Camper control problems - Diesel Forum

jstwhln · 11-01-2009, 07:06 PM

I've got a 99 F350 SRW 4WD that I use to haul my truck camper, an Arctic Fox A990 (~3100 lbs wet).

In an attempt to better control the load, I installed air bags with valves to isolate them from each other. It helped a little, but I'm not sure if there is more that can be done.

Are there any big differences between the stock sway bars (F/R) and ones available from aftermarket manufacturers like Hellwig?

Also, the bracket that mounts the front stock sway bar on the passenger side is considerably less stout than the driver side. Is there any way to upgrade/retrofit a better passenger side bracket?

Fordpowerstroke350 · 11-01-2009, 07:41 PM

The type of rear tires can have quite an effect on the amount of sway with a slide in camper or a trailer

dacriss · 11-01-2009, 09:15 PM

I have the same camper and basicly the same truck (except you have heavior spring packs). What tires are you running now? Look at my pics and I believe I have some of truck and camper. I went with a 4" lift, 35x12.5x18 toyo mud train tires 8 ply. These tires have a very heavy side wall to them. Also having 18 inch rim deceases the side wall and the less side wall you have the less sway you will have; however, the bumpier the ride will be unloaded. I also run air bags to counter the weight of the camper. The wider tread contact also helps. The stock sway bars seem to work fine for the way I have it set up. But the 4" lift (2" more in the rear) means you have to lift the camper higher to get it loaded.
DACriss

jstwhln · 11-01-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dacriss

I have the same camper and basicly the same truck (except you have heavior spring packs). What tires are you running now? Look at my pics and I believe I have some of truck and camper. I went with a 4" lift, 35x12.5x18 toyo mud train tires 8 ply. These tires have a very heavy side wall to them. Also having 18 inch rim deceases the side wall and the less side wall you have the less sway you will have; however, the bumpier the ride will be unloaded. I also run air bags to counter the weight of the camper. The wider tread contact also helps. The stock sway bars seem to work fine for the way I have it set up. But the 4" lift (2" more in the rear) means you have to lift the camper higher to get it loaded.
DACriss

FWIW, I'm running Nitto Terra Grapplers LT285/70R17-E (about 33") and I'm also running Bilstein shocks. Our camper is an '07, I believe.

I've had the camper for a couple of years and I've tried a bunch of different configurations. I found that I have to run about 90 psi in the bags and about 75 psi in the tires to get something that's even close to manageable for where I live. As I live up in the hills east of Sacramento, taking this camper places is not just a matter of driving down a flat highway. I just feel that it sways more than it should just driving down the road.

As far as suspension lifts, I've only got a leveling kit in the front. One thing I did notice is that when I bought this truck (used) the front leafs were nearly flat. Is this normal? I would suspect it isn't as the prior owner beat the hell out of this truck and didn't take care of it. Also, when I have the camper on the truck and the air bags full, I am not even touching the rear overloads.

Big Mac · 11-03-2009, 10:14 PM

If you have overload springs get some Energy Suspension bump stops so the over loads engauge sooner,I believe Tork lift also makes them. This will take a lot of the sway out like you get when you turn into a gas station and have to go over a gutter.

jwolff · 11-03-2009, 10:49 PM

To start with go to RV.net and you'll get all kinds of info to make your rig handle better. I personally started with a '95 F350 SRW 460 gasser with my AF990 and decided it justed wasn't enough truck and upgraded to a '01 F350 DRW 7.3 CC. Either way, the following mods are the norm for our heavy campers and Fords. Upgrade rear anti sway bar to a 1.5" Roadmaster (big improvement over stock anti sway bar), Rancho 9000XL shocks all the way around (I did just rears to start and all 4 is definitely way better), and Stable Loads from Torklift to take up that gap your airbags make to the overloads. Some people with SRW's go to 19.5 wheels with F, G, or H rated tires but that'll run around $2700 for all four out the door of a Les Schwab. You could also add heavy duty rear springs or add a leaf to your overloads at a local spring shop. If I would have kept my SRW I would have purchased the 19.5's and the additional overload spring but by the time you add up the cost it was nearly the difference of a new to me 7.3 truck plus I got the wonderful 7.3 now.

My magic air pressure is around 55psi. Any more and I am not touching the overloads. Any less and the air bags aren't resisting enough.

I did the new sway bar, Ranchos, and Stable Loads and love the set up. Granted it is a DRW but even on a SRW it will help a lot.

John

dlblazer · 11-04-2009, 08:44 AM

My old truck was similar to yours - and we hauled a camper. Tires will make a big difference. A friend of mine runs 19.5 Rickson wheels and "F" load range tires. On my truck we ran "E" range and kept them aired up. It reduced the body roll significantly over the "D" range tires the truck had when I bought it.

My friend also runs the Helwig swaybar and adjustable Rancho shocks. His truck really controls the weight well.

I upgraded my truck to the '02 in my signature to handle more weight (and a bigger camper). I am now running "G" load range tires with air bags. The DRW makes a huge difference.

jstwhln · 11-04-2009, 03:46 PM

Wow, thanks for the information. I'll have to check out the sway bars and rethink my air bag/tire pressures.

I'll also do some looking around on RV.net as well. While OTR 19.5" wheel/tire combination would handle (and look) b***hin', I'm not real keen on dropping a lot of money at this time.

Crawling around last night, I noticed that during our last trip, the front passenger side sway bar mounting bracket has broke clean in half. Does anyone have any suggestions on a more permanent fix than welding a new piece? Are there brackets that are more substantial than the factory one? Maybe something a little more like the driver's side bracket?

Semper Fi,

Justin

jstwhln · 11-04-2009, 03:47 PM

Oh and I'm already running E-range tires.