ressless1
Asheville, NC
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Joined: 05/24/2006
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Holstein13, thank for relating you experience, it gives more food for thought.
I have no complaints with my 2000 F53 chassis ride or drivability, except when hitting rough pavement or bridge transitions. I am 80 lbs in all tires and have a rear track bar.
I am about 1200 pounds light on the front axle when loaded. I think just softer front springs would actually let the shocks do the job they are supposed to.
For 6,000 miles a year, I can't justify the Kelderman front system, but it would be cheaper that hanging a Harley on the front end.
It's a shame most shops only turn wrenches, instead of solve problems.
Jerry and Diane
2001 Pace Arrow 34N F53 V10
2005 Harley Davidson Road Glide(mine)
1998 Honda Shadow 1100 Tourer(hers)
1999 Crestliner Pontoon(ours)
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Finious
Northeast
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Joined: 04/16/2011
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Ok, what came first the chicken or the egg? Couldn't resist!!
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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Growing up on a farm we had an expression, "It rides like a log wagon". A lot of MH's ride like a loaded truck vs a car. 
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SRT
Head of the Lakes, MN
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Joined: 02/18/2001
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ressless1 wrote:Holstein13, thank for relating you experience, it gives more food for thought.
I have no complaints with my 2000 F53 chassis ride or drivability, except when hitting rough pavement or bridge transitions. I am 80 lbs in all tires and have a rear track bar.
I am about 1200 pounds light on the front axle when loaded. I think just softer front springs would actually let the shocks do the job they are supposed to.
For 6,000 miles a year, I can't justify the Kelderman front system, but it would be cheaper that hanging a Harley on the front end.
It's a shame most shops only turn wrenches, instead of solve problems.
Same here with my '99 F53. Except I have 75# in the tires. When we full timed we had more junk in the front so it rode better over those bumps. Also do only 5,000 miles a year except this past year.
SRT
2000 32' HR Vacationer with Banks
1998 Subaru Outback Ltd. 5 spd
Brake Buddy & Blue Ox Aventa II tow bar
FMCA #266040 HRRVC #84109
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daverich
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Sumner, MO
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Thanks for the write up. I wish I could afford the air bags. Everything is good about mine except the rough ride. A diesel pusher would fix that but I like my gasser.
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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For someone with no MH/RV that would read about our complaints I am sure would say hey give me that rough riding rig please.
Folks there is no such thing as a bad riding MH. The Ford engine/chassis is a sound choice and by design should last a long time with very little upkeep. After about 10 years and all the air bags need replacing your billfold may feel that bump.
For about 90% of MH users when looking at all the pros and cons the Ford Chassis is about as good as it gets. The costs associated with a DP be it new or old just does not make sense for most most families in middle America.
If one's liquid net worth is high then by all means pad the butt with $$$ but for many that have the $$$ their level of MH use means they will be VERY happy with a Ford chassis 98% of the time. After all who spends more than 2% of their life actually driving the MH? I actually only drove 160 hours on our 8000 mile trip while was equal the the driving time of the prior 5 years of ownership.
One 1/10th of 1% of most MH owners lives will not be spent in a rolling MH. 
Quit looking at what is wrong with the MH/RV and focus on what is right and good about it and the whole RV'ing experience will help reduce vs. increase stress.
For some owning an RV is just wrong for them because they will always focus on what is wrong.
I am very thankful for our 20 year old P30 chassis which some like to slam daily here. Hey it started, climbed the Rockies like a mountain goat and stopped just fine every day for a hard and fast 8000 cross country trip. The kids lives have been forever changed. We love our MH which cost $7995 over five years ago.
Again by all means spend all the money you wish but let us be realistic. A dependable gas MH is something many would love to have.
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C-Leigh Racing
Nashville NC
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Joined: 01/22/2007
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What I'm saying, I can deal with the ride of the M/H, cause I've been beat half to death from driving trucks up & down the east coast for the better part of 20 years, but my thinking is, what our M/H is going through on these ruff roads.
After awhile, those ruff roads are going to take its toll on that coach body, like someone mentioned, they thought the cabinets were going to fall off the walls.
God, it hurts everytime we hit a bump & wondering what has been damaged from it.
Far as a DP riding better, I've drove a Dutch Star before & with air ride & thought the ruff roads were going to tear it to pieces.
Any improvement, that would stop to some degree, that harsh shock from the road going through the whole coach, would have to make it last longer & provide a better ride as well.
Neil
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holstein13
Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Gale Hawkins wrote:
Quit looking at what is wrong with the MH/RV and focus on what is right and good about it and the whole RV'ing experience will help reduce vs. increase stress.
Gale,
I hope I didn't give the impression that I am focused on what is wrong rather than what is good, true and beautiful. I'm very much a glass half full kind of guy.
I'm very happy with the ride now. I'm on a lifelong learning journey and love to share what I've learned. The new airbags make me happy and I just figured that others might benefit from my experience. I think it's great to read these forums and learn about others' solutions to problems.
2011 Fleetwood Storm 32BH
2011 Scion XB
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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holstein13 wrote:Gale Hawkins wrote:
Quit looking at what is wrong with the MH/RV and focus on what is right and good about it and the whole RV'ing experience will help reduce vs. increase stress.
Gale,
I hope I didn't give the impression that I am focused on what is wrong rather than what is good, true and beautiful. I'm very much a glass half full kind of guy.
I'm very happy with the ride now. I'm on a lifelong learning journey and love to share what I've learned. The new airbags make me happy and I just figured that others might benefit from my experience. I think it's great to read these forums and learn about others' solutions to problems.
Sorry I did not have your in mind when I was posting.
There is nothing wrong with getting the ride the way you wanted it.
For many of us that do not drive that much the bumps are OK because doing nothing saves money now and for years to come due to aging air bags.
The best system is the one that works for the owner. It takes a lot less money to fit a gasser with air bags then to buy a DP with air bags.
I find when I quit fretting about something after a while I do not think about the issue.
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Effy
MD
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squeakkos wrote:you get what you payed for.
That's PAID. Bad comment. Try being more positive.
2012 Thor ACE 29.1
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