FORD E350/E450 alignment, Wandering, Caster, Play in steering wheel

[JWallet]

Since you had front end work I am guessing they checked toe in. Toe out at all usually makes anything wander. Also usually wears outside edge of tires as an indication.



Have you driven another same chassis RV to see if handling different? I do like the ford suspension but if I have death grip on wheel it tends to follow bumps/ridges in road. Every e350/450 I have driven along with both my RVs has had a unique feel vs GM and srraight axle box trucks.



I wish I had more suggestions but that about all I got.

After I got the front alignment done and aftermarket steering stabilizer much improved, but next season first thing is a new heavier front stabilizer bar. Still tends to follow the uneven pavement.

 

[Rittersrv]

Also, move weight out of the tail forward where you can. That will set center of gravity forward which will reduce the wandering because you will have more weight on the front tires. If you have a lot of weight behind the rear wheels it raises the nose causing some wandering.

 

[JWallet]

Also, move weight out of the tail forward where you can. That will set center of gravity forward which will reduce the wandering because you will have more weight on the front tires. If you have a lot of weight behind the rear wheels it raises the nose causing some wandering.

Agree, and by chance I just did that on our last trip. Used to keep two bins of firewood in the right rear compartment. Moved the bins just inside the entrance steps in the center aisle. Both bins combined weight was probably about 125 pounds. Every little tip helps. Thanks

 

[Rittersrv]

The rear spring update also helped dramatically. On a resent trip, much more comfortable in ride and stability, crosswinds and 18-wheelers hardly noticeable. Except for the wheel cover that I lost, totally uneventful. Tire pressures set 5 psi below what door placard shows, airbags set to 10 psi and 65 mph got me 11 mpg and almost zero stress.

 

[h20guy]

What are the guidelines required to have FR reimburse you for a front end alignment? How new does the coach need to be? I have a 2015 317DS (32'10") E450 Chassis with less than less than 7K miles on it, and have the same issue that many of you have with the front end wandering some in moderate winds and when passing semi trucks. I do have the Firestone Ride Rite air bags on the rear axle of my coach. Also what front and rear tire pressure settings is everyone running on a 32' coach? I want to eliminate these white knuckle highway driving incidents as much as possible!

 

[laprez]

I assume you can get reimbursed during the warranty period - 1 year. Our alignment is fine, but still have the wander on our 2022.

 

[kenandterry]

What are the guidelines required to have FR reimburse you for a front end alignment? How new does the coach need to be? I have a 2015 317DS (32'10") E450 Chassis with less than less than 7K miles on it, and have the same issue that many of you have with the front end wandering some in moderate winds and when passing semi trucks. I do have the Firestone Ride Rite air bags on the rear axle of my coach. Also what front and rear tire pressure settings is everyone running on a 32' coach? I want to eliminate these white knuckle highway driving incidents as much as possible!

Unfortunately, you’re way outside of the warranty period for Forest River to cover any alignment. It’s not based on the low mileage you’re reporting. Sorry.

For the record, with my 25’ Sunseeker handles very well, set up as follows:

60psi in the Ride Rite air bags
70psi front tires
80psi rear tires.

 

[h20guy]

I kind of figured that I would be out of the reimbursement period unfortunately. Thanks for the tire pressure info that works well for you. I'm going to check into getting a front end alignment and having my Caster adjusted to what Harvard mentioned in the early part of this thread.

 

[Tampa Tom]

Just got my Solera 27DSE back from the Ford dealer where they were able to go from a 2.9 degree to just under 5 degree, the maximum caster the tech could set. On the short drive home I could feel and great improvement in tracking and the steering felt much tighter. Thanks for this information, it will make my travels much more pleasant.

 

[Rittersrv]

Update to previous posts I made… finally found a Ford dealer that could do an alignment on my 2023 Forester 2441DSF. They found the rear thrust angle way off which was causing me to wonder to the left. I was always fighting that since it was new. Now that all is set to Ford specs, I drive straight and true. Additionally, they found that the upgraded sway bar was not installed correctly and the Safe T Plus steering stabilizer was broken. The shaft broke right at the adjusting bolt, surprising because it is harden steel and only had 1000 miles on it, with only 2400 total miles now on the rig. Both were installed new at an rv dealer that I won’t name. Now no more front squeak from the sway bar or clunking noise which I now know was being caused by the broken steering stabilizer, which had been broken for a while as evidenced by the rust on the broken shaft. Need to check with Safe T Plus about a warranty claim. Much nicer drive now, maybe won’t be afraid to drive it. Drove in a 35 mph cross wind what a difference and trucks are no problem any more

 

[Larry-NC]

Update to previous posts I made… finally found a Ford dealer that could do an alignment on my 2023 Forester 2441DSF. They found the rear thrust angle way off which was causing me to wonder to the left. I was always fighting that since it was new. Now that all is set to Ford specs, I drive straight and true. Additionally, they found that the upgraded sway bar was not installed correctly and the Safe T Plus steering stabilizer was broken. The shaft broke right at the adjusting bolt, surprising because it is harden steel and only had 1000 miles on it, with only 2400 total miles now on the rig. Both were installed new at an rv dealer that I won’t name. Now no more front squeak from the sway bar or clunking noise which I now know was being caused by the broken steering stabilizer, which had been broken for a while as evidenced by the rust on the broken shaft. Need to check with Safe T Plus about a warranty claim. Much nicer drive now, maybe won’t be afraid to drive it. Drove in a 35 mph cross wind what a difference and trucks are no problem any more

Don't be afraid to name the shops that did good work for you--and the ones that didn't. You're doing the other subscribers a favor when you do. The Dealer Reviews and Product Reviews forums are meant for this purpose.

 

[oldiemotors]

Recently purchased a new 2025 Sunseeker 2350LE on the Ford E350 chassis and the handling is VERY poor. Takes constant micro adjustments and any passing vehicle sends me scrambling to keep it in my lane. Driving it at highway speed is quite a challenge.

Found this thread and decided to get the alignment checked today. Found a shop that was able to check the alignment and the numbers don’t look great. Currently have about 2400 miles on the RV.

I am close to the 90 day limit for recourse with FR. Planning contact FR tomorrow and see if they are willing to reimburse me to get it corrected. Thinking about getting the bushings to bump the caster into the +5 range. I don’t expect FR to pay for those, but hope they will offer some compensation to get my/their brand new Sunseeker safe to drive on the highway.

Any suggestions from members for my situation are greatly appreciated.

 

[miataroadster]

Day one I already noticed the same issue. Within a week I was able to contact my FR rep. I told him about the issues from other members here. I was given an authorization to get it fixed by the rep. I received my reimbursement in two weeks after submitting my receipt. Good luck!

 

[Larry-NC]

It's probably been stated before, but Ford (and other chassis suppliers) align the raw chassis before it's delivered to Forest River. When the RV body is applied, the added weight affects the alignment, and it doesn't seem to be readjusted afterwards.

 

[oldiemotors]

Thanks for the replies. I am leaning toward the MOOG K8986 bushings, but in the fitment lists for these they do not include the 2024 or 2025 E350s. Most don’t seem to include the E350 after 2023. Is this just an oversight by the parts house, or did something change in the E350 after 2023?

Update:
I ended up ordering a set of MOOG K80109. Claims plus or minus 2 degree camber - plus or minus 4 degree of caster. I think I need all of that!

 

[Rittersrv]

First, Ford did not make changes to the E chassis and are the same as 2023s and earlier so same parts for 2024 and 2025… verified with Ford parts people. Second, I had two alignment shops tell me not to change the alignment bushings because they tend to change position, so I didn’t. Went to a Ford commercial place who did my alignment to Ford specs and I couldn’t be happier. You will need to do a 4-wheel alignment, my rear was way out of alignment which was causing significant pull to the left, now drives straight and true. My suspension modifications have been upgraded front sway bar and steering stabilizer from Safe T Plus as well as two leaf springs were added to the rear, no more rocking in the wind which can cause the rig to wander and drift. Significantly improved drivability.

 

[oldiemotors]

Rittersrv, how did they make the adjustments without adjustable bushings?
What were your final numbers for caster & camber?

 

[Sunseeker16]

Curious how a four wheel alignment is done on an E 350/450 chassis? Front I understand but rear has fixed points, So how is a four wheel alignment done on these beasts?

 

[Formula1fan]

It uses the thrust angle of the rear end to more accurately align the front wheels.

 

[Rittersrv]

Rittersrv, how did they make the adjustments without adjustable bushings?
What were your final numbers for caster & camber?

I can’t answer your questions, I did not watch and further I did not get a print out of the settings, they just told me that they got everything into Ford specs. Caster is not adjustable and factory is set at 0 degrees, so the only way to adjust caster is by installing an adjustable bushing, I did not do that. Camber is adjustable and mine was in spec. My rear thrust angle was out of spec, which they said was causing my rigs pull to the left. When I drove it when they were done, like I said, straight as an arrow and much improved on drivability. Comfortable driving one handed now, even much nicer in crosswinds and when trucks pass. But remember, no matter what, an rv is still a giant billboard moving down the road.