suspension mod - has anyone tried this??

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by jsutherl

I performed this mod today. It went well.

I took mine out for the weekend this last weekend. We drove about 150 miles total over the weekend. About 50 of that on an older two lane highway.

I didn't notice a huge difference. The coach has always been pretty easy to drive. It did seem to corner a bit better but that is hard to quantify. I was surprised when one wind gust almost pushed me out of my lane so that still happens.

For me this adjustment was a marginal improvement. Nothing magical or night and day about it.

[abjb]

Originally Posted by jsutherl

I took mine out for the weekend this last weekend. We drove about 150 miles total over the weekend. About 50 of that on an older two lane highway.

I didn't notice a huge difference. The coach has always been pretty easy to drive. It did seem to corner a bit better but that is hard to quantify. I was surprised when one wind gust almost pushed me out of my lane so that still happens.

For me this adjustment was a marginal improvement. Nothing magical or night and day about it.

I agree, not magical but WELL worth the $ .
We have 1500 miles on this upgrade.

The 18 wheelers still push us over (not as much) but don’t suck us in after they pass.
I’ve noticed I can drive a little faster with the same amount of mental comfort; the physical comfort is much improved.

I realized the biggest difference after driving down the same narrow 2 lane we have been on a few other times… noticeably better.

ab

[kick]

OK, read this post last night and was working on Air Bags on my 2004 Georgetown 303 so I switched the sway bar links while I was under there. Here's a couple Pic's, front and rear.

[martin73]

3/15/12 .....Thanks to jsuther and Kick, for the info and pic.. We have a 2010 Georgetown 337 and need the adj. links. tx again. martin73

[norwood12800]

Has anyone heard back from Ford on any long term issues doing this?

[SinkorSwim]

Yeah, I'm nervous to touch this until I see the response from Ford because my extended warranty specifically states any mods to the factory suspension will void the warrenty. The only post I have seen so far was the one that said Ford had concerns about long term stress on the components..... Anyone heard anything since then? I'm not expecting Ford to step into the liability space endorsing this would create....

[kick]

Don't hold your breath; Ford will never OK any mod done to a suspension component by an individual, period!!

From the above pictures, the rear geometry was really good. The rear sway bar barely moved positions when moving the link bar. The front was a different story and I’ll probably buy the adjustable link bars. The front will work where they’re at, but by adding 1-2” in length, the geometry would be closer to stock.

Jim

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by jsutherl

Here is what I bought. However I haven't installed them yet. I'll let you know how they go.

Hellwig 7962 11-14" Adjustable Endlinks
$106.76

Amazon.com: Hellwig 7962 11-14" Adjustable Endlinks: Automotive

Well I tried to install the adjustable end links on the front. The left side went OK but on the right side the AC compressor blocks the bolt from coming out. So to do this I'd have to drop the AC compressor, which I'm too lazy to do right now.

In my driving since making the change with to stock links the bar has never hit the springs (there is no mark there) so I think I'm just going to leave it as is.

So I have a set of these Adjustable Endlinks for sale if anyone wants them.

[RED Baron]

HI jsutherl Too bad you cant use the links are thy still for sale??? if so how much is your asking price.
Thanks George

2012 Georgetown 280
P.S. MY e-mail germanredbaron@hotmail.com

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by RED Baron

HI jsutherl Too bad you cant use the links are thy still for sale??? if so how much is your asking price.
Thanks George

2012 Georgetown 280
P.S. MY e-mail germanredbaron@hotmail.com

Yea, I've still got them. I e-mailed you.

[MikeA]

For all of you who have been waiting....I finally got feedback from Ford regarding the modification. Earlier in this thread I had posted that I had contacted Ford directly for their opinion about this modification.


The entire text of the last two replies I got were as follows, (the first I received in late January and the second just the other day)

"Vehicle Dynamics engineering is evaluating potential durability issues with regard to stress levels in the stabilizer bar and bushings. I will let you know what the comments may be when I receive the information."


"I did receive this response from F53 Program and Engineering:

The stress levels are too high. Ford does not recommend relocating the stabilizer bar link."


I will query them as to what they feel is the exact problem. I have been running with this modification for about 4,000 miles and have yet to notice any negative effects.

Mike

[georgetown]

I don't think you will ever get Ford or any other manufacturer to approve of any modification to their vehicles. If they said it's ok, they are opening themselves up to extra claims under warranty and possibly liability as well and there is no way they would take that chance no matter how minimal the risk may be.

That being said, people make modification to cars, trucks etc. all the time and realize that they may be voiding their warranty should something go wrong and many times these modifications make the vehicle perform better than original and of coarse sometimes do cause problems.

With the consideration that sway bars (torsion bars) are designed to twist and that many after market bars have extra holes to fine tune the amount of sway in the application, there should be no problem in using the other holes in the stock bar. Also, in the forum that this modification originally came from, people have logged on over 15,000 miles with no problems what so ever.

My conclusions would be to go for the modification as it seems to work well and has no significant problems.

Just my opinion, everyone has there own I am sure.

[raycyn778]

Originally Posted by MikeA

For all of you who have been waiting....I finally got feedback from Ford regarding the modification. Earlier in this thread I had posted that I had contacted Ford directly for their opinion about this modification.


The entire text of the last two replies I got were as follows, (the first I received in late January and the second just the other day)

"Vehicle Dynamics engineering is evaluating potential durability issues with regard to stress levels in the stabilizer bar and bushings. I will let you know what the comments may be when I receive the information."


"I did receive this response from F53 Program and Engineering:

The stress levels are too high. Ford does not recommend relocating the stabilizer bar link."


I will query them as to what they feel is the exact problem. I have been running with this modification for about 4,000 miles and have yet to notice any negative effects.

Mike

Mike, have you gotten under the unit recently to check for stress at the frame bolt hole or link?

[raycyn778]

Originally Posted by MikeA

For all of you who have been waiting....I finally got feedback from Ford regarding the modification. Earlier in this thread I had posted that I had contacted Ford directly for their opinion about this modification.


The entire text of the last two replies I got were as follows, (the first I received in late January and the second just the other day)

"Vehicle Dynamics engineering is evaluating potential durability issues with regard to stress levels in the stabilizer bar and bushings. I will let you know what the comments may be when I receive the information."


"I did receive this response from F53 Program and Engineering:

The stress levels are too high. Ford does not recommend relocating the stabilizer bar link."


I will query them as to what they feel is the exact problem. I have been running with this modification for about 4,000 miles and have yet to notice any negative effects.

Mike

Mike, hello, tried to do this mod in the driveway today on my 378 but after removing the nuts and washers, I could not get the bolts out freely and was afraid of what might happen if I went ahead and knocked them out an could not realign the holes. Under what circumstances did you make the change. Did you raise the chassis up with the levelers to take the weight off the sway bar??

Thanks
Ray

[MikeA]

Ray,

I had little problem removing the bolts. I used a metal rod (perhaps a large screwdriver) to line up the parts before re-inserting the bolts. It really went so well and quickly that it is hard to remember if there were any difficulties at all. I had thought I would have to raise something and in fact had a screw type scissor jack at the ready but I did not need it. As a side note I did it in December here in Canada during a cold snap which was hardly ideal circumstances. I think it took me no more than 1/2 hour to do the front and back.I see your chassis is brand new so I don't suspect there are any corrosion issues either.

I gave a cursory inspection of the modification a few weeks ago before another outing. I did not see anything out of place. As a first time owner of a motorhome I really have nothing to compare the handling of the unit to except my earlier experiences before the modification. On our most recent trip to New York (about 450 miles each way) over an extended weekend I really pushed the motorhome harder than I ever had in the past. It was such a comfortable drive that it was sometimes difficult for me to believe I driving such a large vehicle (which included towing our minivan). During our trip across Canada last summer I was never completely relaxed behind the wheel. I have now logged about 3,500 miles since I completed the modification.

Mike

[raycyn778]

Mike, thanks, I gonna give it another try. I was out in the street in front of my home and as I said, the bolts were very tight in their holes. I thought if I knocked them out with a screwdriver or something similar, the sway bar would fall and I would not be able to re-align them. I have a rolling hydraulic floor jack if I need it
This is our first RV as well. Had a bunch of minor issues, mainly with the fridge like the ignition door lock that I am going back and forth with FR on. They say that the factory does not hook up the fridge ignition door lock at the factory, Dometic says they should and I see on this site that many 378 owners have it hooked up from FR??!!!! Is yours wired in??
We love it though, looks great and has a ton of room
Ray.

Ray

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by raycyn778

Mike, thanks, I gonna give it another try. I was out in the street in front of my home and as I said, the bolts were very tight in their holes. I thought if I knocked them out with a screwdriver or something similar, the sway bar would fall and I would not be able to re-align them. I have a rolling hydraulic floor jack if I need it
This is our first RV as well. Had a bunch of minor issues, mainly with the fridge like the ignition door lock that I am going back and forth with FR on. They say that the factory does not hook up the fridge ignition door lock at the factory, Dometic says they should and I see on this site that many 378 owners have it hooked up from FR??!!!! Is yours wired in??
We love it though, looks great and has a ton of room
Ray.

Ray

Can you tell us more about the fridge ignition door lock.
Are you saying while the MH ignition is on the frig doors should be automatically lock?

[armye7]

On my 378 the fridge doors lock when I start the coach.

[raycyn778]

Originally Posted by Iggy

Can you tell us more about the fridge ignition door lock.
Are you saying while the MH ignition is on the frig doors should be automatically lock?

That is exactly what it is supposed to do. As soon as the ignition is turned on, the fridge door on certain Dometic models will automatically lock. You can still manually open them anytime, even while moving. After reading about it in the manual, I asked my dealer to repair it while taking care of other warranty issues, they said they called the warranty manager at FR and he commented that only the high end deisels were hooked up at factory, not gas jobs. After confirming that the warranty manager at FR refused my dealers request to repair the door lock I called the sales manager at FR and explained what was going on, he called the head of design and engineering and he confirmed that it was a new feature on the Georgetowns and is supposed to be hooked up at the factory. So mine goes in to the dealer on the 24th so we will see!!

Ray

[Iggy]

Will check this out on my new 378TS on Monday.
Thanks