Shocker Hitch?

[WPRam]

I'm looking at buying a Tongue mount hitch. Anyone have info on a shocker Hitch.

[SmokeyWren]

A "shocker hitch" is a shank and ball mount, commonally called a ball mount, that includes a shock absorber of some sort. It is a weight-carrying (WC) hitch, not a weight-distributing (WD) hitch.

How much does your wet and loaded trailer weigh? If the GVWR of the trailer is more than 5,000 pounds, then forgetabout a shocker receiver hitch and go with a good WD hitch.

All the experts say any trailer that can gross more than 5,000 pounds requires either a weight-distribution (WD) or fifth wheel hitch. The WC shocker ball mount is okay for a trailer with GVWR less than 5,000 pounds, but I personally would not use one for any trailer that has a GVWR over around 3,000 pounds.

I don't see a way to use a shocker ball mount with a WD hitch. The ball mount part of a WD hitch, usually called the head, includes sockets where the spring bars attach, and some include wings where a friction sway bar would attach.

The shocker ball mount is a WC hitch that inserts in your receiver and is for trailers that gross less than 5,000 pounds. Granted, the Shocker manufacturer says you can tow a trailer that weighs up to 12,000 pounds, but that's sales hype. Don't even think about using a shocker ball mount for any trailer that can gross more than 5,000 pounds.

A good welder/fabricator might be able to figure out some way to combine a WD hitch with a shocker ball mount and still use the spring bars of the WD hitch. But Shocker doesn't offer one:
Shocker Hitch - Air Suspension Trailer Hitches

[WPRam]

Yes they do its called a Tongue Mount. You can use it with a (WD) Hitch

http://www.shockerhitch.com/

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by WPRam

I'm looking at buying a Tongue mount hitch. Anyone have info on a shocker Hitch.

Well, aint that thing interesting. It's pretty new. The company started in 2000 and after 3 yeas R&D came up with the air-ride shocker...American genius!

If I was towing a light trailer, especially behind a stiff sprung HD Pick-up - and WAS NOT using a WD hitch - then that would be pretty cool stuff.

But, your WPT28BR (with over 13,000lb GVWR) should really be on a WD hitch. If you haven't used one, it is really worth consideration.

And, using the tongue mount Shocker or any Shocker with a WD hitch will be wasted money, since the WD set-up ties every thing together - reducing any flex between the receiver/truck chassis and the trailer chassis. That's how a WD hitch works. See the FAQ on their website...does not work with WD hitch.

Best of luck

[WPRam]

I need to try something $600 is better than $1500.for air safe that all the weight goes on the hitch.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by WPRam

I need to try something $600 is better than $1500.for air safe that all the weight goes on the hitch.

With air bags on the tongue, it is still a weight carrying (WC) hitch. DO NOT even think about dragging a 13k trailer with a WC hitch.

A good WD hitch will distribute about 25% of the trailer tongue weight to the front axle of the truck and another 25% to the trailer axles, leaving only around 50% of the tongue weight on the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

If your TT has a GVWR of 13,000 pounds, I hope you have a receiver rated for that much gross trailer weight and the resulting 1,500 pounds or more of tongue weight. You can replace your weakling factory receiver with a Reese Titan receiver rated up to 17,000 pounds with a heavy duty receiver, and it sounds like that's what you need. Factory receivers are usually rated not more than 6,000 pounds with a WC hitch such as the Shocker, and 12,000 pounds with a WD hitch.

A Reese Strait-Line WD hitch rated for a TT weighing up to 15,000 pounds, and including excellent dual cam sway control, costs less than $550. Add another $100 to $125 for the adjustable shank and ball, and you're looking at around $650 to $675 for the full Nelson.
Strait-Line Weight Distribution w Sway Control - Trunnion Bar - 15,000 lbs GTW, 1,500 lbs TW RP66130

[WPRam]

My TH loaded with 1200 lb motorcycle and every thing for camping weighed 7220 lb 6000 axle and 1220 tongue at the scale.

[WPRam]

At the same scale I weighed my truck full of fuel me, DW and a small box in back weighed in at 7980, I went to smother scale to buy some limestones they weighed the truck first over a half a tank of fuel me and a small box in back and it weighed in at 7746 so that should be close.

[WPRam]

I received my shocker hitch today tongue mount, will try it out in 2 weeks.

[WPRam]

Put it on and works great not 70% maybe 40% going to try it without the WD Bars, just going to use the sway bar !
I caught a blowout yesterday on our way camping. I found out I have D rated and E rated tires !
I put 70 pounds in each tire, too much in the D rated So it blew very loud !!
Did not mess up the rim !

[BigBaron]

Learn somethin' new every day... Neat idea!

[Ray,IN]

I hope it works out for you. Out of curiosity, I wonder how much added weight is absorbed by the WD bars when the rig encounters a big bump.
It appears you now have 2, 2 5/16" trailer balls and receivers to maintain. Am I seeing that correctly?

[WPRam]

On the way back home I left the bars off and it worked fine you never feel any bumps from the camper just what the truck goes through.
I think I'll put the bars back on but put them on loose.