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07-02-2022, 10:12 AM
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#1
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 67
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Best upgrades to help steering/wandering from trucks
I've seen past posts on this issue but searching to find them now is not working well for me.
We have a 2008 Sightseer 34M with 16K miles and wondering what upgrade would be "best to start with" to lessen wandering when passed by big trucks on the freeway or "imperfections" in the pavement that pull you. Funds are limited so hoping to start with the best improvement. I remember seeing Safe-T-Plus mentioned. Is that a stabilzer bar for the front or both front and back? Your experience with success would be appreciated.
Phyllis & Dennis
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07-02-2022, 10:24 AM
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#2
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 3,574
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You'll need to specify your chassis since the issues and solutions will be different based on your it. the 2008 Sightseer 34M came with either a Ford 6.8L SOHC Triton® V10 chassis with 5-speed transmission or an optional Workhorse W-Series 8.1L Vortec V8 w/ 6-speed transmission.
https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/0...erBrochure.pdf
In general, I believe the Ford chassis has more handling issues than the Workhorse chassis.
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Bob C
2002 Itasca Suncruiser 35U
Workhorse Chassis
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07-02-2022, 10:47 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Spring Branch, TX
Posts: 7,780
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Assuming a Ford F53 chassis I'd say the best starting modification would be a Steering Stabilizer. I say that because it helps for all driving functions not just when trucks blow past you.
I have seen a great many people say a Rear Track Bar is most helpful with truck wash and I'm sure it helps with other situations too. But a steering stabilizer makes driving much less fatiguing as well as helping with movement from trucks passing.
Maybe get both!
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
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07-02-2022, 02:07 PM
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#4
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobC
You'll need to specify your chassis since the issues and solutions will be different based on your it. the 2008 Sightseer 34M came with either a Ford 6.8L SOHC Triton® V10 chassis with 5-speed transmission or an optional Workhorse W-Series 8.1L Vortec V8 w/ 6-speed transmission.
https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/0...erBrochure.pdf
In general, I believe the Ford chassis has more handling issues than the Workhorse chassis.
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2007 Ford V10
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07-03-2022, 09:21 AM
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#5
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 3,574
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Note that your issue has more to do with you having a Ford F53 chassis than a Sightseer 34M. I have a Workhorse chassis so I have no personal experience with the F53.
I'm sure you'll get some responses from Winnieowners with Ford F53 chassis. You might want to check out the Ford Chassis Forum on Winnieowner's sister site, IRV2.com.
Here are a bunch of previous Winnieowners postings.
https://www.google.com/search?q=f53+...nnieowners.com
Suspension systems are highly integrated and each part is affected by another. It's easy to go down this rabbit hole and spend thousands of dollars with minimal improvement so educate yourself as much as possible before spending any money.
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Bob C
2002 Itasca Suncruiser 35U
Workhorse Chassis
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07-03-2022, 06:48 PM
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#6
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Nov 2021
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 32
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F53 ? Safety Plus a must
If you do have the Ford F53 Chassis the Safety Plus steering stabilizer is the way to go first.
Recommended and sold many of them when I worked on the service counter at a major RV service & retail establishment. There are others on the market, but the Safety Plus seems to be the best for the Ford F53 chassis.
Had the pleasure of having many satisfied customers come back and tell how less stressful it now is driving their coach. Some later opted for the rear track bar but not all felt the need.
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2019 Forza 38F
2018 GMC Acadia
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07-06-2022, 04:26 PM
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#7
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Versailles, KY
Posts: 57
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The cheapest place to start is to make sure your tire pressure matches your carried weight. Weigh the coach, fully loaded, and calculate a per tire load. Find the tire load chart for your tire size and see what the recommended tire pressure is. Don't worry about the brand on the chart. They are all the same. Adjust your tire pressure accordingly.
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2002 Winnebago Sightseer 27c
Workhorse, widebody, narrow front track
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07-06-2022, 04:53 PM
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#8
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 3,574
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If this MH is fairly new to you, you may not have loaded it up for travel yet, including a full or relatively full tank of fresh water. Unloaded MH's generally handle pretty badly compared to normally loaded ones. Many owners choose to travel with empty tanks to save gas but this is going to have a detrimental effect on handling.
Tire pressure is indeed a factor but, until you've loaded and weighed your MH, you should stick with the pressures on your door sticker. Otherwise you're just guessing. The door sticker pressures are based on your being fully loaded so they probably will be too high for a comfortable ride. They are, however safe.
The pressures embossed on your tires are maximum safe pressures for your tires and generally will exceed the door sticker pressures. They will definitely result in a rough ride and handling issues.
If you want to read up on tire pressures vs. weight, check out Roger Marbles blog. Roger, aka Tireman9 is a Winnieowner member and a retired tire engineer. This sounds a lot more complicated than it is.
https://www.rvtiresafety.net/search/...lation%20table
Once you're fully loaded, you can head for the scales to weigh your MH and determine the pressures according to Roger Marble's site. Note that he adds 10% to the table pressures for a safety margin. These are "cold pressures" which are also discussed on Roger's site:
https://www.rvtiresafety.net/search/...ion%20Pressure
You should also make sure you're used to driving your MH before making any decisions as to suspension mods. For example, I hadn't driven mine for quite a few months due to Covid. When I finally did, I was pretty uncomfortable for the first hour or so until I got "back in the groove". Additionally, a MH will never drive like an automobile or pick up truck.
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Bob C
2002 Itasca Suncruiser 35U
Workhorse Chassis
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07-06-2022, 05:43 PM
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#9
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Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 4
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Google "cheap handling fix". I did this to my 2007 Itasca and it made a world of difference.
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07-06-2022, 07:36 PM
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#10
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Geric
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Oceanside California
Posts: 14
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Cheap handling fix.
I also did the cheap handling fix. Really helps .
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2012 Winnebago Vista 35f with tow dolly and Toyota Scion xb
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07-06-2022, 08:27 PM
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#11
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1996 Itasca 29Q
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 179
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Although I have a GM chassis when I installed a pan-hard trackbar the difference was amazing! I also installed the Supersteer RTC Dampener which I didn't notice much if any change in handling. My next tweak is to install a set of Airtabs on the rear of my rig! Happy trails!
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07-06-2022, 08:57 PM
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#12
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CZBB RV6A 2008 29R Sight
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 205
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2008 29r sightseer
Same poor driving conditions your having. I did the CHF and didn’t notice much difference.
Definitely start with the load/weight and tire pressure calculations.
We installed the extra rear stabilizer (at least double the size of the original), upgraded all the bushings (rears were shot) and did the front steering stabilizer. HUGE difference.
We were going to put in a bigger front stabilizer and shocks but last year we couldn’t get them. I’ll probably do the shocks but not the front stabs,user. Yet.
We still get pushed over by the odd flat nosed semi but 1000 percent better.
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2008 Sightseer 29R with a 2017 Yamaha SMax hanging on the back or a 2018 Jeep JL trailing behind.
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07-07-2022, 08:47 AM
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#13
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 17
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On my F-53 I installed the Safe T Plus which significantly reduced wandering on rutted freeways. Then I added Sumu springs to the front and rear, reducing chassis lean dramatically. Then I installed Koni Shocks, which provided the most ride improvement, eliminating the 'Bang' going over rough roads and stabilizing the overall ride.
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2008 Class A 29r
2015 Jeep Wrangler toad
Rad electric bikes
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07-07-2022, 08:50 AM
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#14
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Central PA
Posts: 172
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The great question for all Class A drivers I think!
After reading all of the info we could find online prior to purchasing our coach - we wanted to get the handling aides installed prior to delivery.
We also test drove a Coachmen MH on the smaller Ford chassis and it scared the hell out of us and we did not want that to be our ongoing experience.
We were looking at steering stablizers,, trac bars, and sway bars.
We spoke to the owner of our dealer - also our sales guy (you have to love that!) - who said he would only recommend and install the rear trac bar. We went with a SuperSteer version - his choice - and cannot feel passing trucks or really any vehicles.
Not sure what it feels like without the trac bar and am sure the bigger chassis helps, but don't see the need for any other changes at this point.
One thing the dealer and the recent RV Driving School instructor who just led a course for us pointed out is "Do not over correct and keep chasing the vehicle - let it run itself out"
He related a story about a previous student who's wife was complaining about feeling sea sick when they went out. Seems he was doing the constant Army driving thing - left, right, left, right!
Would absolutely recommend driving school - I picked up some good pointers and he had my wife driving through and around traffic circles in little PA country towns by the end of the second day!
Good luck and safe travels my friend!
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Scott & Phyllis Brown and Ben
2022 Adventurer 36Z towing a 2022 Black Diamond Ford Bronco
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07-09-2022, 05:48 PM
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#15
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 221
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Sway Bar Bushings?
Have you checked your rear sway bar bushings? Going to neoprene makes a big difference. While doing the CHF on our F53, I found the rear bushings were gone. MIA. Disappeared. They had just rotted away or something.
New bushings and CHF made a very big difference, and those two are THE place to start.
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07-09-2022, 10:28 PM
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#16
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 222
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Drycreek makes a good point. First make sure all the parts you have, bushings, etc, are actually there and working as designed.
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1998 Winnebago Minnie 31WM
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07-10-2022, 08:29 AM
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#17
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CZBB RV6A 2008 29R Sight
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 205
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Me to
Quote:
Originally Posted by DryCreek
Have you checked your rear sway bar bushings? Going to neoprene makes a big difference. While doing the CHF on our F53, I found the rear bushings were gone. MIA. Disappeared. They had just rotted away or something.
New bushings and CHF made a very big difference, and those two are THE place to start.
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Me too on a 2008 29’ sightseer with less than 40 000 miles.
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2008 Sightseer 29R with a 2017 Yamaha SMax hanging on the back or a 2018 Jeep JL trailing behind.
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07-11-2022, 10:24 AM
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#18
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DryCreek
Have you checked your rear sway bar bushings? Going to neoprene makes a big difference. While doing the CHF on our F53, I found the rear bushings were gone. MIA. Disappeared. They had just rotted away or something.
New bushings and CHF made a very big difference, and those two are THE place to start.
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Thanks! Just checked rear bushings. One is almost completely destroyed and the other is gone so ordering two new ones today and installing the Safe-T-Plus stabilizer. Also gonna have the front end alignment checked and do the CHF fix.
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07-29-2022, 10:50 AM
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#19
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Posts: 21
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Handling Improvements
I have the F53 chassis.
For tracking, road surface and body lean/roll I added: Safe-T-Plus, Sumo Springs, alignment and proper tire inflation.
For trucks passing I love Airtabs. They reduced the effects to a gentle push as opposed to a shove and eliminated the dreaded "sucking" action that draws your MH toward the truck. Most trucks are barely noticeable now as they go by.
__________________
Tim & Tena
2015 Vista LX 27N,Safe-T-Plus, Sumo Springs,Airtabs
2019 Ford Ranger 4x4
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