Serious Chucking from 5th Wheel
- Thread starter jwalker1
- Start date
jwalker1
Active Member
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
I stand corrected driver311 (it is chucking). I didn't even have anything in the trailer (just some fold up charis and a couple of small kitchen items. We just picked it up yesterday......For the most part once we were up to normal speed (around 60 mph) it was okay. Just when we hit some bumps in the road.
I stand corrected driver311 (it is chucking). I didn't even have anything in the trailer (just some fold up charis and a couple of small kitchen items. We just picked it up yesterday......For the most part once we were up to normal speed (around 60 mph) it was okay. Just when we hit some bumps in the road.
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
The CEO/Navigator and I have the same complaint and it has been discussed numerous times on this forum. When we are on a smooth road the rig rides and pulls great. But when the road is a little rough and when you come to seams at bridges and the like the ride is horrible. I don't think it is the fault of the fifth wheel or the truck, it is just the way things are. If I knew then what I know now I would have opted for a better hitch and better equipment on the pin box. However, I am still not certain just what that hitch and pin box equipment would have been.
The CEO/Navigator and I have the same complaint and it has been discussed numerous times on this forum. When we are on a smooth road the rig rides and pulls great. But when the road is a little rough and when you come to seams at bridges and the like the ride is horrible. I don't think it is the fault of the fifth wheel or the truck, it is just the way things are. If I knew then what I know now I would have opted for a better hitch and better equipment on the pin box. However, I am still not certain just what that hitch and pin box equipment would have been.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
Chucking is pretty much something everyone pulling a fifth wheel has to deal with unless you want to spend some more hard earned cash. There are several options available to you. Some but maybe not all are as follows. Trail Air with the Tri Glide jaw. Mor-Ryde pin box. Demco tri glide. 5th Airborne pin box. I currently have the Trail air/tri glide. It provides vertical cushion via an air bag suspension and front to back is absorbed by a gliding jaw. It uses the same principal as a rocker glider. When there is weight on the pin, it self centers the jaw and when you crosss expansion joints or bridges it really helps a lot. That said, if I were to have to start from scratch, I think I might try the Mor-ryde pin box. I think for the money it reduces chucking as well as anything out there. BUT I don't think it provides as much vertical cushion which helps absorb a lot of road bumps. The Trail Air has that and really reduces shock to the rig and the truck.
Chucking is pretty much something everyone pulling a fifth wheel has to deal with unless you want to spend some more hard earned cash. There are several options available to you. Some but maybe not all are as follows. Trail Air with the Tri Glide jaw. Mor-Ryde pin box. Demco tri glide. 5th Airborne pin box. I currently have the Trail air/tri glide. It provides vertical cushion via an air bag suspension and front to back is absorbed by a gliding jaw. It uses the same principal as a rocker glider. When there is weight on the pin, it self centers the jaw and when you crosss expansion joints or bridges it really helps a lot. That said, if I were to have to start from scratch, I think I might try the Mor-ryde pin box. I think for the money it reduces chucking as well as anything out there. BUT I don't think it provides as much vertical cushion which helps absorb a lot of road bumps. The Trail Air has that and really reduces shock to the rig and the truck.
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RollingHome
Well-known member
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
Joe, I have a 3670BH with a trailair hitch. I experienced chucking when I pulled, especially the wonderful washboard cement hi-ways up north (we don't know how to make a smooth road). I Just put a Hensley TS3 hitch in and converted to a fixed Lippert 1621HD pin box. I'll let ya know after I try it. Hensley claims the TS3 will address chucking problems, we'll see. Check them out on the web and maybe call and speak with Aaron. Tom
Joe, I have a 3670BH with a trailair hitch. I experienced chucking when I pulled, especially the wonderful washboard cement hi-ways up north (we don't know how to make a smooth road). I Just put a Hensley TS3 hitch in and converted to a fixed Lippert 1621HD pin box. I'll let ya know after I try it. Hensley claims the TS3 will address chucking problems, we'll see. Check them out on the web and maybe call and speak with Aaron. Tom
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
Ray is right on.
Air on the TV, Air on the Pin, and I would put CP on the Equalizers.
We have that and almost no Chucking. Really makes a rough road much easier on you and the coach.
They will all help but if you really want to minimize it, then you will need all three. And if you want to get the Cadillac ride then the TV hitch will have to be air as well.
Only takes Money and a bit of time.
Ray is right on.
Air on the TV, Air on the Pin, and I would put CP on the Equalizers.
We have that and almost no Chucking. Really makes a rough road much easier on you and the coach.
They will all help but if you really want to minimize it, then you will need all three. And if you want to get the Cadillac ride then the TV hitch will have to be air as well.
Only takes Money and a bit of time.
caissiel
Senior Member
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
I bought a 2005 Ford F250 with 2 extra ply on the rear springs.
I though it was great that I had lots of suspension on the truck to carry the trailer hitch weight, but the ride was awfull compared to the previous 3/4 ton GM I was using before.
I took the previous trailer North on a 2000 mile trip and the drive was awfull, it was a break neck chucking. Sure enough I noticed the 5th wheel pin box got loose and I had to repair the trailer frame to get back home.
When we bought this unit I realized that the weight on the truck was equal to the other trailer and again the truck was like a bucking horse. Well I removed the additional long ply and left the short additional spring ply and took the unit for a 200 mile ride. The truck rode like a Caddy but was to loose that it was not stable enough that the trailer swayed more then I wanted. Then I removed the short ply and added the long ply next to the main ply and that is the way I have it setup now. It is stable with the trailer on and rides with great comfort loaded. Its a bit rougher when empty but very bareble.
Chucking can also happen when airbags are used with enough pressure that the rear housing is moving due to loose springs. I prefer having the springs loaded right rather then leveling the truck. Towing a heavy trailer is like drag racing but instead being on a 1/4 mile track our track is endless. Racers install track bares to allow the rearend to stay straight, well we need the tight springs to prevent chucking of the rearend.
My previous 1/2 ton GM was a chucker, while the Ranger 1/4 ton with additional spring plies was riding like a Caddy with the same trailer.
I bought a 2005 Ford F250 with 2 extra ply on the rear springs.
I though it was great that I had lots of suspension on the truck to carry the trailer hitch weight, but the ride was awfull compared to the previous 3/4 ton GM I was using before.
I took the previous trailer North on a 2000 mile trip and the drive was awfull, it was a break neck chucking. Sure enough I noticed the 5th wheel pin box got loose and I had to repair the trailer frame to get back home.
When we bought this unit I realized that the weight on the truck was equal to the other trailer and again the truck was like a bucking horse. Well I removed the additional long ply and left the short additional spring ply and took the unit for a 200 mile ride. The truck rode like a Caddy but was to loose that it was not stable enough that the trailer swayed more then I wanted. Then I removed the short ply and added the long ply next to the main ply and that is the way I have it setup now. It is stable with the trailer on and rides with great comfort loaded. Its a bit rougher when empty but very bareble.
Chucking can also happen when airbags are used with enough pressure that the rear housing is moving due to loose springs. I prefer having the springs loaded right rather then leveling the truck. Towing a heavy trailer is like drag racing but instead being on a 1/4 mile track our track is endless. Racers install track bares to allow the rearend to stay straight, well we need the tight springs to prevent chucking of the rearend.
My previous 1/2 ton GM was a chucker, while the Ranger 1/4 ton with additional spring plies was riding like a Caddy with the same trailer.
RollingHome
Well-known member
Re: Serious Chocking from 5th Wheel
Joe, then you know what I'm talking about. I was in Texas and drove from Austin to College Station on a concrete hiway that had NO expansion strips, all I can say is Wow ! Those guys in Texas sure know how to build a road. In fact, a crew from Texas came to PA a few years back and replaced the road surface near me (Rt 896). They did several miles a day, it was totally impressive, would have taken ours guys months, they did it in weeks... put our crews to shame, did a nice job too, only worked at night. Something is wrong with the way we do things... betcha money has something to do with it
I laugh when I hear whiners from other states complain about their roads, one trip through PA quiets em right down... Talk about chucking and bouncing... Tom
Joe, then you know what I'm talking about. I was in Texas and drove from Austin to College Station on a concrete hiway that had NO expansion strips, all I can say is Wow ! Those guys in Texas sure know how to build a road. In fact, a crew from Texas came to PA a few years back and replaced the road surface near me (Rt 896). They did several miles a day, it was totally impressive, would have taken ours guys months, they did it in weeks... put our crews to shame, did a nice job too, only worked at night. Something is wrong with the way we do things... betcha money has something to do with it
I laugh when I hear whiners from other states complain about their roads, one trip through PA quiets em right down... Talk about chucking and bouncing... Tom
beasleyrl
Well-known member
Joe - I have a Cyclone 3912. For the last 2 years, I have not had much weight in the garage. Dog cages, bikes, etc but nothing to amount to anything significant. I recently bought a golf cart which added significantly more weight to the garage. It has made a HUGE difference in the ride. I think the key here is that the Cyclones are very front heavy to balance the expected weight in the back. When I had mine weighed last time with little water in the tank, it had a pin weight of over 3500 pounds! By putting weight in the back, it has changed that load and the truck feels totally different. I will also say that a few months before I bought the golf cart, I put Firestone air bags for the truck. That helped too. And, I already had a Hensley TrailerSaver air hitch. Good luck!
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