36RD Handling Concerns

[nextcom1]

Does the 36RD tend to wander on the highway and become fatiguiing to keep in the lane?

I read a report from the Consumer RV Group which gave it substandard and possibly dangerous rating in the highway control category!! and an fair overall rating on the coach in general. The overal ratings went from 1-5 andit was a 2

I beleive their information is based on calculations, I would like to hear what your practical experience is with the ride, steering control, and handling under a load and anything else you can tell me from your experience with this coach before I buy one.

I spent some time on the highway but unloaded and probably not for a long enough distance to get a real test example.


Thanks,

Steve

[nextcom1]

Does the 36RD tend to wander on the highway and become fatiguiing to keep in the lane?

I read a report from the Consumer RV Group which gave it substandard and possibly dangerous rating in the highway control category!! and an fair overall rating on the coach in general. The overal ratings went from 1-5 andit was a 2

I beleive their information is based on calculations, I would like to hear what your practical experience is with the ride, steering control, and handling under a load and anything else you can tell me from your experience with this coach before I buy one.

I spent some time on the highway but unloaded and probably not for a long enough distance to get a real test example.


Thanks,

Steve

[cbeierl]

The simple answer is NO. The coach is a joy to drive and handles great! A couple of fingers on the steering wheel is is all that's needed (although for safety sake one should hold on a bit more securely). I have about 30,000 miles on mine.

[dstinch]

our 36 journey is a dream to drive. Crosswinds will toss it around but not to bad. 20,000 miles and on a 3 month road trip right now. Don

[RKL2]

Our 2002 36 GD handles great...never a problem...replaced the 235 tires with 275's and handling even got better and nearly twice the carrying capacity.....RKL

[nextcom1]

Thanks, that was my general impression when I drove it several times. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something after reading that report.

[smlranger]

Ditto...my 36 Journey drives really well..like RKL I replace the OEM tires with Goodyear GT670's, I added a Safe T Steer, and the best addition ever was the Steer Safe ride control valves on the air bags.

[bellsharbor]

I agree with the past posts. I also, replaced the tires with the Goodyear G670's--275's and changed out the shocks to Koni's. This is our 5th coach and best handling. I think you will like the size and handling.

[Gary CA]

nextcom1: Give these folks a call. I was very impressed as many have been with the improvement in the handling of the coach.



http://3tsrv.com/

[porscheracer]

I complained to them the first time I read that review (not that it really was one). My 36RD is the sweetest handling A I've ever driven. Even towing a 24' trailer, it's almost immune to semi's passing - although gusty 30MPH crosswinds require a bit of attention.

We also have >30K miles on our '05, and I've driven it solo over 800 miles in one day.

Our '01 Monaco Knight 30J, in comparison, was an absolute nightmare in any sort of crosswind. With a "mountain bus-like" 168" wheelbase and 31' overall length, you never knew where it was going next. Even in good weather, 400 miles was totally exhausting - and I parked it when the winds got up.

<Edit> Per gary's post above . . . our coach came with the 3T anti-sway package already installed. I can't say how much it helped, but it's wonderful with it on!! </Edit>

[nextcom1]

porscheracer,
Thanks for your reply. I see that you have a 24' view. Do you choose to use the view over the 36rd on certain trips? I ask because I am selling my 26' class C but maybe should hang on to it.

[John_Canfield]

If yours doesn't drive and handle like the other responders, you need to get a four corner coach weight and make sure you have your load balanced left to right. Then make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure for the load. (You should also load each axle to the same percentage, i.e, if you are at 90% of rated capacity for the rear axle, you should also load the front axle to 90% so in effect you are not only balancing the load left and right, but fore and aft.)

Then have the ride height checked and a four-wheel alignment performed. (Not everybody is equipped for four-wheel alignment - two years ago, Winnebago factory service couldn't do a four-wheel. My guess is they still don't have the equipment for this procedure.)

Our coach is extremely stable on the highway and can usually be driven with only a few fingers on the wheel, but we do have a longer wheelbase than the 36'.

[jtharley]

This is my second DP....(journey was the first) and the Vectra is night and day different in handling with the IFS. Total relaxed driving for me. Very, very little wander or movement on the freeway.

A dream to drive

[porscheracer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by nextcom1:
porscheracer,
Thanks for your reply. I see that you have a 24' view. Do you choose to use the view over the 36rd on certain trips? I ask because I am selling my 26' class C but maybe should hang on to it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We have the Vectra for working races, where we are on location for up to 2 weeks.

Advantages:
It is by far more comfortable for both traveling and camping, plus it is much better for dry camping - which we frequently do at race tracks.
It has the washer / dryer package, so we can wash our dirty race duds without having to go to a laundromat.
Disadvantages: 7MPG (towing); and not everywhere has the capability to handle a 36' quad-slide motorhome.

The View was purchased after my wife decided we were going "world touring" next year. We expect to put over 30K miles a year on it for several years. I calculated that over the next 3 years it would literally pay for itself in fuel savings over the Vectra. In so doing, we would stay almost 100% at campgrounds - many of which will be government operated (and many of those only allow 28' or less).
Advantages: 17+ MPG; can actually park it at a shopping center; easy to maneuver in city traffic; dash air keeps it cool without running the house air and generator.
Disadvantages: Small; low towing capacity (we can't tow the Dakota, according to the tow rating); no fixed bed; very little storage. (We chose the 24H because of the bathroom - other models were better, or worse, in those issues.)

We took our "maiden voyage" last weekend with a 450 mile trip, with 5 nights in 2 different campgrounds. Neither me nor my wife can easily get into the overhead bunk, but we expected that. She bought a Cosco folding ladder, to replace the OEM one, and I think that will solve that problem. The overhead bunk was built for kids or athletic people, and we are neither. FWIW - the dinette sleeps just fine, as does the sofa. But we cover the table with so much junk (2 laptops and all their junk) that setting up / disassembling the bed is a pain.

Email me if you wish further obvservations on either coach. Offhand, unless the 26' Class C gets over 10 MPG, I'd say keeping it isn't worth the trouble. Also - if you can find a 36RD with the Cummins, get it. They supposedly get 1 to 2MPG better than the Cat.

[nextcom1]

norm
thanks for your thorough reply. My class C is a 26 bornfree no slides. Very nice coach but to small for me. Constantly moving things around and as you mentioned limited storage. My 36rd has a 350 cat and gets about 1-2 miles per gallon worse than the bornfree. The class c is definitly easier to deal with on the road but living in it gets old quick when the weather is bad for a couple of days.