Handling in Winds

[lludvig]

I have a 2014 Georgetown 270SS. Still trying to find the time to do an inaugural trip, but drove it from Tucson a couple weekends ago on I-10. I drove into a wind gust and had no real control over the wheel. Luckily, a car had passed in left lane and there were no other cars around. However, it was a scary feeling to know something that big can get pushed around. I did drop my speed, but how do other drivers handle these unexpected winds?

[youroo]

Seat Time is the Best Teacher! If your unit is "Mechanically" sound and Good Tires you should have Little trouble driving it! Speed limit or SLOWER helps,in regards to "Wind Gusts" out of Nowhere we All encounter that! Driving is a "FULL Time JOB",eating,Texting,petting kids/dogs,reading, is best performed while Parked! Youroo!!

[waiter21]

Verify your tire pressures are correct.

Then, before you spend money on aftermarket chassis modifications, you may want to look at a chassis modification called the "Cheap Handling Fix", CHF for short.

Basically, the CHF adjusts the sway bar link connections and firms up the sway bar system. (side to side motion)

I did this modification on my 30 Ft Mirada and the difference was night and day. Your newer F53 chassis will be a little different, but the CHF is basically the same on your chassis as it was to mine.

Cheap Handling Fix – and then some | 2001 Coachmen Mirada 300QB

ALSO - The later model F53 chassis seemed to have a problem with the rear sway bar bushings and brackets falling off. I'd recommend inspecting these once or twice a year.

[Carmen]

3 things will be your best friend, seat time as was mentioned before, front end alignment, and look into either A Safe-T-Steer or Roadmaster RSA steering stabilizer

[Mickeystamper]

When my 378 was new, I did not enjoy the way the unit handled in the wind or passing a semi. To me the body sway was not acceptable. I did the CHF and that helped a lot but not enough. I wound up installing the SteerSafe system on the front axle and a trac bar on the rear axle. Now the unit handles much better. I also got a front end alignment. You should also get an alignment. To me the price for all the handling addons were worth every penny. After all we a supposed to enjoy the drive, not be white knuckled driving down the road. Many people on this forum do very well driving their unit as is from the factory. I was not. Of coarse I had limited seat time.

[Modmike]

Originally Posted by Mickeystamper

..I did the CHF and that helped a lot but not enough. I wound up installing the SteerSafe system on the front axle and a trac bar on the rear axle. Now the unit handles much better...

Best advice ever.

[dhind]

We have the same unit as you have. Here what I did. Wheel Alignment was the first step. It was significantly out of alignment. Step two was tire pressure and ensure then weight on each wheel is similar. We went to a weigh station and weighed each wheel and then adjusted the heavy stuff (kayaks, etc) to find the best locations to store them. The third was the CHF. This helps, but was not our final solution. The piece that seemed to help the most was installation of a Super Steer track bar on the rear. The job took about 4 hours to install including planning.

We are considering putting in a steering dampener more for safety than handling.

The above worked for us, and we are very happy with our choice of downsizing from 37 foot MH to 30 feet.




Dave & Michelle
2015 Georgetown 270SS
Calgary, Alberta

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by Mickeystamper

When my 378 was new, I did not enjoy the way the unit handled in the wind or passing a semi. To me the body sway was not acceptable. I did the CHF and that helped a lot but not enough. I wound up installing the SteerSafe system on the front axle and a trac bar on the rear axle. Now the unit handles much better. I also got a front end alignment. You should also get an alignment. To me the price for all the handling addons were worth every penny. After all we a supposed to enjoy the drive, not be white knuckled driving down the road. Many people on this forum do very well driving their unit as is from the factory. I was not. Of coarse I had limited seat time.

We did the cheap handling fix and still install SteerSafe. We happened to be driving thru Deming NM where the company exists and they installed their SteerSafe in about 20 minutes on my 2012 378TS.
Like other have mentioned you need to have some driving time under your belt, have proper tire pressure for your weight and good tires and frontend alignment. FYI if you over inflate the front tires you will feel the front end kind of floating and not gripping the road as it should.
Here is a few pictures of my SteerSafe install.

The SteerSafe is designed to keep your rig straight if you have a front tire blowout. While driving it helps you will less fatigue while steering straight down the road.

I also added a Blue OX Tiger Trac in the back as I have a large 242" wheelbase and I was still getting the rear sway at times. See pictures.

[OldCoot]

Iggy, it looks like yours is already bottomed out on the eyebolts. I know you said the factory installed it, but looks like it needs to be slide to the left and the eye bolts loosened to where they were in the middle of the threaded portion. I would measure the length of the springs before moving and then stretch them to the same measurement with the eyebolt in mid range. JMO

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Iggy, it looks like yours is already bottomed out on the eyebolts. I know you said the factory installed it, but looks like it needs to be slide to the left and the eye bolts loosened to where they were in the middle of the threaded portion. I would measure the length of the springs before moving and then stretch them to the same measurement with the eyebolt in mid range. JMO

Thanks but don't worry as these were pics while they were installing and it was not finished when I took the pictures.

[Mickeystamper]

Originally Posted by Iggy

Thanks but don't worry as these were pics while they were installing and it was not finished when I took the pictures.

If I read the instructions correctly, once the bracket is on the axle, slid toward center, and the springs are straight, it says tighten eye bolts until the eye is against the fulcrum. The only way to make that happen is to tighten the eye bolts all the way.
Then depending on if adjustment is needed, you would loosen the backside eye bolt one side then loosen the front eye bolt on the other side.

It seems to me with the springs stretched, you get the 400 lbs of force in the straight ahead position. If the springs are not stretched, the force in the straight ahead position would be less and you would only get greater force with the wheel turned and stretching a spring.

It least that it how I installed my Steer safe. Guess I need double check.

[lludvig]

Thank you all for chiming in. I did install Steer Safe last fall and was able to feel the difference before and after. When I was originally RV shopping, I wanted a Class C. Unfortunately, I am vertically challenged and the used models I sat behind the wheel of did not get me close enough to the accelerate/brake pedals. They had this Georgetown on the lot and I took it for a test drive with no problems. I'm second guessing myself and wondering if there was a Class C that I would have been comfortable driving had I waited. Thanks again!

[dhind]

Give it a little time to get used to it. The A class drives different than a C class. Keep in mind you are higher up and thus you sway more in the unit. A bit like riding in the top bunk of a Class C.

Wheel time helps as well as the changes recommended here.

We really enjoy our 270 and it short length. We do not tow anything, so this is our primary transport when camping. We fit it into spots most units would not go. We can park in 2 car length spaces. :-)

Everything a trade off, and with time you will adjust. We went from trailer, 37 ft MH to 30 ft MH. We enjoyed them all, miss features in each of them and enjoy the new things.




Dave & Michelle
2015 Georgetown 270SS
Calgary, Alberta

[lludvig]

One of my co-workers told me about SteerSafe and told me he had it installed on his Class C. I drove the 3 hrs to Deming and had it installed on my RV. I was able to feel the difference on my drive home. Thanks for the pics.

Originally Posted by Iggy

We did the cheap handling fix and still install SteerSafe. We happened to be driving thru Deming NM where the company exists and they installed their SteerSafe in about 20 minutes on my 2012 378TS.
Like other have mentioned you need to have some driving time under your belt, have proper tire pressure for your weight and good tires and frontend alignment. FYI if you over inflate the front tires you will feel the front end kind of floating and not gripping the road as it should.
Here is a few pictures of my SteerSafe install.

The SteerSafe is designed to keep your rig straight if you have a front tire blowout. While driving it helps you will less fatigue while steering straight down the road.

I also added a Blue OX Tiger Trac in the back as I have a large 242" wheelbase and I was still getting the rear sway at times. See pictures.

[Falcon35]

As others have said seat time sure helps as well as the other things like tire pressure and CHF. I also had a Steer Safe instead at an FMCA rally. I have driven in some high winds and you have to slow down and stay alert.