 each), but they really aren't anything special M16 x 60MM grade 10.9. Technically the nuts aren't a separate part but I believe there is a bulletin about which ford part to order when they go missing, just not listed in the parts catalog.

However, just call the parts department. Their online catalog is ok, but frequently wrong. IE the photo they have for the bracket shows a part number for the older pre-2020 model, so who knows what you would actually get if you ordered it online.

TeJay · 10-13-2021, 10:06 AM

The bolts have to be available from aftermarket bolt suppliers at a cheaper rate. I know this for a fact. I can buy a 10" long 3/4 grade 8 bolt for about $10. In the last 45 years I've NEVER bought a bolt from any car dealer. They will always rape you if they can get away with it!!!

Contact Skuterdude!. If anybody wants to send him a good bushing he can have a 3-D print made and then build a mold to make replacement bushings that can't be found by Ford.

I can't believe Ford is doing such a miserable job of handling this issue. Why is it even happening. They don't have smart enough mechanical engineers to correct this issue?? It happened on the F-53 chassis beginning from the very first year 1999 and on up until the new design was introduced in 2020 or 2021.

Surprise, surprise!!! It's happening again on the new design as well. The only difference is it's happening most often with less than 2,000 miles with some as soon as 1,500 miles. Wow! Ford sure did make a change to the new design. They break even sooner than the older ones and they have even less parts support.

The only good aspect is it's fixed under warranty if they can get parts which they can't!!!!

TeJay · 10-13-2021, 10:17 AM

Here's something else to consider. If you're not sure of the bolt size remove a good bolt that's still on your chassis. Take it some place that can measure it.

Based on the many trucking companies and the chicken industry in North West AR we have several nut and bolt places.

Are the nuts welded to the frame? If they are loose take that to a shop and replace it with an SAE bolt with an equivalent bolt class rating. You do not have to use a metric bolt since some places will charge you more because it's metric and they may say they don't sell enough of them to keep the prices down.

You just have to think out side the box to get around some of these issues.

77Travco · 10-14-2021, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boydoo

Count me in also. I crawled underneath for the first time on 10/12 and saw that the left rear shackle and bolts are missing for the stabilizer The bushing was wrapped around the middle bottom of the stabilzer. When picked up we had 518 miles now at 1600 miles. So now the logistics of getting this looked at. I found a Ford dealer but wants us to leave with him for 2-3 days as his RV bays for full. We are full time so that means a hotel for 3 days and I guess we will have to empty the refrigerator.
Are the shackle and bolt parts readily available?

Just source the parts (new or used) and address it yourself. I know that I don't trust anyone else to work on my coach anyway and I dang sure wouldn't leave it with them for something that simple.

TeJay · 10-14-2021, 06:41 PM

77Travco,

You made an excellent point. We're talking about maybe 30 minutes of nut and bolt work for a skilled technician with air tools. No need to keep something 2 or 3 days making you stay in a motel etc. Just fix it in the parking lot and be on your way. That's what we used to call GOOD customer service.

If I didn't have the skills I'd sure as heck start learning what I needed to do to fix these many simple issues. Or at least learn enough about them to know what to look for and what to expect as far as time for the work.

I don't know how you folks started out but when we first got married if I couldn't fix something it didn't get fixed. Also we couldn't afford to not fix most things. We didn't have the $$$$$ to hire some one to do it. So I got a book and figured it out myself or talked to friends who had some skills and knowledge.

Our first camper was a used pop up that had to be basically restored. That almost never stopped Our first TV's (B&W & color) were all fixed using the electronics shop at our HS. Same with washers and dryers. Don't remember when we bought our first new appliance. Heck of a ride and I don't regret having to struggle. We appreciated things more.

rmcunningham · 10-18-2021, 04:47 PM

When your rear sway bar brackets and bolts on your 2022 Tiffin Open Road 36LA with rear Liquid Springs, built on the 2021 F53 26,000-pound chassis, fall off somewhere on the road (and they will), and you order the replacement bracket off the www.fordparts.com website using your VIN number, you may be directed to part No: 8U9Z 5486 A. This is correct if you have the normal sway bar, but incorrect if Ford has upgraded the rear sway bar and brackets to a much beefier, thicker sway bar. (Ask me how I know.) The correct part number for the larger bracket is LU9Z 5486 C ($35.11 each). (The number you see on the original bracket is not a part number, but an engineering code). The bolts (2 per bracket) are No. W500581S439 (19.80 for a box of 4) are 21 MM in size. The hex flange nuts (which the diagram does not even list as needed – but they are) are part No. W520216 S441 (2.70 each). They are 24 MM in size and have a nylon locknut. Otherwise, you can use Metric 2.0/ 16 nuts (24 MM). (I didn’t lose either of the original bushings, so I do not have those part numbers.)
It is a do-it-yourself job, but you will need a bottle jack to lift and hold the sway bar in place to line up the bolts with the holes, which are not threaded, despite what the Ford diagrams say. Use blue Loctite. I indexed the nuts and bolts and added this to my monthly inspection checklist. I’ll send my part costs to Ford as a warranty claim.
Big shout out to Robert at Liquid Springs for being so fast to send me diagrams of the LS install, which shows this is a Ford issue that LS sees a lot of, but is not a LS issue.
Another big shout out to the guys at the parts counter at Paris (TX) Ford: Wayne and Sean, and especially Aaron, who went above and beyond to track down the part, fast track the shipping, and update me by text and pictures by 8:00 am. You guys rock.