Rough ride!! Help Needed

G

Garucci

New member
Aug 9, 2009
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Bushland,TX
Hello Everyone, I am new to the forum and would like to say thanks for all the great advice. But my question for everyone is I just purchased a 03 LB7 CC and a 30' 5th wheel travel trailer. After reading such great reviews of the B&W turnover ball I installed one this weekend. But soon to find out this makes for a not so comfortable ride on me and the family. Does anyone elses trucks while pulling have such a rough ride? Maybe someone has options on after market shocks that might help for a smoother ride while pulling?
Thanks
Garucci
 
whitetrash21

whitetrash21

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Apr 29, 2008
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Garucci said:
Hello Everyone, I am new to the forum and would like to say thanks for all the great advice. But my question for everyone is I just purchased a 03 LB7 CC and a 30' 5th wheel travel trailer. After reading such great reviews of the B&W turnover ball I installed one this weekend. But soon to find out this makes for a not so comfortable ride on me and the family. Does anyone elses trucks while pulling have such a rough ride? Maybe someone has options on after market shocks that might help for a smoother ride while pulling?
Thanks
Garucci
Click to expand...

Mine usually rides better with a load behind it. Too much weight and it will bounce/bob a little more.

How heavy is your trailer??? Trailer sitting level when sitting on the truck??
 
Big Block 88

Big Block 88

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Nov 3, 2008
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usually these trucks ride better when loaded as said above. I would bet your tire psi is to high.

X3 on the bilstiens I run the 5100 series they ride great.
 
G

Garucci

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Aug 9, 2009
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Bushland,TX
The trailer is 7600 lbs with 1460lbs on the hitch weight. I am running 75 psi in the rear tires and 55 in the fronts. The tires say 80 psi max. but i have also run the rear at 55 with no difference in ride comfort pulling the trailer. To describe the feeling of the ride, it just feels like the trailer is always running into the truck, causing the rear end to bump up and down more than normal. I am just thinking that the stock shocks with 110K miles on them are ok for daily driving but are not doing their job while loaded. It just feels like riding a hard tail bike with no shocks.
 
whitetrash21

whitetrash21

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Garucci said:
The trailer is 7600 lbs with 1460lbs on the hitch weight. I am running 75 psi in the rear tires and 55 in the fronts. The tires say 80 psi max. but i have also run the rear at 55 with no difference in ride comfort pulling the trailer. To describe the feeling of the ride, it just feels like the trailer is always running into the truck, causing the rear end to bump up and down more than normal. I am just thinking that the stock shocks with 110K miles on them are ok for daily driving but are not doing their job while loaded. It just feels like riding a hard tail bike with no shocks.
Click to expand...

Darius6t9 said:
STOCK!!!!!!!!
ACKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The bilstiens will help. So will some air bags.
Click to expand...

What he said. I had stockers on my lb7 with 135k on them. Rode like sh*t with 15k behind it.

That bumping feeling you're describing sounds like minor axle wrap. I put spring clamps on the front of mine (for a purpose other than towing) and noticed a huge difference in how the suspension reacted with a load behind it. Used to cycle ABS to easy and felt like rear end would skip when braking with a heavy load. Once the clamps went on, that all went away.

Put them on this truck and it rides way better as well, with or without a load.

First things first, do the shocks. 110k, I can guarantee you they are shot.
 
MACKIN

MACKIN

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Aug 14, 2006
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I hauled a 24' enclosed trailer at or above your weight 750 miles round trip this past weekend . My passenger was amazed how smooth and comfortable the ride was.

Shocks will make a big differance,go with Bilsteins. Not to mention your stock shocks are spent and they are junk to begin with.

Ran 70 MPH and got 12MPG running a 120 HP tune. Only got 10 coming home but that was at 80+ MPH. :D
 
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T2CH

T2CH

<<<Me...Not My Wife...
Apr 30, 2008
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Charlottesville, Va
Everything above

Did you raise the torsion bars to level the truck? If you did, you are probably extending the front shocks to their max. This will cause a terrible ride as well.
When you get new shocks, and you leveled the truck, get the longer shocks for this application.
My stock shocks were terrible after 70K. The rear would not push out on their own. I bought the Bilstein 5100 in the 0-4" lift. What a difference. I tow a 10K travel trailer all summer.
 
M

maxaholic

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Dec 6, 2008
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IMO it soiunds like you don't have enough tongue weight. What you describe feels exactly like what our Dodge(haul truck) feels like when I don't get enough weight on the tongue. How much does your truck squat when you hook the trailer up?
 
whitetrash21

whitetrash21

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Clamp the front only. Sled pullers sometimes do both, but for street use, your suspensions will hate you if you do that.
 
G

Garucci

New member
Aug 9, 2009
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Bushland,TX
The trailer seams to squat the truck pretty good. It more than levels out the truck. And as far i know the truck has not had the torsion bars turned on. I am going today to buy new shocks. I cant find the bilsteins anywhere in town. Everyone sells the monroe reflexes. Anyone had these on their rigs.
Thanks again everyone for the great information
 
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