Sway bars

[horizonbound00@yahoo.com]

I've been pondering putting a sway bar on my 2005 Workhorse chassis. The motorhome doesn't have any on it. The factory rep said it's not needed (they have something that acts like one). RIGHT. I was wondering if anyone has had one installed on their motorhome with a Workhorse chassis, and did it help?

Thanks much.

Gary

[NWJeeper]

Our newer Ford F53 chassis has them standard and it does make a difference. On our '94 Fleewood that we used to own on the P30 chassis I installed the Ride Rite air bags in the rear and it made a huge difference in reducing the swaying. I was so impressed that I plan to install them on our new rig despite the fact that it has swaybars too. I would go for the air bags first in your shoes.

[Butch39]

I've been poundering putting a sway bar on my 2005 Workhorse chassis. The motorhome doesn't have any on it. The factory rep said it's not needed (they have something that acts like one). RIGHT. I was wondering if anyone has had one installed on their motorhome with a Wrkhorse chassis, and did it help?

Thanks much.

Gary

We have a Workhorse chassis and we have had a "Super Steer" sway bar installed on our 2003 motor home when it was brand new. We were told the same nonsense but let me tell you that the sway bar does the job. Not cheap, but what is in dealing with a motor home........... The sway condition is refered to as; "the tail wagging the dog." We had "Camping World" do the install. Personally, I would highly recommend the rear sway bar installation.........works for us.

[maddog348]

Had "Roadmaster" Front end stabilizer installed on our 2007 Itasca26P(workhorse chassis) IT HELPED A LOT. Stopped the 'pitch & yaw' & stays where ya aim it a lot better ~~ no more fighting the steering wheel. Didn't get rear as did not have a 'tail wag' problem on that short of a rig. YMMV, Kate

[NWJeeper]

Just to be clear, the "tail wagging the dog" syndrome is not the same as body sway and is caused by the lack of a track bar on the rear axle which many RVs do not have. On vehicles with leaf springs the springs themselves serve to keep the rear axle centered under the vehicle. However with the amount of weight involved with an RV the rear of a motorhome can flex the springs to the left or right and causes the rear of the rig to "wag". All vehicles with coil spring suspension have track bars. The track bar mounts from the frame of the rig to the axle and parallel to the axle to keep it from being able to "un-center" under the vehicle. The addition of a swaybar will cut down on "wag the dog" but wont eliminate it entirely. The newer Ford F53 chassis such as on our Georgetown has not only swaybars to control the side to side "sway" but the track bars on both axles to stop the "tail wagging the dog" It is by far and away the best riding chassis I have driven in a gas rig.

[wolfe10]

Gary,

To give advice specific to YOUR chassis, we need to know what chassis you have.

The Workhorse P chassis is VERY different from the Workhorse W chassis.

So comments pertinent to one will likely not apply to the other.

Brett Wolfe

[twalton@povn.com]

Hello Gary,

My comments begin with Bretts, you'll get better and more useful replies if we know more about your rig. You can go into your profile and add this information to your signature and it'll will be added automatically. Having said that, my 04 Trek 29 RBD is on a W20 chassis and by the time we had 20K miles on it I had changed the shocks to Koni FSD, added a Safe T Steer steering stablizer, and Roadmaster Anti-Sway bars front and rear. All this was done to raise my level of comfort driving the rig and I'm not advocating or recommending any of these additions or products but......well the rig may not drive itself, but it's sure easy for me to do it.

[horizonbound00@yahoo.com]

Were fulltiming in a 06 Damon Challenger, on a 05 W22. I don't notice the tail wag but a times feels like a rock and role. I just felt if I had a sway bar on the rear it would help. I'm sure the manufactures put the leat possible on their chassis. Since it doesn't have a sway bar now I wasn't sure if one could be put on it.

Gary

[wolfe10]

Gary,

Rear sway bars ARE available

Here is one from Roadmaster: http://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdfinst/1259-108.pdf

Larger front sway bars are also available.

Brett Wolfe

[wolfe10]

If it is the rear leaf spring that is the problem there, or the front or either of the two, try to change it. If not, try to figure it out within the specific parts that are there.

Totally agree IF, repeat IF the problem is that the spring(s) are no longer able to maintain proper ride height per chassis manufacturer's specs. Sagging spring(s). excessive imbalance side to side, etc need to be addressed by replacing, re-arcing or adding leaf(s) to the offending spring.

But, if the problem is that play side to side between axles and chassis because of the design of those LONG leaf springs, then a track bar, aka Panhard rod is the proper solution. Track bars are nothing magical or new-- I saw one in a museum on a carriage built in in the mid 1850's. It served exactly the same purpose as on a coach today.

Brett

[vtbigdog]

Here is a post from another site...

If your coach uses a Workhorse chassis that was manufactured after September 2003, it should already have front and rear anti-sway bars. These are rectangular in shape and are mounted steel to steel so they do not have bushings that will wear out, etc. The rear anti-sway bar is mounted behind the axle and the front anti-sway bar is located in front of the axle. These are about 2 1/2" square and are attached from leaf spring to leaf spring.

What you need to start with is a rear track bar, which will dramatically reduce the tail-wagging particularly when towing.

Rick

2003 Safari Trek 3011

8.1 Workhorse / Allison

[Guest joepierce1988]

I've been pondering putting a sway bar on my 2005 Workhorse chassis. The motorhome doesn't have any on it. The factory rep said it's not needed (they have something that acts like one). RIGHT. I was wondering if anyone has had one installed on their motorhome with a Workhorse chassis, and did it help?