Your front end upgrades?

[Thenoob]

Wooo!


I am tearing through getting this coach road ready, and learning a lot and having fun... most of the times.


Question for you all, I drove my Winnie from Alberta to vancouver Bc.  She cruised but I def did notice some slip in the handling/steering, and some diving when braking harder but that was mainly In town (front end diving)  The only thing I've done so far is new Monroe shocks up front. Brakes are good kingpins are good and just serviced.


What I was somewhat planning:


1.  Steering stabilizer - roadmaster reflex?
2.  New anti sway bar, there is a cheapy crappy one on their already
3.  Using the guide on this site, "attempt" to tighten up my steering play. 


I really want the drive Traci / suspension super tight and solid before my busy festival catering season , I'll basically be living out of it 2 months while I'm on the road so safety/reliability is priority.


Any other front end stuff to look Into while I'm pushing away on her?  What have you guys done?? 73 d18!

[Oz]

One, very common, basic item to take care of if you have excessive play in your steering wheel is to adjust the steering gearbox. 

[Sasquatch]

Before you spend a single $$ on stabilizers, make sure everything is 100% perfect in your front end.  As Oz stated, your steering box probably has a lot of play in it.  I had mine rebuilt after 98k miles and it made a huge difference.  If your springs are sacked (probably are) replace them, tie rod ends, ball joints, shocks, steering flex disk or u-joints, everything must be 100%.  Then get a good alignment from someone who knows how to properly do your rig.

Then, still before you buy a stabilizer, go to the back of the coach and do the same thing.  Replace your leaf spring bushings, shocks, and make sure everything is perfect.

Then look at your tires.  How old are they?  Are they cheap garbage or good quality?  Are they properly inflated?

Only after everything has been properly addressed, if you are still not happy, ad a stabilizer.  But my bet is that if your suspension is 100% you will not need a stabilizer.  I pulled mine off after I rebuilt the suspension and left it in a trash can at a rest stop in the middle of Utah.

[Thenoob]

Fantastic post!


Can anybody chime in on the pn for the m300 1972 for a steering box? Mine is just done and don't want to rebuild it. Mines a 73 but I'm guessing looking for 72 parts?


http://www.rockauto.com/m/mobilecatalog.php?carcode=553&parttype=7353


I have these for reference just wanted to make sure these are the right application.

[Thenoob]

Sorry I don't know why in the link doesn't take you to the steering box link, if you click steering box it gives 3 options.... I def don't want cheap

[DRMousseau]

And remember,.... this is a truck! Not unlike an early "Wonder Bread" delivery truck. Even in perfect new and/or rebuilt condition, it will steer and handle like an early model loaded delivery truck! And not much different than any other early model vehicle of the era.


Yes, classic and exciting!!!

[strykersd]

If you're pretty handy, one other option if you want to control the body roll a little more is a aftermarket tunable sway bar like Currie's antirock bars.  http://www.currieenterprises.com/universal-antirock-sway-bars