Forum Discussion

Vette_Racer's avatar
Vette_Racer
Explorer
Mar 05, 2014

What can I do?

Towing a 349RSB HitchHiker with a 2 inch lift with a 2011 4 wheel drive 3500 crew cab dual wheel truck. Truck has 9000 Rancho shocks at 9 setting, air bags, 60lbs in the rear tires, GVW of the truck loaded is 12,950lbs including 95 gal diesel tank in the bed. trailer is at 12,600 on the axles, dual 7000 axles with a 3000lbs pin weight using a 20K Reese hitch.

Problem is a constant bouncing of the truck on less than perfect roads to the point that it is like riding a horse that is not broken if that gives you any idea. Too rough to ride.

Have tried every pressure in the air bags, tried different settings on the shocks, and every setting with both the shocks and air bags without success. Can make it worse but cannot make it better. Have tried it with both snubbers on the overloads, removing the front snubbers, removing both and using the air bags only at different pressures along with the shocks. Also tried the TS3 air hitch, that only made it worse and sent it back.

The best ride I can get is with 15 lbs of pressure in the air bags and 9 on the shocks, fuel tank full and all the weight I can get on the pin.

If there anything else I can do???

On edit, truck only has 28k miles.
  • TheAmRheins's avatar
    TheAmRheins
    Explorer
    Mar 07, 2014
    If the rear wheels are being lifted off the ground there is more going on here.Either the suspension is way to stiff or the suspension travel is way to short.The wheels need to travel up and down freely with shocks dampening return travel.Some suspensions have as much as 8 inches of travel.Just thinking out loud here.
  • FlatBroke's avatar
    FlatBroke
    Explorer II
    Mar 06, 2014
    I had the same problem when I bought my HH. It came with a Trailair hitch. Had my truck set the same way as the old trailer. Ranches on 9 and bags at 40 lbs. beat me to death on the expansion strips a smaller bumps. Finally figured out to let the Trailair do it's work. Ranches on 3-4 and bags only filled to 5 lbs. when empty, gives me 25-30 loaded. Rides great now.
  • hammer21661's avatar
    hammer21661
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2014
    I been thinking ,dangerous right, try a pin box like the morryde. Call morryde and talk with Gary Wheeler. Did you try taking out the air bags? I like the morryde cause it has no air bags to leak.
  • Vette_Racer's avatar
    Vette_Racer
    Explorer
    Mar 06, 2014
    BillB3857 wrote:
    Look at the overload spring contact points with the trailer hooked up. Mine were very close. When going down the road, the truck was bouncing on and off the overload springs. My answer was to add air bags, then remove the bump stops from the frame of the truck. Much improved ride.
    Thanks, but I've already tried that, no help, actually I get the best ride using the rear snubber only on the overloads and 15lbs of air in the bags. Mine is on the overloads all the time when towing.

    Thanks to all for the suggestions.
  • BillB3857's avatar
    BillB3857
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2014
    Look at the overload spring contact points with the trailer hooked up. Mine were very close. When going down the road, the truck was bouncing on and off the overload springs. My answer was to add air bags, then remove the bump stops from the frame of the truck. Much improved ride.
  • waltbennett's avatar
    waltbennett
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2014
    Air bags are only for leveling everything or taking out sag from heavy bed loads. If you are level to begin with (not loaded down), adding air will make things worse for your shocks, and they may be shot already according to what mcquay wrote. Probably not enough pin weight or TV & 5er not level is causing the bouncing and it's too strong to be dampened by your shocks.
  • ol_Bombero-JC's avatar
    ol_Bombero-JC
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2014
    Try a call to MorRyde tech line.
    Same for trailer mfgr tech line.

    Nothing to lose.

    BTW - your thread title will attract the curious, but many may pass it by..

    Suggest trying a new title, with the "problem" - for better exposure.
    Ex: "Help for Bouncing Truck!" (or?)

    Also - since duplicates aren't allowed anyway, maybe a *new* thread in Tow Vehicles using something similar:
    Ex/s: "Help for bouncing truck when towing", "Suspension problems when towing"

    Then (you could) link it to this thread, say why it's linked - or ask the Mods for assistance.

    ~
  • shadoow's avatar
    shadoow
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2014
    do you know for sure if it's the truck or the trailer (i.e. have you towed the trailer with a different truck or towed another trailer with your truck) ??
  • Vette_Racer's avatar
    Vette_Racer
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2014
    Have replaced the shocks on the trailer, tried a TS3 air hitch, made it 2 times worse, it actually caused the rear tires on the truck to come completely off the road at 50 MPH after it set up an oscillation with the truck suspension. Also have checked and rechecked the trailer suspension, just a note that this has been a problem since the trailer was new, its a 2011 model and has the rubber equalizers, morRyde I think. It was a left over that I bought in 2012.
  • shadoow's avatar
    shadoow
    Explorer
    Mar 05, 2014
    it sounds like the trailer motion is being transmitted to the truck. Have you checked/replaced the trailer shocks?? I'd also check the rest of the trailer suspension to make sure it's in good working order, greased/lubricated where possible, equalizer (if equipped) functioning, etc. Also, do you have a standard pin box??? If so, may want to think about switching to one that has some shock/motion absorbing feature like TrailAir, MorRyde, etc. Another thought is to check the hitch itself to see if for some reason there's too much play where it engages the trailer pin....just trying to think of things that may be giving you the motion...

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