Rick Jay
Greater Springfield area, MA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/02/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
Doug,
Well said and thanks for the insight into the process. ![[emoticon]](https://forums.motorhome.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
~Rick
2005 Georgie Boy Cruise Master 3625 DS on a Workhorse W-22
Rick, Gail, 1 girl (26-Angel since 2008), 1 girl (21), 2 boys (22 & 19).
2001 Honda Odyssey, Demco Aluminator tow bar & tow plate, SMI Silent Partner brake controller.
|
Nv Guy
Reno NV
Senior Member
Joined: 06/18/2017
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
bmwdriver2019 wrote:Nv Guy wrote:Blaming Ford is the same as blaming the lumberyard because your house isn't properly built.
As been said, get the rig weighed, and aligned by a competent alignment shop.
i get what your saying BUT ford built the chassis with out adding anything to prevent the issue the f53s are having, how many times i have read that a rear track bar had to be added to correct the issue , and on many coaches , not just mine or a few , ford does as little as possible ,
i stated that im a retired bmw tech not bragging but i do know cars , when a vehicle is fine up to a certain speed and anything over it it becomes a wild stallion, and its not a drive train issue, a vibration and or tire issue, nor an alignment issue , after the addition of the rear track bar, its smooth as silk ,why is that ,,,,,,,, and the coach has low miles,
what i dont get is basically every motorhome has the same configuration size wise , how som coaches dont et it and some get it bad is beyond me
i personally think that the person who owned my motorhome before we did , experienced the issue , and opted to get a 5th wheel , for it was hardly used in the time they had it
Ford has no idea how the weight is going to be distributed. Ford provides two frame rails with suspension and axles designed to hold X number of pounds. Ford builds and sells an incomplete vehicle. Being a BMW tech you must have an idea how critical weight distribution is to handling.
If Winnebago or whoever builds a coach on top of those frame rails with to much or to little front axle weight or poor side to side weight distribution how is that Ford or any chassis manufacturer's responsibility?
In short, Ultimately it is the final builder / assembler's responsibility to ensure the final product is properly balanced.
Why doesn't Ford install a rear track bar? Because the RV world isn't willing to pay for it, because every Class A doesn't need it.
You should be asking why Winnebago didn't install a rear track bar. Why didn't Winnebago make the body more aerodynamically stable, as that is the one factor that will change enough due to speed to make a vehicle "a wild stallion", so perhaps from one speed to another something changes, either air trapped underneath or turbulence and that is what's causing all the instability.
|
bmwdriver2019
usa
New Member
Joined: 02/03/2022
View Profile
Offline
|
good morning and thank you for your honest reply back
but , winnebago did not manufacture the chassis , FORD DID , and the issue that occured as in past tense , happens on many f53 chassis coaches , so are they responsible for what ford has not done, ??? i d say NO,
im not talking about alignment , balance , ,its handling of the coach over speeds of 50 mph, before the rear track bar was installed , it was like driving in a tornado, after the rear track bar was installed, smooth as silk, i have heard this from many motorhome owners, this one simple addition corrected a serious issue, nothing else was done to my coach , and it corrected it, this kinda tells me it was lacking it from the get go
maybe motorhome builders should be requesting that ford add it on , at least for safetys sake
in my time, i raced raceboats on the water at speeds aroung 100 mph, driven cars on autobahn in germany and many a bmw at high speeds, but when it comes to safety and handling , there is no substitute for it , period
maybe some think im nit picking, just stating that mabe should is missing , as stated and i will say
for made the chassis, the reat track bar is connected to the chassis , not to the coach , , how come motorhomes have this problem and others dont i dont get it
all i know is what i felt and experienced
have a great and safe travels
|
Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
"maybe some think im nit picking, . . . . "
Quite possibly ![[emoticon]](https://forums.motorhome.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/wink.gif "wink")
|
bmwdriver2019
usa
New Member
Joined: 02/03/2022
View Profile
Offline
|
but , when it comes to safety , and my own, ill nit pick
|
|
|
dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
bmwdriver2019 wrote:but , when it comes to safety , and my own, ill nit pick
You seem to think safety. I have NEVER(43 years, hundreds) of driving both Dodge and Ford had an issue with hi way driving that made me think to get home and worry. Just like a BMW, you can install/add all sorts of chassis modifications to make the handling better. A LOT of people do add suspension modifications to Class A Fords. Not so much because they worry about safety, but because they want to improve the handling characteristics. You think your Ford does not handle safely? I wish you could go back to the Class A Dodge M series chassis that were used until Dodge went out of the chassis business in 1979. THOSE did have major handling problems. The OEM's do a pretty good job of trying to distribute the weight. Buying a Motorhome is NOT like buying a highly engineered Automobile. Number 1, you could NEVER afford a Motorhome built with the engineering of a BMW. Are positive your motorhome has never been wrecked or had a bad chassis/suspension wreck?
1. Have you had all 6 tires balanced?
2. Are you positive that the alignment was done correctly?
3. Are you running at the correct PSI in your tires?
4. Have you had your weight correctly done by the companies that do that and then give the 4 corner weights with THEIR recommended PSI in the tires? Doug
|
dodge guy
Bartlett IL
Senior Member
Joined: 03/23/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
The problem with the F53 is that it is a universal chassis. The same chassis is made for a 9k lb bread truck or a 26000lb RV. Each manuf should see to it that it handles properly after the RV is built. Some people are OK with it handling poorly and others make sure that it will handle great.
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey
12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer
13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!
|
zb39
slippery rock
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Doesn't Ford sell the chassis as a incomplete vehicle to winnebago. Then winnebago completes and certifies it as a finished vehicle. I believe that is how cab and chassis trucks are sold.
2017 Host mammoth, sold
49 states, 41 National Parks, 7 Provinces
2019 2 door Rubicon 6 spd.
2019 Berkshire XLT 45B
2022 Host Cascade
2021 Ram 5500 Air ride
|
LouLawrence
Traveling the US!
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2021
View Profile
|
Pretty sure BMW has is own agenda and all the suggestions, advice and goodwill is not going to change that. I drive a Prevost so there are NO ride or handling issues. The difference is that Prevost built the whole thing from the ground up!
|
Ponderosa
Western US
Senior Member
Joined: 06/24/2003
View Profile
|
I'm convinced much of the problem has to do with the driver. When I brought mine home from Florida to Arizona it was white knuckle terror for almost the entire trip. It seemed to lurch from side to side in the lane and require constant correction. As I drove more, even on that trip it got easier. Now, I pretty much one hand it and it's steady. What changed? Me. I learned not to overcorrect on every little movement. It is not a conscious thing, just experience. My advice for those new to the Class A game would be to give it some time before you drop big bucks on chassis mods.
One mod I do recommend - a steering ball, aka suicide knob (no, they are not illegal). It makes maneuvering the beast in tight quarters and right turns and backing so much easier.
2015 Thor Windsport 32N
|
|
|
|
