Community Forums

BigRedLancer · 09-25-2006, 08:23 PM

I returned from a recent trip and the ride home was terrible. One of the damaged concrete sections almost made me jump to another lane. I feel every crack or dip in the road. Since I have been towing the car, I need to stay in the slow lane and that is where the road conditions are worse.

Will air bags (Firestone Ride Rite for example) help with the ride? Is there anything I can do with a leaf spring suspension that will help the ride? I like the coach but hate the ride.

Suggestions?

BigRedLancer · 09-25-2006, 08:23 PM

I returned from a recent trip and the ride home was terrible. One of the damaged concrete sections almost made me jump to another lane. I feel every crack or dip in the road. Since I have been towing the car, I need to stay in the slow lane and that is where the road conditions are worse.

Will air bags (Firestone Ride Rite for example) help with the ride? Is there anything I can do with a leaf spring suspension that will help the ride? I like the coach but hate the ride.

Suggestions?

hammerman · 09-26-2006, 06:47 AM

Hi I aalso have a ford and have found that running with the air in my tires at the coach mfg settings help the ride

Frankie · 09-26-2006, 07:07 AM

Definately,check your tire pressure.My tires were all at 85lb and the ride was harsh.I weighed it full of gear and adjusted pressure from the Goodyear chart.It made a huge differance.Also,I think my bilstiens run a little harder then most shocks,but improves handeling.Pretty sure yours has stock bilstiens.I hear great things about the Koni's,but cost is prohibitive right now.Problem with suspension is a lot of money gets wasted trying to improve ride,with lackluster results.I hope somebody post's air bag results,curious also.

SJim · 09-26-2006, 01:42 PM

I have a 97 dutch Star on a f53 and i added air bags to the rear it sure helped with the ride hight and seams to improve the ride a lot thinking about putting the front ones on soon

"007" · 09-26-2006, 01:42 PM

I installed AIR-LIFT bags on A F-53 99 Newmar MA to lift chassis and make level while traveling. Coach when rocking would grab top of rear wheel well on passenger side, heavy side. They had a compressor and controls manual for each front and rear pairs of bags. They now have auto level controls for bags. They allowed me to level the coach and adjust for weight changes as you traveled. They also damped the ride on the springs which without them would be not arched upward but downward because of weight of coach. Cost at the time was $1100 install myself about the same for springs I had put on a 98-KS.

Also installed Bilsteins on all my F-53's.

"007" · 09-26-2006, 01:48 PM

SAY SJim when do you want to become a member of Newmar Forum owners group I can take care of it for you.

wallynm · 09-26-2006, 07:01 PM

We had them on our 99 Ford and was able to adjust the pressure from the drivers seat and yes it seemed to help the ride.

FlashG · 09-27-2006, 12:38 PM

I have the same rig as you and mine rides fine. My tires are at recommended pressure.

BigRedLancer · 09-27-2006, 06:58 PM

I should mention that the issue is partly with the Califronia roads. Most other states have much better roads in better condition. We have the largest population and some of the worst roads in the lower 48.

MoHoGuy · 05-04-2008, 07:31 PM

i agree with BigRed - the California roads are terrible. i've driven all over the country and as soon as i'm a bit west of Vegas, the roads goto sh!t.

because of this, i've had all sorts of trouble with my chassis - my dash mount welds breaking from the frame causing my dash to bounce all over($$$). my floor has seperated from the wall behind the passenger seat($$$).

i will be posting about the broken dash problem in another topic so look for that.

i used airbags on two of my motorhomes. it doesn't help out with the California problem much but they have helped my motorhomes to sit straight and not lean.

i've also installed Safe-T steering dampners and that doesn't help much(with California road problem - it does help track better on the highway)

teddyu · 05-06-2008, 02:20 AM

On my 1991 F53, in order to improve the ride characteristics added air bags to the rear but kept oem shocks; added Michleins tires to the front and used Firestones for the rears; weighted all four corners & rebalanced left to right, then adjusted bag pressure and tire pressures for optimum ride; added a steering stabiler (hydrualic unit). Fixed it pretty good; cutdown on rock and roll; side-to-side sway and tail wag; straight-line tracking and wandering. The improvements restored my confidence in the coach's ability to deal with emergency lane changes if needed.