New Arctic Fox 1140 on my rig ?

[JJ Jackson]

Well I guess the saying is true, "what works well for one person may not work for another". My dually didnt come with sway bars or load leafs, so when we put our first camper on it (76 Dreamer 11ft) I was literally all over the road. When I put air bags on it drove like a dream come true, no pun intended. But when we had a fifth wheel the air bags gave a very stiff and unforgiving ride, so we aired them completely down, even took the 5lb minimum out just to let the suspension travel more. I'm not saying you are wrong, just that air bags react differently in certain applications.

 

[tandersen]

Can anyone tell me more about the energy suspension bump stops? TIA.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Can anyone tell me more about the energy suspension bump stops? TIA.

The Energy Suspension bump stops are taller than the factory bolt on pads on the 3rd gen trucks. With the taller pads, the overload springs are engaged sooner as the suspension drops with the weight of the load in the truck bed. The "stiffer" overload springs are more stable for carrying heavy high center of gravity loads which translates into less sway and the "top heavy" feeling.



I bought my Energy Suspension bump stops from 4-Wheel Wholesale Parts. It's an easy job to change out the factory bump stops since they fastened by a single bolt.



Bill

 

[tandersen]

Thanks for the info Bill. Tom

 

[Rockcrawler]

The Energy Suspension bump stops are taller than the factory bolt on pads on the 3rd gen trucks. With the taller pads, the overload springs are engaged sooner as the suspension drops with the weight of the load in the truck bed. The "stiffer" overload springs are more stable for carrying heavy high center of gravity loads which translates into less sway and the "top heavy" feeling.



I bought my Energy Suspension bump stops from 4-Wheel Wholesale Parts. It's an easy job to change out the factory bump stops since they fastened by a single bolt.



Bill

Have a p/n??

 

[Bill Stockard]

Have a p/n??

Energy Suspension Part No. 9-9109R



http://www.energysuspension.com/pages/bsp2.html



Scroll down the page to the 9-9109 part number. The photo shows one in black. The ones I have are red. The last letter in the part number designates the color.



Any good off-road type parts supplier can get them for you. I got mine from 4-Wheel Parts with a phone call to my local Fort Worth, TX store. They were in stock in Denver, CO. The guy in the brown truck delivered them on the second day.



Bill

 

[jponder]

I agree about the air bags, I put them on but I wish I hadnt. I dont think tey did anything for ride. I think it was better for the truck to sit lower in the back and let the camper package leafs do their job.



Oh well I'll just leave them. It does look kinda cool when you put the air to them and the truck jumps up. Kinda like those California jumping cars.



I am knocking on the door of 12K weight in the 2500 and she handles it pretty good, but rides like atank with the ricksons

 

[Bill Stockard]

I agree about the air bags, I put them on but I wish I hadnt. I dont think tey did anything for ride. I think it was better for the truck to sit lower in the back and let the camper package leafs do their job.

Yep, I've toyed with the idea of taking my air bags off just to see how the truck handled the camper without them. I've never hauled one of our big Lance campers on a 2nd gen or 3rd gen truck without air bags. Might be interesting...



Bill

 

[Lock93]

I think slide in's are great in a budget application, but some of those that are $25k+ almost would push someone into looking into a class C motorhome. My Lance Lite 835 works great, was inexpensive, and the truck handles it like its not there. Love it!

 

[Bill Stockard]

I think slide in's are great in a budget application, but some of those that are $25k+ almost would push someone into looking into a class C motorhome. My Lance Lite 835 works great, was inexpensive, and the truck handles it like its not there. Love it!

Yep, we probably have the cost of a Class C in our truck and camper, but my wife and I didn't want a Class C. We like the durability, dependability, fuel efficiency, and versatility of a Dodge CTD truck and a slide-in camper combination much better.



Bill

 

[dward]

I had that exact setup last year. An 03 Dodge/03 AF 1140. As one said, you will be around 5k loaded, but with airbags and Ranchos, it handled it fine. You know it's there, but I never felt overloaded or uncomfortable. I actually took it up a steep winding dirt road over the Lemhi pass from Idaho to Montana. I should have used 4x low, but the size and weight of the camper didn't stop me.

One problem you will have is that if you use the Happijack tiedowns, the turnbuckles will contact the rear dually fenders. Torklift sells an extension but I made my own.

I used 1 1/2" angle iron and removed the factory tiedown anchors on the camper and replaced them with the angle iron which is around 7' long and bolts to the existing tiedown holes. This extends your anchor points fore and aft to eliminate the rubbing.

The AF is a great camper, but I went with a 9 1/2' Big Foot. (I do miss the room in the AF) The BF is around 3200 lbs and allows me to carry a motorcycle on a hitch rack. I also had to extend the tiedown points on the BF.

Good luck, If you like the camper, I would get it. The truck will carry it no problem.

 

[Bill Stockard]

One problem you will have is that if you use the Happijack tiedowns, the turnbuckles will contact the rear dually fenders.

Lance makes a '03 and up Dodge dually tie down bracket for the rear tie down that places the tie down turnbuckle further away from the fender. My Happijac rear tie down turnbuckles weren't that close and the camper never has moved when hauling it, but I changed them out anyway since they were free.



Bill

 

[JPM]

overload the overloads?

The Energy Suspension bump stops are taller than the factory bolt on pads on the 3rd gen trucks. With the taller pads, the overload springs are engaged sooner as the suspension drops with the weight of the load in the truck bed. The "stiffer" overload springs are more stable for carrying heavy high center of gravity loads which translates into less sway and the "top heavy" feeling.



I bought my Energy Suspension bump stops from 4-Wheel Wholesale Parts. It's an easy job to change out the factory bump stops since they fastened by a single bolt.



Bill

Bill I ordered the bumper stops 9-9109R, one question with the overload springs engaging sooner, would'nt they be more bent, or overloaded ?



JPM

 

[DMcGalliard]

Hello Bill,

I am hauling a Lance 1161 with 4x4 3500. Have added air bags and everything works fine except the side to side sway on these NC mountain roads, the side dips in the roads cause the side to side sway that goes back and forth two or three times after a side dip. Are better shocks needed or the overload stops or sway bars. What is your best advise.



Thanks DaveM

 

[Bill Stockard]

Bill I ordered the bumper stops 9-9109R, one question with the overload springs engaging sooner, would'nt they be more bent, or overloaded ?



JPM

No, it shouldn't affect the service life of your overload springs as long as you keep your weight near the truck's rated GVWR. If you grossly overload your truck, the suspension will be affected with or without the bump stops.



Bill

 

[Bill Stockard]

Hello Bill,

I am hauling a Lance 1161 with 4x4 3500. Have added air bags and everything works fine except the side to side sway on these NC mountain roads, the side dips in the roads cause the side to side sway that goes back and forth two or three times after a side dip. Are better shocks needed or the overload stops or sway bars. What is your best advise.



Thanks DaveM

Dave,



I'm assuming your 3500 is a dual rear wheel. If it is a single rear wheel, you have a real problem with overloading!



Read my post #14 on this thread. I would try one thing at the time starting with the Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks. The air bags do nothing to prevent sway, and if you air them up to where they are carrying all the weight, will make the sway worse. The taller bump stops will help by keeping the weight on the spring pack while the air bags help level the truck front to rear and side to side. The next thing to add would be the Hellwig anti-sway bar.



These modifications are easy bolt-on no-drill installations on the 3rd generation trucks.



Bill

 

[JPM]

Bill I installed the new ES stops 9-9109R, helped the sway a little but not much difference. They smashed down to almost the same thickness as the stock rubbers. Maybe they are an inch or two taller after smashing? I guess now I need four 9000 Rancho shocks?

 

[JPM]

Check out the photo

 

[Bill Stockard]

Yep, mine compress some too. There's a photo of my bump stops in the TDR Magazine, Issue 48, page 39. When I took the photo, I had 60 PSI in the air bags. My bump stops aren't compressed quite as much as yours since some of the weight is being carried on the air bags.



The Ranchos at four corners adjusted up to the higher numbers will help and so does the Hellwig anti-sway bar. Airing the tires up to the max shown on the sidewall helps too by stiffening up the sidewalls to minimize the sidewall "squirm".



I've hauled a 9' Lance slide-in camper on a single rear wheel truck back in the mid '80s. You are hauling a high center of gravity load and your truck will feel and react differently than when driving the truck solo. It'll take some getting used to it. Take it slow going out sloped driveways at an angle after a fuel stop and/or going out of shopping centers, crossing dips, and be very careful going over speed bumps which can bounce your camper in the truck bed and is hard on your tiedown system... been there!



Also, if you inadvertently drop a passenger side tire off the side of the pavement, don't try to "whip" the truck back on the pavement. Continue on the gravel/dirt/grass until you slow your speed before pulling back on the pavement. I've seen a truck/camper combination lose control and roll over from trying to "whip" it back on the pavement when going too fast.



Safe travels and enjoy your new camper.



Bill

 

[JPM]

Thanks Bill, Looks like I'm investing in Firestone(or?) air bags and a sway bar tomorrow.