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Old 09-06-2020, 08:31 AM   #1
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Rough ride while towing-sometimes

So I upgraded from my F150 with the 3.5EB and tow package to a 2016 F350 6.7. Our TT is a XLR 29HFS toyhauler.
On our trip from VA to SD, it was a really smooth ride, for the most part.
but on sections of interstate in Iowa and SD, it was an extremely rough ride. Not bouncy, but harsh jarring hits on the expansion joints. Honestly, I would have preferred a little bounce to what we had. On other parts of the trip is was smooth sailing.
I used my same WD hitch that I had with the F150 and set it up per the manual. It's a Husky Centerline TS.
I ended up taking most of the tension out of the bars, using them mostly for sway only, but it was still a rough ride.
To be honest, the truck rides kinda rough when it's empty too, but not this bad.
What should I be doing to reduce these jarring hits?
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Old 09-06-2020, 09:02 AM   #2
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Talk those states into repaving......
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Old 09-06-2020, 09:36 AM   #3
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Let some air out of the tires on the truck. It will never ride like an F150 though.
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Old 09-06-2020, 09:45 AM   #4
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The F350 will never be as smooth as the F150. The F150 suspension is tuned to around town grocery getter of mulch hauler service.

To get a smoother ride in the F350m you can look at getting the Kelderman air ride rear suspension.....no cheap, but it works.
https://kelderman.com/shop/?vehicle_...hicle_model=35

Next is some stated just plain out have sorry roads.

Ken
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Old 09-06-2020, 09:45 AM   #5
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The F350 will always be a rougher ride than an F150. F150s have a more car like suspension as the typical owner target market cares more about comfort than hauling/towing. The vast majority of half ton owners use them as large family SUV grocery getters.

What percentage of tongue weight do you have, too light can increase bouncing and chucking, as well as sway.

If your trailer is chucking/pounding on the hitch on bad roads your going to feel it more. You can try a shock absorbing ball or receiver... I've never used one so can't speak to how well they work, some examples:

https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=...tch&furl=-vw-1

https://shockerhitch.com/

Putting shocks on the trailer may help too.

Another, albeit more expensive option is to put lighter spring packs on the back of the F350 and then use air springs to cary the weight... At one extream there is a company that makes a complete air ride suspension that gets rid of the leaf springs completely.

In the end there is only so much you can do about crappy roads.
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Old 09-06-2020, 10:01 AM   #6
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I would describe my towing experience as 98% smooth and 2% rough. I believe it has to do with the wheelbase between the rear axles of the truck and the axles of the trailer in relation to the joints in the highway. Not sure you can do anything about that IMHO.
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Old 09-06-2020, 10:16 AM   #7
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It might very well have been the roads. I tried to stay in the right lane as much as I could, and I realize that is usually the rougher lane.
It would ease up when I moved left, but I was going about 73-74MPH and would hold up traffic if I stayed there. I'm not one of those drivers.
I wondered about taking some air out of the tires. Maybe I'll try 5lbs and see what happens.
Thanks
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Old 09-06-2020, 10:43 AM   #8
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Reducing air by 5 pounds will probably help some. It is worth the try if you have spare capacity in them. Any tire chart would tell you if you can afford to reduce psi by 5 pounds. If you can, then yes, I would try it.
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Old 09-06-2020, 10:50 AM   #9
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Adjust tire pressures, and add weight to the tongue as much as possible.
Even my 1/2 ton does better on those type of roads with more tongue weight.
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Old 09-06-2020, 10:57 AM   #10
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I would start with adjusting tire pressure, but go get individual wheel weights so that you can do it safely. There are plenty of resources that explain the process better than I can.
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Old 09-06-2020, 02:54 PM   #11
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You are referring to the bridges on I-90 om SD. Every bridge approach is a harsh wham! same leaving the bridge. The bridges just sit about an inch higher than the road way.

Want a smooth ride? I-29 north of KC, great road.

Charles
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Old 09-07-2020, 04:14 AM   #12
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I just read replacing the factory shocks with heavy duty shocks help some.

So will reducing tire pressure and adding weight to the front of the trailer.

So if you do these things my guess you can reduce the harshness by 50%
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Old 09-10-2020, 10:45 AM   #13
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To start, welcome to 1 ton life. They can carry alot more but the ride really suffers to be able to do it.

If it were my truck, i would see about installing spring packs from an f250 to help the ride some and stash the 350 springs in the shed or something when its time for resale. Having a tt im assuming you went big for future purchases. Springs are a pretty easy swap and could be done in a few hours with proper tools. I did the ones on my 5th wheel in a few hrs at a campground, taking my time with my road box. A pickup wouldnt be quite the same, but wouldnt be much different either. I put lowering blocks on an s10 in a motel parking lot 20 years ago, its only 6 bolts per side and a dead blow hammer would be awesome, or if your like me just use the ratcheting hammer or adjustable hammer.
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Old 09-10-2020, 07:00 PM   #14
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So, I have been experiencing the same thing with my 2019 Ford 350 dually and 3155 Big Country 5th wheel. Played around with pickup tire pressure and it did help some but taking about 5 lbs out. But, I was wondering today, as I was coming down south on I-17 from Flagstaff getting beat up on my ride, how would a 38'-40' DP ride compare? Anyone have any thoughts on that. This is not intended to stel the thread from OP so forgive for that.
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