Windy driving, am I just a wimp??

[strotherbj]

Originally Posted by Mkayers

Hey folks, first time class a owner here & need a little help. I have a 2014 Thor Challenger 37LX with the F53 chassis. Bought it in Pennsylvania & drove it back to Michigan with no issues other than the sway from passing trucks etc. Here’s what I’ve done so far: Safe-T-Plus on the front, SuperSteer rear Trac Bar, CHF on both front and rear.
I haven’t done an alignment yet because it seems to drive just fine in the few 100 mile trips or so we’ve driven. Have to admit we haven’t weighed it yet either but we don’t carry a ton of gear. Tires are set at 85 PSI.
Anyway, took our first long trip to Martinsville, VA for the race & ran into some crosswinds that from what I’ve seen by searching the sites weren’t really anything, 10-15mph. This thing was getting blown all over horribly. I couldn’t believe it. It almost felt like I lost “feel” in the front end too. Everything feels solid in the front end, nothing seems bent (from what I can see). I know it’s a lot of surface area but I couldn’t imagine driving it in the winds I read people talking about on these sites. Is it just seat time? Is that normal? It still has the stock front sway bar on it, is upgrading that really going to help this? Windy conditions are horrible but passing semi’s really aren’t an issue now. Kinda weird. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help

I am not an expert!
Lets get that outta the way first thing.
I have a 2018 37MB, (I think),
I have installed the Safety-T, which was a dramatic improvement.
The factory sway bar is totally NOT designed for the loads we are putting on it.
I am a Super Steer fan, and am saving for the full front and rear conversions.
I have made 2 trips now from Phoenix to Newton Falls, OH east of Cleveland,
the winds coming across New Mexico are brutal...then bouncing my way through STL, INDY, Day, and CLE, are just nerve racking.
If you have the where with all, I would highly recommend the upgrade, especially if you plan to keep your investment..
just my 2 cents worth..
BJS

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

My dealer (In Florida) offered to install for free the Safe T Plus if I bought before I took it home (Dallas), but required us spending an extra day, I had heard how easy it was; so I decided I would do myself later.

I had exact road experience you described on 14 hour drive home. When I got home to take a look and try; the bolts under chassis were so rusted, I could not get the U bolts off to mount my new mounting bracket on. I tried every penetrating liquid money could buy. Unless you are a mechanic ( I am not) and you know your skills sets this was a PITA. So I eventually took it to a Ford Commercial Truck Center ( Irving, Texas) thinking why play around with it any more. They not only could not get it off, they wanted something like $400 to have custom made U bolts made because they acknowledged that the force required to remove may break and the replacement U Bolts was not a Ford stocked part. They wanted to order the custom made parts as backup just in case it broke; so theoretically I would not be stranded for a week or so. In disbelief, I called Safe T Plus in Atlanta direct; and they were equally stunned. They talked with the Ford Commercial Truck Service Manager and it did not go well, Safe T Plus gave me the name of a local Spring Shop, but Ford charged me $150 to get the RV back (minimum charge) So I go to the Spring shop and they removed the bolts and added the new mount in 30 minutes, only charged $75. I take it home and I mount the bar myself. It wasn't all that bad, but it took me 5 times readjusting to get it perfectly (about 2 hours including the test driving to validate) aligned where I could drive down a local street and let the steering wheel go. It worked like a champ and immediately fixed that drift. In hindsight, I should have waited the extra day in Florida, or took it by the Safe T Plus site in Atlanta because they also install them for free. At the end of the day, I paid $225 more than I wanted, but it is actually worth $1,000s for me in value.

I am in minority and may get blasted, but I did not do the CHF. I have seen lots of compelling reasons and evidence why one could do so, but I never could get Ford or my RV Mfg to recommend I do. The way they reacted and dodged the question told me all I needed to know. Oddly they did recommend the Safe T Plus; and the Sumo Springs which I would do about a year after the Safe T Plus install. I ordered the Sumo Springs off ebay and called Sumo Springs to get a local service dealer to install the front & rear, they charged $500 which I thought was a good price. However the Sumo Springs are very very expensive even on ebay

I had the same trouble, there wasn't any rust but one nut came off with my battery impact but the other had to be taken off with a real big breaker bar. That nut took a half hour to get off. I should have manually raised the front of the motorhome and used my 3/4 impact with a thousand pounds of force it would have come off. After that it was a 15 minute job.

[Rclbud]

After reading a lot and talking to a shop I’m thinking:

Safe t plus steering stabilizer
Sumos def on front (maybe on rear?)
Track bar
Alignment

From what I read the ‘22 f53 already has a stout 2” front sway bar, is this true ?

Now I need to find someone in southeastern VA to install and align. I know you can do it yourself, but I would feel better having a professional do it.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

I had the same trouble, there wasn't any rust but one nut came off with my battery impact but the other had to be taken off with a real big breaker bar. That nut took a half hour to get off. I should have manually raised the front of the motorhome and used my 3/4 impact with a thousand pounds of force it would have come off. After that it was a 15 minute job.

When you go to a tire shop they tell you that they use a torque wrench. Forget a bout it. It is true that the they do use a torque wrench after they gun the ^&%# out of the lug nuts. I had to use a breaker bar and three feet of pipe to get one off a quarter turn at a time with my old fifth wheel. I am thankful that it came off. All nuts were over torqued and pealed a lot of the threads off. I had to install all new lugs and lug nuts on all four positions. The torque wrench is need to be used to finish tightening the lugs not to make sure that the air hammer has at least torqued them enough! They just don't care that a over torque can cause lugs to loosen and fall off as an under torqued nut. Torquing puts the threads in spring tension which locks them in place. Over torque and the thread can loose spring and thus the nut will loosen. Really over torque and the threads deform and peal as mine did. That does keep them from coming off though. DOH!

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by MLP

When you go to a tire shop they tell you that they use a torque wrench. Forget a bout it. It is true that the they do use a torque wrench after they gun the ^&%# out of the lug nuts. I had to use a breaker bar and three feet of pipe to get one off a quarter turn at a time with my old fifth wheel. I am thankful that it came off. All nuts were over torqued and pealed a lot of the threads off. I had to install all new lugs and lug nuts on all four positions. The torque wrench is need to be used to finish tightening the lugs not to make sure that the air hammer has at least torqued them enough! They just don't care that a over torque can cause lugs to loosen and fall off as an under torqued nut. Torquing puts the threads in spring tension which locks them in place. Over torque and the thread can loose spring and thus the nut will loosen. Really over torque and the threads deform and peal as mine did. That does keep them from coming off though. DOH!

Right I always use my torque wrench on just about everything

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

I had the same trouble, there wasn't any rust but one nut came off with my battery impact but the other had to be taken off with a real big breaker bar. That nut took a half hour to get off. I should have manually raised the front of the motorhome and used my 3/4 impact with a thousand pounds of force it would have come off. After that it was a 15 minute job.

Originally Posted by MLP

When you go to a tire shop they tell you that they use a torque wrench. Forget a bout it. It is true that the they do use a torque wrench after they gun the ^&%# out of the lug nuts. I had to use a breaker bar and three feet of pipe to get one off a quarter turn at a time with my old fifth wheel. I am thankful that it came off. All nuts were over torqued and pealed a lot of the threads off. I had to install all new lugs and lug nuts on all four positions. The torque wrench is need to be used to finish tightening the lugs not to make sure that the air hammer has at least torqued them enough! They just don't care that a over torque can cause lugs to loosen and fall off as an under torqued nut. Torquing puts the threads in spring tension which locks them in place. Over torque and the thread can loose spring and thus the nut will loosen. Really over torque and the threads deform and peal as mine did. That does keep them from coming off though. DOH!

So which one of you gonna tell my wife that it wasn't my fault

All I had was the Earthquake Impact Wrench from Harbor Freight. I had to buy a special set of impact sockets to fit that big arse bolt But for novice like me; taking a brand new RV to a Ford Commercial Truck Center and for them to not be able to get it off; really took me by surprised. They had no shame and charged me like my RV was on a Commercial Account owned by Amazon Prime and I was just the driver

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Rclbud

After reading a lot and talking to a shop I’m thinking:

Safe t plus steering stabilizer
Sumos def on front (maybe on rear?)
Track bar
Alignment

From what I read the ‘22 f53 already has a stout 2” front sway bar, is this true ?

Now I need to find someone in southeastern VA to install and align. I know you can do it yourself, but I would feel better having a professional do it.

Do the steering stabilizer first after alignment and tire pressures check.

Some people have had problems getting the right steering stabilizer/connecting kit for the new F53 chassis - maybe that's ironed out by now.

Then drive it and determine if you want to spend more.

[Jimbo56]

I agree with Ace above. Do the alignment. I’d also have front wheels balanced. And the alignment shop will probably install the stabilizer after the alignment. I read on the forum the the new V8 F53 chassis has stouter sway bars.

But still be careful in high winds. Just saw a tractor trailer blown over on its side crossing a bridge in the NC mountains on I40. Pull over. Eat lunch. Walk the dog. Throw out a chair. Wave at the passers by. Continue on once the wind lays down.

[Rclbud]

Jimbo I agree and understand about the winds. Always better safe than sorry !

[Rclbud]

Priced a lot of improvements and for right below 4000 I can get

Safe t steer
Sumo springs all around
Rear track bar
Koni shocks all round

From safe t steer in GA.

Locally in VA, all of it is 6400.00 lowest price, of several places checked.

Guess we will take a trip to GA!

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by Rclbud

Priced a lot of improvements and for right below 4000 I can get



Safe t steer

Sumo springs all around

Rear track bar

Koni shocks all round



From safe t steer in GA.



Locally in VA, all of it is 6400.00 lowest price, of several places checked.



Guess we will take a trip to GA!

Did they give you a break down on that price. Curious how much they are charging for the konis

Jerry

[MJC62]

If money is no object, then go for all the mods. IMHO I would do one mod at a time and see how the handling improves.
On our rig, a front-end alignment, proper tire pressure for traveling weight and the Cheap Handling Fix improved the ACE 27.2 so that it is comfortable enough for me to drive under most conditions. After our latest 5000 mile summer trip across Great Plains and around the Rocky Mountains the one mod I am going to add is a steering stabilizer. The F53 motorhome chassis is a heavy-duty box truck. All the added parts and modifications will improve the handling and the ride but it is never going be an F150.

[Rclbud]

Originally Posted by halfprice

Did they give you a break down on that price. Curious how much they are charging for the konis

Jerry

I want to say 265 each….

[Scubawise]

As OP drove through Nebraska.
Very windy. We slowed to 55 and no issues.
Tomorrow 20 mph wind sterling Co

[lwmcguire]

50 to 70 mph winds on the plains today

We park at 50 mph winds and head into the wind

Dry and fire danger as well





Sent from my SM-G970U using Thor RV Forum mobile app

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

50 to 70 mph winds on the plains today ...

Ohio stole some of the action...

[ericmac450]

The day we drove across Oklahoma and Texas last month the winds were really bad. I have done all the Class-C upgrades (Sway bars, Sumo front and rear, steering stabilizer) except shocks, and it was still really bad, I cannot imagine how rough it would have been without them. I'm probably going to replace the shocks in the spring. Our Class C is a 31 foot and it still has quite a bit of pull when around the 18 wheelers.