Has anybody here previously owned a motorhome with an IFS (Independent Front Suspension) chassis? I am wondering how the Roadmaster "floating box" H-frame suspension compares with an IFS chassis such as Spartan Mountainmaster or the IFS option on a Freightliner.

Some folks claim that ya just gotta have an IFS chassis under a "good" motorhome, but it seems to me the Roadmaster design with the floating H-frame of outboard air bags and shocks ought to produce an equally good quality ride and handling. I'll grant that an IFS is superior to a solid front axle (i.e. non-independent suspension), but with an air bag & shock on each corner of the front suspension "box", the Roadmaster RR8 suspension can react in more ways than a classic solid axle and thus doesn't really need the benefits of an IFS. Any comments??

If you would like to learn more about how a Roadmaster chassis is designed and built, see Roadmaster RR8 design

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RV Roamer,

I haven't owned both, but like the way my '00 Diplomat 38D with the Roadmaster chassis rides and handles. The only thing that upsets it a little are 18 wheelers that pass me at a high rate of speed. I'm having a Safe-T-Plus steering control installed and hope that helps. The primary reason was to help with control in case of a blow out on a front tire. I hope to never have one, but this should help keep the wheels centered if it does.

Does your 2000 Diplomat have the 8 air bag chassis (RR8R or RR8S)? I know the new ones do.

Second question: what motorhome chassis did you drive before you got the Dip (if any)? I wondering what you are subjectively comparing to...

For example, when we got our new WQorkhorsr in 2002, we were coming from a Southwind on a Ford chassis. I thought the WH was great at the time. Now that I have driven some other chassis and see how much smoother and quieter they can be, my standards are a bit higher.

Hey Gary,

We now have a CC, DynaMax chassis with IFS. We test drove an RR10S for only about 50 miles. The ride seemed comparable to our CC. Drove interstate with semi's passing and it was very stable. Some back roads and handled curves well. But 50 miles is not very much. Only time will tell. It's hard to beat a CC ride. We also test drove an Allegro Bus 42' tag on a Spartan and were less than pleased.

Bruce

CC does a great job on their coaches and the Dynomax chassis. As you say, "hard to beat".

But I'm happy to hear your actual experience on the RR8 vs other chassis, especially the Spartan (which I believe all of an IFS).

A few of us guys have been talking around the campfire about the use of an IFS vs other suspension technologies. That's what triggered my question here - just trying to get more opinions, hopefully from those with more actual experience than I have on the Roadmaster and/or an IFS-chassis. I've driven a Roadmaster no more than about 25 miles and our own coach does not have either IFS or a RR8-style air bag system.

quote:

Originally posted by RV Roamer:
Does your 2000 Diplomat have the 8 air bag chassis (RR8R or RR8S)? I know the new ones do.

Second question: what motorhome chassis did you drive before you got the Dip (if any)? I wondering what you are subjectively comparing to...

For example, when we got our new WQorkhorsr in 2002, we were coming from a Southwind on a Ford chassis. I thought the WH was great at the time. Now that I have driven some other chassis and see how much smoother and quieter they can be, my standards are a bit higher.

Yes, my '00 Diplomat has the 8 bag system and 8 shocks. It has "H-frames" in the front and back with an air bag and shock on each corner. I've never driven a coach with an IFS front end, only ones with a solid front axle with leaf springs(no comparison with the ride and handling of the Roadmaster chassis).

Roadmaster, in my opinion, is a little behind the 8 ball of what buyers are looking for. Three things come to mind. No IFS, 8 bag suspension, and undersized tires (295 on a signature) all indicated a captive market with no ongoing development required. IFS is something they want to do, but why bother, it would make the 8 bag system unusable...... but wait. We have a non competitive chassis market and it's cheaper to keep pedalling this chassis.
That all is about to change. Custom Chasis, the designers and builders of the Work Horse chassis is now in control. The only hope is to move forward. Yes, you will see IFS soon from Monaco and, with a little luck, bigger tires. Get with it guys!

I feel Roadmaster is leading the field. That doesn't mean that some new upper brass won't feel the need to show the world his leadership and screw thing up in the process. You know, change for the sake of change because I'm in charge now. I've witnessed enough of that in my 40 years with a major US company. A solid front axle is very stable and does not take a beating as a IFS does while steering from stop to stop. Take a look at an IFS system while it is turned from stop to stop. Kind of scarry, to many parts takeing a real beating and in my opinion you end up in an alinement shop trying to get the caster and camber right again. On the Roadmaster,with the solid front axle, the only adjustment is for Toe-In (I know, I know). If you would ever wack the camber/caster out of wack on a solid axle, whatever you did would have distroyed a IFS. The Roadmaster's 8 airbags are set on the outside of the frame, the end result is a very stable ride. I could go on and on, but by now you see where I stand.

If it ant broken, don't fix it.

Hey, these are my thoughts. The 8 airbag ride with a solid front axle works for me. I realize you may feel the same about the IFS, so for each his own.

Logthumper, I don't disagree with you on the points you make, it's the market, I'm talking about. Wheather the solid axle is better than IFS or not is not the issue. The majority of buyers appear to want it, good or bad. Many manufacturers have not faired well telling customers what they want and need. More have done well selling them what they want and think they need. It's all in the marketing.

Peter

Lug_Nut, I agree with you on that.