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 > Travel Trailer Freeway bounce or hop

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vandave

jamestown, ohio

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Posted: 08/12/08 12:26pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

We have a EC, 2500HD '06 D-Max, and are pulling a 30U Arctic Fox. It's really heavy-12,000 lbs, with a tongue weight of 1350 lbs. I thought I would be beat to death our first trip to MN. I put on a Putnam Class V hitch, new Bilsten shocks, Timbrens, and a 1400 lb Equalizer hitch. I adjusted the hitch about 8 times and have it as close as I can get level wise but there are some roads that are still a beater...I-90 in Wisc. is the worst. I travel at 55-60 mph. All my adjusting and "up-grades" only provided marginal relief. My next step is to have a hitch put on the back and get some of that tongue weight off. Good luck.


Vanda and Dave Ludwig (Vandave) & world's laziest Bassett Hound, Daisy Mae, 6 month King Charles Spaniel, '06 2500HD, 4WD, EC, SB, D/A, 30U Arctic Fox, Equalizer hitch, Prodigy.


lrak

MA

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Posted: 08/12/08 01:03pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Riverdogrj wrote:

SteveRankin wrote:

.
  • Tire pressure. We ran 80 PSI even though tire loads call for about 55 PSI
  • W/D hitch bars.



  • Not worried about a blowout doing that (I would be)? That is 45% more than rated pressure.


    The inflation table for that tire and load says to use 55psi. He is running 80psi which would allow the tire to carry more weight than is on his tires. Presumably 80psi is number on the sidewall of his tire.

    The sticker on most car door frames say to inflate the tires to ~30psi to support the weight of the car. Most car tires have a maximum inflation of ~40psi. Most cars feel best to me inflated to ~33psi and there is nothing unsafe about inflating them there.

    mecreature

    Indianapolis, IN

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    Posted: 08/12/08 02:11pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    maercklein wrote:

    The bounce only occurs on really rotten roads. The latest was north bound I-65 out of Indianapolis. I would avoid it at all costs. Another bad one was I-80 across Nebraska, we used to drive a parallel state highway to the north. Haven't been that way for a while, they may have fixed it. Too bad there is not a list of roads to avoid.



    I took that same highway last week. You cannot judge your set up on that road..You are lucky you got out of it without any flats... Miles of the road are 20 years old and concrete. 80 up near Chicago is bad to.. I went 50 to 55 on that stretch...


    98 Skyline Nomad 1950 Compact
    2004 Silverado 1500 EXT. 5.3 3.42 Axle 2wd


    old gray beard

    West TX

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    Posted: 08/12/08 03:09pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    We were on a old concrete HWY in Oklahoma a few years ago and the constance thud thud thud was about to get to us untill our dog which was asleep between us just stood up and stared at me. Every bump his head would move he just stood there in disgust untill we got off of it. That made it funny to us but not him.





    Highlander1

    Reedsburg WI

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    Posted: 08/12/08 03:11pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    I was just about to post questions about the same issue and ran across this thread! I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue (Sorry, but misery loves company I guess).

    I have a 2002 Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab long box (they don't come with a longer wheel base than this) and an 08 Jayco Jayflight G2 31BHDS.

    This past weekend travelling to and from Kilby Lake on I90/94 by Wisconsin Dells and then again on a concrete stretch north of Portage WI on I-39 I was really getting bucked. (My three kids think it's fun, but I don't, and if my 2 yr old wasn't buckled in, she'd probably have bounced right out of her car seat!)

    I attributed the bucking to the WD system reducing the "freedom" of the ball pivot on the hitch, essentially not allowing the rear suspension to absorb the bumps as the connection between truck and trailer is now semi-rigid with my Reese SC Series WD setup.

    I was following a co-worker towing an equivalent sized 5th wheel, and he experienced none of the bucking I did.

    I was tempted to play around the the WD setup, but based on comments here, that won't do much. I guess it may just be "the nature of the beast"? I see others noted the same roads I had problems with, so in a way I feel better...

    * This post was edited 08/12/08 03:38pm by Highlander1 *


    TV: 2002 Silverdo 2500HD LT Crew Cab Long Box 6.0 V8
    TT: 2008 Jayco Jayflight G2 31BHDS
    WD: Reese High Performance SC 1500lb TW (I'm the first one I've heard of with this thing!)
    one wife, one 5 yr old son, two daughters 4 & 2 yrs


    ReneeG

    Meridian, Idaho

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    Posted: 08/12/08 03:35pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    Hmmm, still haven't experienced any of this and am not going to say anything about our hitch.


    2006 282TS 32' Komfort
    1999 Ford F250 4x4 XLT SD Triton V10 with Tow Package
    Prodigy Brake Control
    Magnaflow Cat Back Exhaust, FIPK, and TransGo Shift Kit
    Hensley Arrow
    Dave and Renee plus Champ, Molly (in spirit), Missy and now Maggie Along for the Ride!


    ddav15

    Chino, CA

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    Posted: 08/13/08 10:15am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    Could be weight distribution, have you noticed a difference if your water tanks are full or empty? Also depends on were the tanks are located. Like the previous post stated you need about 15% of the trailer weight on the hitch.

    Dixonmatco

    Santa Rosa, California

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    Posted: 08/13/08 12:22pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    Hmmmm... Let's see.. What controls bounce in suspension?..

    On cars, trucks, busses,and Oh Yes.... Trailers!!


    SHOCKS!


    Why do not all trailers come with them??


    PRICE$$$$$

    Buyers notice fancy woodwork and decals.. Not suspension..


    We have some terrible roads here in CA.. I have Bilstein shocks on my truck and shocks on my trailer.. It is as good as it gets!

    As an important bonus: Safety and Handling in an emergency

    as well as reducing sway..

    The equaflex is definately better than non.. But shocks are important with every suspension design for the above reasaons.


    2000 Chevy Silverado 1500
    2005 Komfort Trailblazer T23S
    Honda EU2000I


    Diabs

    Toronto, Ontario

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    Posted: 08/13/08 12:39pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    Most of the time it is the roads that cause that awful ride. I thought my set-up was acting funny....till I changed lanes, and the problem went away!


    Any camping is good camping!

    DH & DW , DD x 2
    2008 Salem 27RB LTD
    Yukon XL 1500 5.3SLT
    Prodigy BC, DC Reese WD, Scan Gauge II
    Days camped in 2008 -34-
    All packed away for the season....


    JaySki

    Metro Detroit

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    Posted: 08/13/08 01:06pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

    I-94 between I-69 and Jackson in Michigan is really bad.

    I think the issue has to do with the uneven concrete sections. I notice it only in the right lane where all the truck run. The left lane is smoooooth.
    It seems the cause is, in part, from the length of the concrete sections relative to the length of your wheelbase from the rear axle to the axles of the TT and the uneven concrete. It ends up timing the bounce pretty good that it just about rips your teeth out.

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