1999 Coachmen Mirada

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS (ON THE SAME TRIP) I EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AT 60 MPH DUE TO THE FRONT WHEELS OF MY MOTOR HOME HITTING STAGGERED BUMPS IN THE ROAD THAT SET OFF A HARMONIC VIBRATION. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE OSCILLATING FROM LOCK TO LOCK (I HEARD THEM HITTING THE STOPS) WITH NO INPUT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. BRAKING EFFECT WAS ALSO SEVERELY REDUCED. I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO COME APART - THE NOISE WAS THAT DRAMATIC! THE WHEELS CONTINUED TO OSCILLATE UNTIL THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO 20 MPH. FORTUNATELY THE ROAD WAS STRAIGHT OR I WOULD HAVE LEFT IT FOR SURE! I CALLED COACHMEN (MOTORHOME MANUFACTURER) WHO REFERRED ME TO FORD (THE UNIT HAS A FORD SD53 CHASSIS). FORD INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NO REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS UNIT. BUT THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT 1999 WAS THE ONLY YEAR THAT THEY HAD NOT INSTALLED A STEERING STABILIZER. UP TO 1998 HAD ONE, 2000 AND LATER HAD ONE. THEY WERE NOT RECEPTIVE TO MY REQUEST THAT THEY RETROFIT MY UNIT WITH THIS ITEM AT THEIR EXPENSE AND DID NOT AGREE THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE! I VISITED MY LOCAL DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT A STABILIZER KIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR MY UNIT. I PAID FOR THE KIT WHICH THEY ORDERED. NEXT DAY I GOT A CALL FROM THE DEALER TO SAY THE KIT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE! TO THE DEALER'S CREDIT, THEY FOUND ONE AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT I WENT AND PICKED UP AND INSTALLED MYSELF. HAS IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM - NOT SURE AS I HATE TO DRIVE THE UNIT ANY MORE! LOSING CONTROL OF SEVEN TONS OF VEHICLE (PLUS A TRAILER) AT 60MPH ON A BUSY FREEWAY IS NOT SOMETHING I WISH TO REPEAT!*AK