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Old 04-06-2014, 02:41 PM   #1
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2014 Solera 24 R Handling

Just bought a new 2014 solera 24r an drove from alberta canada. To lake mead navada .i found the motorhome vary unstable ,rocks terrible in and around campsites,when you meet a semi on highway feels like you are being pushed over ,in the crosswinds you are holding on to the steering wheel fearing the unknown where you mite end up,very tipsy and unstable driving down the highway ,my wife does not what to drive this motorhome anymore.What can be done to make this motor home feel safe to drive .I sure wish I would have test drove this rv before I purchased
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Old 04-06-2014, 03:11 PM   #2
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Check out this thread: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...bar-42197.html
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Old 04-06-2014, 03:14 PM   #3
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I don't know about the Solera but when I first got my Sunseeker it was a real adventure going down the road. I had the front-end aligned, which Forest River paid for, and installed a Roadmaster steering stabilizer and now it handles much better.When they come from the factory the front-end can be off due to the added extra weight. Good luck.
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Old 04-06-2014, 08:00 PM   #4
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X2 as JLeising stated look at a new sway bar lots of us have switched to the Hellwig and noticed a big difference.
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Old 04-06-2014, 08:24 PM   #5
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X3, Please go to: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...bar-42197.html

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Old 04-06-2014, 08:53 PM   #6
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Also, check your tire pressures. I think the MH handles better with more air in the rear tires. I run 80 psi in the rears, 70 PSI in the fronts. When I got the MH the dealer had set the inner rears to 65 PSI, the outer rears to 80 PSI, and the fronts to 70 PSI. I think he intended to set all the rears to 80, but had a valve stem extension issue and just filled the valve extensions on the inners to 80 PSI - see this thread: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ure-45973.html
Also, you may have to slow down - especially in strong cross-winds. On my 2012, I have gotten dash warning lights in strong cross-winds that only reset when shutting down and restarting the engine. Some sort of Mercedes stability control system.
Finally, after my OEM tires wore down (about 35K miles), I replaced with Michelins. I think the Michelins have improved handling quite a bit.
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Old 04-08-2014, 12:38 AM   #7
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I had similar experiences when I first started driving my Solera, but this was my first motorhome. But just as everything thing else we do, the more we drive it the more comfortable we get. I hardly notice any of that stuff anymore.
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Old 04-08-2014, 05:56 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Solera blazer View Post
I had similar experiences when I first started driving my Solera, but this was my first motorhome. But just as everything thing else we do, the more we drive it the more comfortable we get. I hardly notice any of that stuff anymore.
This is not my first motor home I had rvs and motor homes for 25 yrs,this is the most unstable rv I have been in to the point of feeling unsafe to drive .
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Old 04-08-2014, 07:09 AM   #9
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If your saying that it feels unsafe on a calm day, then it sounds like your in a different place than the rest of us owners of this unit. We all agree it sways due to the extra headroom designed into the Solera, but maybe you need to take another one out off the dealer lot and compare. Otherwise, install the upgraded swaybar and get use to it. Good luck.
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Old 04-08-2014, 09:14 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Still Kickin View Post
If your saying that it feels unsafe on a calm day, then it sounds like your in a different place than the rest of us owners of this unit. We all agree it sways due to the extra headroom designed into the Solera, but maybe you need to take another one out off the dealer lot and compare. Otherwise, install the upgraded swaybar and get use to it. Good luck.

I have a class one drivers licence ,very experienced and these unbalance units are not safe ,I have Mercedes car with the same engine that's is why I took a chance on this unit,very disappointed the factory would release a rv that handles this bad on the highway
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Old 04-08-2014, 09:27 AM   #11
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Sounds wrong. Maybe something is bent or broken on suspension or steering of your unit? Load out of balance? Tire pressure way off?
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Old 04-08-2014, 09:50 AM   #12
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I am taking solera to a suspension specialist .
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Old 04-08-2014, 10:45 AM   #13
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Considered a Mercedes or Freightliner authorized Sprinter service center under the chassis warranty? Sounds like something is wrong.
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Old 04-08-2014, 01:35 PM   #14
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After the checkout-Replace the sway bar with the Hellwig 7254 Rear Sway Bar and slow down and you should be fine. and
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Old 04-08-2014, 05:45 PM   #15
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Hi everyone. We are heavily considering a 24S and this will be our first motorhome. If you don't mind I would like to ask a really dumb question.....I will be doing a lot of the driving and see the way everyone talks that this motorhome is quite shaky/rocky/tipsy, etc. My question is this.... are all motorhomes like this? I haven't driven one yet, (hubby drove his folks 25 yrs ago), but don't want to make an $80k mistake either. We will be dry camping mostly in the mountains and on the coast. Thank you for any input you can give.
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Old 04-08-2014, 09:18 PM   #16
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I would definitely suggest you drive one, as a matter of fact, I wouldn't buy any moving vehicle without driving it first.

To my knowledge, "everyone" does not talk about this motorhome being quite shaky/rocky/tipsy. My 24S drives much better than my 31 ft. 2001 Fleetwood did, but the addition of the Hellwig sway bar improves the performance on the road. I noticed a definite improvement from the "semi push" I could feel before the installation.

As a matter of fact, I find the maneuverability of the Sprinter platform to be very easy to drive.

The only thing I don't like about my Solera is I feel like I'm always on the verge of being overweight. You can store a lot more gear in this motorhome than it can carry without being overweight, but 90% of the time it's just myself, my wife, and our small dog.

Perfect for us.
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Old 04-08-2014, 10:21 PM   #17
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Be sure to test drive before you buy I didn't and realy regret it.i thought merecedes and solera would be a quality product very disappointed
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Old 04-08-2014, 10:33 PM   #18
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Most of us, once through the initial "issues", really like our Soleras. My wife and I have taken ours to Alaska and back, across country (to Acadia NP in Maine) and back, and on many "shorter" trips (including to Big Bend in Texas, to Sedona in Arizona, to Las Vegas and Valley of Fire in Nevada, to Puget Sound, etc). My wife has no issue about driving the Solera - she regularly does so on our trips. We rented a Ford based MH to try out this form of "camping" before we bought the Solera - both of us believe the Solera is much easier to drive.

Having said that, some just don't like the Solera. No telling which group you will fall into. Strongly recommend you try it out first - rent one if you can; find a local owner who will let you drive it for a good while; otherwise take a good long test drive before you buy. Also, recognize that you will likely have "startup" problems unrelated to driveability - these things don't seem to ship "perfect" from the factory.

Good Luck!

Jim
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Old 04-08-2014, 11:48 PM   #19
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Thank you for your answers. Sometimes I think these forums help and sometimes they should be for "after" one's first experience. I just always like to learn as much as I can before I/we jump in. I expect that as with anything, there is a learning curve. Definitely would never buy without a test drive. My father drove class A's for 20 years while he and mom travelled 100%. I'm sure we'll be just fine. I just didn't want the heartbreak of falling in love with the Solera (which I have already) and then finding out that it was not a good fit "after the fact". When we take the plunge, I'm thinking that the sway/stabilizer bar will be a must right off the bat.

With that said, does anyone have any good advice as to where to pick up information that we need to know other than this forum? And secondly, when I travelled with the folks in the 70's we had a book by Rand McNally (I think) that showed all the state parks and trailer parks etc., their prices, amenities, and so forth. Is there a book like that now?

Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it.

Btw, I will keep serious mind to the part about the weight of the load I put in. I remember that from years of trailering. Also, it is just me and my husband. Possibly our two yorkies!!
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Old 04-09-2014, 05:19 AM   #20
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The Good Sam directory lists thousands of campgrounds. Also there is a Rand McNally atlas. Both available from Camping World:

http://www.campingworld.com/category...ies-guides/243
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