Bounce on Concrete Hwy's and Ride Rite?

[frenchsquared]

5 hours ago, wforrest08 said:

Put 600 pounds of weight in the bed of the truck above the rear axle and take it for a test drive. 

If that works transfer the weight to the towed truck on the way home. This is my fix for my leveled 2500HD pulling my 20ft car hauler empty. Might get by with 200-400 with a 1/2 ton? I use 50# sand bags.

 

If that don’t work strap 200 pounds to the trailer as far forward as possible. Old timer told me years ago the magic number for tongue weight is at least 200 pounds and I’ve found this to be true. Same deal throw the weight in the towed truck.

 

I’ll assume you have the right amount of drop on your hitch already since you seem to have a clue. It amazes me how many guys I see running down the interstate with the chains dragging cause the nose of the trailer is way to low or the trailer rear of the trailer is about on the ground because it’s at a 45 degree incline. Either one will change the tongue weight especially on a tandem axle.

 

I didn’t know that the Max Tow was an option on the SWB, guess I learned something new today.

Issue is when the trailer is empty... there is no load to shift.  Interesting idea to move 200 pounds around... will think about that. Thankfully there is no bounce loaded. I have learned how much the truck will squat on 400 pounds and can jsut watch the bed drop as I pull the load forward. I haul a lot of cars. 

 

400 pounds is what I consider ideal. Been towing most of my life. Including driving 18 wheelers and winch trucks in the oil field.   I like the drop hitch where it is, but I might try lowering a little. The front is about 2" higher then the rear when empty. This is on purpose as it allows me to load the Z28 in my avatar. If I don't do that my car bottoms out and I have to put spacers in the coil springs. Its by no means way to low in the front. My chains do not and never will drag on the ground. When loaded the trailer sits darn near perfectly level as planned. I agree to many people do that. 

[frenchsquared]

7 hours ago, catpartsman said:

I’m going to say your wheel base is just the right length to hit the joints in the concrete road at the same time, causing this bad bounce. When the trailer is loaded, the additional weight is keeping the bounce at bay. When empty the bounce is there because there isn’t enough weight on the truck to keep the truck under control. On the next trip, find a spot you can pull over and stop then inspect the truck wheel base and joint spacing. I’ll bet money they are the same length or damn close.

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You are correct. This is the issue, but its $50,000 to buy a different wheel base truck. I just paid $44,000 for this one. And I like RCSB. This is my 3rd brand new one. 

[frenchsquared]

I think the shocks are to short. I decided to install my leveling kit just cause. Well, while doing this I noticed how bad the rear diff hangs up on the shocks. I took them off and let the rear diff travel. The shocks are stopping way short, like 3" before total travel. I think the trailer is pulling the rear end up, the shock fully extends and then slams back down. Im going to order longer shocks tomorrow and see of that helps. 

 

This would make since when the truck is loaded the rear end is squatted down and the trailer wont bounce. Thus the shocks wont max out. 

Empty and no trailer the bed isn't being pulled up by the trailer on the cuts in the highway. 

[frenchsquared]

8 hours ago, Centex14 said:

Tongue weight and total payload are separate items.
The fact it bounces empty instead of loaded tells me to much on the truck and not enough on the trailer. I’ve pulled a lot of bumper pulls in my life and I’ve never had one whether open or enclosed bounce a truck while empty to the extent you are talking about. Loaded yes but never unloaded.
Have you ever scaled the truck and trailer loaded and empty to see where all of the weight sits? Be interesting to see where everything sits

Remember this is only on concrete hwys. The spcing of the groves in each section os the issue. On asphalt the trucks ride likes a new truck should. Its an empty 18' car hauler that I have had for 4 years.  The issue is in the wheel base vs the grooving.  My tongue weight is correct. Trailer is around 2400lbs empty. I would guess about 250 lbs on the tongue when empty. 

[Centex14]

I stated earlier that a reg cab short bed is the worst combo to counteract bouncing. Didn’t want to mention getting a different vehicle since you said you just bought this one so I went elsewhere with my thoughts.


2014 z71 LTZ
Volant Intake
Borla Exhaust
Diablo
Bilstein 5100
Rough Country Level

[frenchsquared]

40 minutes ago, Centex14 said:

I stated earlier that a reg cab short bed is the worst combo to counteract bouncing. Didn’t want to mention getting a different vehicle since you said you just bought this one so I went elsewhere with my thoughts.

When I bought the truck I was a computer programer who pulled a trailer maybe once or twice a year and never pulled it empty. But I have this truck, love this truck and dont have the money to buy a new one for now. Hopefully in 6 months or so I will have the funds to grab a 1 ton dually work truck. Gotta stop the bouncing till then. 

[sldhead700]

Just my. 02 if I understood you correctly,
But why is your trailer higher in the front than the rear?
I think it should be level empty and loaded... Mine are. Also if you are at 250lbs tongue weight you are barely 10% of trailer, you should be closer to 15% would be my thought.
So high front end of trailer and not enough weight it's pulling the back end of your truck up causing a bouncing issue. When your loaded you have more tongue weight and your problem is minimized....... Maybe I'm crazy? But try a different height with your hitch.... Cheap fix if that's all it is.

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[Snowcamo]

Your bounce house effect likely comes from the air bags. To stabilize it pickup some Bilstein 5100 or 4600. Just put a full set of 5100s on last night. I've been there before with the bounce. On other trucks and SUVs. 5100s for the win. A short bed isn't the best as stated then adding air bags adds to that. Either two of the shocks mentioned will cure 85+% of that rap video dance your truck is doing lol. Safe travels.

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[Kubs]

Are you adding air in the air bags before you pick up your load or after?  If the increased air pressure is in lifting the rear with no load, then the increased rebound rate (as mentioned earlier) is too much for the factory shocks to handle.  My '18 Crew cab standard bed max tow was very bouncy right off the showroom.  I installed Bilstein 5100's and Ride Rite air bags at the same time and it feels so planted now no matter what I am doing.  

 

I would try setting the pressure in the bags once loaded, and also get some better shocks.

[frenchsquared]

1 hour ago, Kubs said:

Are you adding air in the air bags before you pick up your load or after?  If the increased air pressure is in lifting the rear with no load, then the increased rebound rate (as mentioned earlier) is too much for the factory shocks to handle.  My '18 Crew cab standard bed max tow was very bouncy right off the showroom.  I installed Bilstein 5100's and Ride Rite air bags at the same time and it feels so planted now no matter what I am doing.  

 

I would try setting the pressure in the bags once loaded, and also get some better shocks.

 

As stated I have tried both. I have the on board compressor so I can change it while driving. The more air the worse it gets when empty. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Snowcamo said:

Your bounce house effect likely comes from the air bags. To stabilize it pickup some Bilstein 5100 or 4600. Just put a full set of 5100s on last night. I've been there before with the bounce. On other trucks and SUVs. 5100s for the win. A short bed isn't the best as stated then adding air bags adds to that. Either two of the shocks mentioned will cure 85+% of that rap video dance your truck is doing lol. Safe travels.

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I ordered the 5100s this morning as I agree. I think the factory shocks are to short and junk. It bounced before the bags. I added them thinking they would help with the issue. 

 

10 hours ago, sldhead700 said:

Not enough weight it's pulling the back end of your truck up causing a bouncing issue. When your loaded you have more tongue weight and your problem is minimized....... 
 

This is they same thought I have and explained. Only way I can see to add weight other then caring around sand bags it to change the angle of the truck and try longer shocks as they will allow the truck to travel more. 

 

[Kubs]

22 hours ago, frenchsquared said:

 

As stated I have tried both. I have the on board compressor so I can change it while driving. The more air the worse it gets when empty. 

 

My apologies, I went back and re-read.  You did mention changing the amount of air in the bags.

 

I keep about 10psi in mine all the time as Firestone recommends between 5-10 when unloaded.  With the 5100's I have zero bounce or bucking on any surface type. I also have a much longer wheelbase.  Hopefully your issues go away with the new shocks you ordered.

[wforrest08]

On 11/4/2018 at 7:56 PM, frenchsquared said:

Issue is when the trailer is empty... there is no load to shift.  Interesting idea to move 200 pounds around... will think about that.

Yeah I didn’t word that very well. That’s what I was talking about the trailer being empty then if need be move the weight to the truck being hauled on the trailer to reduce tongue weight if needed probably wouldn’t need to with the bags. I’ve got the 5100s on my 2500HD I’m sure you’ll like the ride with them. I run 540 pounds of ballast in the back from the first snow to the last as this is my plow truck. There’s miles of I-35 South of town that is concrete they F’d up when they poured it every vehicle rides like crap over it. The 20 footer empty likes to bounce over that section of interstate and that transfers to the truck, with the ballast in the bed the bounce in the truck is a 1/4 what it is without the ballast.  My last two trailers before this one where 18 footers that weighed hundreds less than the 20 footer (it’s a tilt) I’m sure they both bounced across that section of interstate as well but it didn’t transfer it to the truck. Why the ballast in the bed makes that much of a difference IDK but it’s a free fix in my case. I’d definitely try leveling out your empty trailer and add a couple hundred pounds to the tongue and go fo a test drive IMO the problem with a nose high or low on a tandem trailer is your preloading one axle more than the other which in my experience seems to  exaggerate the problem with a empty trailer and limits the trailer suspension travel in the direction of the lean and the other problem with the bounce is when the front of the trailer is going up it’s unloading some/all of the tongue weight on the trailer till it comes back down. I think it would be worth trying I just hate to see somebody spending hundreds or thousands trying to fix a problem if there’s a cheap and easy fix.

[BB68]

On 11/4/2018 at 10:17 AM, frenchsquared said:

 

already coverd

[frenchsquared]

I lifted the front 3" and the rear 1" with a leveling kit.

I lowered the hitch 3" 

With no air in the bags, there is no more bounce on the concrete. I have not put the shocks on as they have no arrived. Wife was very happy with this morning trip. Best it has ridden with an empty trailer. Thanks for the idea... reading everyones comments led me to go ahead and try the leveling kit as it effects the weight and the drop hitch was a good idea. I did not think that little bit would effect the ride but it did. 

[sldhead700]

I lifted the front 3" and the rear 1" with a leveling kit.
I lowered the hitch 3" 
With no air in the bags, there is no more bounce on the concrete. I have not put the shocks on as they have no arrived. Wife was very happy with this morning trip. Best it has ridden with an empty trailer. Thanks for the idea... reading everyones comments led me to go ahead and try the leveling kit as it effects the weight and the drop hitch was a good idea. I did not think that little bit would effect the ride but it did. 

Glad it worked for you!
I think majority of it was the nose high trailer causing the problems......

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