Rv sway - 2004 Itasca Workhorse

[HoboTWD]

A Swaying Rodeo

When I bought my motorhome, I didn’t know what I didn’t know right? I was talking to a guy at a repair shop and told him the story of the day I was coming across a bridge with a dip. The nose of the RV went down so far, I could see the french fry on the back seat—when suddenly as the RV started coming back up the car went completely out of sight. Obviously, the repair shop suggested I replace my shocks with Bilstein Shocks. WOW! I did not recognize the RV I was driving what an improvement.

So, I found myself on the I-26 Swaying Rodeo at interstate speeds with a big rig on one side and a concrete barrier on the other—when I noticed a sign that said: “Uneven Lanes”. You ever wonder why that made such a sign? Well, I understood motorcycles would need to know this information but an RV? As the wake of the tractor trailer pushed me off the higher lane and I corrected ever so slightly for the wake the motorhome 13 feet tall started fishtailing and rocking back and forth. I took my foot off the accelerator and tried not to overcompensate the steering of the rocking coach. We made it out of the situation and the 15 seconds or so seemed like minutes—I had to go get an x-ray to figure out how to twist my seat to get it out of my rectum—took a crowbar to get my fingers off the steering wheel. Every sales flyer on sway bars I have ever seen flashed before my eyes.

Does anyone have experience with aftermarket sway bar systems and is your experience good or bad? I am hoping there is a solution as good as my Bilstein shocks. I have a 2004 Itasca Workhorse. Thank you much in advance for your thoughts!

The RV Rodeo Cowboy

[DesertRatt]

Funny story, but nerve wracking as I am just about to take delivery of a 30' Winnie Minnie on a Ford Chassis. I am hoping to learn that there's a "magic thing-a-ma-jig" that can be installed to prevent just what you described!

I'm betting there is, but I just haven't found it yet! Look out Google, here I come.

[theSane]

I have a lot of supplemental suspension equipment installed, and, still, I was glad the stretch of the Santa Fe Trail in Colorado was nearly empty as the uneven road rolled us side to side. Thanks to the extra suspension parts, it was all manageable. I do not want to know what it would have been like in a stock coach.

[creativepart]

Same here, I have pretty much the same as “theSane” as far as additions to my chassis. But there are some crazy road conditions that cannot be avoided. I’m looking at you I-10 in Houston.

The best you can do is gird your loins and hang on.

I assume there are beefy anti-roll bars for your chassis like there are for my Ford chassis but I’m not up to speed on Workhorse chassis mods.

[DesertRatt]

I've now discovered Hellwig anti-sway bars and Bilstein shocks. That ought to relieve me of a couple dozen Benjamins.