Is steering a Georgetown difficult?

[Iggy]

Do you feel steering a Georgetown aon the Ford Chassis is?

Difficult to stay in lane?

Difficult in windy conditions tp drive straight?

Easy and steeris with little effort?

Do you have any front steering modifications?


The reason I ask is that the other day while driving one it seemed difficult to maintain in my lane. That was not the one I'm buying but just wondered was it me or the rig?

[cfsoistman]

First time I ever drove anything that big was the day we picked it up. It's a bit overwhelming at first but it's like anything else it's no big deal after you do it a couple times. Driving in windy conditions can be real difficult especially crosswinds. That big ole box isn't aerodynamic at all. I added air bags to help with the rocking as the big rigs go by. It doesn't seems to wander much but that really depends on the roads. Some are crowned too much and it wants to ride to the low side. I haven't added any front steering mods but I've seen on here where some have. They can give you better insight to that.

[ronhanson]

For the previous 3 seasons I would have told you it's not overly difficult, but certainly requires attention. Last year I had to replace my front tires, badly worn at the outside edges. I had the front end aligned and it was way out. It came from the factory that way. There have been quite a few posts about Forest River not doing an alignement after building the house on the chassis.

After the alignment it's like night and day. Very easy to drive now. I wish I had done it years ago.

[Bill m]

Just parked it back in the yard.

I find my Georgetown very easy to drive and navigate. Crosswinds can be problematic, as they were with my Sunseeker. I have not done any modifications however I am considering adding airbags, this year front next back.

I did have it aligned recently after returning from a FL trip.

Well back to the table, next trip May Gettysburg.

[concours14]

The first time we took out our 350TS was a 130 mile trip to Oceanside in Jan of 11'. As I was hooking up the toad the sky went dark and as we left the rain and wind came. So here we were in the dark with heavy rain, and strong winds for our first time in a MH (previously had a 5th). It was a white knuckle ride with the wind and the rain in the dark. After two more trips I learned to relax and found it is not too hard to drive, though the wind does push it around some. Staying in the lanes is not a problem. I am thinking of putting on a set of air bags and also have been thinking of some type of steering stabilizer (anybody out there tried one of these?). If I do I will let you know the difference.

[dashonthedash]

It's a subjective question, as it depends on what you were driving before. After driving a small (27 foot) Winnebago P-30 chassis with a relatively high L/WB ratio for 19 years, my new 29 foot Georgetown is much easier to steer. The Winnie, even with air bags and a steering stabilizer, made driving in the wind an exhausting experience. The Georgetown, although not perfect, has already shown better stability in crosswinds. No modifications, and I still am unsure about eventually adding airbags.

[tetsurvivor]

After driving an F350 pulling a 39ft Montana 5th wheel, the Georgetown was an experience but after a trip it two I got used to it, now it's a piece of cake. You'll Love it. Have fun and enjoy your new rig.

[Falcon35]

When my Georgetown was new I had my front end checked and the alinement was off.
I contacted Mike Burns (now John Armstrong) at Forest River he asked me to have it alined and send him the bill. They sent me a cheque. I think everyone should check it when new. I think when they build a house on the Ford frame it changes the alinement.
I still feel strong winds but you get used to it. I do try to avoid driving in real strong winds.

[ohiobill]

I agree with the above posts. On our first trip with the 378 we encountered squall like conditions with rain and 25-35mph crosswinds. I was ready to trade back for our previous F250 and Montana. However, under nomal conditions I find it not too bad. Still not as easy to handle as the 5th wheel rig, but not too bad. I've got over 5000 mi on it now.

I still wish the brakes took less pedal pressure. It has always seemed to me that they take 2 or 3 times more pressure than they should. The dealer tells me they are pretty much the same as other similar units. I do find that using tow haul mode makes it way easier to slow down. I've wondered if the diesel rig's air brakes are more confidence inspiring?

[10Isola]

Just got back from our trip to Disney(2,000 miles) with our 320DS. On windy days we got tossed around pretty good. Also, on heavily traveled truck routes we could feel quite a bit of sway when being passed by big rigs. I also noticed that she likes to wander a bit due to the slope of some roads. A lot of this is due to the smaller tires we have I'm sure. Once getting used to all of this I've come to find it a relaxing ride. I am finding the driver seat to be cheap, and very uncomfortable though.

[F and E Damp]

Compared to our Kia, it can be a handful. High winds and heavily crowned roads upset things the most. I just think that any 32' long, 12' high, 11-ton box truck would be a handful. It's manageable if you roll with it instead of trying to fight it.

As I've said before, I'd rather spend money on gas and CG fees than pour it into suspension mods trying to make it ride like a Rolls-Royce.

[Lostdog]

An experienced truck driver was riding with me while I was pulling our fifth wheel and he noticed that I had the tendancy to look at the road just in front of the truck. He advised me to watch much further down the road and that should eliminate the "wandering" that I was experiencing. Now I look, perhaps, a quarter mile down the road, conditions allowing, and I stay rock solid in the middle of the lane. I was trying to guide the rig by watching the center line and it just didn't work because I was always over correcting. Now even a big rig passing us doesn't really effect because I only correct the push/pull by a little nudge of the wheel. I'm happy the way the F53 works just the way it is.

[abjb]

About like my first car, a 60 chevy Biscayne in 1967.

I’ve done the free suspension mod.
NOW it’s much better.
About like a friends Toyota Sienna mini van loaded with 8 people…
now that I think about it, the 360's not that bad .

ab

[Iggy]

Thank you all for your comments about driving. I think everyone agrees that it is a handful when driving. I do agree that looking ahead will hlp you maintain cenetr of the lane.
If the alignment is off you do call FR first or go to a Ford Truck place for alignment.

Thx all

[concours14]

I also went from a 5th wheel (40 ft 14000 lb toy hauler). I wouldn't say the MH is a handful just a little different. But the difference in the time and ease in setting up at the cg, especially the ones with no room, is worth it. It takes about 1/3 the time also if your on a long trip and want some lunch you pull over and eat and the MH is nice and cool even if it's 100*F out. Our pervious TT and 5th wheel would be hot

[fbconsults]

Lostdog, you are right on. Another good tip is to maintain a 4 and 8 o'clock hand position on the steering wheel and try not to make corrections unless necessary. Two hands on the wheel is always the order of the day when driving a big rig. BTW my 378 on the Ford chassis handles better than my 2003 36' Itasca on the Workhorse.

Forrest

[F and E Damp]

You go to a good tire and alignment shop. We did when we got the new tires after buying our rig. Les Schwab included a front end alignment as part of the tire purchase.

Our F53 rides and tracks as well as any other 22,000 lb box truck and I don't sweat it. Rigs with lower centres of pressure and centres of gravity will handle winds better than my rig, but they'd cost twice as much. I'm reasonably comfortable with my F53 and more than happy with what it cost. I don't plan to spend moiney trying to make a Rolls-Royce ride. It's a sow's ear (expected, given the price) and i'm not going to spens a fortune trying to make it into a silk purse. I'd rather spend to money on gas and CG fees. We only drive the damn thing about 4000 miles a year, so I can live with the truck-style ride qualities.

How you spend your money depends on your priortiies.

[condo]

I have a 2010 373 on the Workhorse. I took it to Redlands Truck & RV and had it aligned and a Safety Plus steering stabelizer installed. The alignment made it drive with less steering corrections and the stabelizer does mute the big rig wind effect. The Safety Plus is really for control after a blowout.

[CVan]

On our 2008 Georgetown 378, we had a Steer Safe stabilizer system installed. I find that this has improved the steering response greatly. There are many systems out there and you may have to talk to others to find the system that seems to be the best for your unit.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by CVan

On our 2008 Georgetown 378, we had a Steer Safe stabilizer system installed. I find that this has improved the steering response greatly. There are many systems out there and you may have to talk to others to find the system that seems to be the best for your unit.

Is Safe Stabilizer system more than special shocks?