Anyone go too far with Chassis mods?

[Knightab]

Originally Posted by Thatgrimguy

I just returned from a 1000 mile journey with my new mods installed.

The 5 star tune is a must. IT is a HUGE improvement to shift points, allowed me to actually have some use of cruise control, and it kept the engine running about 200 rpm lower on average making for more enjoyable cruising.

The anti sway bars are also a HUGE improvement. Wow. totally different experience.

The Track bars... I don't know if they are doing much or not. It turned out that my motorhome came with a nice beefy panard bar on the front anyhow so that one is going back. The rear was installed, and I'm sure some of the control I feel and am attributing to the anti roll probably is coming from this as well.

Koni FSD shocks. Not really sure if there is improvement or not. I may uninstall and put my bilsteins on just to isolate them and see what if any improvement I feel or lose.

The Saf T Plus is an improvement, but not the game changer I expected. I guess it's mostly a safety belt for front tire blowouts. I expected the steering to be tighter and to feel a lot less wind from passing semis. I can still clearly feel the semis but it's a significant improvement over before the install so I still feel it's worth the money I invested.


I have looked into airtabs based on a comment on this thread and I'm going to order those today. My uncle runs a trucking company and had good things to say about them and the cost is low seeing as I don't have to do much painting of them.

Good to hear you like the 5star, I really love mine!

The rear trackbar will make the most difference on vehicles and mainly semi's approaching from the rear. Prior to my installing the rear track bar as a vehicle would approach the rear I could feel the push and it progressed up the coach as it passed. Now I virtually don't notice that. It will also help some on cross winds which usually manifests itself in having to seesaw the steering wheel.

I did not go with air bags but opted for the Sumo Springs Maxim's. I think it has made a nice difference in handling bumps and contolling shock to the coach on bumps.

The safety steer is just that. Can't say I noticed any change on the handling myself but I do know what a benefit it will be in the case of a blowout on the front. I had a steering stabilizer go bad on my 1 ton dually and when I would hit a bump it would start a horrendous shaking that could only be stopped by bringing the vehicle to a stop. Next pot hole it started all over.

As Tejay mentioned the Centramatic balancers are awesome! If you install them before your tires get a chance to start the river channeling as they call it you can pretty much forget about it happening.

[Knightab]

Originally Posted by dempen

I've done CHF, Koni shocks, Tru-center steering, and rear track bar, and new bushings on leaf springs. Drives true and steady, but I can't get rid of the banging/rattling of front suspension on non smooth roads. I just got back from a trip to Niagara Falls from Chicago and I even get a squeak which developed 200 miles from home. Any advice how to make the front end quiet?


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Question, do you have a loud clunk coming from under your feet on one side or both?

[dempen]

Yes, I do have that loud clunk, drives me crazy and would love to ride with another motorhome similar to mine to see if they have the same noises!



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[dempen]

Sorry, the clunking only comes from drivers side



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[Tony Lee]

Originally Posted by Thatgrimguy

Hmm. Those air tabs are pretty interesting. I could see going that route at some point. I kind of like the look.

Oh Dear! I forgot to add lots of 'tongue-in-cheek' smilies to my post.

[BeachDude]

Originally Posted by Thatgrimguy

I'll have just over $3000 in chassis stuff so far. It's worth every penny to me. I got the coach for $65k, said and done i'll maybe be at $70k for a brand new coach that rides like a $300k DP (maybe not but close enough for me)

A story:

My very first car at 16 years old was a 1965 Porsche 356SC, (a rust bucket my dad and I restored).

By the time I was 18 years old I was bracket racing heavily modified VW Bugs and Karmann Ghias at the local Orange County Raceway on the weekends.

I spent many summer job $$, and hours (and an entire VW parts industry blossomed in the 80s-90s), trying to make a Type1 VW handle as much as possible as well as my 356 Porsche.

The moral of the story:

You can spend all the money in the world, and add all the aftermarket accessories you want. The Type1 VW Bug and Karmann Ghia will never feel like the 356 Porsche.

How it relates to this post:

An F53 chassis will never feel like even the most insignificant DP, not even remotely.

[Knightab]

Originally Posted by dempen

Sorry, the clunking only comes from drivers side



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Get your torque wrench, check specifically the top shock bolts that mount to the frame. The torque setting is around 250#. You will probably find that although the bolt may seem tight, when you put the torque wrench on it is not. Both top shock bolts were only about 50# torque on mine. It is an extremely common issue on the F53 chassis. Quick easy fix. Check the bottom bolts also while you are under there for safe measure.
If you don't have a torque wrench, get your breaker bar and use a pipe on it and tighten about as tight as you can get.

[dempen]

Thanks will try next week when I get it from storage for another trip.


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[Knightab]

Originally Posted by dempen

Thanks will try next week when I get it from storage for another trip.


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Mine had a knock from the minute I drove it off the lot.
I checked everything and even the top shock bolts but only by putting a wrench on them and giving a tug. Well that's not enough.

[billdor]

For those of us that are not as smart as others seem to be, what in the world is a CHF

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by billdor

For those of us that are not as smart as others seem to be, what in the world is a CHF

It's made up initials that stands for Cheap Handling Fix. It's used no where else in the world except by some on iRV2. Using the initials makes it sound more official to some.

It consists of moving the sway bar links back to a hole in the sway bar that is closer to the axle.

[TeJay]

billdor,
Do a search on these forums and read some of it for yourself. You'll find that most/many have reported that it was the best thing that improved their ride. Don't believe me just read it for your self. Some have spent upwards of $1,000 to 1,500 replace their stock stabilizer bars and achieved the same results.

Just last week a friend asked me to drive his MH. It is a 2013, 18,000 chassis with the F-53 chassis. The chassis and all is set up just like ours but a different brand. We drove it to our home about 20 miles away. He bought it used with about 9,000 miles on it. I did not check anything before we drove away from his office.

His coach road every bit as good as ours. I was very surprised. Good ride, very little sway, road cracks and small bumps were OK, straight ahead tracking was also OK.

We got to our house and I looked under his coach. His front stock stabilizer bar (SB) was replaced with a heavier one. His rear stock SB was still there but an additional SB was installed and it too was bigger in diameter than the stock one.

So he had two new bigger SB's and one rear stock SB and it rode every bit as good as ours which just had the CHF (Cheap handling fix) performed. The MODS on his coach probably cost around $1,500 to $2,000. I will add they were already on his coach when he bought it so it didn't really cost him anything. My biggest ride and handling improvements cost me nothing.

One additional point is that since the discovery of the CHF in 2010 I have heard that it is being discussed on several other forums. Read about it and judge for yourself.

TeJay