Aftermarket sway bar

[bdybldkris]

lol....I'm not arguing...You guys are absolutely correct and impervious to any and all litigation. Anyone that comes near you KNOWS that you are untouchable.....

WHO CARES? Put monster truck tires on your RV's and have a blast! I posted my opinion in an attempt to help the OP....It was only my opinion and none of your arguments have changed it. No idea what the jacks argument was about....pretty sure they serve a function and are supplied from a manufacturer for a specific purpose....but whatever....

Point is, do whatever.....I prefer to install equipment made for the task as opposed to modifying existing equipment at home, with no support from a manufacturer....Just my preference.....You go do whatever you need to do....

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by abjb

"There is a difference between installing a piece of equipment that's designed and sold for a specific application and modifying an existing piece of equipment at home because you read it on a forum".
The way I read this is that the sway bar isn't a Ford part, and we're making unsafe modification, not just making an adjustment.

If we use the above logic and the jacks lift the front wheels off the ground

(every time, which is the way ours was delivered)

then we can’t adjust the level point.

Edit: I need to practice taking pictures, this site is slightly unlevel, higher in the back.

I don't think must of us are dumb enough to do it just because we read it on the forum.

If you know me, you would notice that the first thing I do with everything is research it. Probably why I still haven't done the front sway bar...well, I'm still not sold it does that it does that much for sway and they are a pricey experiment.

When FR gets the frames from Ford they come with all sort of extra wires, etc, so that the manufacturer can pick and choose according to what's going on top.

What Ford needs to do is include longer front end links and let the manufacturer choose which position is best for the ride. I think that's the missing link...no pun intended...well, maybe a little. That'll solve the heebie-jeebies issues some are having.

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by bdybldkris

lol....I'm not arguing...You guys are absolutely correct and impervious to any and all litigation. Anyone that comes near you KNOWS that you are untouchable.....

WHO CARES? Put monster truck tires on your RV's and have a blast! I posted my opinion in an attempt to help the OP....It was only my opinion and none of your arguments have changed it. No idea what the jacks argument was about....pretty sure they serve a function and are supplied from a manufacturer for a specific purpose....but whatever....

I'm not arguing either. I'm just trying to use the force to get you to come into the dark side.

I do like your statement though, "Anyone that comes near you KNOWS that you are untouchable...." It's true, you know

Monster tires? I have thought about it, but the wheel wells are too small.

Okay, nuf' beers, back to my illegal redneck doins'

[alparmer]

I think what we need here is data. It would be nice to know how many folk have done the CHF, for how many years, and any safety issues. These questions are probably better on a broader forum such as irv2.

I've put~4,000 miles and IIRC, I did the CHF 11-2013 No issues, 2k miles with the stock short links, and 2k miles with Hellwigs.

[Duckogram]

I don't normally post in other sub forums however, considering the
tone of this topic I felt the need to offer an alternative notion.
Since my Coach is on a 2014 F-53 Chassis and because it is so light,
I had a demonstrated need to address the sway issue. My research brought me to "CHF" as some describe it. So I contacted the dealer and made the inquiry.
Turns out that it is not considered a "Modification". It is a simple adjustment to a variable component engineered and tested by Ford. It is no different than having the wheels aligned. You loosen a bolt and make the adjustment for a safe, stable ride.

I also installed a Safe-T-Plus steering dampener for the same
reason... a safer, stable ride. That is not a modification either.
It is an add-on component.

I have about 1000 miles since the adjustment in March 2014 and would not leave home without it.

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

I don't normally post in other sub forums however, considering the
tone of this topic I felt the need to offer an alternative notion.
Since my Coach is on a 2014 F-53 Chassis and because it is so light,
I had a demonstrated need to address the sway issue. My research brought me to "CHF" as some describe it. So I contacted the dealer and made the inquiry.
Turns out that it is not considered a "Modification". It is a simple adjustment to a variable component engineered and tested by Ford. It is no different than having the wheels aligned. You loosen a bolt and make the adjustment for a safe, stable ride.

I also installed a Safe-T-Plus steering dampener for the same
reason... a safer, stable ride. That is not a modification either.
It is an add-on component.

I have about 1000 miles since the adjustment in March 2014 and would not leave home without it.

That's what I was trying to explain, but glad you took it a step further by contacting a dealer.

Like I said, Ford should include longer links so that the manufacturer can choose which position on the sway bar suits the coach better. I think the ones that haven't done it are more worried about the sway bar hitting the leaf springs. No way that will ever happen while on the road, but it does lift the tires while leveling. I think if the sway bar didn't hit the leaf springs, the non-believers will do it...and then go, wow!

[ChrisMSNT]

You mean something like this?? *stirring the pot*

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by ChrisMSNT

You mean something like this?? *stirring the pot*

Hey, I didn't say it was okay to post pics of my coach.

[abjb]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

I don't normally post in other sub forums however, considering the
tone of this topic I felt the need to offer an alternative notion.
Since my Coach is on a 2014 F-53 Chassis and because it is so light,
I had a demonstrated need to address the sway issue. My research brought me to "CHF" as some describe it. So I contacted the dealer and made the inquiry.
Turns out that it is not considered a "Modification". It is a simple adjustment to a variable component engineered and tested by Ford. It is no different than having the wheels aligned. You loosen a bolt and make the adjustment for a safe, stable ride.

I also installed a Safe-T-Plus steering dampener for the same
reason... a safer, stable ride. That is not a modification either.
It is an add-on component.

I have about 1000 miles since the adjustment in March 2014 and would not leave home without it.

Stop by anytime.

We may be talking about our less than 7 MPG (4.7 climbing from the panhandle of TX. to Walsenburg CO. 10 to 15 headwind) what do you get?
or
About how many chassis AC compressors we’ve had.
Etc.

Thanks for the CHF info from Ford.

ab&jb

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by abjb

Stop by anytime.

We may be talking about our less than 7 MPG (4.7 climbing from the panhandle of TX. to Walsenburg CO. 10 to 15 headwind) what do you get?
or
About how many chassis AC compressors we’ve had.
Etc.

Thanks for the CHF info from Ford.

ab&jb

I'm thinking of adding small decals to the rear end of our coach. You know, CHF, TigerTrak, etc. It would also be cool to add something that lets others know how many AC compressors you've gone through. You know, kinda like how many planes you've shot down. LOL Ours is too new, but I'm sure I'll be dealing with it sooner or later. Glad I have the tools to do it. Still can't believe the main seal cannot be replaced. I've changed them out in the distant past.

[Scagsdale]

I'm one of the folks that hasn't needed to mess with the chassis on our new GT 328.....so far anyway. Mine handles well on rough roads like I-10 and in the wind. I just look far down the road while driving so I'm not constantly over correcting on the steering. I haven't heard that the CHF will void warranty, but I did see a copy of a letter from Ford's engineering department, saying that they didn't recommend the adjustment because it will cause too much stress. To each his own, I guess, but Ford doesn't think its a good idea. If it's really a big advantage and harmless, why isn't this change made either at the Ford or MH factories? Ford knows what Forest River is going to do with the chassis they sell them......maybe not the exact model but generally.

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by Scagsdale

I'm one of the folks that hasn't needed to mess with the chassis on our new GT 328.....so far anyway. Mine handles well on rough roads like I-10 and in the wind. I just look far down the road while driving so I'm not constantly over correcting on the steering. I haven't heard that the CHF will void warranty, but I did see a copy of a letter from Ford's engineering department, saying that they didn't recommend the adjustment because it will cause too much stress. To each his own, I guess, but Ford doesn't think its a good idea. If it's really a big advantage and harmless, why isn't this change made either at the Ford or MH factories? Ford knows what Forest River is going to do with the chassis they sell them......maybe not the exact model but generally.

Where did you see a copy of that letter? I'm sure it had an explanation as to where it would cause too much stress especially coming from engineering.

Why hasn't Ford deleted the inner hole? I'm sure it costs more to make a sway bar with extra holes than it does without it.

Why are some Ford dealers performing the CHF for customers?

Why are there aftermarket sway bars that do the same?

Why are there so many RVers having logged thousands of miles without a problem?

Why? Why? Why? LOL

[Scagsdale]

Lol. I tried to find that letter again last night. I think it's buried in that 150 page CHF thread on IRV2. I know I saw it, a couple of months ago. Dealers and Factory engineering departments may not talk all that much. If you want to do this to your rig, fine with me, and I hope it works out for you. I certainly wouldn't be pushing inexperienced MH drivers to start making a bunch of changes to their chassis until they have some experience. To each his own.

[alparmer]

Originally Posted by Scagsdale

I certainly wouldn't be pushing inexperienced MH drivers

Where is my popcorn.

[Scagsdale]

Maybe I should explain what I mean by inexperienced drivers. The first time I drove a Class A was when I rented a Fleetwood Flair from El Monte RV. It was the 33V model, which is 34 feet long, and had the usual 362 HP Ford V10 Chassis. I was really nervous about driving this beast, and read all kinds of stuff on IRV2 and RV Net about driving. I also stumbled on the CHF threads (there are many, but the biggest I know of is the one I mentioned on IRV2, which has been going since about 2010). Anyway, one of the driving threads had a bunch of conflicting instructions. One idea was to use the middle bar in the windshield to help you stay in the middle of your lane....you were supposed to line that up with the lane line on the right side of the coach. I tried driving that way at first, and it was pure white knuckle. Really bad....I felt like the coach was wandering all over the place. Then I remembered another post on there, where the guy basically said nonsense to that idea. He said just look way down the lane, and your coach will follow you. He said that you won't get the white knuckle ride because you won't be over compensating with the steering wheel trying to keep lined up all the time. I tried it, and it worked. No more white knuckle ride for me after that. This includes driving next to trucks, on rough roads, and in wind. This one stuck in my mind probably due to my sportbike riding days....going around curves fast was scary, until a fellow biker told me to always look deep into the curve, and the bike will just follow you there. What a difference that made. So there's my two cents.....works for me.