I just bought a brand new Jayco Eagle HT 30.5 MBOK. Unloaded weight is 9635 lbs, max loaded is 11950 lbs. Dry hitch weight is 1795. Optional 16" wheels with Goodyear tires.My TV is a stock 2013 GMC Sierra 2500HD 6.5' bed, crew cab, 4x4, Duramax diesel. The truck has plenty of pulling power and the rig sits nearly level when hooked up. The problem is that when you hit a rough spot or dip in the road, the trailer "chuggs" (for lack of a better word) back and forth until the road smooths out again. It does not seem to bounce up and down... it's more of a lateral bumping back and forth. We went on our first outing yesterday, about 2 hour drive and it wore me out! I could never take a long trip like this.The truck has a B&W goose neck with the removable ball in the floor of the bed. I installed a Andersen Ultimate hitch with the upper ball adapter to the pin box.I know this problem has been brought up before and there could be a number of causes and corrections. Any suggestions short of replacing EVERYTHING to fix this problem?

Air bags is your answer. Its a bouce from sitting on your overload springs.Is tour rig loaded ready to camp

What is your payload capacity. Are you within specs. or are you over. It does sound like your suspension maybe bottoming out

What you are experiencing is 'chucking'. It is part and parcel of the fifth wheel towing experience unless you use a hitch that provides some 'give'. Most of the hitches that help mitigate chucking use some type of small air bag as part of the hitch or the fifth's pin assembly. You might google 'fifth wheel chucking' or 'what is fifth wheel chucking' for a good explanation and read all about it. Hensley makes a hitch that does a great job eliminating chucking, a little pricy, but it works. MorRide makes a pin assembly that helps mitigate chucking. Good luck.

We loved our big fifth wheel but we hated the ride, the chucking and bucking especially on bridge seams. I always wondered if air bags or a top of the line hitch would have improved the ride. We went to a motor home so we never found out.

Lantley has a point. What is your pin weight (2500 lbs.?) and truck specs?

New 5th wheel doesn't tow well | Good Sam Community

laknox
Nomad
Apr 14, 2017
MFL wrote:
IMO, the above is a big part of your problem. Putting the FW tank in the rear is just wrong, even though the floor plan may require it. I think weight up front will solve a lot, and an air cushioned pin box should help the feel, but not the problem.

Jerry

Part of my problem, is how do I find out =where= my tanks are, and =which= is which? I've yet to find a mfr that's willing to share this info, so the only way to find this out is to cut open the belly enclosure and look for myself. I've asked for this from Komfort, Jayco and KZ, and not a one would share the tank locations with me. The =only= one that's obvious on my current Komfort is the black tank, since it's right under the toilet.

Lyle
paulbeauchemin
Explorer
Apr 14, 2017
I've yet to purchase a hitch for my f350 dually. Saw an ad for air safe and an earlier post on trailersaver hitches. Anyone have experience/ opinions on either?

From what I can tell that seems to be a good way to reduce chucking. We are waiting on a jayco pinnacle to arrive in a few weeks
IBcarguy
Explorer
Apr 13, 2017
There's lots of info about the MORryde but not much info about the Demco Glide Ride out there.I like the design of it and the videos seem to demonstrate how effective it is. Anyone out there that has a Demco that can give me some input? I'm committed to the investment but looking for assurance that it will greatly improve my tow.
justafordguy
Explorer
Apr 12, 2017
alboy wrote:
Turn off your anti slip switch on the truck,it made a big diff on our 2015 dmax when towing on wavy/rough roads.

Interesting, anyone else try this?
Durb
Explorer
Apr 12, 2017
I have to agree with a previous post that the air pin boxes are best for vertical force damping. The moveable arms sit horizontal and look like they would transmit fore/aft chucking forces directly to your hitch.

I have read many good reviews on the MOR/ryde system and Demco Glide Ride. The Airsafe King Air pin box looks the most intriguing but I have not read about any feedback. Good luck with your decision.

By the way, when your truck goes over a bump that energy is mitigated by the trucks suspension before it hits the frame and therefore your seat cushion. An air hitch or pin box will only serve to reduce the forces being generated by the trailer. The truck ride will still be there. The air hitch or pin box will serve to reduce bump energy from your truck being transmitted to the trailer.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Apr 12, 2017
Hannibal wrote:
I've always thought more about the trailer's suspension with chucking when we had our 5'ers. The chucking you feel is the trailer bouncing. Not enough to see but enough to feel. Trailer suspension is unusually stiff so shocks on the trailer may or may not help. Trailer tires are usually filled to max sidewall pressure and bounce on uneven roadways like concrete highways. Nothing you do to the truck is going to stop it. A shock absorbing hitch or pinbox is likely the best you can do. We just lived with it as part of towing a 5th wheel.

X2!

This is why I worked to get the 5er level, put shocks we now have very little feeling of chucking. Now a Mor-Ryde would likely get rid of the rest.
Work on the root cause FIRST don't go straight to the air hitch or pin box.
Hannibal
Explorer
Apr 11, 2017
I've always thought more about the trailer's suspension with chucking when we had our 5'ers. The chucking you feel is the trailer bouncing. Not enough to see but enough to feel. Trailer suspension is unusually stiff so shocks on the trailer may or may not help. Trailer tires are usually filled to max sidewall pressure and bounce on uneven roadways like concrete highways. Nothing you do to the truck is going to stop it. A shock absorbing hitch or pinbox is likely the best you can do. We just lived with it as part of towing a 5th wheel.
garyp4951
Explorer III
Apr 09, 2017
I personally think that a MorRyde pin box would be better for the chucking. The air boxes seem to help more for dips at bridges.
My 2013 Jayco HT pulls like a dream with the MorRyde pin box, and I have air bags on the truck for the dips, and humps in the road. I only run about 30psi in the bags.
IBcarguy
Explorer
Apr 09, 2017
Well, back to the drawing board. Emptying the FW tank (600 lbs), shifting as much forward as I could, leveling the trailer to the truck, and changing speed did not improve the chucking.I think I will probably try a air bag pin box next. Everyone here and other RV sites and all the product reviews claim that this is the one biggest improvement they have made in their 5th wheel towing. It's an expensive solution but would be worth it if it corrects the problem.
lostdog
Explorer
Apr 09, 2017
memtb wrote:
IBcarguy, The previous posters are correct about a 5th wheel exhibiting a "jerking" feel when towed. I may be way off here, but something to consider, and many will debate the issue of 5th wheels converted to gooseneck.You may be getting "flex" in the front of the 5th wheel frame. That flex may be multiplying the "jerking" that you feel. There are considerable engineering differences between 5th wheels and gooseneck trailers. The gooseneck trailer is constructed of heavier materials and is heavily gusseted at weld points. When an adapter is added to a 5th wheel pin assembly, the force or leverage to the front of the 5th wheel is greatly multiplied. Most 5th wheel manufacturers will cancel/void their warranty when converted to gooseneck! Again, this may not be the case, but something to consider! memtb

X2 and Amen!

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