springoflife
Butler, PA
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Joined: 06/15/2005
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My 1997 Jayco 1207DD bounces a LOT when driving. My tires are new, the correct size and load range, and I maintain the correct air pressure. Yet it bounces quite a bit. Thankfully, my TV has tight suspension and it doesn't make the TV bounce. However, sometimes the bouncing at higher speeds does promote sway. Anyway, I am concerned that the bouncing is stressing the PUP frame and it's contents.
I understand that shock dampening should be matched to the spring rate, so most automotive shocks are probably too tense but I imagine that motorcycle shocks would not be enough.
Has anyone fitted their PUP with shocks? If so, what did you use?
Where did you mount them? How successful was the result?
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PattieAM
Maryland
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Joined: 08/03/2005
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I had slight bounce when towing and once at the campground, I redistriubuted the contents of my PUP and the bounce ended. I had too much weight behind the axles and it made a big difference.
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agesilaus
North Florida
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Joined: 05/06/2008
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I'd trying moving more weight forward of the axle. That will certainly reduce the sway problem. I had some bouncing with our Trailmanor trailer until we installed a Reese Weight Distributing Hitch, but that is probably overkill with a Popup. It tows without a twitch now however.
04 Trail Manor 2619
08 Ford F150 5.4L TV
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springoflife
Butler, PA
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Joined: 06/15/2005
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The camper is fairly empty, unloaded for the winter. Even when the camper is standing still, just leaning your weight on the side of the camper and letting up will make it bounce several times. Something seems wrong with that.
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nny12972
NY
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Joined: 10/25/2006
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Bad roads, running overweight, and/or weak/worn springs. From your description, it sounds like the latter is highly probable. (My '83 Coleman has over 35,000 on it---just about all secondary/back roads, and original springs are still just fine.)
Have a good spring shop look at your rig with it loaded as you normally tow it. Even if it's possible to mount them on your PUP, shocks would just mask the real problem(s).
J
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R N R
Denver area
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Joined: 06/15/2003
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Monroe makes a trailer retrofit shock kit that looks like what you may need. I'm planning on installing it on my trailer too.
Looks pretty easy to install.
Go to a local spring shop in your area. They probably have replacement springs too. Very easy to install. After 4 years, I replaced the springs on my trailer. I went w/ a four pack upgrade from my factory 3 leaf pack. The trailer sits higher now, but as much off road I do, that's good.
Also, as someone said a bit of planned packing will help. In my opinion, good packing will go the farthest toward eliminating sway. Sway bars treat the sympton, not the cause in my opinion.
Steve & Sharon + 2 dogs
'99 ZR2 Blazer
'03 Chalet Arrowhead w/ bunk bed option (makes a great dog house)
Pics of our adventures.
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rccs
Clintonville,WI
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Joined: 11/05/2003
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I installed the shocks from shock warehouse on my 95 Coleman Avalon this spring like mentioned, the only thing is that Monroe no longer has the installation kit. They still make the shocks but not the installation kit. If you are handy with a welder or have access to someone who is that is not a big problem though. If you look at the installation kit it is just new spring mount plates, a couple of spacers, some washers and four bolts and nuts. I made my own installation kit and I spent something like $15.00 for all the parts which included new axle bolts.
Installation of the shocks was quite easy if you download the information from the website and do a little careful measuring. The only thing that made the installation take a little more time on my camper was that I had to relocate the LP line to the outside stove and re-route the wires for the electric brakes and an antenna wire I had run under the camper in that area. The electric brake relocating was not hard since all I had to do was remove the attachments for the wiring from the cross member they were fastened to and just swing them back to the next one towards the rear of the camper, the wires were the right length to go to either one. The LP line I had to move away from the frame about 10" to give the upper mount area of the shock absorber room so it did not make contact with the LP line.
I installed the shock on the side that I had to do the re-routing first and it took me about 3 to 4 hours because of the re-routing. I installed the shock on the other side the next day and it only took about 3/4 of an hour.
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springoflife
Butler, PA
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Joined: 06/15/2005
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I've got a torsion axle. In one place, the website says that the kit is compatible... but then elsewhere it states that it is NOT compatible with a torsion axle. ???
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mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
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Joined: 08/26/2002
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When all else fails I just email the maker of the axle. Both Dexter and Al-Ko are good about providing information.
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dgros
Shiremanstown PA
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Joined: 08/26/2004
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RCCS, Did you notice a small, mediocre, large or huge difference by adding the shock kit?
I would be curious to know the results you were able to acheive.
I have plenty of tongue weight and still have the dreaded fleetwood bounce, even with a large tow vehicle.
Thanks in advance.
2004 Fleetwood Utah CP
2002 Ford F250 V8 4.10:1
K&N Air Filter
Brakesmart Controller
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