Cheap Handling Fix

[jpow]

LOL, thanks. Since my technical expertise maxes out at a 3, it should still be in my range. Thanks again.


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[HookupAndGo]

So I have seen reference to this CHF for some time now. I have a 2013 351DS and after putting another 2K miles on over the summer (up to just a tick over 10K), I am starting to think I need to do this. My previous RV was a F250 Diesel Crew LB pulling a 34' travel trailer and it honestly was a dream to drive and tow. To me, it was 10x better than driving the MH, but, having happy DW and kids makes me deal with it all.

So, now I am seriously thinking about doing at least the front. It really isn't terrible to drive, but I really think it should be a lot easier. I followed a lot of the links looking for some pictures of the front Sway setup but no luck. I did see the comments a couple posts ago about leaving the RV on the ground, then just using the jack to help with the second side of the sway bar change.

Anyone have any other comments on the technique? Or, any comments on doing this to a 2013 351DS?

Thanks to all....

[abjb]

The good pictures on iRV2 post # 24 on 08/16/10 have been removed

Here's a link to post #31 of 2390 (at 4:36PM)

Cheap Handling Fix - Page 3 - iRV2 Forums

1. remove passenger sway bar bolt.
2. remove driver side sway bar bolt.
3. raise drivers side
4. insert bolt removed in step 2
5. insert bolt removed in step 1 (pictured in the link). This is where you use the jack to help align the holes for the bolt.

Same process for the rear
3a. rotating bracket 180*

That's what all the thousands of posts are all about.

[akcampr]

I did the CHF on my 2007 georgtown 340. I am happy with the results. It took less than 30 minutes. The roads are so rough around here it made a noticeable difference. we have had a lot more wind this year also, and the side buffeting is better. I did use a floor jack to help align the holes for inserting the bolts back in.

[kmbusa]

I went to my local goodyear dealer for the CHF as I am not so mechanically inclined. They did the front with no problem, but found a broken bracket on the rear drivers side and said the bushings were a joke. Front end had the blue poly bushings and the rear had nothing more than what appeared to be rubber hoses stuck in the holes. So, it's off to Ford where "Quality is Job one"! BTW drives great now! 2013 GT 351DS

[jpow]

So after procrastinating for a year, I finally did the CHF on our 2013 351DS. I kept putting it off because didn't think it handled that badly but after the fix, I realized just how much difference it makes. Passing trucks aren't nearly as much of an issue and much of my driving time is now one handed. Just returned from a 2200 mile round trip and couldn't be happier. Even on stretches of I-40, where, I'm convinced, driving on the parallel railroad tracks would have been smoother, the handling and response was much better. If you're thinking about it, don't put it off like I did. It's relatively easy and the results are fantastic. Just do it!


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[goodstick]

I did the front sway bar portion of the CHF some miles ago. Noted several comments on line that there were no ill effects from the change, only positive ones. I believe that a Ford rep/engineer chimed in to say there would be no adverse effects from changing the mounting of the control arms to the inside holes. I would also imagine the positive reports were from US highways and perhaps some "rough" US secondary roads. WELL!!
I am 6k miles into a 10k trip. Across Alberta and British Columbia to join the Alaskan Highway. Some sections of the roads were absolutely horrendous!!. Even slowing down to walking speed at some points was not enough. The left control arm for the sway bar snapped in half. I called ahead to Fairbanks, AK to have a replacement ordered in. A combination of the bumps and additional torque/tension/stress put on the control arm by moving it inward caused the arm to fail.
SO, be careful with the fix. Don't do it if you plan the Alcan. Other than that , this 2013 GT 378 has been great on this trip, even traversing the Top of the World Highway

[Scagsdale]

I read where a Ford engineer said it's not a good idea to make this change for the reason you are talking about. It was somewhere on an IRV2 thread but I couldn't find it again. My GT 328TS handles great without making this change, but I've had people on these threads tell me that I'm full of it. Oh well. Just look far down the road to keep oversteer to a minimum and it handles fine...one handed most of the time. I'll get challenged again. Lol. Good luck on your trip!


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[ttincali]

I did both front and rear right before a 1800 mile trip last month because I was beginning to think I was a fool for not doing it - since everyone says this a no brainer. I had no issues prior to doing it and to be honest really didn't notice much of a difference after. But now my leveling jacks are a problem - I hit auto at the first campground since doing it and my rear tires lifted off the ground! Thinking now this was a big mistake and am going to revert back.

[Lostdog]

Don't think that the CHF has anything to do with your jacks, though the CHP may limit your axle movement slightly. Can you level in manual? If so recalibrate your auto level.

[ramair]

I've don't the rear so far, and that made a hugh difference on the swaying going down the road. I always use the manual mode to level, I found out that the auto most time lift to much. I have not reprogramed the auto level. My D/W uses a small level and stands by the sink when we are ready to level takes me less time that the auto mode. I just put the back jacks down till they take a little weight of the tires, then move to the front. I heard that when doing the front CHF that it can lift the front tires off the ground and hit/make contact with the leaf springs. I may do the front and see what it does. CHF does improve the ride, IMHO...

[jergeod]

Originally Posted by ramair

I've don't the rear so far, and that made a hugh difference on the swaying going down the road. I always use the manual mode to level, I found out that the auto most time lift to much. I have not reprogramed the auto level. My D/W uses a small level and stands by the sink when we are ready to level takes me less time that the auto mode. I just put the back jacks down till they take a little weight of the tires, then move to the front. I heard that when doing the front CHF that it can lift the front tires off the ground and hit/make contact with the leaf springs. I may do the front and see what it does. CHF does improve the ride, IMHO...

If you do the front take one link loose at the swaybar then swing it back toward the rear hole, measure from the hole in the link to the hole in the sway bar, now take both links off unit and take them to a welding shop and have that number you came up with added to the links that way there will be no contact with anything no matter what you are doing. I have a welder and did my own. the CHF made a world of difference in my unit.

[ttincali]

It definitely affected my jacks. I have never had this happen in leveling the coach 20 times prior and this was a semi level site. I am going to try resetting the level of the jacks to see if it helps but i was shocked that it lifted my rear end after doing the CHF.

[jergeod]

Originally Posted by ttincali

It definitely affected my jacks. I have never had this happen in leveling the coach 20 times prior and this was a semi level site. I am going to try resetting the level of the jacks to see if it helps but i was shocked that it lifted my rear end after doing the CHF.

What the CHF does is stiffens the sway bar so if the sight isn't somewhat level it could raise a tire on you, but that is what having a couple short boards and running up on them first to get it close would do.

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by ttincali

It definitely affected my jacks. I have never had this happen in leveling the coach 20 times prior and this was a semi level site. I am going to try resetting the level of the jacks to see if it helps but i was shocked that it lifted my rear end after doing the CHF.

Trying to understand what "affected my jacks" means. I'm assuming that the sway bar is hitting your leaf springs and it's raising your front tires off the ground prematurely. You can try longer end links or deal with it as it with pads and manual leveling.

[gmann32]

I did the CHF on my 2008 370 Georgetown. I could not get the bolt out on the passengers side on the frame because it hit the pump before it would not come all the way out. Thats the bolt on the link that attaches to the frame Do I need to remove that pump.

[OldCoot]

Buy another bolt and cut the head off the existing bolt and reverse the direction of the bolt if that's possible. In other words, put the new nut on the side where the old bolt head is now. Had to do that on installing lowering spring shackles on my 95 Silverado.

[abjb]

Originally Posted by gmann55

I did the CHF on my 2008 370 Georgetown. I could not get the bolt out on the passengers side on the frame because it hit the pump before it would not come all the way out. Thats the bolt on the link that attaches to the frame Do I need to remove that pump.

No

It's been a couple of years, I think I remember using a small jack to raise the sway bar to get the bolt out, it's hitting the leaf spring.

Go to post #31 of this thread and follow the link, it shows the only bolt you work on, (on the passenger side).

ab&jb

[gmann32]

How long should the links be after you lengthen them? I have a 2008 George Town 370. I want to do the chf.

[siskom]

I looked at my sway bar mine are currently in the outer bolt hole, do you have to lengthen the bolts when switching to inner hole? This is on a 2014 335