H & E
North Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 10/05/2006
View Profile
 Offline
|
I have a couple of trailers with conventional springs that pull great. One is about 8K loaded (Sailboat). One is about 7000 loaded with antique tractor. Our TT Rockwood 8314SS has rubber torsion axels and jerks when pulled. They are 3500 pound axels and the loaded TT weighs 6900 pounds total weight. I have adjusted the torsion bars according to the instructions and varied them in both directions . Hitch is Equal-i-zer with 1200 pound bars. I started with 1000 pound bars.The tongue weight is 960 pounds. I am thinking of removing the torsion axels and installing regular spring axels. I am wondering if anyone else has done this?
* This post was
edited 02/06/12 03:32pm by an administrator/moderator *
|
jmtandem
western nevada
Senior Member
Joined: 01/18/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Quote:I have a couple of trailers with conventional springs that pull great. One is about 8K loaded (Sailboat). One is about 7000 loaded with antique tractor. Our TT Rockwood 8314SS has rubber torsion axels and jerks when pulled. They are 3500 pound axels and the loaded TT weighs 6900 pounds total weight. I have adjusted the torsion bars according to the instructions and varied them in both directions . Hitch is Equal-i-zer with 1200 pound bars. I started with 1000 pound bars.The tongue weight is 960 pounds. I am thinking of removing the torsion axels and installing regular spring axels. I am wondering if anyone else has done this?
My trailer has the more traditional axles attached to springs. I would think torsion axles are far better. High end trailers like Airstream have been using torsion axles for decades. You might look into better adjusting the weight each is carrying. Why do you think that spring held axles would provide a better ride quality? In fact, it might make it worse. With torsion axles there is no need to mess with the metal to metal plastic cheap crappy bushings, with the resultant need to change to brass bushings and wet bolts, etc.
You might try a different hitch, as I too have been an Equalizer hitch owner and not very impressed with it's performance. Also, you might look into different tires, make sure the loading in the trailer is 'just right', and understand that the axles are just strong enough to carry the load and not more. Some load is calculated by the manufactuer to be on the tongue. Almost any trailer will exhibit poor handling if not loaded properly. Go to the scales and weigh each axle, the tongue, and the entire trailer and then make changes as needed.
* This post was
edited 02/03/12 10:19am by jmtandem *
'05 Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually 3500 white quadcab auto long bed airbags overload springs bumpers
|
JBarca
Dublin, Ohio, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/16/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
H & E wrote:I have a couple of trailers with conventional springs that pull great. One is about 8K loaded (Sailboat). One is about 7000 loaded with antique tractor. Our TT Rockwood 8314SS has rubber torsion axels and jerks when pulled. . They are 3500 pound axels and the loaded TT weighs 6900 pounds total weight. I have adjusted the torsion bars according to the instructions and varied them in both directions . Hitch is Equal-i-zer with 1200 pound bars. I started with 1000 pound bars.The tongue weight is 960 pounds. I am thinking of removing the torsion axels and installing regular spring axels. I am wondering if anyone else has done this?
Hi H & E,
I'm assuming you adjusted your Weight distribution bars on the Equal-I-zer hitch, and not your torsion axles.
Changing the TT axles from rubber torsion axles to leaf springs will not fix what little we or maybe you know of the problem. Need to understand more about the jerking action you are feeling.
If you have a scaled 960# TW and was using 1,000# WD bars, unless you have large amounts of weight in the truck behind the rear axle they should of worked fine. Actually about as smooth as your are going to get. And as expected bumping up to a 1,200# WD hitch has not changed the problem.
Maybe we can help to sort out the root cause of what is the problem. And then go after fixing what ever that is.
Help explain more about "Our TT Rockwood 8314SS .... jerks when pulled."
Describe what you mean by the jerking motion. Try to go into as much detail as you can. And at what speed this is happening at?
What truck are you using and is there cargo in the truck aft of the rear axle, if so how many pounds?
Hope this helps
John
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
|
goducks10
Keizer OR
Senior Member
Joined: 02/22/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Is it like popusing? Kind of a push/pull feeling that makes your back keep hitting the seat. I had a similar problem with an F150 and a 4050lb TT. Had 1000lb bars that were recomended from dealer (newbie), had the same jerking feeling. TW was around 500lbs or so. Went to some EAZ-Lift 400-600lb bars and bingo. If your truck has a high rated cargo number like in the 2800lb and up area, maybe you just need some 800lb bars as you may have too much tension with the 1000 and 1200. How much sag does you rear drop when you hitch up before hooking up your spring bars. If you only drop a couple inches the it wouldn't take a whole lot to get back an inch or two. I'm no hitch expert like some on here but just throwing out some food for thought.
|
ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 11/11/2010
View Profile
|
Looked at your rig in your profile. As advertised, it is light weight for its size. So I am thinking back to my Aliner days because it had a torsion axle. When I towed it with the 86 Ford Ranger, I knew it was back there (with the F250 Supercab and F350 Crew Cab PSD you had to check the rear view mirror to make sure it was still back there). What I noticed was that when it was nearly empty, I could feel its movements more. Then I added two more batteries all the way in the back and one more all the way in the front. Then I could really feel it back there.
So I guess I am saying part of the problem may be unique to torsion axles that they bounce more when there is less weight on them, and regardless of the suspension type, if your loads are at the extreme ends of the trailer it is going to jerk you around.
* This post was
edited 02/03/12 03:54pm by ExRocketScientist *
ERS
|
|
|
skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
I would NEVER go back to spring and shackle after towing some 60,000 miles with the rubber ride. MUCH smoother than any trailer I've ever towed with conventional leaf springs. I'd look at OTHER causes for your jerking you describe. Not likely to be the rubber suspension. It is MUCH more likely a hitch problem.
Good luck / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
|
Mike_LA
US Gulf Coast
Senior Member
Joined: 11/20/2004
View Profile
|
skipnchar wrote: I'd look at OTHER causes for your jerking you describe. Not likely to be the rubber suspension. It is MUCH more likely a hitch problem.
Good luck / Skip
I second Skip's reply. He tows the same trailer as you.
Installing a spring type suspension will not help what you've described.
Mike
|
Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
Senior Member
Joined: 06/16/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
I wonder if you ever actually weighed everything. What does FULLY LOADED TT weigh? What is TT's GVWR? Did you actually weigh the tongue, or is that a salesmans guess. If you didn't weigh tongue with TT fully loaded, now is the time. Also who set up the WDH? As far as I know, nobody has ever seen a dealer set it correctly, partly because customer doesn't show up with a fully loaded TT to have it done. Partly because they have no scales, and can't (?) drive your TV and TT back and forth until they get it set properly. Bet that proper setup will solve your problem.
But just in case, you should measure your TV front and rear axle both with and without TV, but otherwise loaded (people included) as when camping. Equalizers "new" instructions sometimes actually remove weight from TV front axle, or add negligable weight, and overload rear axle. IMO you want front and rear TV axles to both INCREASE nearly the same when you hook up the TT. Slightly more weight to rear axle is fine as long as GAWR not exceeded.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
|
H & E
North Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 10/05/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I weighed the TT at a CAT scale when it was fully loaded for a 6 month trip, except for the dog which rides in the back seat and weighs 31 pounds. The fresh water tank was 1/2 full and the holding tanks were partially full from a weekend at a COE park. I pull with a Chevy 2500HD, diesel crew cab, standard bed. Bed has a fiberglass camper topper on it and is full of chairs etc. I switched to the 1200 bars after talking to Equal-i-zer-it was their recommendation. I realize that the weight will change with the change in provisions as we travel. I don't believe that weight change should be significant to the pulling aspects of the trailer as it is all over the axels.
On good roads, which are very few, I cannot tell the TT is back there, however when we get on roads that are bumpy or full of expansion joints the trailer jerks on the truck. Currently I have the trailer level with the truck. I have tried with the hitch about 1 inch down and about 1 inch up from level and did not notice a difference.
I watched the axels when going over speed bumps and they do not give at all the entire trailer rises up to go over them. This is what makes me think the rubber torsion bars are not supporting the TT but are bottomed out. I have pulled the trailer just over 30K miles. The first trip I was pulling with an Escalade EXT and it acted much better which is adding to my thinking that the axels are worn out.
|
ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 11/11/2010
View Profile
|
Take a look at the axles, There should be an arm with a spindle coming out of it. If that arm somehow sits under the frame, it could bottom out. If not, there is another thing to check. Lift one side of the camper by the frame and take a wheel off. See what "clock position" the arm is in. Check this against the axle manufactures specs for their different axles to determine which version you have. Then put the wheel back on and get all four wheels back on the ground. Check the clock position again and see where it is within the stated range of motion for that axle. If you have individual wheel weights, these angles, and the weight rating of the axle, you should be able to contact the axle manufacturer to find out if something has gone wrong with the axle. The other thing is you should have at least 3 inches of clearance between your wheel wells and your tires. If not, the "jerking" you feel may be the tires hitting the tops of the fenders creating a momentary "braking" action.
|
|
|
