Ride comfort - light vs. maxi chassis

[Lucky]

Call me a snowflake if you want but I like my comfort and I'm interested in which chassis people think offers the softest, most compliant ride.

My recent experience is my PVC on a Fiat Maxi chassis and a rental A class on the Fiat low light chassis. I found the light chassis far softer/compliant, but I dont know why.

I guess a Maxi chassis at around 3.5 tonnes when it is sprung to enable it to carry 4.5 tonnes might explain why the Maxi chassis feels firm. Whilst I value the extra payload of the Maxi chassis, I hadn't anticipated a trade off with comfort.

Maybe there's more to it. What's others experience? I ask before I buy another mh and get another thing wrong

 

[Lenny HB]

Mine is the same chassis as yours isn't it? 4.5t Fiat with Alko Maxi. And mine had Continentals on from new. The fact that Continental are sensible about their tyre pressure recommendations is why I continue to use their tyres. And I keep a print out of their recommendations in the motorhome, in case anybody suggests the pressures are wrong. There are no other signs giving the pressure anyway.

Same chassis but different torsion bar setting on the rear axle.

 

[Solwaybuggier]

I might be lucky having the van I have, but I have no problems with the rear tyres set at 79 PSI, but I have lowered the fronts to 70 which feels fine to run/steer with.
I agree that most of us would have a much less harsh ride by reducing tyre pressures to a lower amount than specified by the van manufacturer, and contacting the tyre manufacturer direct with axel weights, except Michelin that is as mentioned previously, they wont budge by all accounts.
I would also strongly recommend that tyre pressures/temperatures are constantly monitored with a TPMS if lucky enough to have one fitted to the van, if not get & use a Tyre Pal, I think most will be surprised to see what their tyres endure during a typical journey.

LES

Our Carthago (C Tourer T150, 2015 reg) came with recommended pressures for a wide range of axle loads in the manufacturer's manual - can't remember off hand but they are way lower than 79 rear. (And I follow them happily.) I suspect they must have withdrawn that section of the manual? It was towards the back.

Many years ago Michelin would give a much lower pressure if you contacted them direct, but then suddenly reverted to advising 80 psi almost regardless. I seem to recall talk at the time of some directive from a European Tyre Manufacturers Association mandating this??

 

[peterc10]

Call me a snowflake if you want but I like my comfort and I'm interested in which chassis people think offers the softest, most compliant ride.

My recent experience is my PVC on a Fiat Maxi chassis and a rental A class on the Fiat low light chassis. I found the light chassis far softer/compliant, but I dont know why.

I guess a Maxi chassis at around 3.5 tonnes when it is sprung to enable it to carry 4.5 tonnes might explain why the Maxi chassis feels firm. Whilst I value the extra payload of the Maxi chassis, I hadn't anticipated a trade off with comfort.

Maybe there's more to it. What's others experience? I ask before I buy another mh and get another thing wrong

All motorhomes (as opposed to campers) are built on a commercial chassis. It is not like a car, in that they are all designed to take high loads, and therefore none of them have the softer suspension of a car. If you want to convert to a softer ride you will have to pay more by getting air or semi are, suspension fitted. In that case best to steer clear of motorhomes with the Alko Maxi chassis as that costs a lot more than the "semi" air (which only deals with the rear axle) that can be fitted on other chassis.

 

[TinaLes]

That must be the reason I notice that some manufacturers are no longer using the Alko Chassis, they seem to favour the cab manufactures chassis especially on the Mercs for 2021 models. Some Mercs had the reputation for being walloweres on some MH's, maybe that is why?
Not so sure about The Fiat based MH's though, others will know more, but Alko did have the market sewn up on MH's for quite a while, is this yet another cost saving do you think?
LES

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[RandallC]

As an aside;

You decide on the chassis to give you the pay load you need!

Matters little if light or heavy dependant on requirement above.

Was offered a van on a light chassis that after fitting the extras we wanted came in a 50Kg below 3500. Up-plated would have been 3850Kg. Front axle would have been near overloaded with Wife, handbag, small spaniel, full tank of fuel and AdBlue , without water or food or pots pans, bedding etc. What use is 400KG when you plan to carry a couple of ebikes, perhaps wild camp, bring back a few bottles, load up the grand kids etc etc.

Just saying "PAYLOAD" is the one to watch.

Look carefully at what you want to do and even more carefully at what you want to load up to do it.

 

[Lenny HB]

That must be the reason I notice that some manufacturers are no longer using the Alko Chassis, they seem to favour the cab manufactures chassis especially on the Mercs for 2021 models. Some Mercs had the reputation for being walloweres on some MH's, maybe that is why?
Not so sure about The Fiat based MH's though, others will know more, but Alko did have the market sewn up on MH's for quite a while, is this yet another cost saving do you think?
LES

Cost is the main reason, a few years ago Carthago and a some other manufacturers used to offer the Al-Ko chassis as an option around 2 grand more.

 

[TinaLes]

Alko Chassis Kits look like a big boys Mechano set to me, clever concept though, just get the right lengths, plus cross members and bolt them together, no welding required, and galvanised.
LES

 

[jongood]

No doubt its covered in another thread somewhere, but does ipgrading with Air Assistance on the rear of a Fiat improve softness of ride?

No, the only difference air assist will make is to stop it sagging, the only way to make it softer is either change the springs on a Fiat chassis or remove a torsion bar on the Alko. Ducatos always have been a harsh ride, Mercs in contrast are soft but can be really wallowy, the twin wheelers are dire. Full air will make a big difference if they also change the springing, but beware once you ve had it you won't go back

 

[jongood]

That must be the reason I notice that some manufacturers are no longer using the Alko Chassis, they seem to favour the cab manufactures chassis especially on the Mercs for 2021 models. Some Mercs had the reputation for being walloweres on some MH's, maybe that is why?
Not so sure about The Fiat based MH's though, others will know more, but Alko did have the market sewn up on MH's for quite a while, is this yet another cost saving do you think?
LES

I think its probably more to do with cost than spec, many people who are buying new MH's havent got a clue and the manufacturers prey on it. Look at the Sh1t that some of them get away with selling.

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[jongood]

In that case best to steer clear of motorhomes with the Alko Maxi chassis as that costs a lot more than the "semi" air (which only deals with the rear axle) that can be fitted on other chassis.

Unless you go for Fullair.
<Broken link removed>

 

[Chris Sykes]

I have VB full air on my Swift Bolero 714SB - fitted by Mick @ SAP ( highly recommended fitting service) and could not believe the difference this makes - really comfortable ride particularly so in strong side winds. Plus extra bonus (with an SvTech payload upgrade) is the significantly increased payload.

 

[Richard J]

We have a 2017 6m Ducato Maxi PVC. Rock hard suspension. After trips around Scotland and Ireland we decided we had had enough. We were dreading every imperfection in the road and the dog was ready to do a runner so we opted for the relatively cheap <Broken link removed> (at the end of the PDF). So this has fancy shock absorbers and longer coil springs, (no air suspension) fitted for about £2K and it now drives almost like a car. Bliss! Downsides are a 15Kg approx. increase in weight, 4cm rise in ride height and consequently about 1mpg increased fuel consumption. If I were buying another new van I would factor in the cost of at least this being fitted on the way home from the dealer...
As for tyre pressures, we go by the online calculator for Tyresafe.org; for 225/75 R16 CP (Michellin) plated at 2100 front, 2400 rear; they say 64 PSI front and 80 psi rear.

Richard

 

[KiltedCamper]

OUR MAXI CHASSIS ON VANCOS WAS VERY FIRM WHEN WE CHANGED TO WINTER TYRES IT WAS A DIFFERENT VAN

Oo