65 Years of Helping People Drive Safer: The Story of Henderson's Line-Up and SuperSteer

65 Years of Helping People Drive Safer

In 2026, Henderson's Line-Up celebrates an incredible milestone, 65 years of serving customers and improving the way vehicles drive.

What began as a small alignment shop in Grants Pass, Oregon has grown into a nationally recognized name in RV suspension, steering, alignment, and handling. While the tools, vehicles, and technology have changed over the decades, one thing has remained the same: a commitment to helping people enjoy safer, smoother, and more confident driving.

Where It All Began

Henderson's Line-Up was founded in 1961 by Floyd Henderson, a World War II fighter bomber pilot. After relocating his family from Fort Bragg, California to Grants Pass, Oregon, Floyd purchased a small shop on the north end of town called The Line-Up, giving birth to what would become Henderson's Line-Up. During the early years, the business focused primarily on automotive alignment and front-end service.

At the time, Interstate 5 had recently opened with a 70 mph speed limit. Many vehicles left the factory with brake drums that were not properly balanced, often causing vibration at highway speeds. Floyd developed a reputation for solving those ride quality issues through brake drum balancing and front-end work, helping customers enjoy smoother, more comfortable driving. Although the vehicles have changed dramatically since 1961, that same commitment to ride quality and vehicle control continues to guide the company today.

Expanding Into the RV Industry

During the 1980s, the second generation of the Henderson family began leading the company. Robert Henderson took over the business and initially spent much of his time working with logging crummies and commercial vehicles. As the RV industry continued to grow, Robert noticed an opportunity. Drawing on his experience improving handling in stock car racing, he began applying many of the same suspension principles to motorhomes. It quickly became apparent that many RVs could benefit from improved steering, suspension, and handling characteristics. That realization marked the beginning of Henderson's Line-Up's long-standing focus on recreational vehicles.

As Henderson's Line-Up worked with more motorhomes, one chassis consistently stood out.

The Chevrolet P30 and P32 chassis became one of the most common foundations for Class A gasoline motorhomes from the late 1960s through the early 2000s. One recurring issue involved the factory steering bell crank. The original bell crank used a bushing design that allowed excessive movement to develop over time. That unwanted play reduced steering precision and driver confidence. To solve the problem, Henderson's Line-Up engineered a replacement bell crank using double tapered roller bearings instead of bushings. The improved design dramatically reduced steering play and became the first SuperSteer product in 1990. What began as a single steering improvement would eventually grow into an entire product line dedicated to improving RV handling.

More Than Steering Components

Today, SuperSteer represents much more than a single product. The company designs and supplies suspension, steering, and handling products for RV owners throughout North America. SuperSteer has grown into the company's nationwide parts division, helping customers, dealers, and repair facilities find solutions for a wide variety of RV handling challenges. Whether answering technical questions over the phone or assisting dealers across the country, the SuperSteer team continues the same customer-first philosophy that has guided the company for decades.

A Shop That Continues to Innovate

Today, Henderson's Line-Up and SuperSteer is led by third-generation CEO Tommy Henderson. While SuperSteer serves customers and dealers across the country, Henderson's Line-Up continues to operate as a full-service repair facility in Grants Pass, Oregon. Every day, technicians work on motorhomes, fifth wheels, travel trailers, passenger vehicles, and commercial trucks. That hands-on experience provides something many manufacturers never have, real-world testing. Rather than developing products in a laboratory alone, new ideas are evaluated on actual customer vehicles. The shop allows engineers and technicians to identify handling concerns, test potential solutions, and continually refine products before they reach customers. Research and development remains a major part of the company's mission, with new projects constantly underway to improve ride quality, steering feel, suspension performance, and overall vehicle control.

Looking Toward the Future

Although the RV industry has changed dramatically over the past 65 years, Henderson's Line-Up continues pursuing the same goal that Floyd Henderson established in 1961. Whether balancing brake drums in the early days, developing the original SuperSteer bell crank, or engineering new suspension products for today's motorhomes, the focus has always been helping people travel with greater comfort, confidence, and safety. That dedication continues today through the combined efforts of Henderson's Line-Up and SuperSteer.

As Henderson's Line-Up celebrates 65 years in business, the company extends its sincere gratitude to every customer, dealer, partner, and employee who has helped make that journey possible. Thank you for reading this blog and until next time we wish you safer and happier driving.