Geesh - Where to begin.
Two years ago we bought a brand new Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36SBT. Beautiful coach. However, tipping the scales at about 22k lbs, it was right at the maximum weight for the chassis. After our first trip, we had a side cabinet full of "parts" that shook off and crashed to the floor. It was rough. I still remember my DW wishing she had a kidney belt.
Further, it was hard to control in the wind and the big trucks would push me all over the road. You have to remember that Ford primarily builds the F-53 chassis for use as a delivery or work truck. Thus, they equip them to handle moderate loads. The RV Manufacturers slam as house on the back of them thereby pushing the weight up towards the max..
So to avoid an impending divorce, I had to find a way to make it ride better. I warn you however, it is not cheap. I added the following:
(deep breath here)
BlueOx Sway bar on the front
BlueOx Sway bar on the rear (keep the stock sway bar on the rear too)
BlueOx TigerTrak on the rear - prevents tail wag caused by trucks passing
BlueOx TruCenter Steering - The finest RV accessory ever invented
This stuff all dramatically improved the road handling. As for the ride, first thing to do is load up your coach with everything you are going to carry (water, food, people your DW's 47 pairs of shoes etc), then find a CAT scale at a truck stop. This will give you an exact weight allowing you to better determine your tire pressure. I added the following after that:
Koni FSD shocks - much smoother ride and softer rebound from bumps.
Centramatic Wheel Balancers - the only true way to balance your tires.
So, after all this, it wasn't a bad ride. Air bags would have been next. But guess what...... In a moment of weakness, I stopped by the Thor dealer.....
As you can see by my signature, my DW is finally happy
I hope this long winded explanation helps!
Cheers
Scotty
Thor Forums
