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06-18-2018, 03:01 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 10
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Trailer "bouncy" on rough roads.
Our first trip out was Saturday with our new Salem 27 REI trailer, I am towing with a Nissan Titan. On smooth asphalt roads it rides quite well,no bounce,no sway,. On Pennsylvania's wonderful well worn roads like I-80. At speeds between 60-65 you can see and feel the trailer going up and down "bouncing" I would slow until it stopped.
Is there a solution? Add leaves to the springs? Air bags? Stay out of Pa?? It was worst on older worn concrete roads. On newer asphalt it was smooth as glass!
Ideas? Suggestions? No I'm not buying a different truck or trailer.
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06-18-2018, 03:17 PM
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#2
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,142
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I've been towing trailers of all sorts for 40 years.
Some trailer/tow vehicle combinations are worse than others for porpoising.
Different make hitches and some air ride options often help alleviate these issues.
I've also lived in PA most of my life and I can tell you it is the worst! There are some roads where this phenomenon cannot be cured. I-80 is one of the worst in spots and some of our famous concrete roads have the expansion joints at just the right place to cause issues. Slow down and enjoy the 'ride!'
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2024 Ford F-Series SCREW•7.3L•4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=90
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06-18-2018, 03:49 PM
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#3
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Who Dares, Wins
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 7,063
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Adding airlift springs to my 1500 helped with the expansion joints. How is your weights and how are you loaded up?
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Pat, Jen, Heather & Sapphire, the head mouser.
2015 Chevy HD D-Max
2022 Impression 315MB
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06-18-2018, 03:58 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 1,162
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger454
Our first trip out was Saturday with our new Salem 27 REI trailer, I am towing with a Nissan Titan. On smooth asphalt roads it rides quite well,no bounce,no sway,. On Pennsylvania's wonderful well worn roads like I-80. At speeds between 60-65 you can see and feel the trailer going up and down "bouncing" I would slow until it stopped.
Is there a solution? Add leaves to the springs? Air bags? Stay out of Pa?? It was worst on older worn concrete roads. On newer asphalt it was smooth as glass!
Ideas? Suggestions? No I'm not buying a different truck or trailer.
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I had adjustable Rancho shocks on the rear of our '02 1500 that we had previously. When towing or hauling I had them dialed all the way up and they really helped.
__________________
2007 Rockwood 2701SS
2017 Ram 2500 Granite Crystal SAP Laramie 6.7L
2014 Triumph Bonneville. NH Togas, tuned
1953 GMC 9314
1982 GoldWing Interstate
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06-18-2018, 03:58 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 5,725
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What is your weight distribution hitch setup?
I often tow with a WDH hitch that uses chains. I sometimes get lazy and pull up to 2 chain loops. When I get on those bouncy hiways, I will stop and redo to 3 chain loops, effectively tightening the trailer to the hitch by putting more weight onto the front end. Doing this helps the bouncies... but does not eliminate them. The SOLUTION is to slow down, OR add air bags.
__________________
"nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle."
Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell pg. 2, June 11, 1807
2014 Shamrock 183
2014 RAM 1500 Bighorn Crew Cab, HEMI, 3.21 gears, 8 Spd, 4X4 TST TPMS
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06-18-2018, 04:51 PM
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#6
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Kasual Kamper
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Fairfield County CT
Posts: 1,297
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Yeah, you never said whether you were even using a WDH at all. If not, that's your problem.
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Current: 2013 Flagstaff MicroLite 21DS
Past: 2000 Fleetwood Mallard 19N
TV: 2013 Nissan Pathfinder SL 4x4
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06-18-2018, 05:03 PM
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#7
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Sham183
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 626
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WDH? If so what bar weight do you have? Are you level with your set up? Weight of TT and tongue weight? What are your weights in general are you possibly close or over on payload or capacity? How old is the truck is it a possible suspension issue? Just a few things to know before any real help can be given. We can guess and have you all over the place but if you get us some more information we can all hopefully help you out.
Tim
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06-18-2018, 05:06 PM
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#8
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Sham183
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 626
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger454
Ideas? Suggestions? No I'm not buying a different truck or trailer.
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LOL smart to include this! [emoji106]
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06-18-2018, 07:24 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Suffolk, Va.
Posts: 1,413
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Sometimes at certain speeds the rhythm of the road makes for a real bouncy ride. Change speeds is about all you can do. Moving trailer weight to the tongue would help if you can move anything but speed changes is the real solution.
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Michael & Fran Dilday (Baxter & Honey 2 Labs)
'18 Cedar Creek Champagne 38EL - '17 Ford F350 Lariat DRW w/Reese hitch - TST 507 Color TPMS - Garmin RV 770 LMT GPS
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06-18-2018, 08:29 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,002
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Too much trailer for that truck unless it's the new style Titan. Tongue weight will be north of 1100 lbs and dry weight around 9,000 lbs. Way too much for MOST 1/2 tons. You've got 9,000 lbs yanking 6,000 lbs.
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06-18-2018, 08:44 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 10
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It's a 2017 Titan,with factory towing package,, using a WDH that uses the bars that you have to pry on and off with a bar. Dry weight is 8100, truck rated for 9300.
The truck sits close to level when hooked up.
The dealer set up the hitch (new) in his shop at delivery
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06-18-2018, 09:03 PM
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#12
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Sham183
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 626
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger454
The dealer set up the hitch (new) in his shop at delivery
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This may be your first issue right there. Dealers almost always set the hitch up incorrectly.
Also what brand WDH? And what are the bars rated for? What is the total combined weight rating of the truck? My guess is you are over weight for your truck or you have the hitch set up wrong.
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06-18-2018, 11:42 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger454
It's a 2017 Titan,with factory towing package,, using a WDH that uses the bars that you have to pry on and off with a bar. Dry weight is 8100, truck rated for 9300.
The truck sits close to level when hooked up.
The dealer set up the hitch (new) in his shop at delivery
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Cool on the truck.
1st thing to do is read what your manual says on how to setup the truck for towing. Each MFG is a little different.
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06-19-2018, 05:08 AM
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#14
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Who Dares, Wins
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 7,063
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger454
It's a 2017 Titan,with factory towing package,, using a WDH that uses the bars that you have to pry on and off with a bar. Dry weight is 8100, truck rated for 9300.
The truck sits close to level when hooked up.
The dealer set up the hitch (new) in his shop at delivery
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The truck is probably at or over its capacity. Dry weights are never what they trailers weight.
Check the wd setup but if it is sitting where it should then you might need to see above or just slow down as suggested to minimize the bounce.
__________________
Pat, Jen, Heather & Sapphire, the head mouser.
2015 Chevy HD D-Max
2022 Impression 315MB
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06-19-2018, 06:40 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: indiana
Posts: 688
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Agree with doc73. You are probably overloaded. Dry weight is a mythical number based on the average weight of empty trailers. Add...battery, full propane tanks, wdh, all the gear you take with you,the majority of which is in front of the axles. Easily overloaded.
Check the bars on the wdh. They should have a number stamped on them, such as 800, 1000, 1200.
You need 1200 lb bars. Your tongue weight will be over 1000 lbs loaded.
Air bags may help firm up the rear suspension.
Get back with us on the bar numbers.
__________________
Jim and Deb
Many times..asst grandkids
2015 Shamrock 23ikss
2013 Ram 1500
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06-19-2018, 01:02 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 54
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I have a 1500 and a 2500 truck. Most every concrete highway I have been on has buckles or high spots and will be much rougher than asphat whether pulling a trailer or not.
__________________
2016 Ram 2500HD 6.4L Crew Cab 4X4
2022 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8324SB
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06-19-2018, 01:02 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,055
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5picker
I've also lived in PA most of my life and I can tell you it is the worst!
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Warning - minor thread hijack and rant...
Come drive in Michigan. The stretch of I-75 from Toledo up to the Michigan "Welcome Center" will really get your attention...
End of rant...
Now back to answering the OP's question...
__________________
Al
I am starting to think, that I will never be old enough--------to know better.
Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, Russian Novelist
S.E. Mich. Flagstaff 26FKWS / 2022 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost SCrew Propride
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06-19-2018, 01:23 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 56
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I have a half ton Ram 1500, and pull a similar sized load. I do porpoise from time to time due to expansion joints in the roads. The worst was near New Orleans. The motorcycle fell over in the toy hauler, first and only time that ever happened due to the horrible road conditions, and I have been towing / chocking / tying down … for years.
However, my WDH was also set up by the dealer, and I later adjusted the WDH bars to provide more lift to the truck. I also added air bags to the rear springs, both helped to stabilize the ride and lessen the porpoise effect when it does occur.
I am not familiar with the characteristics of the Titan, but my Ram has a very soft rear to provide a nice ride. If your Titan is similar, you may need to stiffen things up back there.
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06-19-2018, 02:08 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 94
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We had a similar problem with our truck & trailer.
Our Tow Vehicle is a Silverado 1500 with trailer package, we tow a Cherokee 27vfk.
The first thing we did was install air bags. The ride over rough roads was much improved, but the porpoising was still a problem on really rough roads. My husband had a chat with the Lippert folks at last year’s rally. They suggested we install their equi-flex rubberized equalizer. You can read about them on Lippert’s website. My husband is handy & was able to install the equi-flex with no problems.. (As he worked on the new equipment, he also discovered several bolts on the existing wheel assembly & undercarriage were damaged. One phone call to Forest River & the replacement parts were over nighted to us)
Installing the equi-flexmade a huge difference! There will always be a road that you arebounced around on if you go too fast, but our comfort level is much improved with those two modifications.
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06-19-2018, 02:30 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,202
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5picker
Slow down and enjoy the 'ride!'
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x2
Sometimes the roads just defeat you.
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2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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