Shock Absorber Addition to Travel Trailer
I assume the reason most travel trailers don’t come with shock absorbers is to save on production cost for the manufacturer (I realize some travel trailers have shock - mine does not). I assume this ...
Forum Discussion
We installed shocks last year. Huge improvement and worth the effort and cost. The rear of our TT used to bob up and down like crazy and now it rides like a steady flat line. As well, less vertical movement is transferred back onto our truck's hitch and makes for a more comfortable drive.
Last summer we drove east from Stevens Pass in Wa. towards Leavenworth on some pretty twisty and bumpy roads and the TT + TV combo handling was very good and MUCH better on these kinds of roads than without shocks.
Some TTs simply bounce more than others and bounce can be hard on the superstructure as can be seen in a photo below of a separated weld on the framing.
I went with Monroe shocks as they've been around a while and you can easily find them and are as low as $25 each. Upper and lower mounting brackets are NLA though. Our upper bracket is 3/16" flat bar welded to the frame and the lower bracket is a standard tie plate with OBD tubing welded to it. The angle is per Monroe's specs. The metal bushings that are supposed to go in the rubber eyelets are also NLA. The tie plates are sandwiched between spring pack and axle.
Some TTs won't have enough clearance between the tires and frame and the shocks will need to be inboard like in Lynnmor's install. The Joy Rider kit is probably the kit to use in this case.
I would recommend one of the other kits like Mor/Ryde or Lippert because the shocks have an inline stud which I think would make the install easier and the kits are fully supported by the manufacturers. If you can, do the work yourself as it will save a lot of $$ and you'll probably get better workmanship.
I have a set of unneeded Monroe lower brackets for 2 3/8" axles and 555004 shocks if anyone is interested and will give a good price.
Last summer we drove east from Stevens Pass in Wa. towards Leavenworth on some pretty twisty and bumpy roads and the TT + TV combo handling was very good and MUCH better on these kinds of roads than without shocks.
Some TTs simply bounce more than others and bounce can be hard on the superstructure as can be seen in a photo below of a separated weld on the framing.
I went with Monroe shocks as they've been around a while and you can easily find them and are as low as $25 each. Upper and lower mounting brackets are NLA though. Our upper bracket is 3/16" flat bar welded to the frame and the lower bracket is a standard tie plate with OBD tubing welded to it. The angle is per Monroe's specs. The metal bushings that are supposed to go in the rubber eyelets are also NLA. The tie plates are sandwiched between spring pack and axle.
Some TTs won't have enough clearance between the tires and frame and the shocks will need to be inboard like in Lynnmor's install. The Joy Rider kit is probably the kit to use in this case.
I would recommend one of the other kits like Mor/Ryde or Lippert because the shocks have an inline stud which I think would make the install easier and the kits are fully supported by the manufacturers. If you can, do the work yourself as it will save a lot of $$ and you'll probably get better workmanship.
I have a set of unneeded Monroe lower brackets for 2 3/8" axles and 555004 shocks if anyone is interested and will give a good price.
