Bounce...

[schrederman]

We have a nice setup. We just completed a 2900-mile trip and should be OK, but we're trashed...... I have very carefully set up our EAZ-Lift WDH according to the directions. The TT has a gross weight of 8500# and is probably close to that loaded, and we have the 1000# bars. The truck squats 1/2" more in the rear than in the front, and the trailer is perfectly level. I have no sway control at all but have not had even minor sway in cross winds and truck traffic. So..... the problem is that this set up is beating us to death on less-than-perfect roads. I towed a different TT for 4 years with this WDH and didn't have this problem. What am I missing?

[oldmanAZ]

So...
".. the the problem is that this set up is beating us to death on less-than-perfect roads." And the title (Bounce) suggests the truck and/or trailer are bouncing. Correct? If so, can you provide a few more details about the bouncing?

You say you used the same WDH, but have you towed with this truck before?

When I think of my experience with bouncing and my RVs, I recall I had issues with tires (too low a load range), shock absorbers (too old and worn out), and occasional harmonic episodes on specific roads at specific speeds.

[schrederman]

Truck is a Ram 2500 with LRE tires at 80psi rear and 70 psi front. I towed the other trailer for 2 years with this truck and WDH. It moved some but not like this. I know about the harmonics on some bridges and roads. This is just bone-jarring rough ride on anything other than smooth hiways. Even jointed concrete is causing our teeth to gnash... Minor roughness at joints between solid road and bridges were bad.

[Wrascal]

Again I'm not the expert, but maybe tire pressure all around?

[oldmanAZ]

So...
It seems the only thing that changed is the trailer you're towing and the WDH installation.

Was your previous trailer significantly smaller than your White Hawk?

If I had a similar problem, I would change something with the hitch or the trailer and try driving it again. Probably the easiest change would be to reduce the tongue weight by adding water to your tanks that are behind the trailer axles (or draining tanks ahead of the trailer axles).

When I delivered travel trailers, the harshest ride I experienced on a regular basis was empty toy haulers. It felt to me that those trailers had a high percentage of their empty weight on the tongue making for an unpleasant ride.

[bedrck46]

Might be a good idea to know the actual tongue weight There is a simple way to figure the weight using a bathroom scale

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Drop the Trucks' tire pressures. I tow at 8500# and run LRE LT tires and air the rears to 60 psi and the fronts at 55 psi. You could do 60/65 and probably be fine. At 45 psi, I definitely feel the "squish" of the tires when towing. Only did 1 short trip with the lower pressures. Truck rides much better with lower pressures. I run 1200# tongue weight so I still feel the roads.

[blderman]

Originally Posted by schrederman

Truck is a Ram 2500 with LRE tires at 80psi rear and 70 psi front. I towed the other trailer for 2 years with this truck and WDH. It moved some but not like this. I know about the harmonics on some bridges and roads. This is just bone-jarring rough ride on anything other than smooth hiways. Even jointed concrete is causing our teeth to gnash... Minor roughness at joints between solid road and bridges were bad.

It sounds to me like you have too much tension on your bars. I have the same truck as you and used a scale to weigh my trailer setup. When the bars were taking up too much weight the ride was very rough. My trailer weighs 7200lbs and my rear of the truck is about 1" lower than the front. If you are dead level with a heavier trailer I would say your bars are a bit too tight.




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[klpoppe]

I had the same issue with mine. Mine was set up where the trailer was perfectly level also. Ended up lowering the hitch a notch or 2 to make the front of the trailer slightly lower than level. Also moved some weight from rear storage to front. Also have my tire pressure a few pounds below max on sidewall and this made a difference for me.

[schrederman]

I'll be headed out for 4 nights next weekend for a large model glider contest. I'll ease off the bars by a chain link, and if that doesn't help, I'll drop 10 psi from the tires. I'll let you all know what works. It may require a combination of the two. Thanks for the replies and advise.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by schrederman

snip.....The TT has a gross weight of 8500# and is probably close to that loaded, and we have the 1000# bars......snip

Actually I believe a 2016 White Hawk 28DSBH has a GVWR of 7,500lbs.

With a loaded TT weight approaching 7,500lbs you may find that the 1,000lb bars may be a little on the light side (especially approaching 8,500lbs)...., which can influence unwanted TV/TT porpoising.

Assuming a 7,500lb loaded TT weight...., the ideal loaded tongue weight range on a 30ft TT would be 13% to 15% of 7,500lbs = 975lbs to 1,125lbs. This would suggest that a minimum 1,200b rated spring bar would be more desirable.

Also, a 1 1/2" to 2" rear TV squat is the norm even with a dialed-in WDH. TT should tow level or slightly nose down.

With my 2500HD TV 60 psi front and 70 psi in the rear works well with my suspension and 8.500lb TT (1,300lb tongue weight).

I would recommend a visit to the CAT scale to confirm your TV/TT weights..., the CAT results will also confirm proper WDH rating and adjustment.

CAT scale how-to: http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...v-tt-3871.html

Bob

[schrederman]

You're right... the gross weight is 7500. I am pretty sure that I don't have enough in it to put it over gross, but I am going to get new tires next week and I'm going to weigh it while I have it out of storage. Funny but I used the same method described for weighing the tongue to weigh my sailplane some years ago. It works well, but I don't have a good bathroom scale these days.

[schrederman]

OK, it's weighed and has a total weight RTC (ready to camp) at 7250. Tongue weight 990. I loosened off the bars by 1 link and it helped. I reduced the rear tire pressure by 10 psi and it helped a bit more. I got new load range D tires on the TT and it tows better but the ride's still harsh especially on rough roads.

So I'm questioning my hitch with the round bars. I've been thinking about upgrading to a Blue Ox with the spring-steel flat bars. Not sure that will help with my chipping teeth, but I'm open for suggestions. I'd hate to spend $600- only to find out that it's no better than what I had. Real world experience, anyone?

[blderman]

Originally Posted by schrederman

OK, it's weighed and has a total weight RTC (ready to camp) at 7250. Tongue weight 990. I loosened off the bars by 1 link and it helped. I reduced the rear tire pressure by 10 psi and it helped a bit more. I got new load range D tires on the TT and it tows better but the ride's still harsh especially on rough roads.

So I'm questioning my hitch with the round bars. I've been thinking about upgrading to a Blue Ox with the spring-steel flat bars. Not sure that will help with my chipping teeth, but I'm open for suggestions. I'd hate to spend $600- only to find out that it's no better than what I had. Real world experience, anyone?

Hold on, you put Range D tires on a 3/4 ton truck? I am sure others will disagree but that is not safe in my opinion. The load range for those is going to be significantly less than what your truck is rated to carry.

In regards to the bars, I have not seen a difference between round and flat. Can you post a picture of your trailer hooked up to your truck?




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[oldmanAZ]

Load range D on the TT.

[schrederman]

Um.... The truck tires haven't changed. Went from LRC to LRD on the trailer. Here's a shot of the truck and trailer hooked up the way it was on our trip, which rode pretty rough.

[Marcm157]

I had a very similar problem with my setup. I solved it almost 100% by upgrading my equalizer 4 point WDH from the 10k with 1,000 pound bars to the 12k / 2,000 pound bar version and swapped my tires out to load range E Maxxis. My up and down bounce is all but gone now. I still have some but it is so dramatically different we barely notice it.

Unfortunately, with the Equalizer hitch the bars are not interchangeable but I had already owned the 10k version from a previous trailer so buying the new one didn't hurt that bad.

[Camper_bob]

A hint: Your coupler on the trailer is "underslung" (mounted to the bottom of the A-frame). Round bar systems are not the best for underslung couplers. If you were to upgrade to a trunion style hitch with integrated sway control (like the Equal-i-zer, Blue Ox, Reese SC, etc,) you would likely have a better experience IMO.

I think with the weights you listed, I would go with the 1200 lb model? Contact tech support at Progressive Manufacturing (Equal-i-zer) or Blue Ox and give them your specs. With Blue Ox, there is a difference between the hitch heads for underslung vs top-mounted couplers (the angle of the spring bar sockets is different), so that information is important when you call them.

That was one of the problems I experienced with my FastWay E2. I have a 28BHBE and it's coupler is underslung. It is a round bar hitch, and I could never get the bars just right. It was also underrated for my load, so that didn't help. I recently upgraded to the Blue Ox SwayPro, and I'm happy with it. It's extremely easy to install and use, and does exactly what I ask of it. I won't say our ride smoothed out significantly, It wasn't really that bad to begin with in that department, but it was certainly a worthwhile investment in my case.

[blderman]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Load range D on the TT.

Oh, gotcha.



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[schrederman]

OK! I've been floating around the RV stuff for 6 years but in no way am I an expert... and I learn from you all just about every time I log on! So I'm one of them under-slung guys... Whodathunkit? Thanks for the replies!