Better ride when not towing?

[Gator398]

Is it possible, to make a dually truck not shake like an earthquake on expansion joint roads when the trailer is off???!!

I have read about the kelderman 4 link or whatever, is that our only option?

[Cummins12V98]

Me Again wrote:

eHoefler wrote:
I reduce my rear tire pressure from 80 psi to 40 psi when I am not towing the fifthwheel

Why do you over inflate your rears when towing? Does not it say 65 on the door jam placard? 35 PSI in rear dual tires in good for empty load.

I have been running 30psi in my four rears.

[Grit_dog]

Me Again wrote:



"Go outside, set your fronts at 50-55lbs (assuming stock ish size tires) and the rears to 35psi and take a quick test drive." GD




50-55(2270 lbs - 2370 lbs) in the front of a dually is way underinflated if it is a diesel truck assuming 235/80R17Es. Front axle of my 2015 3500 SRW is 5120. Dually will be at that or more as most set nose down. The skinny tires on the front axle need almost the full side wall inflation of 80 PSI to handle the static weight of the front axle. I am surprised the Ron was not all over this???

Now for the rears, that tire at 35 PSI dual is rated at 1570 or 6280 for an empty axle that weighs in at 3-4,000. So at 35 PSI one could still throw a ton of stuff in the bed and not be under inflated. Chris

Chris, you're absolutely correct. My mistake, I confused the OP's dually for a SRW truck based on other posts in this thread. What I recommended IS too low for pizza cutters.
I as well would run 235s on the front of a diesel at higher pressures.
Good catch!

[deltabravo]

Grit dog wrote:
Concrete roads? Nope, but it should be worse with the trailer on.
Just Rough riding? Lower tire pressure.

Ditto.

Also, I run Rancho RS9000X shocks on my dually. I set them to a lower setting when not towing / not hauling my truck camper. It drastically softens the ride.

[Me_Again]

Grit dog wrote:
Well, I’m a man of my word! I got your $20 the next time I’m passing thru Oklahoma!
Or hit me up if you’re in Seattle. :C

But in the mean time, the right pressure is based on weight and you appear to be categorizing all 4 wheels the same.
Go outside, set your fronts at 50-55lbs (assuming stock ish size tires) and the rears to 35psi and take a quick test drive.
65 is acceptable but stiff up front and still rock hard on the back of an empty pickup.

You would want to air up a bit in the rear when hauling the TT but 65psi will handle the full tongue weight of a wavier trailer than yours AND a bed full of stuff.

50-55(2270 lbs - 2370 lbs) in the front of a dually is way underinflated if it is a diesel truck assuming 235/80R17Es. Front axle of my 2015 3500 SRW is 5120. Dually will be at that or more as most set nose down. The skinny tires on the front axle need almost the full side wall inflation of 80 PSI to handle the static weight of the front axle. I am surprised the Ron was not all over this???

Now for the rears, that tire at 35 PSI dual is rated at 1570 or 6280 for an empty axle that weighs in at 3-4,000. So at 35 PSI one could still throw a ton of stuff in the bed and not be under inflated. Chris

[Me_Again]

way2roll wrote:
Not to hijack the OP's thread, but in the same line of thinking - should I adjust my tires on my SRW truck when not towing? 80PSi rides like a dream with the FW hooked up but bounces around quite a bit when empty.

I run around 40 in my SRW empty. Greatly improves ride.

[Me_Again]

eHoefler wrote:
I reduce my rear tire pressure from 80 psi to 40 psi when I am not towing the fifthwheel

Why do you over inflate your rears when towing? Does not it say 65 on the door jam placard? 35 PSI in rear dual tires in good for empty load.

[Grit_dog]

It is hard to believe that this simple concept seems to be lost on so many... not the OP in particular, but the majority, in general.
Not pertaining to rough ride but to knowing how tire pressure affects a vehicles ride and handling....
I did it again, in Dallas during that snow a couple weeks ago. We stopped to help push a guys suv up a hill , stuck at an intersection on a slight incline.
Was too slick for me and the 2 kids w me to get any traction as well, so I let a bunch of air out of his back tires (clueless jack wad didn’t even get out and help, or get out and stop me from doing it) and off he went. No push needed!
Drove a rear wheel drive sedan 650 miles , mostly through a blizzard to get out of Dallas. First thing I did when I filled up w gas is dropped the tire pressure to about 25psi all 4 tires. That car scooter through the snow and tracked like a one horse open sleigh!

[Grit_dog]

Well, I’m a man of my word! I got your $20 the next time I’m passing thru Oklahoma!
Or hit me up if you’re in Seattle. :C

But in the mean time, the right pressure is based on weight and you appear to be categorizing all 4 wheels the same.
Go outside, set your fronts at 50-55lbs (assuming stock ish size tires) and the rears to 35psi and take a quick test drive.
65 is acceptable but stiff up front and still rock hard on the back of an empty pickup.

You would want to air up a bit in the rear when hauling the TT but 65psi will handle the full tongue weight of a wavier trailer than yours AND a bed full of stuff.

[Gator398]

Thanks for all of the great input! I was waiting for someone to take that $20 bet lol. My tires were at 80 psi, now 65 which is plenty for my 26' 6500# bumper pull. I may try 50 rear after reading this, thanks.

I just bought a 2011 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, all stock 70k miles and it has 1 yr old Firestone AT's. I don't think shocks have been replaced yet, if were replaced they are factory mopar so I'll be replacing with Rancho's like I did on my last srw truck.

And about speed, that was first thing I noticed. Slowing down to dangerous levels (50 in 65) doesn't help. Going 80 though makes it non existant, like skipping over white washed roads off pavement.

Edit: my 2017 I traded for this truck had factory rear air Leveling suspension, the rear air does nothing for ride and that stuff was making noise every time I fueled like it was maxed out, pumping for couple minutes then it would let air out and stop, start again after couple minutes. Real air suspension does not have springs, this has been figured out in the semi truck world where they have bags on every axle and springs are only on pre-90's big trucks (and freightliners aka freightshakers) nowadays

[Cummins12V98]

Bilsteins and 30psi rear on a DRW is going to give you a reasonable ride.

What truck do you have? Also Factory rear air is nice!!!

[time2roll]

Could weigh the truck and use the tire weight chart to reduce pressure.

[Grit_dog]

MFL wrote:

way2roll wrote:
Not to hijack the OP's thread, but in the same line of thinking - should I adjust my tires on my SRW truck when not towing? 80PSi rides like a dream with the FW hooked up but bounces around quite a bit when empty.

I should have answered OPs question earlier, instead of off topic, but same answer here too. Yes, lower the psi when not towing. A DRW starts out with less when loaded, and can go lower than SRW, when unloaded due to 4 rear tires vrs 2. On my truck, F250, door sticker psi 75 front 80 rear, but when not towing I run 65 psi in rear. It makes a huge difference in ride quality.

My 250 actually has, was ordered with, 350 suspension.

Jerry

And you’re still way over the required pressures front and rear for driving empty.
Of course smaller tires will need more pressure for the same capacity as a larger tire, but using the typical HD diesel srw truck. They all are similar in weight.
Stock size tires (275-285 wide something or others), empty pressure Front, 50-60 psi depending on handling characteristics and traction you want . Rear, 35-40 psi.
Bigger tires, even less. 37-12.50s on our current diesel truck. Being it’s winter time AND I’m trying to correct the over pressure center tread wear from the previous owner, I’m at like 40 psi front, 30rear. It doesn’t drive squishy. Summer time I’ll put a little more in them to combat heat and friction due to the change in road conditions.

New half ton crew cab, I’m running 38/32 in 275-65-18 tires vs the 45psi all around that it come off the dealer lot with. Rides nicer, better wet road traction and will wear better than being over inflated for the load.

Anyone riding around with rock hard tires when they’re not needed should take the 5 minutes to air them down correctly. It’s like a free suspension and traction upgrade.

Different story if you’re hauling a lot of the time. I don’t change tire pressure daily. If I’m hauling the camper in the summer I’ll leave the rears aired up between trips. Unless I’m going on a on empty road trip and wish to keep my teeth and spleen in tact!

[Grit_dog]

$20 says the OP is a one and done poster...

[rhagfo]

ls1mike wrote:
I have a 17 3500HD, upgraded from an 02 2500HD. I can tell you right out the gate the 17 rode much nicer than the 02. I then put Bilstein's on the 2017 and it made it better.
Like someone said earlier I am not a truck so I don't daily drive it. I have a Caprice PPV or Trans Am that I drive, but the Bilstein's made it ride nicer than the Trans Am. So might be something you can look at if you are daily driving it.

I agree, went from a 2001 2500 to a 2016 3500 DRW, and the ride is smother.

[IdaD]

way2roll wrote:
Not to hijack the OP's thread, but in the same line of thinking - should I adjust my tires on my SRW truck when not towing? 80PSi rides like a dream with the FW hooked up but bounces around quite a bit when empty.

My door sticker says 60/80 but I drop the rears to 60 or a bit less when I'm not towing and it helps a lot. Whenever I'm towing I take the rears back up to around 80.