Looking for a better riding motorhome

[DiSl]

We have a 2001 Safari motor home and to me the ride is very rough and noisy. Could those who have comfortable riding motor homes share what year and make you have?

[Skip426]

What chassis is your coach built on ?

Have you done anything to determine, or improve, the rough ride?

Weighed the coach loaded for travel ; and adjusted the tire pressure to the manufacturers charts?

[wolfe10]

Please tell us which suspension you have. Safari used several and just before Monaco bought Safari.


How many miles on it?


What tire pressure front and back? What is that PSI based on?



Age and brand of shocks?

[Theturboman]

What is the tire size and pressures. It should be a freightliner chassis, I had a 2002 Monaco Diplomat and could not stand the ride or seat comfort (should be same manufacture)

[vyndance]

What model Safari? Could be an RR4R up to an S series.

[DiSl]

It’s the magnum chassis with velvet ride suspension. My husband added airbags and it did help the ride somewhat but it is still rough. He also reduced the tire pressure but not sure to where. Mostly I’m wondering if a newer or different make dp motorhome would ride better and have less wind noise and rattles!

[wolfe10]

With the Torsilastic suspension (aka velvet ride) it is important that RIDE HEIGHT be to spec. Ride height tends to lessen with age. If too low, coach will bottom out over even small bumps.


Ride height is easy to measure from the side (not under) the coach. Suggest measuring with supplemental air bags both deflated and at the normal pressure you run.



If you need instructions, Private Message me you e-mail and I can forward them to you (originally from the late Ralph Andrews, the guru of Safari Torsilastic suspension upgrades).


And, yes setting tire pressure based on actual weight helps as well.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by DiSl

…….Mostly I’m wondering if a newer or different make dp motorhome would ride better and have less wind noise and rattles!

From personal experience I can tell you that any of the Entegra DPs built on a Spartan tag axle chassis are the quietest and best riding coaches I have ever been in.

[DiSl]

Do you think it’s because of the tag axle or being an entegra?

[edgray]

Originally Posted by DiSl

Do you think it’s because of the tag axle or being an entegra?

I give most of the credit for the quietness and overall lack of squeaks and rattles, to the Entegra coach construction methods. Much is made about their "hung" walls and the use of batt type fiberglass insulation which I believe is only used by Entegra and Newmar. Pretty much all the other coach builders use styrofoam laminated between the inner and outer walls. I think the Entegra subfloor is 2x4 studs and thick plywood. All this used to be all shown on their website. Please note that not ALL products branded as "Entegra" are actually built as I just described.

From the webpage for the Aspire models:

CONSTRUCTION

Floor 2" x 4" wood trusses on 16" centers or less filled with bat and Flexfoil insulation then topped with 3/4" 7-ply plywood decking (R-33)
Frame X-Bridge™ bracing welded into chassis frame
Front Cap Insulated front and rear caps (R-24) with steel-reinforced front cap and windshield frame
Roof 4" arched aluminum trusses filled with bat insulation and reflective Flexfoil® topped with 3/8" plywood decking then one-piece fiberglass
Slideouts Entegra-exclusive Relia-Torque flush-mounted 12V slideout system with VegaTouch and rocker switch controls
Walls 2-1/2" exterior walls with Aluma-Tru™ welded tubular aluminum studs on 16" centers or less filled with bat and Flexfoil insulation then covered with high-gloss gelcoat


I doubt there is a LOT of difference between the ride of a tag axle FCCC chassis vs. a Spartan tag axle, but I only have seat time on the Spartan K2 with 450 ISL cummins. Once I got rid of the miserable Goodyear tires, it road like a limo.

[Iceclimber]

I have a Safari with with the RR4R and I have learned that it's smooth as silk on highways but backroads are a bit noisy and creaky as OP describes. I am eyeing the shocks thinking about Koni's but I doubt that will smooth things out much. So, I try to stay on highways.

[MO Fred]

Originally Posted by DiSl

It’s the magnum chassis with velvet ride suspension. My husband added airbags and it did help the ride somewhat but it is still rough. He also reduced the tire pressure but not sure to where. Mostly I’m wondering if a newer or different make dp motorhome would ride better and have less wind noise and rattles!

My coach has a magnum chassis and it rides smoothly. You may have an over or under inflated airbag issue or shock issues.

[MRUSA14]

Originally Posted by Iceclimber

I have a Safari with with the RR4R and I have learned that it's smooth as silk on highways but backroads are a bit noisy and creaky as OP describes. I am eyeing the shocks thinking about Koni's but I doubt that will smooth things out much. So, I try to stay on highways.

Your coach is 18 years old. If the shocks have not been replaced, they are way overdue. This could easily cause bad ride and handling. If you decide to replace them, get the best ones you can find. There is a big difference in ride between "standard" shocks and upgraded ones. I replaced the factory installed Bilstein shocks on my coach with Koni's, and it gave me a substantially improved ride.

[wolfe10]

Be aware that there are two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT chassis and suspensions being discussed in this thread!


The OP has the Torsilastic suspension Magnum chassis.