Steering Stabilizer for Class A Motorhomes

[AndyT1183]

Sorry you are being misinformed.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by AndyT1183

Sorry you are being misinformed.

Who is being misinformed about what?

[Lt Keefer]

Put a saf t plus on my F-53 chassis based Hurricane. The chassis has no damper from the factory. The damper had zero affect on handling or ride but it is marketed as a safety device to assist during front tire blowouts.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by smitty1020

Has anyone had this stabilizer installed on your MH. Of course, All dealers will say they are wonderful even if they are not.

Any feedback ??

I put one on just for the heck of it, I figured it couldn't hurt and Ford steering can use as much help as it can get. I have the F53 chassis that alone is so much better than the 450 chassis we had before. It was a cheap install that took about a half hour. I had one nut on the chassis that my two small impacts couldn't remove so I had to remove it with a breaker bar

[MLP]

Originally Posted by sip

I installed a safe-t-plus on our 2016 (E450) Vegas 24.1 ... I guess that's kinda technically a class A ... honestly, I didn't notice much of a difference. Normal road driving was fine before and is still fine now. As soon as there is any sort of breeze or wind, I still go through tons of underware

I had a steering stabilizer put on our Class C and air bags. After I could drive it with one finger. Before doing this, I got pushed by trucks out of my lane and wind pushed me around as well. Good heavy duty sway bars and better shocks will also help. Safe-t-plus is just one part depending on what the manufacture did to the chassis when building the rig. Do one change at a time. Drive it and see how it changes the handling. My class C was a big tail dragger. The air bags fixed this along with a front end alignment after. I got the steering stabilizer after because it still felt a bit pushed when a real big truck passed.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by MLP

I had a steering stabilizer put on our Class C and air bags. After I could drive it with one finger. Before doing this, I got pushed by trucks out of my lane and wind pushed me around as well. Good heavy duty sway bars and better shocks will also help. Safe-t-plus is just one part depending on what the manufacture did to the chassis when building the rig. Do one change at a time. Drive it and see how it changes the handling. My class C was a big tail dragger. The air bags fixed this along with a front end alignment after. I got the steering stabilizer after because it still felt a bit pushed when a real big truck passed.

That's why I got rid of mine, I wasn't going to spend thousands to fix a new motorhome

[Thor 25]

I got an alignment at 10,000 miles, didn’t alter jack complete waste of $$$$.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Thor 25

I got an alignment at 10,000 miles, didn’t alter jack complete waste of $$$$.

When I bought the 450 it drove so poorly that I got an alignment right away, it did nothing.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Thor 25

I got an alignment at 10,000 miles, didn’t alter jack complete waste of $$$$.

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

When I bought the 450 it drove so poorly that I got an alignment right away, it did nothing.

A coach MAY have driving problems due to being out of alignment. An alignment is not an automatic cure-all for driving problems caused by other issues. By having your coach aligned you have eliminated that as a possible cause for your driving/handling problems and likely prevented abnormal tire wear.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

That's why I got rid of mine, I wasn't going to spend thousands to fix a new motorhome

If you do some of the work yourself, pending less then 2-3k isn't too bad. Dumping a new RV will cost you a heck of a lot more.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by MLP

If you do some of the work yourself, pending less then 2-3k isn't too bad. Dumping a new RV will cost you a heck of a lot more.

I can do everything myself but I won't fix Ford's mistakes. It's too bad there isn't more competition and they would need to update their chassis more than once every 22 years and I think the f53 started around 1989

[CunuckBob]

Definitely an option to consider, I installed a Roadmaster steering stabilizer on our Miramar 35.2 last season and it made a noticeable difference, the steering felt solid and not wandering.
This season I installed anti sway bars on the rear and what a difference, the steering stabilizer combination with the anti sway bars the motorhome drives so nice and I feel in total control of the motorhome, not like “herding” down the road.
It is a little pricey but we’ll worth it.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

I can do everything myself but I won't fix Ford's mistakes. It's too bad there isn't more competition and they would need to update their chassis more than once every 22 years and I think the f53 started around 1989

Both chassis’s ARE decades old and neither was especially designed for comfort or handling. They are commercial/work trucks and they what they are. Personally, I find the truck like nature of my class A to be rather charming. I just make allowance for it by driving slower - as it was designed to be driven.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

Both chassis’s ARE decades old and neither was especially designed for comfort or handling. They are commercial/work trucks and they what they are. Personally, I find the truck like nature of my class A to be rather charming. I just make allowance for it by driving slower - as it was designed to be driven.

The class A is much better than the 450, it's not even close. The f53 chassis is smoother riding, better handling, not affected near as much by cross winds, not affected by trucks pass and has a shorter turning diameter. If only the steering wheel was connected with rack and pinion steering and not rope wrapped around the column and the other two ends going to the wheels. I love turning the steering wheel and seconds later it starts to turn and then anticipate ing the right time to turn it the other way. The 450 chassis is worse than the f53 but there is a lot of slop in both, it reminds me of driving a friend's new 1975 Ford econoline van I asked him if something was wrong with the steering because it was all over the road. He said that's how Ford's steer

[DogLovers]

Originally Posted by smithgarnat@aol.com

Yes. It’s just about a must on a large class A. Bolt on easy to install. I would also get an alignment. You will notice a big difference.

I have a class A Thor Tuscany and I don't have an add on steering stabilizer because it has never been needed. This rig drives and handles like a dream.

[Edki45]

The factory unit is a joke.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Edki45

The factory unit is a joke.

The "factory unit", if provided, is not a steering stabilizer.

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by Thor 25

I got an alignment at 10,000 miles, didn’t alter jack complete waste of $$$$.

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

When I bought the 450 it drove so poorly that I got an alignment right away, it did nothing.

Did either of you ask specifically for 5 deg of caster to be put in the alignment? If not, they just adjusted toe.

Post before and after alignment sheets.

[Axis25.2]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

My 2022 Vegas 24.1 came with a factory steering stabilizer. Are folks replacing the factory unit?

The Axis also has factory shocks that are WAY overpowered by the weight of our rigs. BOTH of the front shocks were shot on mine, and that was after driving it home from the dealer w/only 1200 or so miles on it.

The U.S. government needs to make these "RUVs" safer before allowing these on the road. The fact that BOTH front shocks were overloaded from THOR's design should tell us all something...

Here's a pic of the old (new) shocks. 1 had zero rebound pressure, the other wasn't far behind... This proves without a doubt that these are overloaded and unsafe.

The shocks in my 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel still look and function as new.

[Axis25.2]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

Did either of you ask specifically for 5 deg of caster to be put in the alignment? If not, they just adjusted toe.

Post before and after alignment sheets.

Exactly... The +5 caster adjustment is paramount.