| Author |
Message |
David Anderson (66.90.198.208)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 3:41 pm: | |
I dug through the archives on this board and found that a few of you guys installed steer safe on your coach. I found their website to get info and they never returned my request.
Anyone have any experience good or bad with the company or product since posted on the board (about 2 years ago?)
Should I even bother to contact them again if they don't return inquiries?
David Anderson |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 4:05 pm: | |
IIRC, Steer-Safe will only install their system on a bus at their factory.
Lots of the twig & fiberglass folk heartily endorse S-S, but anything's an improvement over the lousy handling they begin with.
Before second-guessing the factory with an aftermarket product, make sure all your suspension components are within specs, especially the radius rod bushings (F&R!!), shocks, and steering linkage. Adjust tire pressures appropriately as discussed recently here on this BBS. If you have the booster cylinder-type power steering assist, make sure it's set to specs also (this type will wander more than integral units).
Only after all the suspension components are correct should you consider this product.
As a former bus driver trainer, I often noticed that rookie operators would wander excessively in their lanes until they learned to make subtle and small steering corrections, and stopped looking directly at the car in front of them, concentrating more 12-15 seconds down the road.
HTH,
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Randy Schlotthauer (Up8009) (198.81.26.108)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 4:12 pm: | |
I have a steer safe (monster size) on my '78 MC9. Combined with a change to the newer type power steering, I think it's well worth the money. They're available through Camping World, although I can't recommend their installation. I ended up redoing it myself.
I had a brake hose blow on a front wheel, and it kept it straight (within reason!).
Randy Schlotthauer
MC9 - Now complete and on the road! |
David Anderson (66.90.199.106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 5:00 pm: | |
Thanks RJ, I spent $6000 on my Eagle 10 front end last September. $4500 of that was for Eagle OEM parts from Jefferson Truck. I still have some wander back and forth. Perhaps I'm asking too much for this coach to steer like my Pontiac Bonneville. It just seems like if you head straight down the rode, it shouldn't want to cast left or right.
The company that worked on it is suppossed to be the best in south Texas. They work on coaches from Dallas and Houston, and their reputation is very good.
I don't know what else to do other try the steer safe. I may take it to Jefferson Truck in June to have them look at it. I have a big trip to Utah next month and may go out of my way to Jefferson.
David Anderson |
John Noonan (Silvereagle) (24.136.93.153)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 7:15 pm: | |
Hi David
I have no personal experience with steersafe. And also put a little over 6000 dollars into my 01 front end last year. When I had that work done I had a Safe T Plus unit installed. My work was done at a highly recommended alignment shop in Washington. They probably do more Eagle's here on the west coast than anyone else. There opinion of the steersafe units was not very favorable. Beyond that however my reason for installing the Safe T Plus was the control in a blowout of a front tire. I figured as you probably did also that the front end work and an alignment would solve the wandering. While it did reduce it measurably its still there and your arms get tired. After much discussion I think the next thing I am going to look into is having someone who really knows what they are doing fine tune my torsilastics, I have heard that this will help. RJ is right on about oversteering, when I first got my 01 one lane was hardly enough it took a little while to realize what I was doing and then it got much better. John |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2003 - 1:25 am: | |
I put a Steer-safe on a Southwind stick and staple jobbie a couple of months ago. It is nothing more than two large springs on each A-frame that keep the alignment under tension in both directions. I test drove the RV after installation and it seemed to drive straight enough, but then I didn't drive it before the installation so I had no means for comparision. Seems like sort of a band-aid fix to bad design or some other issue. (Admittedly, I am highly prejudiced against shoddily-built RVs and the Southwind tops my list of junkers.)
Can you even get a Steer-safe for your bus? I'd try to find the cause of your problem first, before adding an aftermarket solution.
Scott |
FAST FRED (63.215.225.154)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2003 - 5:17 am: | |
" I still have some wander back and forth. Perhaps I'm asking too much for this coach to steer like my Pontiac "
Some coaches likea bit more tow in than Da Book sez.
Also you might look for loose goodies in the rear , as wobble back there translates foward.
Finally a good lazer shop may be able to tweak everything into a good steering package.
An Eagle may not be "the Sportscar" but it should not be a constant work job to go down a road.
FAST FRED |
Earl-8-Ky (207.162.163.19)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2003 - 10:33 am: | |
I had Steer Safe installed on my bus and I love it. My bus had new king pins tie rod ends and radius rod bushings and it was still all over the road.It is a 76 MCI MC8. It was so bad I called it my Wander Lodge. I took it to Demining,NM and the guys there did a great job. |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.130.10.56)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2003 - 6:07 pm: | |
You might ask the company that did the alignment if they are willing to adjust it to the maximum toe in allowed. I had my bus set to maximum toe in specs when I got it and it does not wander unless the driver does. More toe in will increase tire wear but who is going to wear out a bus tire. |
Mike Stabler (Docdezl) (64.255.109.214)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2003 - 9:03 pm: | |
We put these bandaids on before power steering to help with blowouts. What we got was very poor service life and a bunch of gaulded king pins. During lubrication of the king pins you lift the front wheels but the springs keep the grease from going all the way around the pin.
I would make sure the wheel base is measured off the axels. The caster is set to spec,both sides. All things being equal you should be able to drive with a pinky. And a gental pull to the right (road crown).
smoke,rattle&,stink.....docdezl |