Trip to FL and Chucking Experience

Joe and I made our first long trip with our Bighorn the end of Feb (to FL). We learned a great deal during this trip.

Our Bighorn has a pretty light pin weight so we purposely loaded up the front with water, etc. so that the Trail Air Tri Glide would work better. However, Joe also added more air to the little air bags.....

We experienced a great deal of chucking...he removed some of the air from the bags (with a bit of encouragement me from me) and there was definitely an improvement. (We noted this remedy/issue to some degree when we traveled in MI last fall...). However, when we hit some of the bridges the chucking at times was so severe Joe was concerned the trailer may break away from the hitch and I give him a great deal of credit for holding on to the steering wheel. This improved somewhat when he slowed down.

On the way back we removed some of the weight from the rear and transferred it to the front - about 40 lbs. I'd guess. Didn't add anymore like we did on our way out. Joe didn't make any further adjustment to the Trail Air air bags and the ride was just great even over very bumpy roads. That is until we hit some of the bridges - again there were a few that when we went over them it just took our breath away the chucking was so severe.

Problem was we were getting such a great ride, etc. that there was no forewarning when this would occur. Joe would be going around 70 or so and bam we'd go over one of those bridges.

Is there anything else that can be done? I've heard of people traveling to Alaska, etc. and just can't imagine doing this and having this experience.

Frankly, when we reached FL, I wondered why "anyone" would even own a fifth wheel considering our experiences.

Regards,
Theresa

Joe is now thinking that at least part of the problem is the Trail Air shock. We converted our Trail Air to the Trail Air Tri Glide and the shock is longer - he feels the shock is bottoming out. He plans to contact Lippert.

Theresau said:

Joe is now thinking that at least part of the problem is the Trail Air shock. We converted our Trail Air to the Trail Air Tri Glide and the shock is longer - he feels the shock is bottoming out. He plans to contact Lippert.

Click to expand...

Since you have a Tri-Glide, how often are you greasing the tri-glide ?? there are 9 fittings.

"This improved somewhat when he slowed down."

It's surprising how just 5 mph will change the ride. That said, 65 mph should be the safe speed limit while towing the Bighorn.

I have always used a standard. Pin box for the last 15 years. For 9 years with a GM 2500 and over 2000 lbs pi weight and it drove like a caddy with the trailer in tow. With the F250 and regulr spring the truck felt a bit unstabble but very smooth ride. I added spring plies and the ride has been harsher but very comfortble.
Your GM might have better springs then my Ford but still has to soft a ride thus the trailer driving it as I first experienced with the Ford. By having soft pin on the trailer and the truck adds to the problem. You need heavy springs on the truck to allow softning the trailer pin.

Theresa,

Definitely sounds like the TriGlide jaw is not doing its thing. When unhitched, don some heavy gloves and see if you can move the TriGlide plate forward and backwards with no too much difficulty. If you cannot or it seems really clunky or if it articulates up and down at the front and or/back, sounds like a failure.

I know what a failed TriGlide rides like

Jim

When we had our TriGlide installed in Goshen, the installer stated that the best way to properly inflate the unit was to have the lower plate level. He stated that the person in the factory who put the arrow decal on the shock, might have put in the wrong position.

His method:

On a level surface for the truck and trailer, connect the TriGlide to your hitch and lift your front trailer legs off the ground. The full pin weight should be on your hitch.

Inflate or deflate the TriGlide so that the lower plate is level with ground. If your hitch has a swivel head, the lower plate and hitch head will be level with the ground and the bed of your truck.

With proper inflation your unit can float horizontally without jarring.

For comparison, check to see where the inflation arrow decal is in relation to the bottom of the upper sleeve.


This method seems to work very well for us.

Problem is the travel changed once we converted the Trail Air to include the Tri Glide lower jaw. Joe is now feeling pretty certain we may have the wrong shock. We'll get ahold of Lippert and get back.

Typically he drove between 60 and 65.......

He's kept that up.

Theresa, Boca Shuffles makes an extremely valuable point. When hooked up with all the weight on the pin/hitch and not having the wheels chocked the lower plate on the tri glide needs to be as level as possible.
Did you & Joe install the lower jaw yourselves? After installing the lower jaw the whole trail air pin needs to be raised one hole in the pin box.

I had to further modify mine by re-drilling the mounting holes to lower the pin almost 3/4" more. Once I got the jaw plate level, my chucking all but disappeared. On a rough bridge crossing I might get a bit but much better than before. I know this sounds extreme but I'm glad I went through the trouble.

For what it's worth, we run about 3200# pin weight fully loaded. Don't forget, in addition to the 3 grease fittings on each side, there are 3 more on the cross shafts just above the lower plate. You have to look in from the rear to see them and grease them. Have fun with that...

If I remember right the grease fittings on the tri-glide are to be greased every 1000 miles.

Joe installed himself. He was aware of the possible need to raise the pin up by one hole since installing it. He is now considering that. The 3410RE has a listed pin weight of around 1,800# - one of the reasons we selected it. And we added a bike rack to the rear which added more weight in the rear.

He has greased all the fittings and has kept them up (he's a long time mechanic ).

He's still planning to discuss the shock absorber with Lippert.

Thanks for all your help.

We'll get back to you with whatever more we learn.

Theresa