Travel Trailer Shock Absorber Kit

padec21 wrote:
The purpose of shocks is to keep your wheels in contact with the road to maintain control. Why would you need them on a trailer?

For that same reason. Resulting in better control, smoother ride(better for the trailer and it's contents),Less unusual wear on the tires, longer tire life, and much less of the "perception" of sway, the trailer should "dance" less on rough roads and interstate expansion joints. Lastly the trailer should impart much less movement back into the tow vehicle. I could go on there are many very good reasons to have shocks on trailers and almost every Australian and European manufacturer puts them on as standard equipment as our manufacturers should do.

Will never tow a TT again without shocks. We installed Monroe shocks last year and it made a huge improvement. Our TT now goes down the road like a steady flat line.

Shocks significantly reduce the vertical motion (bounce) of a TT whether it's rough roads and speed bumps or mild bumps at freeway speed. It reduces stress on the TT structure and components. For example, the photo below shows what can happen to welds in the aluminum framing from excessive bounce in combination with the weak frame design that Lippert provides on some ultra-lite TTs.

Things on a kitchen counter are far less likely to move. We used to get the stove grate bounce off and even the open/close rod on the mini-blinds bounce off the hook.

With less bouncing of a TT, less vertical movement is transferred by the tongue onto the TV hitch resulting in a smoother and more comfortable ride. Also improves overall handling on twisty and bumpy roads.

Shocks would also be a good idea for those who have a carrier on the rear for bikes, generator, etc.

If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn't use Monroe shocks and would probably use a Mor/Ryde or Joy Rider kit instead.

I will never own a TT or 5er without shocks and I balance the tires as well.

Don't get me wrong i'm very frugal but feel it's worth the money.

padec21 wrote:
The purpose of shocks is to keep your wheels in contact with the road to maintain control. Why would you need them on a trailer?

Having owned TT with and without shocks I will most definitely always own one with shocks. The roads here in Alaska are far from smooth and having the shocks make a huge difference.

By accident, either my DW or had left a few small things on the counter of the TT with shocks and when we arrived at our site several hours later everything was in the exact same place. This NEVER would have happen with any of our other TT.

IMHO, shocks are worth their weight in gold...

padec21 wrote:
The purpose of shocks is to keep your wheels in contact with the road to maintain control. Why would you need them on a trailer?

Shock absorbers actually serve the purpose of dampening the amplitude and helping efficiently dissipate the energy of a tire impacting a road undulation. Without shocks, you get unnecessary bounce of the suspension as springs rebound back and forth and tires bounce off the pavement, allowing tires to lose contact with the road and transmit more unnecessary vibration to the chassis (whether it be a car or trailer). Having dampeners remove the excessive bounce (think of a basketball) so that the tires don't dribble and you transmit less vibration into the chassis. This results in stuff staying where you put it and puts less wear and tear on the trailer itself (including the tires and springs etc...).

padec21 wrote:
The purpose of shocks is to keep your wheels in contact with the road to maintain control. Why would you need them on a trailer?

You should watch the tires on a trailer in front of you on a bumpy road. They take a beating because the trailer keeps bouncing and the tires keep distorting until it stops. This is certainly the cause of some blowouts and ages tires prematurely. If you could ride back there is would feel squirrely and out of control as it bounces down the road.
But even better is how little you feel bumps and expansion joints with the addition of shocks. Without shocks you feel all kinds of surface regularities. With them you feel almost nothing. It makes for a much smoother and less fatiguing drive.
Shocks were the single best thing I ever did to my TT.

The purpose of shocks is to keep your wheels in contact with the road to maintain control. Why would you need them on a trailer?

I think you are looking for the Joy Rider system.
Joy Rider

I think what your looking for is in the September issue of Trailer life page 94

Maybe this.....but in yellow Shock Kit LINK