I just bought a 2007 Lance 1131 and put it in the back of my 1997 GMC K3500 crew cab dually. With just airbags, the truck drives better than I thought it would. I was worried the air pressure would raise it up off the overloads, but it didn't. The truck rides nice and firm, I expected it to be much more wallowy. It does, understandably, lean a bit in the corners. First question is tie downs, specifically the turnbuckles. I used 4 long body Happijacs to tie the camper to my Torklift frame mounted tie downs. According to the link below, I'm using 4 fronts and causing some excessive porpoising. The porpoising has been my main complaint thus far, and until now I had blamed on on the sheer length and mass of the camper. Are those front shocks that tie into the wiper cowl worth a ****? The guy at the Lance dealer had indicated that they like to snap off as soon as you leave the pavement. https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-tech/maintenance/ask-the-expert-maintaining-happijac-tie-downs-and-turnbuckles/Next question is shocks. I'm fairly torn among Bilstein 4600, Bilstein 5100 (with their "digressive" valving, whatever that is), and Rancho 9000. Adjustable shocks are great, but what's their usable range? Is their stiffest stiffer than the Bilsteins? Will they last half as long? I've not seen much good about the longevity of Rancho shocks. Last question is swaybars: do they make any difference with that ginormous of a camper sitting that high up? Is Hellwig the only game in town for my old dually? Should I add just the rear without upgrading the front? I understand the shift in balance it will cause empty to do just the rear, not concerned about that, but if upgrading the front helps I'm willing to do it. I mean I figure it has to have some say, the frame does tie it all together.

Porpoising is a front to rear balance issue. I'd take it to a scale and see where you are compared to the tire pressures, first.With a 97, I'd replace all of the bushings for suspension/bed with urethane. You don't mention the tire pressure, but that along with shocks can make a big difference. I had Rancho 9000s on my previous SRW, but I think the Bilstein 4600s on my current truck are better riding.I don't know who makes a sway bar for your truck, but others have noted that it makes a big difference. My F450 already has a very heavy suspension, so I didn't replace the sway bar on my truck, and it didn't seem my previous truck a SRW needed it either. They were both Fords, however.Finally, check the tightness of the tiedowns since that can make a difference. Don't overtighten, but make sure they are tight enough.

I am lead to believe the bilstein 4600 is the shock with correct full extended length for the given application, and the 5100 is 1" longer extended. but both have same valving.Many like the Rancho 9000's, but have problems with the adjuster seizing up.I tried them on the back of my new Ram and I felt they were worse loaded than factory shocks (truck was brand new). they sent a set of replacements but they were the same so they took them back and I have been happy with stock. If I later decide to change shocks (only 14000 miles on it now) I will go with Bilsten 4600.I did add a Big Wig sway bar to back of my Ram. I had sway bar before I bought my current camper so I can't tell you about the difference.I did find on my Ram that even though 65psi is correct pressure for my weight on rear tires, I raised that to 70 and he helped with the ride.you really need to put your truck with camper loaded on a scale to see what your weight is. are you using an air line for each air bag? if you have one line for both bags with a "T" in it, air will transfer from bag to bag as you go around a corner.

The truck itself isn't porpoising, the camper is on the bed. Rear bushings were replaced last year but with rubber. Tires are 65psi up front and about 72psi out back. Tie downs keep working loose somehow and it's really bugging me. That's what set me on the path to looking up how to maintain them and I noticed in that link above that I may just need to source the correct rubber/non-sprung rears to fix that issue. Below is a quote from that article:In place of the linear compression spring that is in the front turnbuckle, there are rubber bushings inside the rear turnbuckles. Having springs in all four turnbuckles promotes porpoising, a front to back rocking or hopping that happens when traveling at speed or on uneven and undulating highways.I am using a T in my airbags and my neighbor told me exactly what you're saying towpro. Since I don't have a controller for them, I may just open my wallet for a compressor setup that manages the bags individually. The bags themselves are brand new Airlift units. I'm glad to hear the swaybar makes a difference. Have either of you also swapped the front? I intend to swap my single upper overload spring for the triple setup that GM offered on the cab and chassis trucks (not the HD version) back then. It will allow me to be less bag dependent and not affect my empty ride. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my truck wasn't that far off of how I wanted it to drive the day I brought the thing home. Duallies kick ass.

Some movement of the TC is normal. You don't need a compressor to get rid of the T.If the turnbuckles are loosening, they probably are not tight enough.

What's the concensus on those front shocks that Lance offers? Seems like a great place to get some leverage on the camper body to control movement. There's just so much camper in front of and behind the 4 mounts I have now. . .

Some n00b Questions: tie downs, shocks, swaybars, etc.

Supercharged111
Explorer
Apr 28, 2018
Got some new tiedowns, the proper front and rear specific, and the camper seems to move around a lot less now.
Supercharged111
Explorer
Apr 07, 2018
Well camper season is right around the corner so I finally got off my ass and email Bilstein for an objective answer on their shocks. Here's the gist of it.

4600: stock height, which we all knew, digressive valving just like the 5100. Supposedly valved for the spring, which I find difficult to believe, since the same front is spec'd for the 1500/2500/3500 and they all use different rate torsion bars. The rears are the same 1500 and 2500 which, again, stupid because between the 2 you can have anywhere from 3-5 main leaves and there are at least 3 different overloads. At least the 3500 gets its own shock out back.

5100 (0-2"): valved for a cranked torsion bar, but again the logic here seems about as sound as in the case of the 4600.

5100 (4-6") again, valved for the preload in this instance, so I ASSume identical to the 0-2" shock just longer.

In the end what I gathered is that they are not identically valved, but they are very similarly valved, so 4600 it is for the dually. Problem solved.
Supercharged111
Explorer
Feb 04, 2018
What kind of structure should I build to set this on when I unload it? What sort of crosswinds should I stay off the road for?
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Feb 04, 2018
I had dually Firestone valve/gauges mounted on the floor of my truck beside the seat with inflation valve on it.
So I could inflate bags separately, could see the pressure each time I open the door and inflate the bags with shop compressor at home, or portable 12V compressor in emergency.
Those $15 12V compressors do have short life what makes them pumping less and less pressure, but if you use them for emergency only, they will do the job.
K_Mac
Explorer
Feb 04, 2018
towpro wrote:
Supercharged111 wrote:

I am using a T in my airbags and my neighbor told me exactly what you're saying towpro. Since I don't have a controller for them, I may just open my wallet for a compressor setup that manages the bags individually. The bags themselves are brand new Airlift units.

or just remove the T put in 2 scharder valves. I figure once you get the height you need, if they don't leak why do I need an expensive compressor?
Removing the T and putting in 2 schrader valves is the best IMHO. This was the only solution to 2 of my Harley Davidson shock problems short of replacing them.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Feb 03, 2018
Anything is better than Monroe shocks, even no shocks are better...lol....

Having said that, I run Skyjacker Mono Tubes. Not as good (or expensive) as Blowstiens but work just fine for me. I had Roncho's before the Skyjackers and I blew the seals on the rear set (both sides) in less than a year. A shock with no fluid is like a Monroe shock....lol

When my wallet gets fuller, I may mount a set of Blowsteins but until I get wealthy, Skyjackers it is for me.

Digressive, progressive or regressive, don't mean squat to me. If I won the lottery, I'd mount a set of Fox Remote can shocks.
Dave_Pete
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2018
Clicky

Don't have time to read that fully but was just looking at that too. You got me curious. Good luck. Will be following for your results and answers.
Supercharged111
Explorer
Feb 03, 2018
Unfortunately shocks are such a subjective topic it ends up being a crapshoot in the end. What I don't like about the 4600 is that they list the same part number for the front of a half ton with a small block as they do a 1 ton wih a big block or diesel. Since new shocks are better than old Monroes, anything is better than what I have now.
jimh406
Explorer III
Feb 03, 2018
Once upon a time, 4600s were supposedly the right Bilstein for a load. I don't know if that changes, but I do like my 4600s. There are plenty of shock threads at least in archive if you want other brand choices that aren't adjustable.
Dave_Pete
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2018
Ummm yeah! That's what I meant! ;)

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Some n00b Questions: tie downs, shocks, swaybars, etc.

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