Community Forums

MaxRT · 11-23-2006, 02:45 AM

I would align front end before spending money on anything else. After you have done this then if still needed you can make a decision if you need further help with the other front end devises (tru track safe-t-plus..) I speak from experience.

TXiceman · 11-23-2006, 05:42 AM

I have to agree with checking a few things first before you spend a lot of money on add-ons that may or may not work.

First weigh the coach when loaded for travel and see what your real axle loads are. Now adjust your tire pressures based on the loads. You can usually get load/pressure charts from the tire manufacturers site.

Once weighed and still loaded for travel, get the front end aligned by an independent truck front end/suspension shop. I have found that the dealers do not have anyone really up on aligning the heavier chassis.

Now if it still does not drive to suit you, start looking at suspension modofications rather than add on steering dampers. Modifications such as better shocks, anti-roll bars, urethane bushings, track bars or panhard rods will usually tame the beast.

I do not have experience with the Work Horse chassis, but did go through the problems of getting two GM P-30 chassis and a Ford E-450 chassis to drive correctly.

My experience has been that the steering dampers (Safety Plus) just cover or mask the real problem.

Ken

Glen Taylor Jr. · 02-09-2007, 07:05 PM

Tested both the Ford and workhorse on the 215 north of San Bernardino for about 20 miles north and back. The ford was a Terra 29 J and was all over the road ( like dancing wath a fat lady, you go where she wants to go). Drove a 05 or 06 Terra 26 Q, it drove nice. Looked under the chassie and it had a steering stabilizer in and coil springs. Bought a 07 Terra L X, it has a stright axle on it. I'm back to the fat lady now. Had everthing checked. Think I need a sterring stabilizer

ghamblen · 02-10-2007, 07:27 AM

I have a Workhorse W22. Mine was all over the road when I first drove it. It was sensitive to ruts and crowns but really was a hand full when passed by a large vehicle such as a semi, would pull you into the next lane. Here are the steps I took to correct this problem. I weighed the coach and adjusted the tire pressures to chart recommendations plus 5 pounds. I had the front end aligned. This helped only marginally. I installed a rear track bar and that corrected at least 75 percent of the problem and at least kept it in the lane and stable when passed by large vehicles. I drove it for quite a while and decided the front end still wandered a little. I installed a front track bar and wander stopped. I drove for a long time and then decided to add a TruCenter steering stabilizer to ease steering fatique in cross winds and crowned roads. It also added some safety in case of a sudden blow out on the front. After another year I just couldn't stand the harshness of the Bilstien shocks so I replace them with Konis. That softened the ride considerably and the coach now drives straight, true and smooth regardless of traffic or road conditions.

paulmarg · 02-10-2007, 08:29 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ghamblen:
I have a Workhorse W22. Mine was all over the road when I first drove it. It was sensitive to ruts and crowns but really was a hand full when passed by a large vehicle such as a semi, would pull you into the next lane. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Gary,we had a lot of the same handling problems with our W24...We also had our rig weighed and found to be 1800 lbs underweight,when loaded for fulltiming.....Had the front end aligned,and tire pressure adjusted by reference from Michelin...
Handling assists we put on: Koni steering stabilizer...Davis Tru Trac.....Roadmaster rear anti sway bar.....
It is not perfect,but appx 80% more stable.....
We are happier with the handling,but still question why we needed these expensive after market add-ons....

ghamblen · 02-10-2007, 11:47 AM

paulmarg - I have often wondered why some coaches handle great from the factory and others require additional add-ons to get reasonable handling. My coach is no longer made so it is sort of an orphan. But I have driven many coaches from the same manufacturer and some are smooth and docile and others are bearcats to handle. I am convinced that the manufacturers do little or no testing to see how their coaches handle on the road. If they did, some would probably park it and walk home. I have come to the conclusion that it is weight distribution and coach length relative to the chassis wheel base. Of the coaches I have driven the longer wheel bases seem to handle much better. My coach is 36 feet built on a 228" wheelbase. If it was built on a 242" wheelbase I think it would have handled fine without the add-ons. I spent almost $3,000 getting my coach to handle correctly but it sure is a pleasure to drive now. We normally only drive 300 miles a day but have put in up to 600 miles a day and still not feel tired at the end of the day. When we first got this coach I was exhausted after driving a couple hundred miles.

alvinc · 02-13-2007, 08:33 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ghamblen:
I am convinced that the manufacturers do little or no testing to see how their coaches handle on the road. If they did, some would probably park it and walk home. I have come to the conclusion that it is weight distribution and coach length relative to the chassis wheel base. Of the coaches I have driven the longer wheel bases seem to handle much better. My coach is 36 feet built on a 228" wheelbase. If it was built on a 242" wheelbase I think it would have handled fine without the add-ons. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I had the same thought, that longer wheelbases would help, but then someone mentioned front axle limitations.

If a coach with a 228" wheelbase chassis was reworked with a 242" chassis, it would have too much weight on the front wheels. With the shorter chassis the weight behind the rear wheels helps reduce the weight on the front wheels. Moving the rear wheels back moves more weight onto the front axle.

"007" · 02-13-2007, 09:28 AM

What you say is true took the coach out yesterday for a ride and the front end steering was very sensitive to a slite turn of steering wheel. When the coach gets loaded for summer months bottle water, soft drinks and just plain stuff the front load increases and coach tracks alot better.

SynLube · 07-08-2008, 12:49 PM

After taking delivery of a 06 Fleetwood Terra 26' motor home with the Work Horse drive train I was concerned about the handling problems I encountered when driving on irregular and regular road surfaces, cross winds and when a semi passed me.

These conditions made the motor home wonder all over the road and would require allot of effort to get it under control again, which was very tiring to drive.

I checked into the Steer Safe® Stabilizer and found they did not have one for my model. After a call to Steer Safe they told me to bring my motor home to N.M. and they would fabricate one and install it.

Wow what a difference it made. I can now drive on all types of road surfaces without any problems at all, cross winds do not push me all over the road and when a semi passes me I have no problems like before. This took the strain out of driving and allowed me to be more relaxed when driving and the added safety feature from not losing control if a front tire blows out gives me peace of mind.

I highly recommend this product if you are having handling problems.

osomanytoys · 07-11-2008, 12:43 PM

we just purchased an 07 jayco seneca and are also planning on getting the koni shocks and a track bar for the rear.. thanks to this forum i hope our camper drives better real soon..