Broad Mods: Four Easy (and Not so Easy) Upgrades to the S2RV Chassis
Like most owners of Jayco Senecas and Entegra Accolades, we love our RV. Our 2022 Entegra Accolade XL 37L is built on the Freightliner S2RV chassis, and for the most part, it’s like driving a truck. Okay, it’s a BIG truck…..a VERY BIG TRUCK.
As much as we love our rig, it seems like all of the cool kids in the online forums (Brian Miller, I’m talking to you!) make some modifications to help improve the suspension and drivability of the S2RV chassis. Kasie decided to join the cool kid club by making a quadfecta of upgrades, namely installation of:
(1) Roadmaster Exact Center Steering Stabilizer;
(2) Gabriel Shocks;
(3) Sumo Springs; and
(4) Motion Control Units.
We thought we would share her experiences about these modifications in case you are thinking of tackling anyone of these projects yourself.
DISCLAIMERS: PLEASE DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR RIG! We are NOT affiliated with any of these manufacturers and just want to share our experiences about the installation so that you can help judge for yourself whether these are projects you want to tackle. We do get a very small commission at no cost to you if you use one of the Amazon Links (a/k/a beer money).
Roadmaster Exact Center Steering Stabilizer
Even though the S2RV chassis drives relatively well, there’s always the chance of a blow-out. In general, a steering stabilizer will help maintain control of the vehicle in the event of crosswinds, rut tracking, road edging or a tire blowout. Well, at least that is what the manufacturers claim.
As you’ll see in the video, the Roadmaster instructions were confusing at times and we contacted both E-Trailer (where we purchased the steering stabilizer from) and Roadmaster on a couple of occasions to make sure we were doing things correctly. And, most importantly, we had to figure out which Roadmaster Exact Center steering stabilizer was truly suitable for our S2RV chassis? (Spoiler: it’s the 481300A).
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Our raffle prize at the Jayco-Entegra Super C Rally
Addendum: After making this video, we attended the inaugural Jayco-Entegra Super C Rally, where we talked to more of the cool kid Super C owners about steering stabilizers. Then, after winning a $150 gift certificate from Henderson's Line-up at one of the nightly raffles and speaking further with Robert Henderson, we are probably going to put that money towards the purchase of a Safe-T-Plus Steering Stabilizer. Stay tuned for future updates on whether we think the Safe-T-Plus device is better than the Roadmaster Exact Center steering stabilizer.
Gabriel Shocks (Goodbye Sachs Shocks)
In this video, Kasie decides to remove the factory Sachs shock absorbers from our Freightliner S2RV chassis and replace them with Gabriel shocks. She’s never changed a shock before (and neither have I) – let alone shocks on a motorhome.
Unfortunately, the shock project wasn’t easy, and it took a couple of days (with some beers and stops in between) to finish. If you are thinking of replacing the S2RV shocks on your own, you might want to watch this video so you can judge for yourself whether you think you can do it.
*Front Shocks: Gabriel 89431 (751 lbs of rebound/211 lbs of compression set on firm)
*Rear Shocks: Gabriel 89443 (1206 lbs of rebound / 466 lbs of compression set on firm)
Please consult with the manufacturer about what shocks are appropriate for your rig. For example, the Gabriel 89449 front shocks have 1519lb of rebound/324 lbs of compression set on firm, and we understand that others have installed those shocks on their rig.
Level of Difficulty: Hard
Kasie after installing Gabriel shocks on our Freightliner S2RV chassis
Sumo Springs
In this video, Kasie installs Sumo Springs on the front of the S2RV chassis. Since making this modification (along installation of with the MCUs), we can tell you that the RIDE IS MUCH IMPROVED, especially when turning on to uneven streets or driveways.
This is a pretty straightforward DIY project.
Part Number: SSF-503-40.
Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Motion Control Units
The last upgrade to the Freightliner S2RV chassis that Kasie decided to try was the addition of motion control units (MCUs) for the rear air bags. Since making this modification (along with installation of the Sumo Springs), we can tell you that the RIDE IS MUCH IMPROVED, especially when turning on to uneven streets or driveways.
This is a pretty straightforward DIY project.
Part Number: SSE5065 SuperSteer® Motion Control Unit for 3/8” Airlines (Over 30,0000 GVWR)
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Conclusion: Do These Mods Work?
These four modifications to our Freightliner S2RV chassis certainly improved our overall ride. As a passenger, I now spend less time saying “whoa!” on our trips than before the upgrades. I think the most noticeable difference is on the turns to uneven streets and driveways as mentioned above.
Kasie made ALL these four modifications to our S2RV chassis over the course of a few weeks when we were stationary (I was recovering from my second retinal detachment surgery). As such, we didn’t have the ability to drive our Entegra Accolade after each modification to really test how well each modification worked. It is probably worth nothing that in the all of online forums, all of the cool kids seem to agree that these modifications are worth doing, and we’ve found nothing that counters those opinions.
Lastly, we just wanted to thank Brian Miller for answering a few questions and Bob Peach (at Wandering Peaches) for his install videos on the Gabriel shocks and Sumo Springs. The Seneca/Accolade Super C community is truly one of the best around!
