bouncing

Just came back from our first trip after a shock kit install.
The shocks were a BIG improvement. Instead of bump and 4-5 after shocks, now just a single smaller bump. The kit is easy to install if you are handy, no welding. It's probably the best bang for a buck of any mod I've done....and I've done lots:)

My 5'er bounces more than our last TT. Both about the same length. I've put shocks on both. The TT was solid, but the 5'er still has some bounce. The axle weight on each are close. The difference I believe is the stiffer springs on the 5'er. The TT had a GVW of 8400lbs, while the 5'er is 11,400+/-. The TT had about 2200lbs of CCC and the 5'er has 4315lbs of CCC. IIRC the loaded axle weight on the 5'er is around 7200lbs. Both ride on 225/75/15D tires. I think the bouncing is from the tires absorbing the bumps rather than the springs. Next set of tires will be E rated and run @80 psi.

Incidentally the 2011-12 FM like ours only has an 8400lb GVW with 1600+lbs of CCC. Same exact 5'er but with softer springs. I think Northwood my have dropped the ball on their spring selection. While it's great to have 2 tons of CCC, I think with the relatively light weight of the 5'er it and the stiff springs it's not a good marriage.

I've built a few utility trailers in my time and the ones that I put cheaper P rated tires on seem to bounce more than normal. I've thought about removing one leaf from each spring pack but it would be a guessing game as to what capacity they would then be.

We had some bounce on ours which has shocks. I put on a Trailair Center Point air suspension system which really helped smooth out the ride.

i had 3/4 water on the way down it just seems to start on the uneven road then keeps bouncing for at least couple hundred feet it seems. i had trail air pin box on the last trailer but its not the chucking, i can see the trailer in the mirrow just up and down . i have air bags on the truck and it does run nose high about an inch or so. truck is brand new so its not the shocks in the truck

I didn't think we had a bad bounce issue, just a bit more than I liked. Rear of truck would bounce about three time at a overpass transition. The first step was a set of Bilstien 5100's on the TV, the OEM's had 255,000 miles and were still alright, just not as good as they should have been. Well TV settled in a cycle and a half or less, watching the 5er in the mirror at bridge transitions, it was making the TV take that extra half cycle.
Two Lippert Shock kits later, we ride far smother.

Another vote for MorRide. Our current trailer came equipped with the pinbox and suspension and smooths our the ride

What is your pin weight percentage?

Is the trailer level when towing?

These are two items that can have a big effect on how a trailer tows.

DmaxWW said it right. When I got a trailer with MorRide Pinbox, and Mor Ride suspension, everything changed. Not more bouncing and chucking.

We had a problem with bouncing, it would continue to bounce the truck up and down every time it ran over a rough spot, tried new shocks, air bags, air hitch, and finally took it to MOR/ryde where they installed the MOR/ryde IS suspension on the trailer, fixed it! We found when weighing the trailer that the front axle was 1200 lbs heavier than the rear, they set up the IS so both sets of wheels would carry about the same weight and no more bouncing.

lee worsdell wrote:
just went on a 6 hour road trip and noticed this new trailer bounces alot. can you put shocks on to slow the bounce i dont think it has e-z flex. its a seirra select 329re. i just sold a newer crusader built by forest river also and it had it.

X2 on towing with more water in the fresh tank. I believe Monroe makes a trailer shock retro-fit kit, too.

Lyle