Constant rear end penduluming in a crosswind

[Rick 99037]

I bought our 2005 29 ft. Class A Sightseer Workhorse in the fall of 2020. It is like new, and with low miles. It broke my heart to replace the 15 yr, old Michelins. They still looked great, but the last thing I wanted was a blowout from an aging tire far from home.
Now I've only taken it out maybe 8 times. When I do, there's always a crosswind of some kind, and I'm constantly working like a dog to keep it in it's lane. 18 wheelers on 2 lane roads have some affect as well.
After a couple hours of driving, my shoulders are stiff from the tension. My wife also struggles with fear and tension as a passenger. Understand that in my younger days, part of my job was driving mid-size trucks like these, but too, I'm in my early 70's now.
I found it helpful using one hand on the wheel and keeping my eyes farther down the road. It helps me not to react to quickly.
I've read of different suspension torsion bar adds and such. I just can't see how that would address rear axle swinging in a crosswind.
I covet your insight and experiences in this matter. I can't be alone in having this issue. Thanks.

 

[tim myers]

You need a track bar. I am assuming your chassis has the rear axle sitting on leaf springs. If so those side winds will push your motor home sideways and the leaf springs will roll from side to side causing the tail wag you are referring to. A track bar ties the frame to the differential greatly reducing this side to side roll. There are several companies that make these. Roadmaster, Super Steer, and Ultra Track come to mind, but an internet search will point you in the right direction.
My now sold Fleetwood Storm had bad swaying tendencies. I installed an Ultra Track Rear Track bar and was amazed at how much better the Storm drove. For me it was a DIY project.

 

[creativepart]

A number of options for you.

1. Get a steering stabilizer. It’s a big shock absorber on your steering arm and it will settle down the see-sawing at the wheel.

2. Get your RV weighed when fully loaded and make sure you are not overweight front to rear. Set your tire pressures according to your RV’s actual weight.

3. Consider a track bar and or an extra rear “sway bar.” Your RV has a front track bar and also a fairly small sway bar on the rear end. Adding a rear track bar will better locate your rear axle. Adding a second very thick sway bar can help with this also. Though usually it’s one or the other not both.

Great to hear you got rid of those way too old tires. They should have been replaced 7 or 8 years ago.

I have to add that I’m not very familiar with the Workhorse chassis and how it differs from the Ford chassis.

 

[tderonne]

I think that’d be a P32 chassis? Worth looking at the bellcranks. Lots of information on them out there.

 

[tim myers]

I just looked, Ultra and Supersteer offers rear track bars.


https://www.ultrarvproducts.com/TT2300-Tigertrak-Bar-Chevrolet-P32

https://supersteerparts.com/products/supersteer-ss300u-p32-rear-trac-bar-with-u-bolts-rear-disc.html


I have no idea of what you are experiencing is a rear track instability issue or not. Allow me to explain what I was experiencing, that was corrected by a trackbar.


Driving down the road I would get a gust of wind from the left, I could feel the movement of the entire motorhome from left to right and would counter with left steering. I could feel the rear of the motor home continuing to move to the right which would force me to steer right. Then the rear of the motorhome would start to swing to the left in reaction to my steering right. This cycle would happen three or four times before things would settle down.


While wind was scary, wind from a truck was sometimes frightening as this cycle would eventually move the motorhome way too close to the passing truck.


My DW likes to sleep in the bed when I am driving. I have told her that isn't safe, but she pretty much does what she wants. She used to complain that I was all over the road because she was at the end of the lever, feeling a lot more of this sway than I was 30' in front of her. We were driving home from a weekend camping trip after I had installed the Track Bar, and she heads back for her mobile nap time. We got home and she asked what I was doing differently because she did not feel the side to side motion she was used to experiencing. I still felt the effects of the wind but steering into the wind was all it took to stop the motion and the repeated cycles were gone.

 

[Rick 99037]

Thanks for your inputs guys. I'm really encouraged. I'd feared this was what I'd have to live with. It was putting quite a crimp in my dreams!
I've ordered a UltraTrac Track Bar as my first and best choice. I'll also need to find a truck shop to check alignment as well; to make sure I'm not also fighting myself. With its low miles, I think not, but I guess I'll be finding out! Again Thanks.

 

[creativepart]

You’re on the right track (see what I did there?).

Just to mention the steering stabilizer one more time. It is often the first item bought and many consider it the most impactful addition to calm the driving ills. So, if you don’t think the track bar fixes everything and you find yourself constantly correcting course in crosswinds and passing trucks you might want to consider adding on of these as well.

 

[tim myers]

A steering stabile was on the list for my FW Storm, but I upgraded to the DP before I had a chance to make the change. OP be sure to let us know how much this helps you.

 

[tderonne]

Don't rule out a worn bell crank just because you have "low miles". I replaced one on my sister's P32 that had 15,000 miles. The slop in it made it terrible to drive.

 

[jspringator]

I have an 02 Sightseer, and it handled horribly when I first bought it.

Here is what I did:

Replaced front springs to eliminate front airbags, 2 bell cranks, 2 bell crank arms, new poly bushings on swaybars, front and rear, Timbren front, Sumo Springs rear, new Bilstein shocks all around, SteerSafe, new tires, Track bar and after all that an alignment.

I weighed the MH front and rear, and determined the placard 65 psi was too high. Lowered it to 60 psi and it made a huge difference. Yours may be too high in the front. Weigh it fully loaded so you will know. Weight behind the rear axle will "unload" the front. I removed all the weight behind the rear axle I could, including the spare tire. I even got a lighter mattress. Get the tire pressure /weight chart for your tire size off the internet so you will know the appropriate PSI for your weight.

After all this it now handles pretty well.

 

[jerichorick]

I bought our 2005 29 ft. Class A Sightseer Workhorse in the fall of 2020. It is like new, and with low miles. It broke my heart to replace the 15 yr, old Michelins. They still looked great, but the last thing I wanted was a blowout from an aging tire far from home.
Now I've only taken it out maybe 8 times. When I do, there's always a crosswind of some kind, and I'm constantly working like a dog to keep it in it's lane. 18 wheelers on 2 lane roads have some affect as well.
After a couple hours of driving, my shoulders are stiff from the tension. My wife also struggles with fear and tension as a passenger. Understand that in my younger days, part of my job was driving mid-size trucks like these, but too, I'm in my early 70's now.
I found it helpful using one hand on the wheel and keeping my eyes farther down the road. It helps me not to react to quickly.
I've read of different suspension torsion bar adds and such. I just can't see how that would address rear axle swinging in a crosswind.
I covet your insight and experiences in this matter. I can't be alone in having this issue. Thanks.

I had issues such as yours many years ago. Take a look at this: https://www.tankpart.com/airtab-vortex-generators
The company I got mine from is not selling them any longer. Instead of individual tabs, mine were in sheets of 4. This made installation a bit easier.

The vortex generators really do help to stabilize the coach. One other add on you can get is a steering stabilizer. Mine is by Blue Ox but they don't make them any more since COVID.

 

[RayIN]

jerichorick, if those air tabs actually worked, one would think RV mfgrs would be selling new units with them installed or offer them as an option.
There is no definitive proof they do anything but seat-of-pants reports.

 

[mik]

My coach had many of the items listed here and I added the rest. Those combined with the 2 items that made the biggest improvement where additional alignment toe in (beyond mfg specs) and adding weight to the front end (spare tire) after loading the rv and weighing the front and the rear. Must have nailed the toe in adjustment, after 3,800 miles no discernible tire wear.

 

[jerichorick]

jerichorick, if those air tabs actually worked, one would think RV mfgrs would be selling new units with them installed or offer them as an option.
There is no definitive proof they do anything but seat-of-pants reports.

This comment is not very nice! I just told you that the work. Steering stabilizers work but they are not offered by mfgrs. Lighted entrance handles work but not all RVs have them. Active balance systems work to keep tires balanced properly but are not an OEM option and so on.
Many trucker fleets have them. I've seen them. They are not popular, true, bu they do work. Do they take all of the wind waggle out of the coach? No. But they certainly do help to steady the ride.

Did you go to the website I posted? Doubting Thomas is an easy position to take but facts are more reliable. I remember hearing a politician say "I don't care what your facts are. I won't believe you!" Facts are based on truth. Disinformation is based on opinion. I have posted my experience as a fact.

 

[NeilV]

Since its almost a 20 year old vehicle before adding any new suspension doodads that might obscure any issues with worn out or aged out suspension components or mask other issues with improper loading/tire inflation or even alignment you really need to weigh the coach loaded as you intend to travel with it, redistribute the load if it is too far off, inflate the tires to the tire manufacturers load chart and take it to an alignment shop to have it aligned to match how you have it loaded. The alignment shop should be checking for worn components and advise you on their replacement. Once all that is up to spec then think about add-on components. Too many spend hundred and even thousands on doodads when what they mostly needed was to shift some weight to the front, properly inflate the tires and perhaps replace $50 worth of rubber bushings.

If it is a P30 which I do not recall when they ended production there may also simply be a need to properly inflate the front airbags to match the load.

 

[BCam]

I agree with Neil V, there are many parts that could be worn along with weight distribution, etc. Why not have it checked out by a good truck shop (not RV dealer) experienced in WH chassis before spending money on add-ons?

In general, WH chassis have a reputation for better handling than Ford chassis. I note that some of the respondents to your post own MHs with F53 chassis. The majority of threads involving suspension add-ons that I've read involve F53s, not WHs.

Conversely, my 2002 35U (purchased in 2017) with a WH chassis has no suspension upgrades other than new OEM shocks and new tires. I fine-tuned my tire pressures to my weights and it handles very well. I notice very little impact from passing big rigs.

I do have a few other thoughts and comments.

1. Since you've only had this out eight times, are you lightly loaded? Do you travel with empty tanks? If so, try it with a full fresh water tank. Overloading is bad but underloading can cause a MH to be squirrelly.

2. How fast are you driving? Things can get diceyer at higher speeds. My sweet spot in terms of highway handling and MPG seems to be somewhere around 62 - 65 Mph (watch your tach for a dip in RPMs). It's easy for me to creep up to 70+ but things just don't feel as comfortable to me.

3. Experience helps. I noticed that, when we went on a recent trip after a long Covid hiatus, I felt a bit uncomfortable for the first hour or so even though the MH was handling well. After a while I was back in the groove.

 

[Rick 99037]

I only recently found out I had front air bags. I was talking to a shop that did a great deal of work on Workhorse's, and still has parts for such. I'd told him I didn't think I had them, because I didn't see any remote fill lines. He told me they had to be filled from a valve stem on the bottom of the front springs, which are way underneath, and maybe 7-8 inches off the ground. Now isn't that a great idea. The manual said all P32 chassis motorhomes have them. And looking in the chassis manual, it said they needed to be checked for pressure monthly. Sure, that'll happen. At 17 years old, I doubt mine are functional. Were yours still holding pressure jspringator?

 

[BCam]

I don't know enough about air bags to know how they would affect handling but I wouldn't spend any money on anything until they were fixed.