Upgrade truck suspension

[Hardscrabble]

Hi all,

Just on the shakedown trip with the new rig, a NL 8-11 and a 2019 Chevy 3500HD Duramax. Over all I am happy with most of the handling, certainly the acceleration and pulling power is fine. We do have StableLoads (upper) installed. I am seeing that I don't like the "hobby horse" bouncing when we hit uneven pavement, expansion joints and the like. It seems in searching the many threads that even though the truck is brand new that the front shocks are most likely the issue, that replacing the front shocks with Rancho 9000s might be my best result. I just want to confirm my thoughts here. The truck sits about level.

Any thoughts?

Regards, Tom

[jimh406]

Seems like OP has left the building.

I don’t believe porpoising is insurmountable unless you continue to use the same approaches that didn’t work. There just aren’t that many parts.

[ardvark]

I think I may have said earlier on, handling with a truck camper is more a matter of trial and error so taking a dogmatic position about any one solution can be a mistake. And since the problem with our combo is not constant occurring only on relatively small sections of roadway, making adjustments here in N.E. Tennessee tells me virtually noting about how it will handle in other areas of the country. Quite a conundrum!

[noteven]

Four different campers on the older truck, current camper on both trucks - the only thing that consistently improved the ride from a “fore and aft” standpoint- overhead jiggle, vibration, hobby horse, porpoising and all the other names was hitching a trailer to the receiver hitch.

[JIMNLIN]

Pulling heavy GN trailers on a haulers website.....carrying a heavy truck camper on rv websites....pulling a heavy RV trailer on a rv website with any truck/trailer/truck camper combo shows any combo can/may have handling issues regardless of brands.

Having done all three with the same one ton DRW and SRW Ford/Dodge/GM trucks its very frustrating trying to find a solution(s) for that particular combo. What worked on one combo did nothing on another which is what we see on all those type websites where someone is looking for help.

Having a choice from eight different LDT's to carry a 10' 6" heavy truck camper between job sites we soon find the trucks wheel base has more to do with a easier ride/handling issues.....but we also found what worked on one may give another combo more issues.

[noteven]

Pickup truck front ends bounce in the air in the commercials on tv.

[Kayteg1]

Porpoisoning is also often problem on big motorhomes, who weight even 15 tons and from what I read, nobody can figure out the phenomena.
It is kind of mechanical resonance and resonance is hard to predict.
For example I have patio chairs, who on heavy wind and some clearance under foot will rock like crazy making whole house noise similar to earthquake.

[ardvark]

My 2012 F350 SRW LB is most often fine, but on some stretches, for example I35 coming out of Minnesota into Iowa and then on the Iowa stretch, it porpoises so badly you would swear the front end is going to lift off the ground.

I am within all the numbers in terms of weight and it made no difference whether it was our Hallmark popup or our Northstar Laredo. Ranchos help, Super Springs made no difference at all. Also had it happen on a very short stretch crossing into PA. from New York. When it happens, it is instantaneous. The previous owner opted for plow springs on the front end, which is ridulous overkill considering what we have in the bed and I wonder how much that comes into play.

Again, just another work in progress.

[Kayteg1]

When each vehicle always will have different driving characteristics, this thread makes me wonder if certain makes are more prone to troubles, than others.
I had my heavy campers on 3 different Fords, including picking up 4300 lb camper with F250, what was serious overload and none of the Fords had handling issues with factory suspension.

[jaycocreek]

I guess every truck camper combo has it's own personality.

I have owned between 12-15 different truck campers and I can say with surety,that statement is 100% true from my experiences..

[PhilR]

Interesting....I have an 8-11 on a 2019 Chevy 3500 Duramax with upper stableloads and did a 6,000 mile round trip from NY to MT last spring and did not experience that problem. I guess every truck camper combo has it's own personality.

[otrfun]

OP, have you tried removing the upper Stableloads to see if it reduces the "hobby horse" effect? I'd try this before purchasing new shocks for a new truck. Most folks seem to have good luck with the uppers, but some folks (including a friend of ours) did not. If the upper Stableloads are the culprit, you may want to try installing the Torklift lower Stableloads instead.

[ardvark]

jimh425 wrote:

ardvark wrote:
My guess, when it comes to truck campers, is there is no rule that does not have an exception and even the best rules are perhaps right no more than 80% of the time. Truck campers are just weird in my book. 🙂

Truck campers aren't weird. What a few people post as facts is weird.

Or possibly both? 🙂

[jimh406]

ardvark wrote:
My guess, when it comes to truck campers, is there is no rule that does not have an exception and even the best rules are perhaps right no more than 80% of the time. Truck campers are just weird in my book. 🙂

Truck campers aren't weird. What a few people post as facts is weird.

[ardvark]

My guess, when it comes to truck campers, is there is no rule that does not have an exception and even the best rules are perhaps right no more than 80% of the time. Truck campers are just weird in my book. 🙂

[Kayteg1]

ardvark wrote:
What works for some rigs just doesn't get it for others.

That's what I've been saying, although in different words.
But I think my Fleetwood camper belongs to extreme campers due to size and weight, yet standart F350 (with aluminium bed) handles it fine.
Only Host owners are in the sizing range and they seem to drive F550's, but with steel beds...
But coming to original question, unless Dodge has totally different characteristics from Ford, I don't think front shocks play big role.