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01-12-2020, 05:56 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 459
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I'll add that if I wasn't towing, I could get away with less air in the airbags.
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01-12-2020, 06:05 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 4,330
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobfromMinden
I have a 2018 Leprechaun 311FS Class C. I upgraded the front and rear sway bars (Roadmaster), added a rear Trac bar, steering stabilizer and 4 Bilstein shocks. These upgrades improved both the ride and stability on the road 100%. I don' know why Forest River doesn't offer these suspension upgrades right out of the factory.
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For 2020 models, Foresters and Sunseekers come standard with 4 Bilstein shocks and a Hellwig rear sway bar. Very early 2020 Sunseekers did not have this, but as of fall 2019 manufacture dates, they now do. Foresters had these upgrades for 2019, and possibly earlier.
__________________
2020 Sunseeker 2440DS on 2019 Ford E-450, Trekker cap, Topaz paint
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01-12-2020, 06:10 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
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I replaced my front shocks and steering damper with Bilsteins and Koni's on the rear. With 90psi in the bags towing the trailer Only one hand needed! I use 2 but its so easy now, you are not beat up by the end of the day.
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
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01-12-2020, 10:22 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 124
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I installed front and rear sway bars and a steering dampener on my 3170ds. Worked great. Might add airbags later for weight
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01-13-2020, 02:17 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Posts: 244
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Our 2019 3010DS rides great when fully loaded if I keep the air bags at 75#. The water tank in the back makes a tremendous difference if full. With no water, it will drive well with only 30# in the air bags.
__________________
2019 Sunseeker 3010DS
160w/9A roof top SOLAR
Playmaker DISH w/ Wally
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01-13-2020, 03:17 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 402
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donkro
jwallet, mine is a 2016 Freelander on the Ford E-350 chassis and that's exactly how it rides. All other things on the Ford chassis being equal do you think it's just the airbags making the difference? Do you know what brand yours are?
I did add a beefier steering stabilizer and a rear trac bar and that improved the stability quite a bit, no more wandering or blowby, can easily one-hand it.
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They are called Ride Rite...I’m thinking they are made by Firestone.
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01-19-2020, 10:18 PM
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#27
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,499
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Mine seem best at 65 psi.
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2018 Forester 3011 DS
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01-20-2020, 11:06 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 402
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dcheatwood
Mine seem best at 65 psi.
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Sound like a good number to start with!
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02-01-2020, 03:56 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Pleasant Prairie WI
Posts: 1,469
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Our 2006 Sunseeker 2860DS came with gas shocks, steering stabilizers, and front & rear anti sway bars.
Don't know what other 2006 Sunseeker models came with. Ours came with most of the popular options at the time.
__________________
2006 Sunseeker 2860DS Ford V10 5 speed with Tow/Haul
Winegard T4 In Motion Satellite Dish
Furion Rear Camera, RecPro 70" Recliners
Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
2013 AWD Acadia Denali, Blue Ox Equipped
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02-03-2020, 03:09 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 459
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Quote:
Originally Posted by parise
Our 2006 Sunseeker 2860DS came with gas shocks, steering stabilizers, and front & rear anti sway bars.
Don't know what other 2006 Sunseeker models came with. Ours came with most of the popular options at the time.
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The 2020 2860DS comes with that and Firestone RideRite air bags.
Alignment really helped, but I knew I would still get blown around, so I added a trac bar and replaced the stock sway bars with much larger Hellwigs. I'm pretty sure it's golden now.
I'll know later this month when we go to Death Valley. I'll have to travel over the same crappy roads that made me want to do the mods in the first place. The combined weight is just shy of 18,000.
I'm convinced that the way they extend and build on these frames differs depending on options, and that's why some have handling issues, and some don't.
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02-03-2020, 08:02 AM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 4,330
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n1acguy
The 2020 2860DS comes with that and Firestone RideRite air bags.
Alignment really helped, but I knew I would still get blown around, so I added a trac bar and replaced the stock sway bars with much larger Hellwigs. I'm pretty sure it's golden now.
I'll know later this month when we go to Death Valley. I'll have to travel over the same crappy roads that made me want to do the mods in the first place. The combined weight is just shy of 18,000.
I'm convinced that the way they extend and build on these frames differs depending on options, and that's why some have handling issues, and some don't.
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True. And apparently Forest River does not check or adjust the Ford chassis front end alignment after these various sized motorhomes are built on it. They depend on the buyer to go get the alignment done, but in our case Forest River did reimburse us $300 for the alignment adjustment we had done at an independent shop. Our unit was out of camber spec and also benefitted from more caster, although the caster was initially within Ford spec. Forest River reimburses only if the chassis was found to be outside Ford spec.
We did ask our dealer about alignment reimbursement at the time of delivery, but they had never heard of it. Instead I talked to the Forest River customer service rep for our area.
__________________
2020 Sunseeker 2440DS on 2019 Ford E-450, Trekker cap, Topaz paint
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02-03-2020, 10:39 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
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I believe the reason they don't do an alignment is because after you load it you would change how it sits. That's why you have it done after you have it setup for travel. All that weight in various places affects how it sits and how the alignment ends up.
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
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02-03-2020, 12:38 PM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 4,330
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n1acguy
In my opinion the E450 chassis is just borderline adequate for these larger class Cs. These things are so heavy, the arc on the rear leaf springs is inverted.
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I do agree that class Cs of around 32 feet are borderline too big for the E450. CCC is quite limited on the larger floor plans.
But I don’t quite understand your other comment. It looked to me that if the chassis is designed with the spring arc inverted, then the frame can be made lower to the ground but still allow for the same suspension travel. How does an inverted spring arc design mean that “these things are so heavy” I never paid much attention to this before. Help me understand.
__________________
2020 Sunseeker 2440DS on 2019 Ford E-450, Trekker cap, Topaz paint
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02-03-2020, 01:59 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Pleasant Prairie WI
Posts: 1,469
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n1acguy
The 2020 2860DS comes with that and Firestone RideRite air bags.
Alignment really helped, but I knew I would still get blown around, so I added a trac bar and replaced the stock sway bars with much larger Hellwigs. I'm pretty sure it's golden now.
I'll know later this month when we go to Death Valley. I'll have to travel over the same crappy roads that made me want to do the mods in the first place. The combined weight is just shy of 18,000.
I'm convinced that the way they extend and build on these frames differs depending on options, and that's why some have handling issues, and some don't.
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I will soon be at about 19,000 lbs towing a GMC Acadia. Getting my Blue Ox equipment this month. I previously towed a large motorcycle trailer with my HD Ultra Classic on it and didn't know it was behind me. I do expect a difference, time will tell. My steering and suspension makes me feel safe the way it is. I did have the ball joints replaced in 2016 for the first time at about 42,000 miles and am on my 3rd set of front tires, 2nd set of rears. I am running Cooper tires and am very happy with them. They are every bit as good as the Goodyear and Michelens I have had.
__________________
2006 Sunseeker 2860DS Ford V10 5 speed with Tow/Haul
Winegard T4 In Motion Satellite Dish
Furion Rear Camera, RecPro 70" Recliners
Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
2013 AWD Acadia Denali, Blue Ox Equipped
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02-12-2020, 07:50 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 459
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BehindBars
I do agree that class Cs of around 32 feet are borderline too big for the E450. CCC is quite limited on the larger floor plans.
But I don’t quite understand your other comment. It looked to me that if the chassis is designed with the spring arc inverted, then the frame can be made lower to the ground but still allow for the same suspension travel. How does an inverted spring arc design mean that “these things are so heavy” I never paid much attention to this before. Help me understand.
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I'm not so sure it's designed with the arc inverted. At least not according to the spring shop that did alignment for me. They claim they sometimes remove and rearc the springs adding extra leafs. They sit low because of the weight. Too low to keep from dragging over drainage dips in some cases. If they didn't have air bags they'd likely be on the baby bumpers a lot of the time. At least the E450 chassis, I'm not sure how the F53 chassis spring set-up differs, but the max weight is about the same.
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02-12-2020, 07:58 PM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 459
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BehindBars
For 2020 models, Foresters and Sunseekers come standard with 4 Bilstein shocks and a Hellwig rear sway bar. Very early 2020 Sunseekers did not have this, but as of fall 2019 manufacture dates, they now do. Foresters had these upgrades for 2019, and possibly earlier.
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If they made those improvements on subsequent models, it's likely that a high percentage of the earlier units had handling problems.
Ours is fully loaded with options I don't see on all models. That might be why I was experiencing problems others weren't.
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02-20-2020, 03:03 AM
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#37
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BEFUDDELED MEMBER
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: DEEP IN THE KITTY LITTER, NEWER MEXICO
Posts: 65
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The stock E450 chassis utilizes the same shocks and f / r sway bars as the E150.
The Helwig Sway bars and a Pan Hard Rod ( rear track bar ) along with about 60 -90 psi in air bags will make for one handed non white knuckle driving.
__________________
13,SUNSEEKER 3010
RETIRED / New Mexico
D KZ5PZ - EXTRA -DW K5ZPZ - GENERAL
Viet combat vet USNR, DAV, VFW, CCL. SASS
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02-20-2020, 12:37 PM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Pleasant Prairie WI
Posts: 1,469
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Shooter2, good info.
Luckily I guess, have not experienced white knuckle driving episodes in my 13 years of ownership. Even just prior to replacing the front ball joints in 2016. Yes, it did ride and handle afterwards but it was never a white knuckle driver.
I try to keep both hands on the wheel and find the seating position and the tilt wheel Ford has put together makes that comfortable.
2006 Sunseeker 2860DS. 30.5'. Not currently towing and I am within my GVWR.
Chris
__________________
2006 Sunseeker 2860DS Ford V10 5 speed with Tow/Haul
Winegard T4 In Motion Satellite Dish
Furion Rear Camera, RecPro 70" Recliners
Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
2013 AWD Acadia Denali, Blue Ox Equipped
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03-02-2020, 03:41 PM
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#39
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DaLexusGuy
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: North Georgia
Posts: 137
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Hmmm...I've always run my airbags at 30psi.
I see a quorum of folks here run their airbags at double that (or more).
I do load up the "trunk" with accessories, tools and equipment and such, but the DW is "allergic" to boondocking, so I never ride with any water in my fresh, grey or black tanks.
My thought is that airbags at 30 psi vs 60-90 psi will give me a softer, smoother ride, and I am pretty happy with the ride I get. Although, once in a while I will hit an expansion joint and it feels like the whole rear axle fell off. Maybe that situation would be better with more pressure in the bags? Not sure.
Anyway, I'm glad the OP asked the question. I may have to start experimenting a bit.
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03-04-2020, 08:30 AM
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#40
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Rich
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 63
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Ride-Rite not holding pressure.
Is it normal to lose air pressure in the Rite-Rite system? I have to add air after each trip that I make, most of them short weekend trips. I put 70psi before each trip and when I return, the pressure is back to around 20 psi. I have the 3011DS model.
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