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Q
Hi Bill,
I have a NEW 2019 Forest River motor home model FR3 30DS on a 18,000 lb Ford F Series Super Duty chassis with a V-10 Ford engine. The coach sometimes has a tenancy to “roll” from side to side during certain road conditions and that roll can be alarming. I have installed on the front axle a “Safe T Steer” and on the back axle, a Roadmaster Sway Bar. What can I do to combat the roll of this coach? Is there any equipment I could install to slow down the side to side roll? Ron
A
Hi Ron, thank you so much for your question. There are several things that can be done to your coach to help stop the side-to-side motion. I recommend starting out with Sumo Springs front and rear manufactured by Super Spring in Carpinteria California. Their phone number is (803) 855 - 3603. The front part number for your coach would be FFF170 -40-2, the rear would be FFF-187 -40 -1. Another good addition to the Sumo Springs consider installing koni shocks front and rear. Most OEM shock absorbers are far too inefficient for a heavy-duty chassis such as yours.
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MAY/JUNE 2019 TRAILBLAZER
Here is a couple of other options should you decide to go further. A rear track bar, triple sway bars in the rear and a heavier-duty sway bar in the front. I believe that the Sumo Springs would be adequate for your rig or certainly make a good start to solving your problem. There is a company in grants pass, OR called, Henderson Line-Up, if you happen to be in Oregon or headed that way it would be a good stop.
wondering if we should replace them just on general principles I don’t want to get stuck on the road somewhere and not be able to start the engine. The house batteries are also pretty critical, although not quite so much. Obviously, I don’t want to spend a bunch of money to replace perfectly good batteries. I don’t think there is a reliable way to determine how much life they have left. What do you think about just replacing them now?
They charge $200 to $300 for a 3-hour extensive road test and assessment for curing motor home suspension problem. They have been there for many years and they are very good at what they do. They are also the company that offers the triple sway bar for the rear of your coach.
If I do replace the house batteries, my inclination is to go with AGM because of the reduced need for maintenance. Even though they are much more expensive, I think not having to worry about filling them with water all the time is worth it. Besides the price, is there any downside? Thanks.
RV BATTERY LIFE
Bob, batteries can certainly be an issue with age and of course we all know Murphy’s law – when you least expect, it the battery is will fail. One issue with lead acid batteries, you cannot see the sulfation which can cause the battery to suddenly fail. You could perform a specific gravity test for each cell which would tell you the general condition of the battery but doesn’t take into the fact that sulfation can stop the battery and its tracks. AGM, or absorbed glass mat batteries can be a fantastic addition to your coach. The drawbacks are they charge at a different voltage
Bill; I have a question for my RV guru about battery life. Most car batteries last about five years, give or take a bit depending on quality. Our “new” RV is now about 5½ years old (can you believe it!) and the batteries must be a bit older than that (allowing for the time between when they were made and the time I bought the RV). So far, we have had no problems with them at all. But, since we are so dependent on the RV for business travel, I’ve been
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