Bouncing Betty

[RickM]

I have a prob. when I tow a trailer the front end bounces Oo. . On asphalt it's fine on bad concrete it's fine but when it's fairly new concrete the truck bounces when you drive over the joint in the concrete.



Spec: 99 3500 quad cab 4x4 dooly pulling a 32' inclosed trailer gvw 10,000 lbs with a 1000 lb TW using a WD hitch and pulling a 18000 lb equ. trailer with a 1200 lb TW and a pintel hitch.



I did install new shocks all around whats next air bags in the rear or should hang tractor weights in the front.



Rick

 

[Matt42]

Bummer. I understand the problem. And it will vary depending on the spacing of the joins in the concrete. Try adjusting the WD chains up or down one or two links. Sometimes adding a little weight to the tongue will fix it. Other times, it's just a nightmare. For my outfit, I-40 thru OK is torture.

 

[Hoefler]

You need more weight on the front axle of your truck. You need to chain your bars up higher on the wd hitch or go with heavier bars. With that kind of tongue weight, you need at least 1,000lbs bars. The pintle hitch is far to heavy to tow with that hitch setup for your truck. It would be better if you went to a goose neck on a trailer that heavy. Either way, air bags are not going to help in either setup, the tractor weights would, but you most likely over load the front end when you unload the trailer. I do not what kind of hitch setup you have on your truck, ( factory receiver, or what?? ) you are most likely overloading it with the pintle hitch. These trucks are not rated or designed to tow that kind of weight from the bumper, only from a fifth wheel or goose neck.

 

[Mark31]

If you ever try a gooseneck/fifth wheel, you won't go back. You have the tail wagging the dog! In the mean time, what effect does raising/lowering your speed have on the bounce? I have hit concrete joints and the "rebound" hit at just the right time to "launch" me on the next joint. Varying just a few mph helped control the pogos. Mark

 

[RickM]

I have a class five hitch 14000 lb 1400 TW The equp trailer only weigh. 4800 lb emty I used it to haul my sons pulling truck. As for the WD hitch its 12000 LB with a 1200TW.





Rick

 

[RickM]

It happens when I drive 55 to 65mph if I go 70 it's not bad and below 50 it's not there. Even with the trailers emty it will bounce not bad but still bounce



Rick