"Bucking" 5.0TA - Sierra combo

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by PM15283

Local trailering "expert" said the bounce is common and difficult to avoid. Too much of the trailer weight on the rear-most axle, need to bring nose down one set of holes. Also, play with airbag inflation settings to help minimize.
Took rig directly to Camping World where they pointed out that the clearance was near minimum already.
Heading out on a month-long trip in 3 days, so......

🤔Has your bucking problem returned without the double towing? If not I would think Problem solved. I would ask your “expert” how many Escape 5.0TA he has seen that have this problem.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by PM15283

Local trailering "expert" said the bounce is common and difficult to avoid. Too much of the trailer weight on the rear-most axle, need to bring nose down one set of holes. Also, play with airbag inflation settings to help minimize.
Took rig directly to Camping World where they pointed out that the clearance was near minimum already.
Heading out on a month-long trip in 3 days, so......

Bringing you nose down one set of holes is a massive amount. I also had to raise the ball in the truck to get ours perfectly balanced.

Airbags can also cause bouncing. You really shouldn't need them. I think that's the one thing that's different from the rest of us.

Enjoy,

Perry

[padlin]

how close is the camper to the bed rails? I think I need to lower mine but don't want it too close.

[PM15283]

Originally Posted by padlin

how close is the camper to the bed rails? I think I need to lower mine but don't want it too close.

Camping World said 4" minimum.
Mine is about 5.5.

[mizterwizard]

Originally Posted by PM15283

Camping World said 4" minimum.
Mine is about 5.5.

It kind of depends on how you plan to use your trailer. If you never plan to leave flat ground, and stick to it, then 4 inches would be fine. If you plan to go into some less developed camp sights then 6 inches might be better. If you plan to head into the boonies then 8 inches might be better.

The type of hitch you have also matters. If you have a goose neck with lots of swivel in all directions then you need more clearance. If you have a fifth wheel with a side to side tilt then you will need less clearance. If you have a fifth wheel that doesn't have a side to side pivot then you don't need as much clearance because it will hold your truck and trailer more in line with each other (at the expense of more stress on the hitch).

It also matters how your hitch is set up. If the pin box extends beyond the front of the trailer so that there is no part of the trailer in front of the pin then there is less opportunity to have the front of the trailer contact any part of the truck. If your setup has much of the trailer in front of the pin then you need more clearance to allow for what happens when the truck is going uphill while the trailer is still coming down hill, like going through a dip.

I once watched a guy pull into a group camping area with a 5er that had about 6 inches of clearance but he still managed to have a bed strike because there was a big change in angle as the road entered the camping area. When the road went from a steep down angle to a flat suddenly it caused the front of his trailer, which overhung the hitching point, to close up on the bed and dent it. The trailer was stronger and was undamaged.

4 inches of bed clearance is barely enough to get you into many filling stations and over parking lot approaches. I wouldn't be comfortable with that amount. I have 6.5 inches which I think is pretty good. If I was going through rough country though I'd keep a close eye on it. My hitch has adjustable height and I might consider raising it a notch if the terrain got uneven enough. If you ever plan to boondock then I would think 6 inches is a good minimum to start with but keep an eye on things or raise it up to 8 inches.

[PM15283]

Three days into a five week trip. Rough pavement in MN, WI, and ON, CA. No significant concrete so far.
Turned airbag pressure to 40 as we left home. Filled rear fresh water and have dumped black and gray twice. Not more than a bounce and a half from the worst dips or bridge approaches.
Will report rhythmic concrete or any "surprises," but otherwise feel the problem is gone.

[John in Santa Cruz]

airbags along with stiffer shocks (real bilstein 4600, the stock TRD shocks were bilsteins that were much weaker than 4600s) definitely cured my Tacoma TRD Off Road from the porpoising when towing a nose-light Casita 16 footer. typically the truck itself was quite heavily loaded, so would be sagging prettt far down even before we hitched, so I'd use the airbags to level it back up to where it was unloaded, then it rode great. I know a 5th wheel is a whole different trip, but...

best part is, drop them to 5psi when running empty, and get the factory ride. although I will say, if I do the shock thing on a 4x4 again, I'm gonna go with Rancho 9000XL's instead of Bilsteins, so I can dial in the optimal plush ride.

[PM15283]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

airbags along with stiffer shocks (real bilstein 4600, the stock TRD shocks were bilsteins that were much weaker than 4600s) definitely cured my Tacoma TRD Off Road from the porpoising when towing a nose-light Casita 16 footer. typically the truck itself was quite heavily loaded, so would be sagging prettt far down even before we hitched, so I'd use the airbags to level it back up to where it was unloaded, then it rode great. I know a 5th wheel is a whole different trip, but...

best part is, drop them to 5psi when running empty, and get the factory ride. although I will say, if I do the shock thing on a 4x4 again, I'm gonna go with Rancho 9000XL's instead of Bilsteins, so I can dial in the optimal plush ride.

Rancho 9000s - When you say "dial them in" are these adjustable on the fly like my Firestone air bags?
Will put no more $ into this '14 GMC Sierra as am intending to order the 3L diesel when available. I'll throw dust in the face of my current 13-14mpg (gas).

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by PM15283

Rancho 9000s - When you say "dial them in" are these adjustable on the fly like my Firestone air bags?

they have a 9 position dial on them to adjust the shock damping.

[PM15283]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

they have a 9 position dial on them to adjust the shock damping.

Thanks, John.

[PM15283]

Was advised to increase airbags to 40 +/- . Left on a trip of over 5k miles and had no more bouncing issues with air pressure increased. Shocks are original and truck mileage now 70k.

[John in Santa Cruz]

my rule of thumb with airbags is to measure the top of the rear tire to the wheel well rim when the truck is empty, then fully load her up, and hitch up, then add enough air to bring it back to where it was empty.

(unless you're also using a WDH.... which doesn't apply to a 5-er).

[PM15283]

No bumper towing here! 2018 5.0 ta.

[Chotch]

So since you stopped double towing, no problem correct? Or did I miss something else here?

[PM15283]

Originally Posted by Chotch

So since you stopped double towing, no problem correct? Or did I miss something else here?

While that is correct, a local 5er "expert" felt the airbag pressure was the biggest issue. He said to start at 40psi and go up or down depending on reaction. 5500 miles (nearly all @ 40) later over every type of paved road imaginable, no bouncing.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by PM15283

While that is correct, a local 5er "expert" felt the airbag pressure was the biggest issue. He said to start at 40psi and go up or down depending on reaction. 5500 miles (nearly all @ 40) later over every type of paved road imaginable, no bouncing.

Just make sure the airbags aren't raising the loaded truck any higher than when it's empty and unhitched