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03-25-2017, 12:47 AM
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#281
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Savannah
Posts: 792
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vwexpert
Sage...I was told (and confirmed on many websites) to replace front and rear sway bars together to get the proper sway balance. Front and rear need to work in harmony and compliment each other. Same goes with shocks and springs. The original sway bars are too light weight to properly handle our 7 tons of weight.
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I believe after reading most of this thread that Forest River should have the shocks, sway and steering stabilizer mods done as part of the build. It couldn't add that much to the price and would save us all the headache. Or talk Ford into building them with the mods since they are selling them to motorhome builders.
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Kirk
2017 Forester 3051S
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08-14-2017, 12:57 PM
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#282
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 214
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After reading and lurking for a while on several of these handling threads I thought I would share my experience with the shortest Forester they make (2291S). When we brought this coach home it was a chore to drive on the highway. I took it to our local alignment shop and they fixed 80% of the issues. It ended up having a significant camber and toe problem, it was literally running on the outside third of the front tires. We also increased the castor above 5 degrees positive as suggested.
Then I installed the Blisten steering damper. The stock damper was weak and seemed to have a dead spot in it. I went with the Blisten because a smaller coach shouldn't need that much help (centering, etc) and it turned out to be a good choice. We are finally able to drive with 'one hand feel' most of the time. One caveat with the Blisten- it needs 20.5 inches bracket to bracket per the instructions. On the Ford I had to move the bracket on the steering linkage all the way to the power steering arm and still only got 18.5 inches. However, it seems to have been enough as it does not pull. If you don't move the bracket I think it would pull.
With that I feel the handling issues are corrected, we can now move on to the ride. On anything other than smooth pavement it is too rough, so the solution seems to be installing better shocks all around.
__________________
2017 Forester 2291S
2015 Honda Accord on Master Tow Dolly
1999 Jeep Cherokee flat tow
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08-14-2017, 01:49 PM
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#283
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 108
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Ive got a 2016 3011,( E450 ) after a 900 mile trip , I had it align, (specs from here) and installed a Bilstein steering damper, it helped alot, after 2 - 1400 mile trips, I replaced the rear shocks w/ monroe coil overs, ( going to swap out the front shocks later) replaced the front and rear sway bars w/ Hellwings, and installed a trac bar..you can still feel the wind ( above 15/20 mph) push some , but it didnt cause me to put both hands on the wheel, Big Rigs can blow by w/o pulling you into them. Just made a trip from Memphis the Myrtle Beach and back..one hand drving and holds the road great. plus I was pulling a toad on a dolly.
Handles like my 2001 f350 dually
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08-15-2017, 03:53 PM
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#284
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 822
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Bilstein steering stabilizer
Quote:
Originally Posted by No-Fish
Ive got a 2016 3011,( E450 ) after a 900 mile trip , I had it align, (specs from here) and installed a Bilstein steering damper, it helped alot, after 2 - 1400 mile trips, I replaced the rear shocks w/ monroe coil overs, ( going to swap out the front shocks later) replaced the front and rear sway bars w/ Hellwings, and installed a trac bar..you can still feel the wind ( above 15/20 mph) push some , but it didnt cause me to put both hands on the wheel, Big Rigs can blow by w/o pulling you into them. Just made a trip from Memphis the Myrtle Beach and back..one hand drving and holds the road great. plus I was pulling a toad on a dolly.
Handles like my 2001 f350 dually
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Just curious, did the new rear shocks improve the ride or stiffen it? I have a 2451s and the rear really bounces around. Steers great but anything other than a smooth road and you feel ever bump. I do run the air bags around 60psi.
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Happy Campin!
Forester 2451s
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08-16-2017, 12:10 AM
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#285
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 108
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Alot of the bounce is gone, It did stiffin the ride in the rear. But alot depends on the roads. when you come on or off an un-even bridge , it's like a buck board, I run 80psi in the bags. I do pull a toad on a dolly
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08-18-2017, 02:00 AM
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#286
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Cornelius, NC
Posts: 171
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Bilstein Steering Stabilizer
Want to back up here a little to a couple of earlier comments on the steering stabilizer. A couple of people here mentioned they did not need special brackets for the bilstein stabilizer on the E450. Is that right or did I just misread?
I want to buy the bilstein, but thought I had to purchase the custom mounting bracket kit too. Is that wrong? Does the stabilizer just mount to the existing factory setup?
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Darren, Donna & The Wieners
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08-18-2017, 02:52 AM
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#287
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,087
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Toad Haul
Want to back up here a little to a couple of earlier comments on the steering stabilizer. A couple of people here mentioned they did not need special brackets for the bilstein stabilizer on the E450. Is that right or did I just misread?
I want to buy the bilstein, but thought I had to purchase the custom mounting bracket kit too. Is that wrong? Does the stabilizer just mount to the existing factory setup?
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I'm the OP . I had first mounted the Bilstein Steering Stabilizer using the existing
bracket that came with the Ford chassis. I encountered an issue when I decided to try to upgrade from the Bilstein to the Roadmaster Reflex to help with the wandering. Because the Reflex has a coiled spring around the steering dampener it needs a special bracket for clearance. That's when 1 of the 3 mounting bolts to the frame stripped using an air ratchet. Had to remove the front bumper and insert a nut into the frame tube to secure the bottom stripped bolt. I currently have the Bilstein back on with my original Ford bracket as having the caster increased by an alignment shop that knows what they are doing and having all my tie rod ends replaced solved all my steering issues. The added centering force provided by the Reflex seemed too much for me. Others out there may find it fine for their taste.
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2004 Winnebago Minnie 22e(went to a nice family Oct 3, 2015)
2016 Forester 2701DS (Aug 31, 2015)
2017 Camping 12 trips 38 nights
2018 Camping 10 trips 38 nights
2019 Camping 6 trips 19 nights
2020 Camping 0 trips Cancellations 6
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08-18-2017, 08:11 AM
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#288
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 56
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I am happy with the reflex holds the road
Straight and take a lot of the inherent
Twin Ibeam slop out of the front end
That the E series chassis tend to have .
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08-18-2017, 08:26 AM
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#289
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,464
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I put the blue ox tru centre on my E450 about 8k miles ago.
Absolutely love it.
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2017 Dynamax Isata 4
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08-18-2017, 08:46 AM
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#290
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 924
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny kustom
I put the blue ox tru centre on my E450 about 8k miles ago.
Absolutely love it.
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I did the same several weeks ago and after a few trips the trade off seems to be worth it. I.e. It now requires a bit more force going around turns or when parking but also requires a lot less driving effort going straight. Additionally, having the ability to change the front end direction to counteract winds while driving and protect against catastrophic blow-out direction changes makes it worth installing.
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08-19-2017, 03:27 AM
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#291
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Cornelius, NC
Posts: 171
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Saf-t-plus Stabilizer
Interesting. I was planning on going the Saf-t-plus route and also swapping out the shocks. On the saf-t-plus site, when looking up the part number for my E450 it showed the aftermarket bracket kit was needed. Still trying to figure out which bracket kit I need.
Maybe better route is to go with the Bilstein setup.
__________________
Darren, Donna & The Wieners
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