How's your driving experience?

[the raven]

Guess I got lucky. Bought my 2020 GT5 34H in September in western PA. By the time I got to New York I was driving one handed. No changes needed so far.

[oldsmasma]

No problem at all with our Lexington which is an older sister. We went to it from a F250 4x4 and 26’ fifth wheel. We find the motor home much much easier to drive than the truck/trailer combo. One handed relaxed drive.

[donkro]

I have a 30', 2016 Coachmen Freelander Class C on the Ford E-350 chassis. Coachmen (a Forest River Product) told me they align the units as one of the last things they do before they ship them to the dealer, so not sure if that's the first thing I'd do, never have on mine.

The 2 things that improved my handling the most dramatically are a better steer stabilizer (Roadmaster) and the Henderson Trac Bar. I one hand it down the road even when trucks blow by with no issues now.

[jkoenig24]

I have a 2015 Dynamax DX3-37RB. I've NEVER had a problem "controlling" it while driving. I've passed (and been passed) by "big rigs" at highway speeds all without issue. Hills, flats, curves, bridges etc ALL smooth driving (HINT: I DO slow down when appropriate). Many times in the rain, a few times in light snow; all good. In year two or three, I did upgrade the front to Bilstein shocks (NO Bilstein's available for the rear back then and, I was surprised just how much porpoising I'd been dealing with). Tire wear has been even and, I'm now at 6+ years on the OEM Michelin TRUCK TIRES (which I expect will be due for a full set replacement in the next year or two). It's my understanding that Dynamax does an alignment on all their DX3 units before they leave the factory. I don't know if an alignment is done on their other lines (and, I have NO idea if other Forest River lines take this important step). There ARE Driving Schools for RVers. If you are a new RVer, especially one with little to no driving experience on BIG vehicles, a class with a PROFESSIONAL instructor might be just what you need. If nobody has warned / educated you about TAIL SWING, that's a topic you really need to understand (both horizontal AND vertical tail swing).

[stervin]

W have a MBS 2400 w purchased in 2016
Although I have read the all reply’s on the forum we have no issues with wondering or fighting the steering
In fact my wife drives and I navigate
MBS is built in a 3500 chassis
Sorry to hear of your issues hope u get it fixed
QUOTE=fishyj;2356869]First time motorhome owner here. How's your driving experience? Do you find yourself constantly fighting the wheel to keep centered in your lane, or are you able to cruise along with one hand on the wheel?

My 2020 2440DS has the sway bar, air suspension, and Bilstein shocks, but I'm constantly wrestling with it even on calm wind days.[/QUOTE]

[Bob2019]

I've had no problems with my 30' Class C E450 handling, unless the wind is really horrible. I have the airbags and keep the tires at recommended pressure. Passing semi I just don't notice. I keep my speed at 60 mph. I enjoy driving this rig and it doesn't seem to wander. Only complaint: With the overhead cab and motor dog house, it is noisy inside compared to a good truck pulling a TT.

[PenJoe]

We had a 2015 Sunseeker 2500TS on a Ford E450 cutaway. There were no suspension mods. We took one 1,700 mile journey pulling a Jeep Liberty toad. The camper was loaded for a 3 month stay, but no water in the FWT. Airbags inflated at 80 psi. For 4 days, we had 30-40 mph cross winds. Semis were swaying. It was a handful to drive with the wind. You could feel it when a VW passed. However, when the road was sheltered, it handled pretty well-what I would expect from driving a top heavy box.

On the return 1,700 trip, we were not pulling the toad because we bought another home and left the toad there. There were occasional cross winds, but nothing near the trip down. DW and I took turns driving and neither of us felt uncomfortable driving. A bit of cab cramp, but otherwise pretty decent.

We sold the MH when we returned. The buyers took a considerable test drive before purchase and were satisfied with the handling. They stopped to visit the following winter at our home in Florida and they were still pleased with the RV.

[medalguy]

We also have a Sunseeker MBS and haven’t had a single issue such as you describe. Drives well and is comfortable on a 10 hour day. I will add that in the AF I drive a 2-1/2 ton commo truck all over Hell and back so an RV to me is a piece of cake.

[Old codger]

Originally Posted by fishyj

First time motorhome owner here. How's your driving experience? Do you find yourself constantly fighting the wheel to keep centered in your lane, or are you able to cruise along with one hand on the wheel?

My 2020 2440DS has the sway bar, air suspension, and Bilstein shocks, but I'm constantly wrestling with it even on calm wind days.

I agree with most all everyone else said. My experiences with 2 new ones, a class c and class a. The c had bad tires on it from factory and they replaced and lined front end for the load added to its back and the A only had to have alignment for the load added to the chassis. It ended up carrying far more than a empty frame. But, I pull a trailer now and don't really plan to return to MOHO's. That is my experience and others is likely different.

[Tombsy]

Originally Posted by Bob2019

I've had no problems with my 30' Class C E450 handling, unless the wind is really horrible. I have the airbags and keep the tires at recommended pressure. Passing semi I just don't notice. I keep my speed at 60 mph. I enjoy driving this rig and it doesn't seem to wander. Only complaint: With the overhead cab and motor dog house, it is noisy inside compared to a good truck pulling a TT.

My experience has been the same as yours, 4 years of driving back and forth across the Canadian Rockies, I’ve driven in some extreme crosswinds that weren’t fun but otherwise it’s been pretty good. But that being said it’s in the shop right now for shocks and sway bars so we’ll see.

[fobagbob]

My previous 27 foot E450 needed alignment, upgraded sway bars and track bar, my current 31 foot E450 needed only alignment with excessive caster to be an easy driver. May be something to do with longer wheelbase and heavier load?

[Hamerjk]

Originally Posted by fishyj

First time motorhome owner here. How's your driving experience? Do you find yourself constantly fighting the wheel to keep centered in your lane, or are you able to cruise along with one hand on the wheel?

My 2020 2440DS has the sway bar, air suspension, and Bilstein shocks, but I'm constantly wrestling with it even on calm wind days.

Mine was that way. I put on heavy duty sway bars front and back. I put some springs front and back, and also put on a Roadmaster steering stabilizer on. WHAT A BIG difference they made. Highly recommend it the sway bars that come on are not that great. Need to put on a heavier ones for sure. Can drive one hand on the wheel all the time but will not for safety reasons.

[Butch & Lena]

We have a 2015 3010DS and have 30,000 miles on it and we have had nothing done to it other than an alignment and it drives like a dream. I love it and so does the wife. Yes there are days when the wind does its thing and on those days we do not drive.

[PoppySteve]

I bought a used 2011 2860 and it looks like no suspension mods were done. I have not had an alignment.

I like to keep 2 hands on any wheel I drive.

I don't feel like I have to fight the motorhome. Once I figured out it's kinda like driving a boat, we just float down the road.

[Barryc]

We bought our first RV 2 weeks ago, 2012 Forester 3011DS. I did a lot of reading before I went looking and was lucky enough to find a one owner low mileage one, with all the suspension upgrades done. It has the rear air bags, the rear anti sway bar, and the biggest steering stabilizer I have ever seen. We took it out for a 150 mile shake down run last Tuesday, on I-75 in the Tampa FL area. It was windy and it handled fairly well. I drove both class A and Class C RVs before buying this one. We really like the way it drove and the layout of the coach. We are leaving in 2 weeks for a trip From Florida to Oregon,

[Pathfinder75]

I had a Ford E450 32' Class C (Coachman). WIND and Truck passing would have you fighting to maintain vehicle in my lane. While Sway bars and shocks are easy to upgrade I felt I had that so look Futher. FORD DOE NOT put trac bars on there cutaways. Motorhome builders do not add Trac Bars (possible upscale units MAYBE).
Though part is costly I suggest doing it first as it worked for me.
If you push on side of coach near rear to simulate wind NOTICE body shifting side to side over rear axle. This acts like a see saw fulcrum point causing front steering to shift and you fighting the steering.

[A32Deuce]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder75

I had a Ford E450 32' Class C (Coachman). WIND and Truck passing would have you fighting to maintain vehicle in my lane. While Sway bars and shocks are easy to upgrade I felt I had that so look Futher. FORD DOE NOT put trac bars on there cutaways. Motorhome builders do not add Trac Bars (possible upscale units MAYBE).

Though part is costly I suggest doing it first as it worked for me.

If you push on side of coach near rear to simulate wind NOTICE body shifting side to side over rear axle. This acts like a see saw fulcrum point causing front steering to shift and you fighting the steering.

X2! That's what I did first. One hand steering after that.

[Bezzola]

Originally Posted by law

I agree about the track bar.

I should have done the track bar after the alignment.

The alignment got me a lot of the way but the track bar really makes the movement go away.



The OP has the upgraded sways and shocks so they are way ahead of where I started.

I agree with the track bar but some people also don’t think that driving a square box in a cross wind shouldn’t effect it.

[Mbear12]

Bought our 2019 Sunseeker 2850 from the original owner last year with 2000 miles. It drove ok but felt a little light on the front end...but not scary. After putting 3000 more miles I had it aligned last week. Caster and camber were within the specs I found here but there was no toe-in just lots of toe-out...to the point of wear on the inside of both tires. It now feels like the steering wheel is actually connected to the wheels....totally transformed the handling. I have a 2000 mile trip coming up and may get the steering stabilizer before leaving.

[Vince and Charlette]

Like several said above, I sank $5,000 into various suspension upgrades on my Georgetown, FR paid for a wheel alignment and I checked tire pressure religiously. All of this resulted in only a modest improvement. (Note: For the time we had it, the GT served us well.) However, after getting fed up with the steering/suspension, lack of power and screaming engine noise, I traded in my 2017 for a 2018 DP. All the difference in the world...22.5 inch tires, air brakes, heavy duty suspension, air bags and a 360 hp Cummins diesel. I didn't enjoy spending the money, but I took stock of our age, how much we had in savings (no debt anymore for us) and our intended use. We are more than thrilled with the DP we bought.