I have a 2005 26' Rear Bath. On the E450 chassis. I wanted to put a steering stabilizer like Safety Steer or Steer Safe on my rig, and lo and behold, when the RV mech looked under it, they told me it already has one!
Do other BF owners have the original one replaced? Or is it a new on this chassis for 2005 and I just never heard about it?
Why would the factory one not be good enough?
Patty aka Pat aka Patricia
Steering stabilizers
Moderator: bfadmin
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Mel Wilbur
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:39 pm
steering stabilizers
Trisha, unless it was added earlier (if you purchased the coach used) the E-450 chassis is equiped with a steering damper. This unit is much smaller than the Safe-T-Plus which is also a hydraulic type stabilizer. The steer-safe unit utilizes springs which cannot be confused with the original damper. Although both units are an improvement, my personal preference is the Safe-T-Plus as I have used them on several of my coaches and had no problelms. As I have mentioned in earlier posts the heavy duty sway bars such as those by IPD make a noticeable improvement in the handling qualities of the coach. Have a safe trip to CA.
Mel & Connie
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Trisha
Ok. So there is a small unit that comes stock, but steer safe is a bigger shock. (purchased the unit new).
I'm going to see about the IPD system, I think it sounds more solid. My future plans seem to include much mountain time and anti-sway and whateer is best for spending time in windy and moutainous conditions will be helpful.
who makes the IPD? Or is that the brand name?
Thank you for the kind wishes on my trip!
I'm going to see about the IPD system, I think it sounds more solid. My future plans seem to include much mountain time and anti-sway and whateer is best for spending time in windy and moutainous conditions will be helpful.
who makes the IPD? Or is that the brand name?
Thank you for the kind wishes on my trip!
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w5vthdonb
Trisha
We are alive today because of the Steer Safe system. My wife was driving an old Kings Highway when we lost the cotter key and the castle nut come loose and fell off. This allowed the steering wheel to turn and not turn the wheels. We were on a highway and the road just turned slightly, My wife applied the brakes as though she was pulling of the road. If it had not been for the stabilizers we would have gone off the road down in a ditch and no doubt turned over. The coach tracked jusl like the brocher claimed. The only reason we had put them on the RV was because we were on an old truck chassis, and they kept the RV from being pushed out and pulled in when trucks were passing us.
I have had them installed on all the RV's we have had since that time as my wife would not travel in the one unless I installed Steer Safe Stabilizer. They are easy to put on and someone can do them in about an hour.
They really work.
Don USN ret
2002 26 RSB
1987 Cabriolet Convertable
We are alive today because of the Steer Safe system. My wife was driving an old Kings Highway when we lost the cotter key and the castle nut come loose and fell off. This allowed the steering wheel to turn and not turn the wheels. We were on a highway and the road just turned slightly, My wife applied the brakes as though she was pulling of the road. If it had not been for the stabilizers we would have gone off the road down in a ditch and no doubt turned over. The coach tracked jusl like the brocher claimed. The only reason we had put them on the RV was because we were on an old truck chassis, and they kept the RV from being pushed out and pulled in when trucks were passing us.
I have had them installed on all the RV's we have had since that time as my wife would not travel in the one unless I installed Steer Safe Stabilizer. They are easy to put on and someone can do them in about an hour.
They really work.
Don USN ret
2002 26 RSB
1987 Cabriolet Convertable
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Trisha
So all of you folks who are installing these in your 2005's are having whatever is already there removed? Is the unit on there junk or simply so inferior it is worthless?
I'm just trying to figure out why to replace something that seems to functionwith something better know. What's the technical difference between these items?
(not counting IPD hwich I know is a different type of system.)
in a bit of confusion,
PatTrish
(you see, I have this very funny thing...I don't like to replace things that work. If a widget functions, I wait for it to be unfunctioning befire I replace it. In this case, why would I want to precede it's unfunctioning state before replaceing it with nearly the same thing? Or are they not nearly the same? And Where can I get specs that prove/compare them?
loking for education
I'm just trying to figure out why to replace something that seems to functionwith something better know. What's the technical difference between these items?
(not counting IPD hwich I know is a different type of system.)
in a bit of confusion,
PatTrish
(you see, I have this very funny thing...I don't like to replace things that work. If a widget functions, I wait for it to be unfunctioning befire I replace it. In this case, why would I want to precede it's unfunctioning state before replaceing it with nearly the same thing? Or are they not nearly the same? And Where can I get specs that prove/compare them?
loking for education
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Randy Wilson
Trisha, the device that comes on the Ford chassis is a steering damper that acts somewhat like a limited shock absorber on the steering. The Saf-T-Plus that Mel mentioned, and is the one I put on our coach, is similar, but larger, and, in addition, has a built-in centering spring mechanism. The result is a device that provides additional damping of rapid steering changes resulting from road conditions. It also tends to center the steering, thus requiring less constant minor corrections while driving. I believe it is less tiring to drive. If you use this device, you must remove the existing Ford unit. Also, be advised that when it is first installed, you may have to tweak the location where it is clamped to the tie-rod to get the spring centering in exactly the right position for going straight down the highway. This is not difficult, but requires the installer to drive the unit and get under the front of the vehicle a couple of times with a wrench until there is no pulling in either direction. Once set, the spring effect is hardly noticible by the driver.
Other devices may have different requirements and some such as the Steer Safe are installed differently. I don't know if it requires removal of the Ford damper, but I'm sure someone else on this board can tell you.
As for IPD, they furnish replacement front and rear sway bars that are much "beefier" than the original Ford bars. These are used to reduce side to side sway or roll of the coach body. Hope this answers some of your questions.
Other devices may have different requirements and some such as the Steer Safe are installed differently. I don't know if it requires removal of the Ford damper, but I'm sure someone else on this board can tell you.
As for IPD, they furnish replacement front and rear sway bars that are much "beefier" than the original Ford bars. These are used to reduce side to side sway or roll of the coach body. Hope this answers some of your questions.