Front Suspension 2021 E-450 Class C

[Big-Foot]

Sometimes you actually need to work on the rear suspension in order to get the front suspension to play nice.
I have a 2017 E-450 chassis 25.5 Vegas and tow a Jeep Rubicon Unlimited 4 down.
I have the Roadmaster sway bars front and rear along with the steering damper…
While the handling itself was reasonably good for what I am doing, I got tired of Big Trucks side-draft and crosswinds making life difficult.
I read a few reviews on the SuperSteer panhard / track bar and decided to give it a shot.
Total game changer and I am not exaggerating a bit. No more S-turns for the next couple h7ndred yards after being passed by a truck. Basically, the whole train stays glued to the tracks. It has added a minimum of 2 hours to as much as an additional 4 hours to my driving distance. I went from 6 hours max to up to 10 hours….
Do some Duck-Work and search out the reviews…
I did the install myself.
https://supersteerparts.com/products...-sway-bar.html

[JimEasTexas]

Good stuff thanks.

[JimEasTexas]

Did you leave the factory stabilizer on or upgrade?

[Big-Foot]

Originally Posted by JimEasTexas

Did you leave the factory stabilizer on or upgrade?

I have the Roadmaster replacement sway bars front and rear…

[JimEasTexas]

Thanks [emoji106]

[Edki45]

Originally Posted by JimEasTexas

Want to upgrade stabilization of front suspension.
Any input as to installing an improved Anti-Sway Bar, or the Timbren Front Suspension Enhancement System?

You also need an alignment with 5 degrees caster and Ford won't do it under warranty. Most of them probably don't even know how.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Edki45

You also need an alignment with 5 degrees caster and Ford won't do it under warranty. Most of them probably don't even know how.

Every Motorhome I have owned I the last 15 years had the alignment done under warranty. Had to be done after test drive (current coach) or within the first 12 months or 12k miles ( Ford E450 and F53)

[Edki45]

Originally Posted by JimEasTexas

Want to upgrade stabilization of front suspension.
Any input as to installing an improved Anti-Sway Bar, or the Timbren Front Suspension Enhancement System?

Also get alignment set with 5 degrees caster. Ford won't do it under warranty and probably won't know how anyway. Also set the toe to three thirty seconds of an inch in.
Search:
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/me...Edki45,-Member

and you will learn a lot.

[JimEasTexas]

Thank you will check it out.

[rtaggio]

I have a 2021 Chateau 28A on E450 chassis and its been in continuous service since it was acquired in April 2021. Had it aligned after delivery and it now has over 37k on the clock. Other then alignment and tire pressure it has zero chassis/handling mods. Its certainly no sports car, but for what it is I feel it handles as well as it should and I see no reason to spend $$$ on handling mods.
My Hankooks look fantastic considering they are at 50% of the mileage I should expect to get out of them. Very pleased with the tires.

[JimEasTexas]

Thanks...

[wiscythor]

We did in order of:
1. Tires at max PSI
2. Saf-T-Plus steering stabilizer
3. Upgraded to Roadmaster front and rear Sway Bars
4. Added front and rear Sumo Springs
5. Front Alignment (did ours at Goodyear Commercial Fleet Service)


IMO, not one product fixes the issue, each does their part. These steps dramatically improved drive comfort at highway speeds, in wind gusts, during semi drive by as well as roll around corners, round-abouts and entering parking lots. Also may consider supersteer trac bar in future.

[JimEasTexas]

I am on the same track item by item.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by wiscythor

We did in order of:
1. Tires at max PSI
2. Saf-T-Plus steering stabilizer
3. Upgraded to Roadmaster front and rear Sway Bars
4. Added front and rear Sumo Springs
5. Front Alignment (did ours at Goodyear Commercial Fleet Service)


IMO, not one product fixes the issue, each does their part. These steps dramatically improved drive comfort at highway speeds, in wind gusts, during semi drive by as well as roll around corners, round-abouts and entering parking lots. Also may consider supersteer trac bar in future.

That’s interesting. The thing that made the biggest difference for me was dropping my tire pressures from 95psi to 85psi. When I weighed and checked the Goodyear specs I found I was way high. Much smoother ride now

[jerber]

I have a 2016 outlaw and have put 14,000 miles on it in 2 years and I think it handles just fine.I did upgrade the tires to 12 ply steel belted F series.I think E series are minimal at best.I haul a 1200+#trike in the garage and had a few tire failures.

[JimEasTexas]

Thanks

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by wiscythor

We did in order of:
1. Tires at max PSI
2. Saf-T-Plus steering stabilizer
3. Upgraded to Roadmaster front and rear Sway Bars
4. Added front and rear Sumo Springs
5. Front Alignment (did ours at Goodyear Commercial Fleet Service)


IMO, not one product fixes the issue, each does their part. These steps dramatically improved drive comfort at highway speeds, in wind gusts, during semi drive by as well as roll around corners, round-abouts and entering parking lots. Also may consider supersteer trac bar in future.

Why?

Nothing like reducing the tires' contact patch and amplifying any other front end issue including that "steel tire" feel.

[Big-Foot]

You fellas with the F53 and other chassis all mean well, but what we’re dealing with is not a bread-truck chassis, but a VAN chassis.
These E350/450 chassis are loaded to very close to the max spec by Ford in many cases.
I think Thor could have done a better job in prepping these chassis to run to the maximum weight limit and still be safe.
That includes better / higher load capacity tires along with proper spring rates, sway bars, stabilizer shocks and rear axle controls like the Supersteer trac bar.

[happy]

Do the factory end-links on the front sway bars work well?
Seems that both Hellwig and Roadmaster utilize the factory end-links.

[thisoldman]

Twenty-eight years ago my wife and I borrowed my sister-in-law's Class C for a month-long cross-country trip with our kids, but the bulk of my prior RV experience was a couple of decades of towing 30 foot travel trailers (and before that a little pop-up). In early 2019, shortly after purchasing our Chateau 31W, I discovered this forum and compiled a list of all the suspension upgrades recommended by conventional wisdom. However, as I gained experience behind the wheel I grew comfortable with the handling and road manners of the stock underpinnings. For me, suspension upgrades have not proven to be necessary, but everyone is different. If you have white knuckles when driving, then by all means invest in whatever is required to restore circulation to your aching fingers and peace to your frazzled nerves.