Need info from the Brain trust on this forum about trailer ride

[Chainsaw]

I now have a new 2011 3500 long box. Why is this importantant? Everything is different from the 2500 and my old Hi Jacker hitch (bought in 1989) We now have a 21k tilt Hijacker . The trailer when empty (we have not loaded for the long weekend yet) sits about half a bubble up on the front. I test drove on the high way and felt surjing. so I checked the air bag on the hitch had 100psi, I dropped it to 80psi.

My question is, is this normal pulling an empty 5er with a 3500, will it level out when loaded. The weight on the rear axel of the truck was 3345kg (7359lbs) that is with nothing in the truck, no fuel nothing in the trailer.

On the hitch I have one more hole to drop the hitch more, I am concered that when loaded it may be too much, so what does the brain trust think?
Don

 

[2psnapod2]

I am no brain by any sort, but my thinking is get it all loaded with EVERYTHING you need and then give it a try for the weekend. You will never know until you go!

 

[Rrloren]

Agree with 2 , also you may want to try lowering the pressure in the airbags. I don't know what your pin weight is but I only run 25 psi on my 2500 truck and my pin weight is a bit over 2000 lbs.
With a 3500 you may be able to lower the ride just by dropping the pressure.

 

[jmgratz]

When you say it is surging do you mean a jerking back and forth from front to back. If so we experienced the same thing until we replaced our Trail-Air pin box with the Mor-Ryde pin box. Problem solved. I think most people call it chucking.

 

[Ricoh]

Don it sounds like you don't have enough tongue weight on the truck. Load her up and see where it sits and you might have to drop it another set of holes to get the balance right. i know mine can be a little sensitive until I get the air balance right between the truck bags and the Trailair pin. The more tongue weight the better mine rolls.

Rick

 

[brianharrison]

I second Ricoh's (Rick) thoughts. I have played with Trailair air pressure, and truck airbags to get my balance right.

At 65 psi in my Trail air and 45 psi in my truck air bags, I get significant bounce and chucking (i attibute to changes in pin loading). I run about 3000 lbs pin weight loaded on my Landmark GC. Dropping to 55 psi in the pin and to 35 psi in my truck (aka lower truck), much smoother. When I run empty (not often) I have to adjust air pressures to smooth out the ride.

Brian

 

[Chainsaw]

Thanks guys, the trailer is in the driveway as I type this. Loading for the long er weekend. I will see how it pulls with a load on.

 

[jnbhobe]

Don; Rick and Brian are on the right track. I personally would drop the hitch down and level everything out with the air bags.I even cut 3/4in off the sides of my tri-glide so I could get another set of holes on the pin box. Get the weight on it then start adjusting. Have a good weekend, JON