Steering stabilizer

[garyb1st]

Took the old one off two years ago and now the wife will not drive the Pace. Didn't drive it much even before I had it removed. Not sure a new one will make a difference but if it will tame the Pace, maybe the wife will do some driving. That's the goal.

What steering stabilizer is the best?

Are there other changes that will tame a 35.5' class A?

Tires are good. Weight as best I can tell is distributed evenly side to side. Most weight is carried in front bays. Had it aligned but that didn't make a difference.

 

[Boat Bum]

I'm considering a Safe-T-Steer as my next handling fix, why did you remove yours to begin with?

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

I had a Roadmaster on my prior gasser. Half the price of some of the more trendy names out there. I thought it did a pretty good job adding some more stability to the rig dealing with crosswinds or passing semis.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

I had my DP in my local go-to truck shop last week for its yearly safety inspection. Talking to the owner of the shop he pointed out to me a new gas class A in one of the bays. Laughingly he told me it was there for them to install about $10K worth of steering and suspension hardware. Tony the owner laughed and said the owner of the rig was trying to make his Ford chassis motorhome drive like a Mercedes!

 

[Boat Bum]

Laughingly he told me it was there for them to install about $10K worth of steering and suspension hardware.

Was he on his way to the bank?

 

[garyb1st]

I'm considering a Safe-T-Steer as my next handling fix, why did you remove yours to begin with?

Service center recommended replacing. Talked to the owner of the shop and he suggested I should save my money. For me, the Pace drives pretty good without one. But as mentioned, with any wind, the wife is all over the road.

 

[Boat Bum]

My main reason for installing, and what it was originally intended for, is to help maintain control during a steer wheel blowout. Additionally, it helps reduce fatigue by preventing much of the steering corrections required without; I really feel this in my neck and shoulders.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There is the Safe-T-Plus and the Steer-Safe and it's a toss up. Both stiffen the steering somewhat and give a greater "return to center" action, but I don't think either one makes for a noticeable handling improvement (I agree with your tech). For actual handling upgrade on a 2005 Pace (Workhorse chassis?), I'd suggest a track bar (front or rear) and tire pressures optimized for actual axle weights. Plus, if the shocks are original get them replaced, and carefully check the tires for signs of alignment shortcomings. Some owners also get stiffer anti-roll bars, but that not something I would be looking at right away.

Some years ago I wrote an article on gas-chassis Motorhome Handling Problems that you may find helpful. It's in this sites RESOURCE library at https://www.rvforum.net/resources/motorhome-handling-problems-and-solutions.12/download

 

[garyb1st]

I've read your article and found it very helpful. Should be required reading for any Class A owner. Not sure about the Shocks. They are Konis and were put on by the original owner. They're likely more than 10 years old and have 40,000+ miles of use. I put them on our old Aerbus and thought it was a waste of money. I'll look into track bars. While I haven't had a 4 corner weigh, I keep the tires at about 80 PSI. I'm not getting much pull or push to the side so think they're inflated properly. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Boat Bum]

There is the Safe-T-Plus and the Steer-Safe and it's a toss up.

Seems I've conflated the two, I meant Safe-T-Plus.

 

[Kirk]

Weight as best I can tell is distributed evenly side to side. Most weight is carried in front bays.

I would pretty much agree with what was previously said but I suggest that you at least take the RV to a truck scale and get axle weights and compare that to what your chassis is rated for. You should have a listing of GVWR and axel weight limits and those are important to handling. The proper tire inflation to match the actual weight on them is also important and can affect handling. If you can't get a weight for one side only, you can get an idea by parking where it is as flat and level as possible and then measuring between the ground and the frame at each corner. Sitting level or not is a hint. There are some differences in what helps most between the Workhorse and the Ford chassis.

 

[garyb1st]

Have had truck weighed at a CAT SCALE 3 times. Axels are fine and I keep the Pace at about 1,000 under max to accommodate the Jeep which is close to 5,000. So GCWR is usually just under 26,000.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I've read your article and found it very helpful. Should be required reading for any Class A owner. Not sure about the Shocks. They are Konis and were put on by the original owner. They're likely more than 10 years old and have 40,000+ miles of use. I put them on our old Aerbus and thought it was a waste of money. I'll look into track bars. While I haven't had a 4 corner weigh, I keep the tires at about 80 PSI. I'm not getting much pull or push to the side so think they're inflated properly. Thanks for the suggestion.

Worn shocks are a distraction on even slightly rough roads (including worn concrete gap fillers), but don't have a lot of effect on normal highway handling. Certainly not a cause for oversteering or fidget-steering. So yes, shocks are a side-issue.

Excessively inflated tires, however, do make the steering more sensitive and can increase the challenge to an inexperienced driver. Under-inflated tires cause reduced steering response in turns, but that's probably not a concern here.

 

[Heli_av8tor]

I had track bars and heavy sway bars, front and rear, installed on our W22. It was a day and night difference in handling.
Theresa drives half of the time now (she says more, lol). I would not have let her drive the way it handled before the upgrade.
Gary, we've talked about this before. Call me if you like.

 

[Old_Crow]

I had track bars and heavy sway bars, front and rear, installed on our W22. It was a day and night difference in handling.
Theresa drives half of the time now (she says more, lol). I would not have let her drive the way it handled before the upgrade.
Gary, we've talked about this before. Call me if you like.

Unbeknownst to me (I had just met her at the time), my wife learned to drive in my '53 F-100 pickup. She drove everything we ever owned except this current coach. This included our other Class A, multiple '50's pickups and the biggest box truck you could rent from U-Haul. Now that I look back on it, I wonder if her refusal to drive the Bounder was a sign of her declining health.

 

[Kirk]

So GCWR is usually just under 26,000.

One side heavy does cause handling issues. Ours was almost 900# heavy on the driver's side and with loading I was able to get that down to about 300# and it did make a noticeable difference.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

My first motorhome, a 2000 Allegro was on the Ford Chassis. The best $500 I spent on the rig was to have a 'total" front-end alignment where the shop has to heat the front axle (Twin I Beam) and use come-alongs to bend it. Then they used all brand new U-bolts to finish the job. Night and Day difference in handling, it didn't drive like a Ford truck anymore, you know, loose wandering steering.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Gary, we've talked about this before. Call me if you like.

I don't think we are in disagreement about anything. Some enhancements may be more valuable than others for a particular problem, though, and that value is perhaps somewhat subjective for each driver.

 

[Lou Schneider]

One side heavy does cause handling issues. Ours was almost 900# heavy on the driver's side and with loading I was able to get that down to about 300# and it did make a noticeable difference.

My Safari Trek is heavy on the left. I haven't weighed it (ignorance is bliss?) but the entire kitchen, refrigerator, generator and the main outside storage compartment are on that side. The factory "solved" the balance problem by putting a 2" lift block on the left rear axle spring so the body sits level. So if I try to equalize the loading it will lean to the right. I've named this rig "Oregano" because it was built in Oregon and every time I work on it I wonder what the designers were smoking.

 

[garyb1st]

I had track bars and heavy sway bars, front and rear, installed on our W22. It was a day and night difference in handling.
Theresa drives half of the time now (she says more, lol). I would not have let her drive the way it handled before the upgrade.
Gary, we've talked about this before. Call me if you like.

Tom, I'll call when I get around to the motorhome stuff. But first things first. Our 8,000 sf yard has more weeds than all the yards in the neighborhood. Not just any yard, all the yards. So before the neighbors sign a petition to have us removed, I've got to get it looking at least like it's lived in.

I'm interested in what you did to your Pace. Honestly I don't recall the conversation. Then again, as you know, I've had a lot on my mind.