Is steering a Georgetown difficult?

[JimF]

we added a steering stablizer and it improved the driving experience a lot, stay in lane much better and cross winds are easier to handle but it is still a big box of air that is not aerodynamic and it gets pushed around in heavy winds. after a few thousand miles of driving i am used to it and it really does drive pretty well.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by JimF

we added a steering stablizer and it improved the driving experience a lot, stay in lane much better and cross winds are easier to handle but it is still a big box of air that is not aerodynamic and it gets pushed around in heavy winds. after a few thousand miles of driving i am used to it and it really does drive pretty well.

Which stabilizer did you get?

[JimF]

Installed a Safe-T-Plus, got it through Camping World, was about 400 or so. Was worth the cost.

[bdmartin123]

HAS ANYONE USED THIS FOR THE STERRINGI THERE GEORGETOWN MOTORHOME TO HELP WITH THE STERRING AN THE ROCKING WHILE DRIVING.STERRING STABLIZER P30

100 PERCENT DAV
BAKERSFIELD CA
329 GEORGETOWN
2011

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by JimF

Installed a Safe-T-Plus, got it through Camping World, was about 400 or so. Was worth the cost.

What does it actually do?
Stabilize the front end and make it stiffer while driving?
Does it help you to go staright if your habds come off the wheel?

What is your thoughts.
Thanks

[dashonthedash]

Originally Posted by bdmartin123

HAS ANYONE USED THIS FOR THE STERRINGI THERE GEORGETOWN MOTORHOME TO HELP WITH THE STERRING AN THE ROCKING WHILE DRIVING.STERRING STABLIZER P30

100 PERCENT DAV
BAKERSFIELD CA
329 GEORGETOWN
2011

That stabilizer is designed for the P30 chassis, which is nearly impossible to drive without a stabilizer. I know because I drove one for 19 years, and the Georgetown drives better even without one.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by dashonthedash

That stabilizer is designed for the P30 chassis, which is nearly impossible to drive without a stabilizer. I know because I drove one for 19 years, and the Georgetown drives better even without one.

So far I'm satisfied with the Ford F35 chassis but after a short trip to California I plan to have the front end checked because the steering goes to the right and the actual steering wheel is turned to the right a little and doesn't go straight center while driving staright.

I will contact FR in a few weeks and see what they say. Luckily I have a great local Ford Dealer that also Ford truck sales and maintence close by.

[Trempert]

I had the same issue on my 2011 (steering wheel wasn't centered when driving straight) and they had to disassemble the steering gear box to correct it because the steering wheel is keyed to the shaft in a fixed position. This is a known issue that Ford knows about but they won't say anything unless you bring it to their attention.

[OldCoot]

Are you implying that they could not adjust the tie rod ends enought to get the steering wheel centered? Must have been off center 45 deg or more.

What happened to "The quality goes in before the name goes on"?

[cfsoistman]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

Are you implying that they could not adjust the tie rod ends enought to get the steering wheel centered? Must have been off center 45 deg or more.

What happened to "The quality goes in before the name goes on"?

Quality got replaced by Quantity That seems to be all that matters these days!

[cfsoistman]

Originally Posted by Iggy

So far I'm satisfied with the Ford F35 chassis but after a short trip to California I plan to have the front end checked because the steering goes to the right and the actual steering wheel is turned to the right a little and doesn't go straight center while driving staright.

I will contact FR in a few weeks and see what they say. Luckily I have a great local Ford Dealer that also Ford truck sales and maintence close by.

Seems this has been going on for quite a while. My steering wheel faces 11 o'clock when I'm traveling straight. I've just gotten use to it.

[jojo bamboo]

"The quality goes in before the name goes on"

Yeah, RIGHT.

I wonder what Ad company
made up that tag line?
I just don't think they (Forest River) live up to that.
These $100.000 +++ machines are NOT Quality Made.
But thats just Me.
Outhers May love them.
I also wonder how many Forest River customers
buy another Forest River product.
I may pass them by the next time around.
Again, but thats just me.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by jojo bamboo

"The quality goes in before the name goes on"

Yeah, RIGHT.

I wonder what Ad company
made up that tag line?
I just don't think there (Forest River) living up to that.
These $100.000 +++ machines are NOT Quality Made
Thats right I said it.

Not a Forest River ad, it was Ford's ad several yrs ago.

[jojo bamboo]

OH,
I'm glad we cleared that up.

That line just diden't fit
Forest River

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by jojo bamboo

OH,
I'm glad we cleared that up.

That line just diden't fit
Forest River

Evidently from this thread, it doesn't fit Ford anymore either.

[Trempert]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

Are you implying that they could not adjust the tie rod ends enought to get the steering wheel centered? Must have been off center 45 deg or more.

What happened to "The quality goes in before the name goes on"?

I also thought they could adjust the tie rod ends. However, Ford said that wasn't an option. It was only off about 5 degrees, but it was enough to bug me.

[SinkorSwim]

Just finished 5 day 3,800km trip from Vancouver to Elkhart factory in a 2012 378 Georgetown towing a Honda fit. Had never driven an RV before that other than from dealer to our house. Was pleasantly surprised at how easy/fun it was to drive. Two handed grip, looking far down the road and constantly reminding myself not to oversteer when trucks or wind gusts nudged me around worked fine for me. Trick really seemed to be not to react to every little motion. If the wind gust was sustained, a slight pressure in the opposite direction countered it. All the little wind gusts and most of the truck passing fixed itself if you just waited a fraction of a second rather than counter steering as soon as you felt the vehicle move. We had 20-40mph spring winds most of the trip and except for when they were gusty and 90 degrees to the rig the only place they really bothered me was at the gas pump. Lost 1.5mpg the day we ran the whole day into a head wind.

My perception is that the majority of those doing steering mods are on coaches with some miles on. I don't plan on driving in much over 40mph winds anyways so given how easy it was to drive on the trip I just did I'm not planning to play with any steering mods any time soon.

My steering is slightly off center as well but I'm not going to fix it as I find I have to steer left of center or right of center anyways to counter road camber and wind so the bit its off is negligble on my coach compared to the environmental countersteer required.

[armye7]

What was your average MPG??

[SinkorSwim]

First day driving 90-95kph 7.7mpg

Worst day driving 105-110kph into 20-30mph headwind 5.7mpg

Average for whole trip going mostly going 100-110kph after first day 6.75mpg

It was after the first day I thought about the fact that Forest River was paying for my gas so I went a little heavier on the peddle. Now that I'm on my tab I'm a 90kph driver

[Freds342]

Originally Posted by jojo bamboo

"The quality goes in before the name goes on"

Yeah, RIGHT.

I wonder what Ad company
made up that tag line?
I just don't think they (Forest River) live up to that.
These $100.000 +++ machines are NOT Quality Made.
But thats just Me.
Outhers May love them.
I also wonder how many Forest River customers
buy another Forest River product.
I may pass them by the next time around.
Again, but thats just me.

I'm on my fourth Forest River product, and I love it as much as I did the other three. Little problems here and there, but heck, it's a motorhome!