Curves and Winds

kentdavido · 07-07-2016, 06:16 AM

Good Mornimg,
We're headed back to Oklahoma from South Dakota. My biggest issue when driving our 364TS Georgetown is the feeling when you take the curve that the rig is going to flipp. Is that a feeling I have to get use too. I slow way down but certain directions of how the curve is graded can be unnerving. Is there something I need to do while driving or add to the suspension. We took a crazy narrow curving road from Custer to Deadwood South Dakota 385 that really tested me and my skills. Thank you for the knowledge and help.

jergeod · 07-07-2016, 06:31 AM

I have improved mine greatly by adding Sumo springs front and rear. They improved all aspects of ride and handling. If you decide to add them call Super Springs the company that makes the Sumo's and they will tell you which model will work best for you and your chassis.

kentdavido · 07-07-2016, 06:40 AM

Who did your purchase them through and who installed them. We're so new at this that we don't have good people to depend on other than our dealer we purchased from in the Tulsa area. Thank you.

jergeod · 07-07-2016, 07:24 AM

After talking to the company I ordered the sumos from etrailer.com and install them myself just about any shop could install them.

douxyeti · 07-07-2016, 01:32 PM

Make sure you dont have a similar issue as the one I posted here :

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ue-112672.html

kentdavido · 07-07-2016, 03:15 PM

Well, I read your thread and we could have similar issues. I don't have an issue turning to the right. But I have an issue every time I turn to the left. And if I'm headed west in winds blowing from the south it makes extremely difficult and around roads on hills can become difficult . So when I get back I'll have the dealership look into it. How did you present it to them? Or have you found out further information that you can share. Thank you so much.

douxyeti · 07-07-2016, 04:30 PM

My left turns were the bad ones for me to. It was obious when looking at the front of the RV that suspension was either to loaded or to soft on the right side. My theory is that if you already list to the right, a left turn will increase the listing and be felt while a right turn has to overcome the right listing before being felt. It was a strange and scary feeling. Anyway, I told the dealer (with pictures in suport) that my RV was to low on the right side. They validated with forest river and no one argued that it was a normal condition so I was sent to a specialized shop.

Also do a search on this forum about suspension shim and you will find more info that I think are related but a bit older.

cjd10 · 07-08-2016, 10:53 AM

Have you checked out the CHF, (cheap handling fix)? It is free and fairly easy to do. Works wonders for the rocking and swaying.
This is assuming of course you have a good front end alignment and your tires are at the correct pressure. My tires were about 20lbs too low when I took delivery.

Mickeystamper · 07-10-2016, 08:23 PM

X2 on the CHF. Fixed body sway.

Snoodledog · 07-19-2016, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mickeystamper

X2 on the CHF. Fixed body sway.

3x the CHF

2016 Georgetown 364ts
Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

Modmike · 07-23-2016, 10:15 PM

4X chf. Had the same issue on my 364 TSF and CHF fixed it.

kentdavido · 07-24-2016, 04:47 AM

Which part of the CHF did you change/install.? Thanks

Modmike · 07-24-2016, 10:16 AM

There is no part of the CHF to do, you simply move the front and rear sway bar links up to the next hole, which increases sway bar tension. The change was like night and day.

Also make sure to adjust your tire pressure as per the Michellin load table after you weigh your rig. Mine were over by 10 Psi. Again, the difference was night and day. It also reduced most of my side to side steering input and gave me a much more comfortable ride.

The first thing you should do after that is get a rear track bar. When everything is dialed in, add a front steering damper for safety.

I was sure I needed Summos until I researched them, now I am not so convinced. If I were to get them I would get the Maxims, not the solos. I think I might try after market Bilsteins first. Cheaper and may do the same thing.

jergeod · 07-24-2016, 10:40 AM

Yes the somo's are expensive but add up the cost of a track bar and safety steer. You would be amazed at what the sumo's do for the F53, not just one thing as the track bar or dampener do.

ShermanD · 07-24-2016, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jergeod

After talking to the company I ordered the sumos from etrailer.com and install them myself just about any shop could install them.

E-trailer does pay for adds here so it probably is nice purchasing from them when they are competitive. It is a whole lot nicer when you shop for the best price if you're not in a hurry.

We have a 2015 NBS Sunseeker.

I saved almost $60 on the rear sumos by buying them from Autoplicity.com instead of e-trailer.com

I then saved about $10 on the front sumos by buying them from S D Truck Spring instead of e-trailer

I consider myself frugal, and once I acquire a part number for an item I want to buy, I let my fingers do the typing and search the web for the best price. I have also learned that while you may get free shipping the first time you purchase from a site, they may not give it to you the next. I will take the time to send an email asking if they will price match but customer loyalty went away when businesses stop attempting to retain repeat customers.

just my two cents worth.

Modmike · 07-24-2016, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jergeod

Yes the somo's are expensive but add up the cost of a track bar and safety steer. You would be amazed at what the sumo's do for the F53, not just one thing as the track bar or dampener do.

I am not sure why you think Summos offer any of the advantages of a track bar or Safety Steer. Summos, particularly the Solos, are useless for the forces that the track bar and Safety Steer address.

The track bar ties the chassis to the house using a steel bar, which nearly eliminates the side to side movement that leaf spring slop allows. Summo Solos do nothing for this since they are not even tied to the bottom frame! The Maxims may do a little but they are not designed for shear strength so they would be minimally effective to useless for side to side. In fact, I would venture to guess that using Maxims in a non-track bar equipped F53 might damage or prematurely wear them out by stressing them with side to side forces they are not designed to handle.

I am also really puzzled as to why you think Summos eliminate the need for a Safety Steer. A Safety Steer will absorb side to side forces on the front wheels. When a front blow out occurs, the Safety Steer greatly reduces the sudden jerk caused by the blown out tire.

I stand by my recommendations, CHF, tire pressure, track bar, and safety steer. If still unhappy, consider Bilsteins or Summos. The reason I am beginning to lean towards Bilsteins is that the mechanical damping that both systems provide are in the same axis and handle the same forces. This of course only applies to the Maxims, the Solos only handle compression.

If the Summo Maxims are simply a better shock absorber, would it not make sense to get a better shock? I spoke to Bilstein on Friday and they confirmed that the RV Bilstein shock is valved differently than the aftermarket one so I think I will go that route first.

jergeod · 07-24-2016, 11:42 AM

Love people that assume. Till you either install them or have a friend that is installing them and you can do the before and after thing you will never know how they actually change the whole attitude of the F53. Now please don't take this as a bash because your advice on track bar and steering dampener is proven solid advice. And yes each of these things do A certain thing and do it well. Sumo's do a multitude of things to the Ford chassis, yes they are not going to replace safety steer but until one has a chance to experience the before and after effects it is really hard to explain to someone how they make such a big difference in the chassis.

Modmike · 07-24-2016, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jergeod

Love people that assume. Till you either install them or have a friend that is installing them and you can do the before and after thing you will never know how they actually work and what they change in the F53.

That is very well said, and I wholeheartedly agree.

I make assumptions about the Solos the same way you assume the changes I made do nothing. You also say the Summos do things that are mechanically impossible.

I am not saying the Summos are worthless, I throughly believe that the Summos changed your ride characteristics. I am saying that they simply do not in anyway address the issues and forces the Safety Steer and track bar do. In reality you might have gotten similar or better results doing the free mods.

I don't want the Safety Steer to mask issues that should be corrected so I am taking a very linear and step wise approach to my suspension mods so I can see the effect of each one.

That is the reason the Safety Steer is going on after the track bar. I believe the track bar will greatly reduce or even eliminate steering input required to counteract tail wag from side forces on the rear. This was somewhat confirmed when I had to run with all tanks full. The increased weight on the rear axle compressed the rear springs, taking some of the slop out. This reduced the steering input required. The moment I emptied them, the side to side came right back.

By the way, which Summos did you get? Solo or Maxim?

Modmike · 07-24-2016, 12:27 PM

For anyone considering Summos I recommend the following thread.

Many people are delighted with them but one was not. I am in NOT saying the Summos aren't a great product, all I am trying to say is that you need to do the basics first, then add them to see if they really add anything worthwhile.

Ex: If you take a stock chassis with over inflated tires and put Summos on them, will the improvement be the same as running the tires and doing a CHF? Are you simply masking a problem that could have been corrected otherwise?

The best endorsement would be from someone who is running he same chassis, adjusted their tire pressure, did the CHF, installed a track bar, and then did the Safety Steer.

I would love to hear from someone who did the Bilsteins as well before the Summos.

modemem · 07-24-2016, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kentdavido

Good Mornimg,
We're headed back to Oklahoma from South Dakota. My biggest issue when driving our 364TS Georgetown is the feeling when you take the curve that the rig is going to flipp. Is that a feeling I have to get use too. I slow way down but certain directions of how the curve is graded can be unnerving. Is there something I need to do while driving or add to the suspension. We took a crazy narrow curving road from Custer to Deadwood South Dakota 385 that really tested me and my skills. Thank you for the knowledge and help.

We had a 1997 Motorhome on an F53 chassis and had similar steering issues. I installed the Steer-Safe equipment myself in about 2.5 hours and was very, very pleased with the improvements in steering control and sway.

SteerSafe.com

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