trailer suspension and truck suspension Rx

[biker Wayne]

I know that a lot of you pull race car trailers or horse trailers. I pull a travel trailer that rides very rough. What kind of suspension addons have you added to trailers to improve the ride of the trailer? Any input on Mor-Ryde or Kelderman air suspensions? My trailer has been leveled and the truck rides level. I've got weight distributing bars that according to the hitch manufacturer are set correct. The trailer weighs about 9500 pounds and the gross trailer rating is 10,400. The trailer rides so rough that at times I can't drink out of a drink holder with the small hole in the lid! Its worse that an 18 wheeler!
Has anyone added the Mor-Ryde suspension to their truck? How much does it improve the empty and the loaded ride?
Thanks for any input.

[ 11-20-2002: Message edited by: biker Wayne ]</p>

[IndigoDually]

I had Mor-Ryde on a 33' motorhome and it rode well but I don't have any experience with it on a pick-up.

John

[CanadaKev]

Wayne,
Just for the fun of it, try towing your trailer without the equalizers on. I have a suspicion that you are putting to much weight back onto the trailer and not leaving enough weight on your hitch. If that is the case, then she will bounce like crazy.
Bumper pulls can be tough at the best of times.
If that doesn't help, air helper springs are relatively inexpensive and really take the roughness out. Try them on your truck first.
Kev

[biker Wayne]

CanadaKev,
I've tried with less weight on the WD bars and the more pressure the better the ride. I've just about maxed out on the bars. It would ride a lot worse with no bars. I've got over 1000 pounds of tongue weight. The springs sag almost 2 inches with the bars near max, so I don't think I'm putting too much weight back on the trailer. The trailer is 32 feet long and weighs about 9500 pounds rolling.
Thanks for the input.

[Kennedy]

I like the adjustability of Air Lift bags. They add stability and capacity, but can be dropped to low psi when not needed. I believe our trucks are sprung too LIGHTLY until they hit the solid leaf which then helps the springs firm up. I have one extra leaf, and the bags, and believe the ride is superb!

Mor-Ryde is a neat system, BUT very large, cumbersome and invasive. If I had a medium duty truck, I'd do it, but for pickups it's just too bulky IMHO.

A good set of Bilsteins is also a big plus!

[Paintdude]

Ah,,,Balance the tires on the trailer..No one ever does..Iam betting many of those trailer tires and wheels will take 7oz of weight or more..

It makes a BIG difference.....

[ 11-20-2002: Message edited by: Paintdude ]</p>

[wangotango]

We found it a tremendous advantage to having rubber torsion style axles on our double axle horse trailer. It is also a much smoother ride for your cargo.

This was our first trailer with that type of axle. Amazing difference that you can actually feel in the tow vehicle.

good luck

w/t

[Stage 1]

I am using triple 7,000 lb. Dexter sliper axles, along w/ Bilstein shocks on each axle. Using 16 inch Alco wheels w/ Michelin 235x85 XPS Ribs. Total trailer wieght w/ race car is about 12,000 lbs. It towes like it is almost not noticable and tracks great, even on high banked turnes that you have on fly-overs.
I think a lot of the suspension quality for a trailer has to be built into it. Spent a lot of time w/ manufacturer selecting a suspension for my needs. You may be able to do some improvements like adding shocks, or changing springs.
Is it a tag or 5 th wheel? My experience is that 5 th wheels pound you a lot harder then tag - just my opinion.

[Kennedy]

I believe the problem lies more in the balance of the trailer, AND the rear spring/shock rate of the truck.


Would I be correct to say it kind of "porpoises" or "milk trucks" in that it lowers then lifts the back of your truck?

When you say the trailer is level, how close to perfect is it? I like to have the front a bit higher. Also, is it torsion or leaf sprung?

[1822]

I have towed many trailers with leaf spring susp. and they all rode rough. Now have a 34 ft fifth with MoreRyde ind. suspension and the difference is unbelievabe. Nothing in the trailer moves after a days driving where before the interior of the trailer looked like a tossed salad. Anyone have experience with the Trailair airbag fifth wheel pinbox? Am consideraring getting one. Getting off LI and thru NYC area really takes its toll on the frame and suspenshion not to mention the mind.

[biker Wayne]

JK,
The truck and trailer does do some porposing, but not enough to be a problem. The real problem is the trailer bouncing the truck on rough roads like its an 18 wheeler of 2 decades ago. Its a tag trailer, not a 5th wheel. I sometimes haul my 900 pound Goldwing in the back of the truck (I've got a bike loader; email me if you want to know how to easily load your Harley) and that extra weight doesn't make any difference on the ride. The trailer is .25 inch high without the bike and just less than .5 inch low in the front with the bike loaded. Even with the bike, the truck is riding about level since I've got the 1200 pound WD bars cranked up. I've tried it with less pressure on the bars, but the ride is even worse.
The trailer has 26 in leaf springs on double axles and NO shock absorbers. The axles are Dexter and they say the normal travel of the leaf springs is 1.5 to 2.5 inches. No wonder the trailer rides so rough. Some people have put shocks on, but with only about 2 inches of travel, I don't thing shocks are going to help much. I really think the problem is the short springs, they are connected together, very short travel and no shocks. SERIOUSLY considering the Mor Ryde suspension that has 5.5 inches of normal travel with a shock on each wheel.
I was wondering what other guys have done with their race car trailers and horse trailers and if anyone had experience with Mor Ryde suspensions.

[Paintdude]

My trailer is a tandem endclosed Haulamrk with Dexter axles plus my father in law has one also, he pulls it with his Cummins-Dodge..He was complaining about the truck jumping at highway speeds (load shifting,etc), I recommended he balance the trailer tires and he hasnt complained since..Plus he hasn`t had anymore blow outs,that rip the fenders off...

At the Us nationals (in Indy this year)I talked to the Haulmark factory rep and asked him why they do not balance ANY of thier trailer tires..his reply was "We just don`t do it in the industry."

It fixed ours and we were thinking of installing shocks..

Good Luck..

[biker Wayne]

PaintDude,
Balancing the trailer tires may be a good idea, but it isn't causing my problem. On smooth roads the truck and trailer ride very smooth. Its only on rough roads that the ride is so bad. The ride varies with the smoothness of the road. If the trailer tires were out of balance, it would bounce on smooth roads as well as rough roads.
Thanks for the input.

P.S. Where are you at in Illinois?

[Kennedy]

I think you will be surprised at how much of a difference air bags make!

[Maverick]

Maybe go with an air ride reciever.

http://www.airridehitch.com/receiver.html

http://www.easyriderhitch.com/receiver.html

[Paintdude]

Wayne,between Decatur and Champaign,,Cisco Il..
Our trailers have torsion axles..

I had air bags on a few of my trucks, Firstone Ride Rite..A A-1 product IMO..

[FisHn2DMax]

Amen on the Firestone Adjustable Ride-Rite Air Bags! These Air bags make a huge ride and handling difference on my 03 CC Dmax with or without my 30' 5'er in tow. IMHO, it's one of the best truck accessory investments you can make for GM trucks, especially if your towing or hauling. The air bags give GM's rear springs the help they need, empty or full.

Good Luck!
:D

[FirstDiesel]

I'm not an expert here but I think your problem is those leaf springs. I had a 16' open tandem axle trailer with leaf springs and it bounced like crazy. I now have a 32' triple axle Haulmark that goes about 11k right now. Torsen axles and it's smooth as can be.

My choice would be to sell the trailer or change the axles.

[letsgo]

biker Wayne

[ The trailer has 26 in leaf springs on double axles and NO shock absorbers. ]

That triler has to be bouncing all over the place (and the wheels for that matter) and taking the truck with it.

The shock not only have to meet the load requirements but also the angle of installation, for example Airstream shocks are angled at aprox, 20* degrees.

Are your equalizer bars rated at 1000#Lb each???

good luck.

[IndigoDually]

After reading the rest of the posts, I would have to agree with adding shocks and balance the tires. It's relatively cheap and a very good start. As for comparing a empty lightweight leaf spring trailer to a larger heavier torsion trailer, there's no comparison. The trailer weight alone makes a difference.
The shocks and balanced tires will help the most. How much do You think the wheel travel up and down while driving down the road in Your truck? 1-2"? At the most. Try removing the shocks from Your truck and driving it, big difference. They dampen even the slightest vibration.
I would also weigh your trailer to make sure it's balanced and also get the exact tongue weight. You can alter the way that items (tools, leveling blocks of wood, etc.) to better balance the trailer from side to side along with altering the tongue weight. BTW, weigh it with the water tank as full as You usuaully travel along with it fully packed for a trip to get accurate weights.

Good Luck,
John

[Mark Heiken]

I agree with shocks and tire balance on trailer. Have seen tire balance make big improvement. No personal experiance with shocks but know guys who swear by them.

That said IMHO the first thing to do is put good shocks on rear of truck. I was ready to get rid of mine until I put some RS9000X Rancho on. Turn the dial up when trailering and have control and ride. Have used air bags on other rigs with good results also.

[Rebel_Horseman]

Here's my personal opinion. We don't use bumper pull trailers for anything other than flatbed equipment trailers simply for the reason that htey ride like crap. All of our horse trailers are goosenecks for ease of the horse adn it handles better (again my opinion only). As far as a remedy, I have none. A lot of triler manufacturers use air suspensions on their expensive tag alongs but I don't know what kind they use.

Reb [&gt;&lt;]

[sonofagun]

biker,

Add the airbags. They will be beneficial no matter what you do later. Balance the tires and get Monroe trailer shocks for your trailer (ordered to fit specifically. They will help and be a lot cheaper than a new suspension system. If they don't do the job go for the upgrade or a new trailer.

Good luck,
Bob

[biker Wayne]

No offense, but I think some of you guys are missing the point. Balancing the tires won't have any effect since the trailer rides fine on some roads. Playing with trailer tire air pressure to the point of improving the ride enough can result in dangeriously low air pressure in the tires. Adding air bags to the truck may improve the ride of the truck when trailer is in tow, but they are not going to benefit the trailers harsh ride and the trailer contents being bounced around. Plus long term harsh ride can result in frame weld cracks and interior component damage due to pounding. Adding shocks on the trailer might help, but only marginally. If the springs on the trailer, according to the axle and spring manufacturer, can only travel about 2 inches, shocks are also going to be only a marginal improvement. The cost of welding the new shock mounts plus the cost of the shocks is going to be 75% of a completely new suspension system that should be vastly improved over the springs and shocks. I am looking for info on either the Mor-Ryde suspension or air ride systems THAT WORK. Anyone get a new trailer with either Mor-Ryde or air suspension or add either to an existing trailer?

[1822]

I have a 34 ft Carriage LS fifth wheel that has factory installed More/Ryde ind. susp. The ride is so smooth nothing in the trailer moves. Check out Trailerlife.com, there is an article about retrofitting the more/ryde to a trailer with existing spring suspersion. It is a very simple conversion.