Class C Handleing

[RichS]

Many threads that I see on Handleing trend towards Class A. Class Cs are a complete different animal. Smaller tires. Center of gravity is closer to the ground. Normally smaller.

I would like to find out what other Class C owners have done and what lead them to do it. Did it correct the Handleing issue? Was it worth the money?

Sway bars, stabilizing bars and shocks. Is there one item that's really makes a difference compared to the rest?

I would like to start off slow. What is the most important?

[JamieGeek]

Most important and first thing: get an alignment

Most of what you see re Class A's are enhancing the F-53 chassis. Most Class C's are E-350 or E-450 (and the Axis/Vegas units as well) thus no CHF available for us.

Other than an alignment the only thing I've added is Sumo Springs on the front. That addressed the wallowing it used to do (continued up and down motion after a bump--like bad shocks) and reduced lean in turns.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Normally this subject becomes a huge tomato fight. Class C's are a truck cab, made by a truck manufacturing company...with two doors on each side. Class A's are a "vehicle cab" made by carpenters with no doors. Class C's have airbags. Center of gravity is higher on A's but you have more floor space. Lots of trade offs and most will fight for the choice they made. As you indicated, there are lots of threads on this subject and you seem to have read a lot of them. I've made no modifications to my C and it handles like a dream. I would continue searching through this forum for existing threads on this subject. Some of us are just now pulling bandages from our heads from the last time we entered this ring. I never understood why someone would buy a motorhome knowing there is a list a mile long with serious additional costs, just to make it perform like it should in the beginning. Now...let's talk cooling issues in the "cab"...dashes falling apart, windows dropping out, wipers flailing around like propellers, cooking burgers on the engine cover (doghouse), wearing earplugs because engine is in your lap and screaming, electrical problems throughout the dash...there is a lot more difference in these two configurations other than the fact that a C handles much better with no additional modifications necessary.

[RichS]

I do have an alignment. The RV tracks good when you let go of the wheel. Do you have a toad. I wonder if rear shocks would help when towing. It seems when I am towing i
I feel the most with Handleing. The front end seems a little light. I flat tow.

I do feel a lot when trucks pass me. I have an E450.

[Bob Denman]

Alignment & tire pressures: that's all that mine needed.
But my expectations weren't all that high anyway.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by rscheibel@cfl.rr.com

....cut.... The front end seems a little light. I flat tow.

I do feel a lot when trucks pass me. I have an E450.

Your 28H is very similar to the 28A floorplan, except you have a slide in middle of wheelbase which should add a little weight to front end. I’ve driven 28As quite a few miles, including over the Rockies, and didn’t feel the front end was too light. I was not towing, yet could feel trucks and crosswinds as should be expected from a 30-foot box on wheels. Unless you’re overloading your rear Mega Storage compartment with heavy items, I doubt your front end is actually light. If you haven’t done it already, weighing the motorhome is a great idea regardless. Then you’ll know for sure.

My guess (sorry to assume) is that what you feel as “light front end” is more of play in steering. E-Series normally have a lot more steering play than typical modern cars which have far more precise rack and pinion steering. In time most drivers compensate for that extra play.


P.S. - My previous Class C on E-350 only got an alignment. It was small and drove great, although more tiring to drive than present van also on E-350. In my opinion, larger motorhomes require more work and attention to drive — everything else being similar.

[RichS]

I appreciate all the feedback. Maybe I might switch out the shocks someday. I talked to a RV service manger today, privately owned not a mega operation, and he said new shocks might give more of a better feel. He did not recommend sway bars and all that other stuff.

I appreciated the fact that he was not trying to sell me stuff I didn't need. He looked at my roof and he said everything looks good. Once again he wasn't trying to sell me putting sealant on.

I didn't think of the steering play.

Once again thanks.

[blw2]

a pretty good read I think to better understand the problems and appropriate solutions.
http://www.rvforum.net/miscfiles/MH_..._%20Primer.pdf

Many of these I think, while fixing one issue as primary end up helping some with other issues too. I see this a lot where folks are doing these sway bar mods and steering stabilizer mods.. that of course help...but they are often helping the problem caused by the rear leaf spring suspension, not the problem which they are intended/designed to do...

for me it was getting the tire pressures right + an alignment. This reminds me...I prob should get the alignment checked again, it's been a while.

Oh, one more thing to remember, many of the class A discussions are about the smaller A's that are built on the same chassis as our class c's

[rlcpe]

As noted before, the alignment is number one, with air pressure a close second. We added a Roadmaster Steering Stabilizer to our WS31 on the 450 Chassis. The combo has corrected all the handling issues I felt when stock. We have towed our Terrain over 9000 miles with no issues. We do have a stay n -play duo break system on the toad.

[JamJanTan]

Wow this is a surprise. I thought everyone but I had a safe-t-plus , mega shocks, ultra springs, and hefty bars.i was planning on adding a steering stabilizer and beef up the suspension this spring but now not sure if I should.

[Mustang46555]

A lot depends on the individuals expectations of the unit. I drove ambulances for 9 years which are really just a low roof line class C so for me a good alignment and attention to tire pressure puts me right at home. Others will require more improvement depending on their own taste. And then the gas class A's are a totally different game. I really don't think there is a one fits all solution. The key is not to make several changes at once. Do one, evaluate the result and plan from there.

[Laco]

Some chassis inherently just handle better then others. I have been quite satisfied with the handling of ours on the Sprinter chassis. One of the best things I can say about it, is on a straight road, it wants to go in a straight line, virtually no wandering.

[RichS]

When I tow is when I feel the most difference. Other than that the rig drives pretty good. That is why i would think if I had some stiffer rear shocks it might help my front end not move around as much. Only happens when towing.

[The Gritz Carlton]

The side to side motions and forces of the tow vehicle, especially when getting passed, will transfer and exaggerate all the way to the front of the coach. This is pretty much normal and rear suspension modifications won't do much to improve it. The fact there is so much rear overhang behind the axle causes this as the hitch becomes a "pivot point". Driving a bit slower in heavier traffic and gently accelerating out of it when it starts will help as it creates a "pull effect" at this point and will help straighten it out.

[jabrabu]

I have a Chateau 31E. It tended to wander around a lot and really got pushed across its lane when semis passed. This made driving more stressful and more fatiguing for me.


I first got a good alignment done. I was going to have the camber/caster sleeves installed to get more caster, but it was already at +5 degrees so I was happy with that.


Then I installed bigger front and rear swaybars.
And finally, I installed a Saf-T-Plus steering controller.


It drives much better now. It tracks nicely, steering feedback and re-centering is better, and it doesn't get pushed around as much by the wind or trucks passing. Driving long distances is much less tiring, so these modifications were well worth it.


We just finished a 5000+ mile trip towing a CR-V with no issues.


The rear suspension does feel under-damped when driving on undulating roads or dips, so I plan to install Bilstein HD shocks in the future. Since this is such a heavy RV adding a leaf to the rear springs might also be a good idea.

[Mustang46555]

I just got back from the Elkhart Indiana RV show. Had to check out the 2019's. Not much new from Thor BUT in looking at some Jayco class C's I noticed they are using Hellwig helper springs in their Jride system and I saw Hellwig springs listed on several other brands. Anybody know anything about these?

[quantum]

I brought mine in for an alignment before we leave next week for Florida.

The alignment stopped the amount of correction needed to drive.

I use a big rig shop that is actually a spring shop. They did recommend that due to the size modification on an 31ws e450 Thor that the front will feel a bit light driving. To correct this if it is of concern they have a rear suspension kit that will move more weight to the front and make the drive more stable .

I am considering adding the extra suspension after driving south this year but the alignment corrected most of my concerns.

They did say it was not any concern for safety but more personal preference

[Bob Denman]

Folks like to discuss modifications to the F53 chassis; because it's the one that draws thr most complaints about how it gets down the road. . My guess is that it has the most room for improvement.

[Trkyte@msn.com]

On my 29h outlaw:

Alignment, +5 caster

Safety plus steering damper

Sumo springs in rear, (because of 900 lb Harley).

Been from east coast to South Dakota and back, nj to Georgia with both Harley and a toad. Several times, not a luxury vehicle but comfortable with it.

[Bob Denman]

I had a 29H, and the handling was actually pretty good. I didn't need to do anything to it.
(But a set of SumoSprings in the rear probably should have been added.)