Help with jerking motion

[hitectoys]

New to me is a 2020 5.0. A great upgrade from a Casita. My TV is a 1/2 ton 2020 Silverado/extended cab and 6.5' bed with 5.3 L engine. The hitch is an Anderson rail mount. The hitch ball is about 3" behind the axle and the coupler is reversed. This config allows me to open the tailgate with about 6" of clearance. As I travel I get this push/pull motion especially on older roads. It does not matter the speed. I am not use to this as the Casita pulled smooth as silk. I realize I am towing substantial more weight but would really like to eliminate the jerking.

The hitch dealer suggested turning the hitch around so ball ends up closer to cab and in front of axle. This config puts the trailer awful close to the truck and I would not be able to open the tailgate. If I also rotate the coupler that may sit the trailer back 5" but I am not sure if the tailgate would open. Any ideas or suggestions to improve towing experience would be greatly appreciated.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by hitectoys

New to me is a 2020 5.0. A great upgrade from a Casita. My TV is a 1/2 ton 2020 Silverado/extended cab and 6.5' bed with 5.3 L engine. The hitch is an Anderson rail mount. The hitch ball is about 3" behind the axle and the coupler is reversed. This config allows me to open the tailgate with about 6" of clearance. As I travel I get this push/pull motion especially on older roads. It does not matter the speed. I am not use to this as the Casita pulled smooth as silk. I realize I am towing substantial more weight but would really like to eliminate the jerking.

The hitch dealer suggested turning the hitch around so ball ends up closer to cab and in front of axle. This config puts the trailer awful close to the truck and I would not be able to open the tailgate. If I also rotate the coupler that may sit the trailer back 5" but I am not sure if the tailgate would open. Any ideas or suggestions to improve towing experience would be greatly appreciated.

Hi: hitectoys... You didn't mention if you tow with a full tank of fresh water. I find when I do the 5.0TA tows more smoothly. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[hitectoys]

I tow with water but its not always full

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by hitectoys

I tow with water but its not always full

Hi: hitectoys... IMHO if water can slop back and forth it will amplify the problem. "Try it you'll like it". If it helps it's a cheap solution. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Centex]

Some thoughts for your consideration ...

A "push/pull" sensation suggests to me that there's

• mass moving fore-and-aft when underway (e.g. tank 'sloshing') which can be felt in the truck; and/or,
• free-play in the fore-and-aft direction somewhere in your trailer-to-vehicle connection (e.g. the cumulative effect of 'free-play' at the hitch>rail interface and the ball>coupler interface)

"Push/pull" being distinctly different from 'vertical bucking', which IMO

• might be affected by where the vertical load point is located in the truck (e.g. hitch location)
• might be affected by the leverage of the trailer (e.g. coupler orientation)

IOW, methinks that altering hitch or coupler orientation / location fore-and-aft will have no bearing on "push/pull" sensation (but might have affect on 'vertical bucking' if you suffer that).

A note if you decide to experiment with rotating the Andersen coupler so the ball is forward of the kingpin - take care to ensure adequate clearance between the back of the pinbox and your pickup box-sides at sharp turn angles, particularly when a sharp turn is combined with uneven pavement levels, as when turning sharp while driving up a steep driveway ramp as at a gas station entrance.
_____________

I have no specific suggestion or explanation for the "push/pull" sensation you describe (though I've suffered that with other non-RV bumper-pull trailers). I too made the transition from a Casita to an Escape 5.0. FWIW

• My truck is a 2005 F150 SuperCab with 6.5ft box and 5.4l engine (IOW, very similar physical configuration to yours)
• I am using an Andersen hitch but mine is the gooseneck version installed on a turnoverball (absolutely no chance of any 'free play' whatsoever between the hitch-base and the truck bed)
• My coupler block is reversed (ball behind the kingpin)
• My Andersen ball falls almost exactly centered over my truck axle, maybe an inch behind
• I do not have clearance to drop my tailgate when hitched (I elect to run with my tailgate removed when towing, I realize that's a compromise some might not accept; my tailgate has no cam or other electronics in it)
• I do have superb pinbox to bed-side and cab-clearance at up to 90degree turn-angle even with uneven pavement (though obviously there's a limit to that). BTW my 5.0 does have the 'lift-kit', the rig rides level with the Andersen ball in the middle hole position.

I'm liking the feel of the 5.0 much better than my Casita which I towed without a WDH behind this truck. With the Casita I would occasionally feel 'vertical bucking' on severely rippled pavement. So far I've not felt any meaningful "push/pull" or 'vertical bucking' sensation when towing the 5.0 on a variety of pavement good and bad (and the unpaved rough road to my house) with

• all tanks empty
• FW tank full; black and gray empty
• partial-full tanks

I would not like to suffer what you describe either, I'm super-happy with the way the 5.0 tows like a smooth dream.

Not sure if there's any help for you in all of the above but Good Luck finding a solution to your discomforting towing situation.

[sofmerc]

I would start with getting rid of the free surface effect (sloshing). As others have said, try with water tank pressed up or empty.

[oldwave]

When we picked up our 21, Reace told me either the fresh water tank should be full or empty. That said a look at your hitch setup by someone who knows hitches might be in order.

[hitectoys]

Thank you for this info. It helped me clarify my thoughts and ideas to resolve this issue. First of all I believe I have to much play between rails and hitch which you suggested might be the case. I am going to install dampening pads (thick rubber) between rails and hitch.. Once this is tightened up I will check to see if there is any play in ball and coupler. I will monitor fw tank but we boondock a lot and water is not always accessible to keep it full.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by hitectoys

Thank you for this info. It helped me clarify my thoughts and ideas to resolve this issue. First of all I believe I have to much play between rails and hitch which you suggested might be the case. I am going to install dampening pads (thick rubber) between rails and hitch.. Once this is tightened up I will check to see if there is any play in ball and coupler. I will monitor fw tank but we boondock a lot and water is not always accessible to keep it full.

If you have play between the hitch and the rails you need to purchase Fifth Wheel Rail Sound Dampeners. We got them at an RV dealer and the sound/feeling immediately went away.

Enjoy,

Perry

[rmitch]

I tried these rubber silencers. They were too thick to fit my hitch. Now I use pieces of tire inner tube cut to the same shape. This has worked great to silence all the clanking. On my next trip out I am going to try some pieces I cut from an old plastic trash can lid. I think they will work well and be more durable than the inner tube. We will see.
As far as bucking is concerned. Turn off any brake booster. Mine tows much better this way.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rmitch

As far as bucking is concerned. Turn off any brake booster. Mine tows much better this way.

I assume that you mean the "boost" feature in some trailer brake controllers... and that should make absolutely no difference unless the truck's brake pedal is being pushed. I assume from the original post that the jerking occurs even when not braking.

[TahoeJoe]

I also tow my 5.0 with a 2020 Silverado, although mine is a short bed. I used to have some bouncing and jerking, but I just eliminated it by reducing and rearranging (i.e. towards the front) the weight that I carry in the bed of the pickup. I wonder...what are you carrying in your bed and where is it?

[hitectoys]

No significant weight in the bed. Maybe around 100 lbs spread out around hitch.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by rmitch

I tried these rubber silencers. They were too thick to fit my hitch. Now I use pieces of tire inner tube cut to the same shape. This has worked great to silence all the clanking. On my next trip out I am going to try some pieces I cut from an old plastic trash can lid. I think they will work well and be more durable than the inner tube. We will see.

Glad that worked for you. Might have worked for us too.

With the rails in our 2015 F150 we could only get three of the commercial dampeners to fit. In our 2019 only two fit and they are tight. In both trucks they solved the problem.

Originally Posted by hitectoys

No significant weight in the bed. Maybe around 100 lbs spread out around hitch.

I doubt this is an issue, but you never know. We have around 300 pounds in the rear seat area of our quad cab, and another 300 pounds in the truck bed.

I'm still going to recommend the dampeners first. They're cheap and easy to install.

Enjoy,

Perry

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by hitectoys

No significant weight in the bed. Maybe around 100 lbs spread out around hitch.

Hi: hitectoys... Your situation doesn't seem to me to be a sound issue but a feeling issue. Trying all the adjustments to prevent the towing slop (fore/aft) movement I tend to do the easiest/cheapest ones first. Being able to open the tailgate while hooked up might not put the pin weight in the best position for towing.
We are getting ready to put our trailer in indoor winter storage so all tanks will be empty. I just know that it will tow differently empty. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie