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Ford F53 Jounce Bumpers Always Touching: Normal Design for 20K+ GVWR Motorhomes
Chassis Easy 15 minutes 92 👍

Ford F53 Jounce Bumpers Always Touching: Normal Design for 20K+ GVWR Motorhomes

Finally crawling under my Ford F53 motorhome staring at these front jounce bumpers constantly touching suspension components with no clue if this means something's actually broken. According to Ford Special Service Message SSM 53453 for 2020-2025 F53 Motorhome chassis with a GVWR of 20,500-26,000 lbs, this constant contact is actually normal.

The front jounce bumpers (service base part number 3020) are designed to be an active part of the suspension, providing incremental dampening that improves ride quality and cornering performance. For motorhomes in this weight range, constant contact is not an indication of overloading or damage.

You can reference the full details in the official Ford document: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2025/MC-11015265-0001.pdf

I want to ensure I'm not damaging my suspension or operating unsafely, but this service message confirms that constant contact is within normal operating parameters for heavier motorhomes. …more
Ford F53 Chassis Bump Stop Replacement - Missing or Broken Front Leaf
Engine Medium 1-2 hours 90 👍

Ford F53 Chassis Bump Stop Replacement - Missing or Broken Front Leaf

Despite replacing F53 chassis bump stops twice already this season, my 2021's driver's side front leaf spring bump stop has completely vanished again and I'm done guessing. Just... gone. Vanished into the ether.

I'm seeing a bunch of aftermarket polyurethane bump stops on Amazon and other places, but honestly not sure if I should just bite the bullet and get the Ford OEM part or if there are better options out there. Also wondering if I should be checking the other side too - seems like these things might be prone to failing?

Anyone dealt with this before? What's the move here - stick with factory or upgrade to something beefier? …more
Ford F-53 Steering Wheel Clunk Fix: Complete Diagnosis & Repair Guide for RV Chassis
Engine Medium 1-2 hours 88 👍

Ford F-53 Steering Wheel Clunk Fix: Complete Diagnosis & Repair Guide for RV Chassis

Halfway through summer, my '95 F-53 motorhome chassis steering wheel only starts making this weird clunking noise when it's above 85 degrees outside — runs silent the rest of the time. When I hit certain bumps, I get this annoying clunk that I can actually feel through the steering wheel. Had the front end checked and everything seems tight up there, but here's the kicker - when I grab the steering wheel and mess with it, I can push it straight back into the column like I'm trying to compress a spring or something.

Is this normal for these old F-53s or am I looking at some worn out parts? The clunk is definitely coming from somewhere in the steering column area, and that push-in play has me scratching my head. What should I be checking first? …more
Ford E-450 Front Suspension Quick Fix: Class C Motorhome Repair Guide for Winnebago Owners
Propane Medium 2-4 hours with help 83 👍

Ford E-450 Front Suspension Quick Fix: Class C Motorhome Repair Guide for Winnebago Owners

Our Ford E-450's front suspension is making grinding noises when I turn - is this dangerous with kids in our Winnebago? My 2007 Winnebago Outlook 31' has been driving like absolute garbage and everyone keeps mentioning this "quick fix" for Ford E-450 chassis front suspension issues. I've been crawling under this thing for hours trying to figure out what I'm even looking at.

I keep hearing about track bars, radius arms, coil springs - but honestly, I can't tell which is which on my setup. The suspension doesn't look like the simple diagrams I've seen online. Can someone please break down exactly what components are involved in this quick fix for the E-450 chassis? I really need to know what I'm dealing with before I make this worse than it already is.

I'm willing to take photos and get help from other owners if needed, but first I need to understand what parts I should even be focusing on. This motorhome has been my home and I desperately need to get this sorted out! …more
Where to Buy Onan Generator Rubber Isolator Mounts: Complete Sourcing
Engine Easy 1 hour sourcing 81 👍

Where to Buy Onan Generator Rubber Isolator Mounts: Complete Sourcing

Got caught in all that rain last week and now my 2008 Jayco Melbourne 29D's Onan 4000 generator rubber isolator mount has completely split and separated. I've tried the usual RV parts sites, checked with local shops, and even called a few places - either they don't carry them or they're backordered for weeks.

I really need to get this fixed before my next camping trip. The generator is already pulled out so it's the perfect time to replace these mounts, but I just can't seem to locate the right parts anywhere. I'm willing to try generic mounts if I can figure out the right measurements, but I'd prefer OEM if possible.

Does anyone know reliable sources where I can actually find these isolator mounts? I'm running out of options here and getting pretty frustrated with the whole situation. …more
F53 Chassis Leaf Spring Problems: Signs of Failure and Replacement Guide
Engine Hard 3-4 hours per spring 79 👍

F53 Chassis Leaf Spring Problems: Signs of Failure and Replacement Guide

Got a 2001 F53 chassis with leaf springs making weird noises and the RV feels unstable—is this dangerous with my grandkids riding along? Specifically for my RV, I want to know what to look for during inspection of the passenger side front spring. I'm considering replacing the stock springs (2750# rating) with new springs rated at 3750#, as my front axle weight when loaded is 6000#. Are there particular areas I should focus on when checking the springs? Also need to understand how urgent replacement is if I find problems. …more

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F-53 Motorhome Leaf Springs: Complete Replacement Guide & Warning Signs to Watch
Engine Medium 2-4 hours 79 👍

F-53 Motorhome Leaf Springs: Complete Replacement Guide & Warning Signs to Watch

My F-53 motorhome still bounces like a trampoline over every bump despite replacing the shocks, checking alignment, and rebalancing the tires. I have a 1995 F-53 motorhome that's been in Arizona its whole life, so thankfully no rust issues.

I keep seeing posts about people replacing leaf springs on much newer rigs, and it's got me wondering if I should be doing the same. My coach is 30 years old now, but honestly I don't see any obvious sagging and the springs look okay to my untrained eye. I do have some worn bushings that I'm planning to replace.

What are the actual warning signs that leaf springs need to be completely replaced? Am I missing something obvious, or could my old Arizona springs actually still be fine? I don't want to spend money I don't need to, but I also don't want to ignore something important for safety. …more
How to Replace 1995 Ford F53 Rear Sway Bar Bushings - Complete RV Repair Guide
Engine Medium 2 hours 75 👍

How to Replace 1995 Ford F53 Rear Sway Bar Bushings - Complete RV Repair Guide

Staring at my 1995 Ford F53 motorhome's rear sway bar bushings that look perfectly fine, probably a dumb question but why does this thing sway like crazy over every bump? I can hear some clunking back there and the handling feels loose and wallowy.

I'm planning to tackle this myself (because apparently I enjoy spending my weekends cursing at rusty bolts). When replacing these axle bushings, be extremely careful with bolt alignment. The nuts are welded to the bracket, and if you don't align everything precisely, you risk cross-threading, which can turn a simple job into a much longer project - I learned this the hard way and had to chisel off a nut.

I've got some photos documenting my process and can share those if anyone's interested. I did not need to replace the upper sway bar tie rod bushings this time. Should I stick with the original rubber ones or is it worth upgrading to something better? And since I'll already be crawling around under there getting dirty, are there any other components I should check or replace while everything's accessible? …more
Tiffin Breeze Front Suspension Bottoming Out: Complete ZF Upgrade Guide
Engine Medium 2-4 hours 74 👍

Tiffin Breeze Front Suspension Bottoming Out: Complete ZF Upgrade Guide

About six months after installing new Koni shocks, my Tiffin's front suspension is STILL porpoising, bottoming out on big bumps, AND creating handling nightmares.

I'm worried this could be dangerous or cause damage to other components. Before I take it back to the dealer again, I want to make sure I understand all my options. Are there additional upgrades beyond just the Koni shocks that can help? I've heard mixed things about Sumo Springs but wasn't sure if they'd work with this ZF setup. Also concerned there might be other worn components contributing to the problem that I should have checked. …more
2021 Ford E-350 I-Beam Axle Pivot Bushing Wear at 36K Miles
Engine Medium 30 minutes diagnosis 73 👍

2021 Ford E-350 I-Beam Axle Pivot Bushing Wear at 36K Miles

Last week my wife casually mentioned our 2021 Ford E-350 makes creaking noises when turning and now I can't stop hearing those worn I-beam axle pivot bushings failing at just 36K miles. The passenger side tire was wearing really badly on the outside edge, and when I took it in, they found that both I-beam axle pivot bushings were worn out and needed replacement.

What's got me worried is that this happened at only 36,000 miles - that seems really early to me for bushings to fail? The RV is a 2021 model and I did have the rear raised 3/4 inch when I first bought it. Could that modification have caused this problem, or is this just normal wear for these Ford chassis? I'm trying to figure out if I should expect more issues like this or if this was just bad luck. …more
RV Air System Leak: Front Tank Losing Pressure Solutions
Chassis Medium 2-4 hours 72 👍

RV Air System Leak: Front Tank Losing Pressure Solutions

Somewhere my neighbor's Class A maintains perfect air pressure in both tanks while my front tank keeps bleeding down overnight — what am I missing? My front air tank keeps losing pressure, but only when the coach is up on the air bags. When I jack up the rear and take weight off the bags, no pressure loss at all. Same thing when I dump the bags completely - holds pressure fine. The rear tank seems totally unaffected.

What's really puzzling me is after I shut down, I can hear this weird gurgling or burping sound coming from the front secondary tank until the system loses pressure. But here's the strange part - even though it's the front tank losing pressure, the rear of the coach sags way faster than the front after shutdown. I've meticulously sprayed soapy water at least 3 times on every fitting, valve, and connection I can reach around both the front tanks and rear bags, but I can't spot any visible leaks anywhere. Could really use some guidance on what I might be missing here.

Thanks,
Jon …more
Robert, RV Mechanic
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