Shocker Hitch

[scottarue]

Is anyone out there using the Shocker Hitch? I found a video on Youtube about it and am intrigued (plus the fact is it manufactured in Arthur North Dakota, about 30 miles from me!)


There is a model that comes with anti-sway bars, although after talking to them, they said for a trailer the size and weight of a 21C I would only really need one sway bar.


If you are using one, please let me know how it is working out for you. I don't get my 21C until June 24, so I have lots of time to research and obsess!


Here is the link to the Youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8XpzCr7nPg&t=330s

[John in Santa Cruz]

What vehicle will you be using to tow your Escape? I've towed various trailers for years and never felt the need for any such thing.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, more info would be helpful for an informed response.....

[bborzell]

Two main selling points; smoother ride and reduced equipment (TV/trailer) breakage.

On count one, I have not experienced rough rides with a <5,000 lb trailer and a TV that has both adequate tow capacity and suitably designed rear suspension.

As for reduced equipment breakage, it is not clear whether this claim is theoretical or supported by instances of TV/trailer breakage that can be demonstrated to have been due to use of something other than a Shocker hitch.

There might be a place in the towing universe for this hitch, but I doubt that it is in the lightweight camper segment.

[daniel108]

I'd considered this product for a little while. When I first purchased my 21C, towed with a Land Rover LR4, I was just using the factory hitch, and the ride was rather harsh. After adding a WDH to transfer more load to the front tires I found that the tighter coupling also smoothed out all the harsh ride, and I don't think there would be any benefit from the shocker hitch - a solution in search of a problem. The trailer seems to ride pretty smooth on its suspension although I haven't taken it down any rough roads, and don't intend to.

[cpaharley2008]

Adding Firestone air bags to my stock coil spring rear helped my towing a lot. If you tow with a Ram 1500, the bags are recommended.

[John in Santa Cruz]

indeed, airbags made a huge difference on my Tacoma... and Rancho 9000XL shocks made a significant difference on my rather rough riding F250 diesel (almost 9000 lb GVWR)

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by scottarue

Is anyone out there using the Shocker Hitch?

If you are using one, please let me know how it is working out for you. I don't get my 21C until June 24, so I have lots of time to research and obsess!

Congratulations on your pending Escape.

I don't have any experience with the shocker hitch other than considering it somewhere along the line since we first began towing travel trailers. I also considered the Hensley and the ProPride hitches as I wanted to tow safely, had limited experience, and figured that no expense was too great for a safer, more stable towing experience.

However, in the end, I never purchased any of those items. I was wisely counselled by a much more experienced member of the fiberglass RV forum that "it was probably more than I needed", as he gently put it. Or, as another wise man once said:

Originally Posted by bborzell

There might be a place in the towing universe for this hitch, but I doubt that it is in the lightweight camper segment.

In fact, I have looked at shock absorbing ball mounts all the way down to those in the under-$100 category which employ oval hitch-pin holes and a block of polyurethane inside the ball mount to serve as a spring.

https://www.etrailer.com/search/Shoc...ing+Ball+Mount

At one point I even invested the then-handsome sum of $18 in a hitch tightener. It did not help at all, at least it didn't for something like a year, until I actually installed it. Then, it was a modern wash-day miracle, immediately taking the slop and 'bangs' out of the tow-vehicle-trailer connection.



https://www.stowaway2.com/hitch-tightener

So, my suggestions are to 1) invest $22 or so in a hitch tightener, 2) add your tow vehicle to your profile so folks have a better idea of what you will be using, and 3) then consider a weight distribution system as may be appropriate to your setup.

[cpaharley2008]

I used that hitch tightener once and later on switched to a locking pin on the entire ball hitch and it took care of any banging issues. Plus it prevents theft while unattended....

[gbaglo]

I'm reassured by the banging and bumping that my trailer is still attached.

[cpaharley2008]

My concern with these "ride noise eliminators" is that driving and towing is something you should be listening at all times. A strange noise in the back or in the motor is what you want to hear when it starts, not 2000 miles later.

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

Then, it was a modern wash-day miracle, immediately taking the slop and 'bangs' out of the tow-vehicle-trailer connection.

Attachment 61712

https://www.stowaway2.com/hitch-tightener

So, my suggestions are to 1) invest $22 or so in a hitch tightener, 2) add your tow vehicle to your profile so folks have a better idea of what you will be using, and 3) then consider a weight distribution system as may be appropriate to your setup.

Yes, I use this device also, and it does reduce the clanking of the ball mount WDH.
There's noises to attend to, and repetitive clanking that doesn't need any.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I briefly used a Reese brand ball mount, and found it extremely loose in my 2" receiver and the E21 clanking up and down and left and right were quite obvious, even in the heavily isolated cockpit of my 8000 lb 2002 Ford Super Duty 4x4. the Curt ball mounts I used prior and since aren't nearly as annoyingly loose and I don't notice any clanking at all, even on dirt roads.

[Rockhead]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I briefly used a Reese brand ball mount, and found it extremely loose in my 2" receiver and the E21 clanking up and down and left and right were quite obvious, even in the heavily isolated cockpit of my 8000 lb 2002 Ford Super Duty 4x4. the Curt ball mounts I used prior and since aren't nearly as annoyingly loose and I don't notice any clanking at all, even on dirt roads.

Same issue here very annoying hence the reason replacing the ETI supplied hitch with a bulldog hitch. Much more secure n no banging

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

Same issue here very annoying hence the reason replacing the ETI supplied hitch with a bulldog hitch. Much more secure n no banging

my issue with the reese ball mount was that the 2" square bar that goes into the tow vehicle's receiver was far too small, like 1/4" play on all sides. the ball size was fine.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by bborzell

Two main selling points; smoother ride and reduced equipment (TV/trailer) breakage.

On count one, I have not experienced rough rides with a <5,000 lb trailer and a TV that has both adequate tow capacity and suitably designed rear suspension.

As for reduced equipment breakage, it is not clear whether this claim is theoretical or supported by instances of TV/trailer breakage that can be demonstrated to have been due to use of something other than a Shocker hitch.

There might be a place in the towing universe for this hitch, but I doubt that it is in the lightweight camper segment.

No equipment used to tow a trailer within its rated limits will break. I think that the place is where excessively heavy trailers with exceptionally poor suspension are towed by inadequate vehicles; unfortunately, that place exists.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

my issue with the reese ball mount was that the 2" square bar that goes into the tow vehicle's receiver was far too small, like 1/4" play on all sides. the ball size was fine.

Seriously? Were you using a 2-1/2" receiver? I'm not kidding - they're available and factory equipment on some trucks.

Some combinations of receiver and nominally matching ball mount are a little sloppy (following the general towing industry tendency to sloppy construction).

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by scottarue

Is anyone out there using the Shocker Hitch? I found a video on Youtube about it and am intrigued (plus the fact is it manufactured in Arthur North Dakota, about 30 miles from me!)


There is a model that comes with anti-sway bars, although after talking to them, they said for a trailer the size and weight of a 21C I would only really need one sway bar.


If you are using one, please let me know how it is working out for you. I don't get my 21C until June 24, so I have lots of time to research and obsess!

Watching the video, it almost seems to amplify the movement on the trailer tongue compared to the minimal movement of the hitch receiver. So, it doesn't appear to have any benefit for reducing movement for stuff inside the trailer. Might even be making it worse.

I personally don't like the idea of isolating feedback from the trailer. I use that feedback to fine tune the setting on the brake controller.

[CE Vogel]

I have a shocker hitch on my Kenworth tow vehicle. I installed this because the very stiff suspension on the KW was breaking the A-frames of my trailers. It does help protect the trailers from shock. My biggest complaint is the shock absorbing capability is limited to about 1", so bigger bumps from my truck still get transmitted to the trailer. I found the Shocker Hitch company very responsive to my queries, and their product is very sturdy, and, very heavy. A friend who installed a Shocker Hitch on his pickup told me it reduced the jerking from the trailer. I highly recommend this hitch.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by CE Vogel

I have a shocker hitch on my Kenworth tow vehicle. I installed this because the very stiff suspension on the KW was breaking the A-frames of my trailers. It does help protect the trailers from shock.

That makes sense. An alternative would be much softer springing on the Kenworth, to suit the load; my guess is that the 1963 Kenworth doesn't have air suspension, so a spring change would not be trivial. Of course normal tow vehicles don't have this issue.

By the way...
I realize that many people use medium-duty and even heavy-duty trucks to tow recreational trailers way under the truck's capacity, but those are usually fifth-wheels. This is the first time I recall seeing a heavy-duty truck routinely used to tow a conventional (not fifth-wheel) trailer.