Chucking .

saturn450 · 05-30-2017, 11:49 AM

How much is normal? It's my My first time to pull a fifth wheel. I Was just wondering how much chucking is normal? On a smooth asphalt road I don't even notice it's back there but on a concrete road I can tell

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NorskeBob · 05-30-2017, 12:05 PM

What helped with our last RV was installing air bags on our truck - Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 air bags. I run about 45 to 50 lbs when hitched. Assume it will help with the new one too.

**chuckster57** · 05-30-2017, 12:11 PM

Long bed or short bed? The expansion joints on concrete roads will cause bounce and depending on the wheelbase of the TV, you may feel more. Airbags do help.

If you have a solid pin box, an upgraded one will do better. I just added a flex air (sp?) with the rubber block and it helped a lot. There are pin boxes with airbags and shocks. You can even get a hitch that has airbags ( non slider).

Dave W · 05-30-2017, 12:15 PM

There should be virtually none but the spacing on concrete highways will sometimes rattle things since they are not synchronized to the wheel spacing between the TV and 5er. There may also be some hitch looseness in the truck or the king pin 'bouncing' in the hitch. Check the hitch for tightness and, if you don't have one, spend 8-10 bucks and get a Teflon hitch plate. That 3/16-1/4 inch plate will take some play out of the hitch to pin interface and help in the noise department. B&W sell a graphite impregnated plate that may be even better then the usual white version - hopefully someone will chime in on that. We can get into trailer loading and suspension later, if needed.

saturn450 · 05-30-2017, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Long bed or short bed? The expansion joints on concrete roads will cause bounce and depending on the wheelbase of the TV, you may feel more. Airbags do help.

If you have a solid pin box, an upgraded one will do better. I just added a flex air (sp?) with the rubber block and it helped a lot. There are pin boxes with airbags and shocks. You can even get a hitch that has airbags ( non slider).

I have short bed with a b&w slider hitch that fits in the factory punks

gearhead · 05-30-2017, 12:57 PM

Do the less expensive things first. If you are still not happy, change the trailer pin box. I would describe them at 3 different price levels. I could easily be wrong on the brands but the cheapest will be a rubber cushioned slider at around $500 (Morride?)Then the air bladder with a shock absorber for around $1000. Then the higher priced bladder and shocks for $1500+ (TrailAir). I had a fairly rough ride and bought a 5th Airborne with bladder and shock absorber for around $1000 as I recall. It helped about 80%.
Look on eTrailer.com

saturn450 · 05-30-2017, 01:09 PM

I have a morride pin box

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66joej · 05-30-2017, 02:01 PM

Pin boxes do make a difference. Had a new Cougar 5er with the standard OEM pin box. Lots of chucking. 5er before that one was a 10 year old model with a 5th Airborne pin box. There was almost no chucking. Both units about the same size. Did not realize the benefit of the Airborne otherwise I would have removed it when I sold the 5er and put on a regular pin box. Depends on how much of that chucking you and family can put up with.

Javi · 05-30-2017, 02:28 PM

Lots of factors contribute to chucking, but primarily it is how the trailer and TV are matched. I tow with a standard pin box and a standard hitch and experience little to no chucking... However, I have a 172" wheelbase dually and my trailer is setup to be level when hooked up and my pin weight is right around 24%...

Before spending $500 plus on a bandaid, I'd look at the setup..

Javi

Desert185 · 05-30-2017, 03:32 PM

The other option is to use an Andersen Ultimate hitch. No chucking. No bandaids. Lightweight. Easy to remove. 24K capacity.

www.andersenhitches.com

rhagfo · 05-30-2017, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

Lots of factors contribute to chucking, but primarily it is how the trailer and TV are matched. I tow with a standard pin box and a standard hitch and experience little to no chucking... However, I have a 172" wheelbase dually and my trailer is setup to be level when hooked up and my pin weight is right around 24%...

Before spending $500 plus on a bandaid, I'd look at the setup..

Javi

I agree with Javi on this one good pin weigh percentage, 5er setting level when towing and one more thing good shocks both on the TV and 5er!

ChampaZ · 05-30-2017, 10:05 PM

Did you run them with a tee installed or separate lines? Or did you have the Inflator installed? Thanks for the feed back.

WaltBennett · 05-31-2017, 03:08 AM

I've found out there's chucking and then there's hitch noise and the two are different animals. Like already said, keeping enough pin weight has kept any chucking on ours away. Found that out when pulling our new/used Monty home empty - lots of chucking until getting home. I've never pulled it anywhere since without making certain there was enough weight up front to offset whatever was in the back (like a full water tank).

This year when taking a short weekend trip, there was a considerable amount of banging whenever stopping, starting or even braking moderately. Found that the edges of our hitch (not the tangs that fit into the rails) and begun digging into the bed rails giving a bunch of slack to how it was mounted to the truck. While the 'eyes', pins and everything else weren't worn or stretched, I could wiggle the whole thing back and forth about an eighth to a quarter inch or so. My welder neighbor put some new metal down on the rails and ground it flat. Hitch fits perfectly again, problem solved.

Warnberg · 05-31-2017, 04:26 AM

I just went through this on my 5th... had some chucking not horrid but some roads in Florida have a lot to be desired.. anyway I'd suggest an upgraded pin box, I changed mine out with a TrailAir Air Ride. You will need to check several things before taking the plunge if you decide to go that route.

Measure and measure some more, watch the video's on etrailer.com to help. Once you find the correct pin box replacement (mine happen to be a Lippert 1116 pin box) the best place I found (cheapest) is etrailer. I'm a DYI guy so I did it myself. Not difficult just need to be prepared. The trailer wire connection box was mounted on my old pin box, the emergency breakaway box was on it as well and they only utilized 6 of the 9 holes on each side. I had to pick up some new bolts, washers and locks to fill all holes (higher grade even), had to get new self tapping screws to mount the boxes back (be sure to drill holes prior almost the size of the self tapping bolt) and some black paint to touch up after the install.

I did it all in about 6 hours by myself an impact gun come in real handy, floor jack to drop the old and place the new pin boxes helps, some wood... you get the idea.

All in all I'd say my chucking is all but gone, wife is much more comfortable with the ride as well and when I'm on a nice freeway I hardly even know it's back there...

Good luck

David

**chuckster57** · 05-31-2017, 04:41 AM

All the holes in the pin box are for adjusting height. Can't say I've ever seen more than 4 bolts on each side.

bsmith0404 · 05-31-2017, 04:50 AM

Yes some chucking is normal, but if you already have a Mor Ryde, I don't know that upgrading to another one will make it any better. Checking your set-up is probably the best option you have at this point. I have one of the cheapest pin boxes with the TrailAir Roto Flex and I have no noticeable chucking, but I also have a crew cab, 8' bed, dually.

**chuckster57** · 05-31-2017, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

I have one of the cheapest pin boxes with the TrailAir Roto Flex and I have no noticeable chucking, but I also have a crew cab, 8' bed, dually.

Same here. I did notice a drop in chucking when I took off the solid pin box and put on the Roto Flex.

Warnberg · 05-31-2017, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

All the holes in the pin box are for adjusting height. Can't say I've ever seen more than 4 bolts on each side.

4 bolts? I'd think that would depend on trailer weight no?

Anyway thanks, the folks at etrailer suggested I use them all.. a little off topic but still in the same discussion.. when changing out a pin box what would be considered an acceptable ride height? i.e. front to back degrees? I know they say "as close to level as possible" but what is acceptable? 1 degree front to back (nose down or nose up) less then that?

Thanks

Javi · 05-31-2017, 05:52 AM

Javi

Dave W · 05-31-2017, 05:54 AM

Just a little more of a chime in - what does the OP consider chucking? We have owned three 5th wheel RVs and cannot for the life of me, fully understand someone elses idea of 'chucking'. Yes, there is an occasional noise but not to the point of real annoyance. Yes, concrete roads cause noise and rattle - horrible at times, especially on I-10 in AZ and NM and even worse in LA. But that's the road. Is my B&W hitch in the Ford pucks loose? Occasionally those 15/16" wrench size nuts need to be tightened and pretty tightly vs the B&W instructions or it clanks and you can feel some movement. As far as king pin boxes, we have never had anything beyond what the RV manufacturer supplied. Would I like a fancy high buck hitch? Of course. Do I need it, i.e. bandage another problem? Not so far in about 100K hauling those three 5ers over many lousy highways and byways in the US.

I suggest that the OP check everything for snugness and get some miles under his belt before spending the bucks to install band-aids for a non problem. Oh, don't forget to change the China Bomb tires for something decent

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