Getting 5er and truck level with each other.
Hello all, I know there have been many posts of getting your truck and trailer to ride level but right now I'm stumped. I have a 16 ram 2500 long bed diesel and a 16 forest river wildcat maxx 5er 242r...
Forum Discussion
First...it is a suspension "system" designed, certified and warranted by the OEM...for as is from the factory. Changing that requires some re-engineering...serious re-engineering. Gotta add at this point that all things engineered/designed are NOT for the good days, but for the worst day out there when Mr Murphy crosses your path...either it right spot on then, or not. Key is to be able to manhandle that situation
So in lifting the box/frame higher on the suspension, it will increase the loading during curves/turns/etc on the suspension. Mainly the shackles and bolts to it
A pan-hard rod will help reduce the amount of lateral (horizontal, side-to-side) movement and will do little to nothing for the lean that will come with an increased CG
For those who might not understand what a higher CG will do...take a broom stick of about 3 feet long. Slide a 5 lb weight on it with the broomstick poking through the middle hole
Tape it about 1 foot from your hand and lean it off vertical. Note the amount of wrist/arm strength to manage that
Then slide the weight higher to end, about 3 foot from your hand. Tape it on and then lean it off vertical and note the amount of hand/arm strength it will take doing that.
Then do that while running around a circle where centrifugal forces will increase the above forces needed to to manage that.
Now with a trailer box & frame weighing in the thousands of pounds...that force is going to very high
The pan-hard rod will keep the side-to-side movement of the box/frame from moving side-to-side much. How much is dependent on the compliant bushings used and the length of the rod and where it is attached to the axle and frame.
But...there will still be added loading on the outside suspension and mainly on the shackle(s). On that, the bolt will be in shear and the amount of loading muted by the leaf eye bushing
As a min on that, the shackle should be re-enforced. Best to have one that has a member between the two and the shackle thickness should likewise be re-enforced by either thicker and/or a bend-back
The bolts should be increased in size, but the leaf eye most likely will limit that. So a min of a grade 8 (English) or grade 8.2 (metric) with same grade washers on both sides. Ditto the nut, but hardened nuts tough to find (pun intended)
Adding a properly designed pan-hard bar can also allow consideration of removing the leaf springs for a coil spring setup...but...will require additional links and is now very complex for a trailer...
An anti-lean bar (AKA...anti-sway bar) will help, but note that it will load up the outside tire/suspension even more. Snap transition from chirping tires to full out skid can make for a tough trailer to handle at the limits
Shocks will help in all that, but not a total solution. Depends on the shock type and not many will put in high end shocks with smart valving. Finding one that has the proper "Z" length and extension length will be tough
So in lifting the box/frame higher on the suspension, it will increase the loading during curves/turns/etc on the suspension. Mainly the shackles and bolts to it
A pan-hard rod will help reduce the amount of lateral (horizontal, side-to-side) movement and will do little to nothing for the lean that will come with an increased CG
For those who might not understand what a higher CG will do...take a broom stick of about 3 feet long. Slide a 5 lb weight on it with the broomstick poking through the middle hole
Tape it about 1 foot from your hand and lean it off vertical. Note the amount of wrist/arm strength to manage that
Then slide the weight higher to end, about 3 foot from your hand. Tape it on and then lean it off vertical and note the amount of hand/arm strength it will take doing that.
Then do that while running around a circle where centrifugal forces will increase the above forces needed to to manage that.
Now with a trailer box & frame weighing in the thousands of pounds...that force is going to very high
The pan-hard rod will keep the side-to-side movement of the box/frame from moving side-to-side much. How much is dependent on the compliant bushings used and the length of the rod and where it is attached to the axle and frame.
But...there will still be added loading on the outside suspension and mainly on the shackle(s). On that, the bolt will be in shear and the amount of loading muted by the leaf eye bushing
As a min on that, the shackle should be re-enforced. Best to have one that has a member between the two and the shackle thickness should likewise be re-enforced by either thicker and/or a bend-back
The bolts should be increased in size, but the leaf eye most likely will limit that. So a min of a grade 8 (English) or grade 8.2 (metric) with same grade washers on both sides. Ditto the nut, but hardened nuts tough to find (pun intended)
Adding a properly designed pan-hard bar can also allow consideration of removing the leaf springs for a coil spring setup...but...will require additional links and is now very complex for a trailer...
An anti-lean bar (AKA...anti-sway bar) will help, but note that it will load up the outside tire/suspension even more. Snap transition from chirping tires to full out skid can make for a tough trailer to handle at the limits
Shocks will help in all that, but not a total solution. Depends on the shock type and not many will put in high end shocks with smart valving. Finding one that has the proper "Z" length and extension length will be tough
