DonPam
Well-known member
Several months ago I posted a question looking for ideas to eliminate a choppy ride while on concrete highways citing specifically I-80 through Iowa.
We are pulling a 2017 Grand Design Imagine 2950 RL with a 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 4x4 standard bed extended cab. Our WDH is the Fastway E2 12,000# setup.
Our chief complaint was feeling like bobble heads in the TV due to the truck reaction and the reaction doubled up by the trailer bounce.
Through advice by many including GaryRVWizard we believe we have solved the problem(s) and are now experiencing smooth sailing.
The following steps were taken:
> I installed the Lippert 281281 Shock absorber kit. This was an easy task, instructions were very clear. The most important advice on this task I can offer is shake out the U-bolts, nuts and washers to make sure all parts are accounted for. Some mounting bolts were missing, and no lock nuts or lock washers were included in the Lippert packaging.
> I tried the Roadmaster quiet hitch that is a clamp made to tighten loose play between a hitch shank and hitch socket. This trial was done at a cost of $30 before spending over $100 for a new 2 1/2? hitch shank for my WDH to eliminate the play between my 2? shank, the 2? to 2/12? adapter and the 2 1/2? hitch socket.
The Roadmaster Quiet Hitch worked for a bit before it yielded due to a good bump and tongue weight. I was convinced to get the 2 1/2? shank.
> Once the shocks were on, I tweaked my WDH set up to level up the trailer better while loaded and hitched.
We are very content with the ride now and happy to provide this report so others can close their concerns over a bumpy ride.
Another enhancement we had done prior to this effort was to remove and replace the stock equalizers with the MorRyde CRE 3000 equalizers, spring shackles and wet bolts/bushings. This enhancement is very worthwhile. I noticed the nylon bushings wearing through and were metal on metal at 6,000 miles.
We are pulling a 2017 Grand Design Imagine 2950 RL with a 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 4x4 standard bed extended cab. Our WDH is the Fastway E2 12,000# setup.
Our chief complaint was feeling like bobble heads in the TV due to the truck reaction and the reaction doubled up by the trailer bounce.
Through advice by many including GaryRVWizard we believe we have solved the problem(s) and are now experiencing smooth sailing.
The following steps were taken:
> I installed the Lippert 281281 Shock absorber kit. This was an easy task, instructions were very clear. The most important advice on this task I can offer is shake out the U-bolts, nuts and washers to make sure all parts are accounted for. Some mounting bolts were missing, and no lock nuts or lock washers were included in the Lippert packaging.
> I tried the Roadmaster quiet hitch that is a clamp made to tighten loose play between a hitch shank and hitch socket. This trial was done at a cost of $30 before spending over $100 for a new 2 1/2? hitch shank for my WDH to eliminate the play between my 2? shank, the 2? to 2/12? adapter and the 2 1/2? hitch socket.
The Roadmaster Quiet Hitch worked for a bit before it yielded due to a good bump and tongue weight. I was convinced to get the 2 1/2? shank.
> Once the shocks were on, I tweaked my WDH set up to level up the trailer better while loaded and hitched.
We are very content with the ride now and happy to provide this report so others can close their concerns over a bumpy ride.
Another enhancement we had done prior to this effort was to remove and replace the stock equalizers with the MorRyde CRE 3000 equalizers, spring shackles and wet bolts/bushings. This enhancement is very worthwhile. I noticed the nylon bushings wearing through and were metal on metal at 6,000 miles.
