We had a 2004 Trek 28 ft ford V-10. It is gone because it scared the (expletive deleted) out of me as it would not stay between the lines. even after a rear stabilizer and Koni's and front damper. The Guy who took it off my hands said it drove like a Gas MH. Would a diesel handle better or is a Barth a better driving unit? The wife wants to RV and I've always wanted a Barth. Is there hope for me or am i doomed to a class B.
Thanks
Wayne Daytona Fl

A diesel pusher will drive better than most gassers. The later Workhorse W models drive quite well, but they came too late for Barths.

My experience with P30 chassis is that the best are the ones with the heavy duty chassis that includes 19.5 inch wheels. This is my third P30. They are good up to about 28 feet. I chose a 30 footer with a tag axle for the extra straight-line stability the tag axle provides. With Bilstein shocks and steering damper, IPD anti roll bar, rear air bags, Helwig, Steer Safe, Proper alignment, etc, it is pretty decent to drive.

Most owners who post here find their diesel coaches handle well, & the gas units with tag axles do also. In any case it is critical to have all suspension components up to snuff, and front ends properly aligned.

I have owned three Class A units, a FWD GMC, a Dodge powered single axle Sterling, & a Chev. powered 33' tag axle Barth. The GMC was squirelly, but not scary, the Sterling could scare me, the Barth never did. The man I sold it to had owned several motor homes over the years, & claimed the Barth drove like a Cadillac.

Scary handling is not generic to all motor homes, & no doubt others on this blog will also testify to the handling characteristics of Barths. Some others have commented on poor handling characteristics of the Trek.

All motor homes require attention while driving. They're bigger than cars, slower to accelerate & stop, & take up a lot more room on the road.

quote:

All motor homes require attention while driving. They're bigger than cars, slower to accelerate & stop, & take up a lot more room on the road.

In addition, they are essentially sails in the wind, and both mother nature and big trucks will push them around some. The added weight of a diesel pusher probably hold them in line a little better, but as olroy says, you have to constantly drive them. People say I look totally relaxed and the Barth feels like it's on rails, but I'm steering all the time. The easiest mistake to make is oversteering, which puts the coach all over the road. Once you get the feel, it should be no biggy to keep it going straight and smooth. I have no ad-ons on the suspension, and have never felt the need for them, but I can see where some folks would.

I have noticed that it always takes me some "adjustment time" to re-acclimate to my RV after driving smaller and more nimble vehicles every day. It is a good idea to plan your routes to give yourself some mileage that affords leeway rather than plunging right into it.

When Cheri and I left the Barth gathering in DC last fall it was two country miles and then right onto the freeway at 70MPH, bumper to bumper. That probably was a bad decision.

My 34' DP is pretty tight and predictable, but a big truck will always push and pull me a bit when passing at higher speeds. I have found that my RV is much more stable when I'm pulling my 16' enclosed car trailer. I imagine it acts like a sea anchor off the back.

I have also noticed that my Barth is much like my M3 sports car in that small variations in the road can make the vehicle seem like something is awry. With the Barth it is the "troughs" that are left by big rigs that have grooved the road or sometimes crowns that are hard to predict and compensate for.

I wish I had kept my MCI bus so I could sell you all seat time in it. After you wrestled the steering a good 1/4 turn to get the wheels to respond at all, any Barth would seem like a sports car. I think Danny, Olroy and I are all saying that you need to first make sure everything is in order mechanically and then accept that you are the "nut behind the wheel" that must do the final tuning

Corey, i have a little play in my steering wheel. It doesn't take much effort to turn it. If i turn it a quarter turn i will either be in the other lane or making a 90 degree turn. As far as trucks passing me, i usually don't notice any change at all unless there is already a side wind adding to it. A lot of times the only way i know the wind is blowing very much is if i see brush or trees by the side of the road moving.......or 5th wheels, trailers, and other motorhomes wandering all over the road. 1968 MCI 5A just over 29,000 lbs.

I remember when I had my MCI a lotta owners upgraded to integrated steering. I wonder if yours has had that mod?

No, mine is the way it came from the factory. The PO said that he thought about upgrading but the cost at the time was about $2500, and he figured he could get used to the steering, and besides, $2500 back then was a lot of fuel. I have found that if i have a light touch on the wheel that i am not oversteering it and that about 90% of the wander goes away.

try not to drive to close to your coach. Look down the road about 200 feet and point your coach to that point. Bet you will like the coaches handling
lenny