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Old 09-28-2019, 09:39 AM   #1
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Shocks on a 5th wheel trailer

With the extreme angle that shocks are mounted on trailer axles, just how much do they actually help with the ride? On vehicles the shocks are mounted vertical so we all know they can compress and lengthen smoothly. However, I have never seen any on trailers in pictures mounted even close to vertical so I am wondering just how much the shocks can actually help with axles rebound when mounted at such an extreme angle to the actual axle movement. Please give me your thoughts on this as I am contemplating adding shocks to my trailer. Thx Rod
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Old 09-28-2019, 09:56 AM   #2
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The axle range of motion ; on dual axle trailers , with the center spring hanger;is different than that of a spring mounted single axle , where motion is straight up/down.
The shocks , factory installed on my last 5er, were approx 45 degrees to the front ; on the front axle and 45 degrees to the rear on the rear axle.
I hadn't given any thought to that configuration , until I saw your post ; and have seen it on other trailers ; but in 40k miles of towing that 5er , the shocks worked fine.
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Old 09-28-2019, 11:53 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip426 View Post
The axle range of motion ; on dual axle trailers , with the center spring hanger;is different than that of a spring mounted single axle , where motion is straight up/down.
The shocks , factory installed on my last 5er, were approx 45 degrees to the front ; on the front axle and 45 degrees to the rear on the rear axle.
I hadn't given any thought to that configuration , until I saw your post ; and have seen it on other trailers ; but in 40k miles of towing that 5er , the shocks worked fine.

45 degree mounting is still very extreme. I would hazard a guess the most the springs can change angle is hardly 15 degrees. So then it should follow to mount the shocks at that same angle to get maximum benefit from the shocks.
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Old 09-28-2019, 03:24 PM   #4
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I just installed some ComfortRide shocks last weekend. The angle on those is 30°.
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Old 09-28-2019, 05:25 PM   #5
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Our fifth came with 4 shocks.....big difference from our last trailer. Better ride and less tire wear. It also has the MorRyde shackle system to smooth out the ride.
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Old 09-28-2019, 05:55 PM   #6
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Check out this video showing shocks in motion. Looks like they’re doing some work, even at that angle:

https://www.etrailer.com/tv-review-r...s-rm-2460.aspx
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Old 09-28-2019, 05:56 PM   #7
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Shocks are designed to reduce the rebound bounce which is mostly for passenger comfort. They just seem like overkill for a trailer w/o passengers. (my opinion)
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Old 09-28-2019, 06:20 PM   #8
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Shocks are designed to reduce the rebound bounce which is mostly for passenger comfort. They just seem like overkill for a trailer w/o passengers. (my opinion)
Um, ever have your 5er launch slightly in the air over a highway expansion joint? That’s pretty uncomfortable to the tow vehicle occupants.

It launches from the stored energy in the leaf springs that happens under compression. The shocks help reduce the spring rebound, keeping things back there more under control.

People give glowing reviews after installing them. I plan to do the same before my next big trip in December. I’ll know if they were worth the money when I hit the I295 Richmond bypass in Virginia.
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Old 09-28-2019, 06:27 PM   #9
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Um, ever have your 5er launch slightly in the air over a highway expansion joint? That’s pretty uncomfortable to the tow vehicle occupants.

Can't say that has happened to me, but I do have a heavy fifth wheel, 16k and usually drive slower than 60 MPH. I will admit I have not tried shocks on a fifth wheel. I drove commercial truck for a few years and also never had shocks on those trailers.
Besides, shocks only help reduce the second bounce or the rebound effect, your launch situation would be a hard landing with or w/o shocks.
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Old 09-28-2019, 07:07 PM   #10
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Can't say that has happened to me, but I do have a heavy fifth wheel, 16k and usually drive slower than 60 MPH. I will admit I have not tried shocks on a fifth wheel. I drove commercial truck for a few years and also never had shocks on those trailers.
Besides, shocks only help reduce the second bounce or the rebound effect, your launch situation would be a hard landing with or w/o shocks.
Interesting you haven’t experienced it, especially driving commercial. All those tire marks at expansion joints are from semi-trailers coming back down after being slightly airborne. It’s incredibly common, especially as our road infrastructure deteriorates.

My 5er is just under 16k loaded, and it happens if I don’t intentionally slow down for expansion joints, looking for those telltale marks.

Rebound is rebound, shocks don’t dampen just the second oscillation. Expansion joints cause the trailer to compress and then launch because there isn’t a shock to slow down the spring action as it works to return to its at-rest position.
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Old 09-29-2019, 06:26 AM   #11
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wheb i replace mine ill be looking at specs to possibly get a set of bilsteins.
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Old 09-29-2019, 07:48 AM   #12
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wheb i replace mine ill be looking at specs to possibly get a set of bilsteins.
I am a big Bilstein fan, have them on my cars and tow vehicles. Would be curious what you find. The brackets for mounting look to be the most difficult part of the kit to source separately if you wanted to buy everything “a la carte.”
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Old 09-29-2019, 08:26 AM   #13
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Interesting you haven’t experienced it, especially driving commercial. All those tire marks at expansion joints are from semi-trailers coming back down after being slightly airborne. It’s incredibly common, especially as our road infrastructure deteriorates.

My 5er is just under 16k loaded, and it happens if I don’t intentionally slow down for expansion joints, looking for those telltale marks.

Rebound is rebound, shocks don’t dampen just the second oscillation. Expansion joints cause the trailer to compress and then launch because there isn’t a shock to slow down the spring action as it works to return to its at-rest position.

The black tire marks you see are the lifted axles where the non rotating tire are hitting the pavement. Just like a airplane landing when the non rotating tires hit the pavement and get smoked. When I see these tell tale tire marks, I will hit the brakes. I've seen empty lite trailer/dolly bounce off the pavement, but not a heavy trailer (that can't be good).
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Old 09-29-2019, 01:44 PM   #14
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The black tire marks you see are the lifted axles where the non rotating tire are hitting the pavement. Just like a airplane landing when the non rotating tires hit the pavement and get smoked. When I see these tell tale tire marks, I will hit the brakes. I've seen empty lite trailer/dolly bounce off the pavement, but not a heavy trailer (that can't be good).
Bingo, that’s the effect.

It’s a mix between single and dual wheel trailers, you can see four marks across many times, signifying a semi-trailer that “got air”.

But I don’t think they are getting lots of daylight between the road and tire, I assume it doesn’t take much gap to create the speed differential.

Anyway, it’s precisely that effect that I hope to minimize with shocks. In theory, they should do the trick, as they absorb the released spring energy that pitches the trailer skyward.
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