Community Forums

Highway 4x4 · 06-09-2015, 11:05 PM

I have my WH hitch all set up. Ram 2500 and 31 ft TT, 7K and 1K tongue, TT and TV level, bars have some tension on them and are level with the TT tongue. The problem is that on these washboard and rough Fwy's the truck is shook like a rag with me in it. I could add some more tension to the WD bars if that would make a difference. Just looking for a better ride somehow.

shiggs68 · 06-10-2015, 10:01 AM

Weight Distributing Hitches are not designed to control the ride but rather distribute the weight to make the truck and trailer ride level without placing too much weight on the hitch lowering the back of your truck.

With that said, I would investigate the trucks suspension. It may be bottomed out in which case, you will need air bags. There may also be something broken.

Hope this helps.

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justafordguy · 06-10-2015, 01:15 PM

Maybe better shocks, most of the OEM shocks are undersized for towing.

Highway 4x4 · 06-10-2015, 10:00 PM

The TV and TT are in perfect almost new condition. The bottom line question is: Does putting more tension on the WD bars affect the ride and in what ways? The highways in So Cal are just a mess and we are going to build a bullet train.

Air Lift Company · 06-11-2015, 06:47 AM

Let me know if you have any questions about adding bags to your setup!

lynnmor · 06-11-2015, 08:41 AM

I lightened up on chain link and it seemed to help. The more rigid the connection between the truck and trailer the more energy is transferred back and forth. That is just an idea, I didn't do same road testing.

RoadrunnerII · 06-12-2015, 05:37 AM

Similar issue here but with a Ford F150
Got on a stretch of I69 in Michigan and shook us pretty bad with the smaller trailer we sold
Swapped out the rear stock less then 6 month old shocks for a set of Bilsteins
Made a huge improvement.
Took the brand new stock shocks and could compress them with 1 hand
bilsteins took both hands and most of my weight to compress when not installed
Original equipment shocks are there for the ride with the stock springs
Add a weight distribution hitch and you added more spring so you need better shocks
Even with the new trailer which has a heavier tongue weight the bilsteins still control the ride much better.

Ymmv

1010 · 06-20-2015, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highway 4x4

The TV and TT are in perfect almost new condition. The bottom line question is: Does putting more tension on the WD bars affect the ride and in what ways? The highways in So Cal are just a mess and we are going to build a bullet train.

I installed air bags on our F250, the ride is much better, worth the cost. Air pressure is not always the same, depends on the weight you are carrying in your truck. Ca. highways are the worst, generally way worse south of Sacramento. Not the forum for the bullet train so I won't comment.

Dtwallace · 06-20-2015, 02:20 AM

Heavy duty shocks, less tension on the WD springs, and adjustable air spring helpers will do wonders for your situation.

All the above mentioned contributions to the problem are factors that play together, as the designed weight capacity of your system and the shocks matched to that capacity.

Adding more tension to your already leveled rig will only work against you, and your present set up.

Weight distribution within your trailer has a huge factor, but can't always be adjusted do to floor plan.

Take this one step at a time, replace your shocks first. You will see/feel the improvement, but that may not be enough.

If you need more control, then go for the air spring addition. Remember, it's very important, you don't want to shift more weight onto the front of your rig by increasing the WD tension.

Your goal is to set the rear load carrying area up to handle the amount of weight you would be carrying with a leveled out rig.

Hope that makes sense, good luck

DTW

Highway 4x4 · 06-22-2015, 10:21 AM

Thanks for the help on this. Even though the rear is coil springs on the 2500 it does not squat even with the almost 1000 pound TW. Sometimes a rough road is just rough. The question of more tension on the bars is the big one. Thanks.

ricndot · 06-27-2015, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highway 4x4

Thanks for the help on this. Even though the rear is coil springs on the 2500 it does not squat even with the almost 1000 pound TW. Sometimes a rough road is just rough. The question of more tension on the bars is the big one. Thanks.

If you've been across the scales and have the weight distribution pretty close to correct, I'd look at the oem shocks as the junk they are. My setup used to porpoise pretty bad over certain road conditions. A set of bils should help considerably. I'm running a bastard setup of kyb monomax fronts/rancho 9000's rear (on full stiff). Replacing the fronts had more profound effect than the rears. The reason for my setup is rancho does not make 9000's for the front of the 2wd and bils were backordered all around. It works pretty good though.

Carrier · 07-11-2015, 06:36 PM

I have Firestone bags and a Airlift 72000 wireless compressor on my F150. Tried the bags without the compressor and was a real pain in the butt trying to adjust to the right height. With the Airlift wireless if the road gets bumpy wife adjusts air pressure till it smooths out.
I would never be without either the wireless or wired version again.
Only issue is during winter and -20 or so the controller freezes up even with a water trap and brake line antifreeze in bags. So this winter I'm just taking them off and put back on in spring. Sounds like a hassle but less so than having one bag with 0 psi in it and the other at 80 psi and compressor running until I get it in a warm shop.
Many have bags and just adjust them with external compressor or bicycle pump and thats fine if it works for you but once you have the ability to adjust them from inside the cab you will never go back without having it.