My '03 has the factory camper package with sway bars - However, even with our light camper, 1,900# dry ~ 3,000# wet, I get excessive sway. Installing airbags has helped significantly with the sway on the rear in all but high winds, but the front still has problems, especially with diving on corners.
Question is, Would the larger aftermarket(Roadmaster or Hellwig) sway bars help to eliminate the sway?
Appreciate any comments or gained personal knowledge.
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2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, Banks 4" Monster Exhaust, Banks pyro & boost gauges, AFe Stage II intake, DP Tuner 50 HP Towing PCM, Diamond gooseneck hitch, Firestone Airbags w/on board compressor, ATS turbo housing.
How many miles on your truck? I think you may need some good shocks. My OBS carries a camper of similar weight with no problems. It even handled well before the sway bar and air bags were installed. My truck with camper out handles my wife's E350 based motorhome hands down and my truck combo weighs more, has a higher CG and is single rear wheel. You can get air bags for the front to stiffen the suspension like you did on the rear, which may help.
On edit: I just noticed you have a compressor on the air bags. Are the bags on separate pressure lines or do they share a line from the compressor. Air bags must be individually pressurized or they will develop positive feedback on roll. That is bad.
Only have 21,000 on the truck, but I have replaced the front shocks already with Rancho 5000, and it did help - but the front end still dives to the opposite side as you turn (i.e. dives on passenger side making a left turn). However, I haven't replaced the rears yet. Perhaps I should upgrade into Bleistens all around....
I do have a 2 controller for the airbags, which keeps them totally seperate and typically run only 30 - 35# in them with the camper on - less pressure and I get significant rocking on the back, more pressure seems to push the bumps to the front suspension.
Looking at the aftermarket swaybar websites, They make the claim that they are far superior to the stock, but I really would like to find someone that has swapped them out and find their opinion. I know if you didn't have one, they are nearly a requirement to haul a truck camper.
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2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, Banks 4" Monster Exhaust, Banks pyro & boost gauges, AFe Stage II intake, DP Tuner 50 HP Towing PCM, Diamond gooseneck hitch, Firestone Airbags w/on board compressor, ATS turbo housing.
Thinking about all you have reported and the front diving makes think your front suspension needs roll stiffening. You've got the back roll under control so the roll moves to the front. I've never experienced front end diving but the OBS front suspension is stiffer than the SD and I run 70 lbs in the rear bags. If you can find one I'd recommend a front sway bar. Our motor home has one on the front but didn't have one on the rear. I added a Hellwig to the rear. Having them on both ends helped its rock and roll quite a bit. I'm thinking of replacing the stock with an after-market on the front to stiffen it more. If you can't find a front sway bar front air bags might be the next alternative.
__________________ 97 F-250 SC LB PSD. 4x4, BTS E4OD, 4:10LS. Baby Swamps, DP-Tuner F5 custom 6 program chip, 1.0 housing, SD-IC, SD-HPOP, IDM mod, HPX, Black Box ICP mod, Black Box MAP sim mod, Hypermax DP & 5" ex., Aero-Turbine, TYMAR intake, RW Turbo-Trac, Gauges, Airlift bags, Add-a-leaf, Superwinch hubs, Class V rear receiver, RBW Lil Rocker, DIY Tow hooks. Milemarker hyd. winch. Elkhorn 9VS slide-in, Nomad 24 ft. fifth/w slide, Century topper, old classic Sooner 18' 4 horse stock trailer. StarFlyte by DynaMax 6.8 V10 If you don't care where you are, you ain't lost.
Larry
I second better shocks. You need more damping of the springs which the
shocks are supposed to provide.
Five years ago I put a Lance camper on my F-350 duallie. The camper
dealer installed RideRite air bags but didn't do shock upgrades. The truck
rocked/dived badly with the heavy Lance camper and OEM shocks. The truck
has the Ford camper package with OEM anti-sway bars front and rear and
rear overload springs. I replaced the OEM shocks with adjustable
Rancho 9000 shocks and that solved the problem. With the camper on the
truck I usually set the rear shocks to the stiffest position, #9. For the
front shocks I usually set them to mid-range, #5. With those settings the
truck doesn't bottom out and doesn't significantly rock or dive.
I don't have a slide in but I did have weak front leaf springs, chronic problems in the SD. I went to a local spring shop that has seen many SD the same way and they added a leaf to each side and leveled it out, I was low on the Lt side by an 11/2 inches. Truck rides a bit stiffer now but rides great with no sway. I did the shocks 1st it didn't seem to help the softness of the front end. The leafs added about an inch to the height of the front end, small lift.
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2003 F350 Super Duty, 6.0, Super Cab, Torreador Red, 4x4, 373, roll bed cover. 75K All OEM. Added front leaf for droop. 18mpg+ hwy empty
[ QUOTE ]
My '03 has the factory camper package with sway bars - However, even with our light camper, 1,900# dry ~ 3,000# wet, I get excessive sway. Installing airbags has helped significantly with the sway on the rear in all but high winds, but the front still has problems, especially with diving on corners.
Question is, Would the larger aftermarket(Roadmaster or Hellwig) sway bars help to eliminate the sway?
Appreciate any comments or gained personal knowledge.
[/ QUOTE ]
Rancho adjustable shocks! Makes all the difference on a SRW truck hauling a camper.
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Steve Heywood
2005 F250 Crewcab Shortbed 2WD 6.0L
Ferndale, WA
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