Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I wanted to put shocks on my TD so I priced the Monroe retro kit http://www.monroeheavyduty.com/monroeHD ... trofit_kit It was going to take 10 days to special order it and it cost $80. Wrong answer! I decided to build my own. I researched shocks, looking for shorter but I came back to the Monroe 555002, it just fit.

I first fabed two lower mounts out of a piece of steel angle iron.

I picked up some Grade 5, 5/8" bolts for the top mount from Ace Hwd. My "Kit" now contains (for each side): a long bolt for the top mount, a couple of washers, nylock nots for both top and bottom bolts, the shock, and the bolt that came with the shock.

The top mount is a simple 5/8" hole drilled thru the frame, a couple of washers, the top of the shock, a washer and the nylock nut.

The bottom mount is the piece I fabed. It is very simple. A piece of angle iron, two holes that the axle "U" bolt goes thru, a hole for the bolt that comes with the shock. I did cut about an inch off the bolt to help with the tight clearances. I bolted/torqued the axle u-bolt with the mount under the spring cradle, then bolted the bottom of the shock to the mount. The two bolts are CLOSE.


I haven't taken it for a road test yet, but when I do I will do a follow-up report.

Oh, the total cost of this project was: $50 for the shocks and $8 for the bolts, washers and nuts.

Gerdo,

Very nice job!! I love seeing a good fab job come together especially when it comes in less expensive (not cheaper) than the alternative. Let us know how it works on the road and the trail.

Mike

p.s. Where the shocks a neutral valved shock for trailers or just the one that was the right size from a car or truck application? Keep up the good work.

Mike
I scoured the monroe cat for a shorter shock but came back to the retro trailer shock.

Cool mod. Simple and looks preetttyyy. Ooohhh

Any analysis for comparison from before and after? How's the articulation, lol?

Only one word...Outstanding!!!

Yours is an example of the teardrop creativity that I just love. It's as good as anything you could hope to buy, but you made it yourself. You will never look under the trailer without having a bit of pride in your handywork.

Joanne

Gerdo wrote:I wanted to put shocks on my TD so I priced the Monroe retro kit http://www.monroeheavyduty.com/monroeHD ... trofit_kit It was going to take 10 days to special order it and it cost $80. Wrong answer! I decided to build my own. I researched shocks, looking for shorter but I came back to the Monroe 555002, it just fit.

I first fabed two lower mounts out of a piece of steel angle iron.

I picked up some Grade 5, 5/8" bolts for the top mount from Ace Hwd. My "Kit" now contains (for each side): a long bolt for the top mount, a couple of washers, nylock nots for both top and bottom bolts, the shock, and the bolt that came with the shock.

The top mount is a simple 5/8" hole drilled thru the frame, a couple of washers, the top of the shock, a washer and the nylock nut.

The bottom mount is the piece I fabed. It is very simple. A piece of angle iron, two holes that the axle "U" bolt goes thru, a hole for the bolt that comes with the shock. I did cut about an inch off the bolt to help with the tight clearances. I bolted/torqued the axle u-bolt with the mount under the spring cradle, then bolted the bottom of the shock to the mount. The two bolts are CLOSE.


I haven't taken it for a road test yet, but when I do I will do a follow-up report.

Oh, the total cost of this project was: $50 for the shocks and $8 for the bolts, washers and nuts.

First long trip with the new shocks. WOW. Before when I hit big bumps (like the ones when they are repaving) my TD would bounce a few times. Now it settles with one short bounce. Well worth it, I would deffinitly do it again.

Nice to hear the positive report on the shocks. I just might have to look in to adding a set to my trailer. Once again, very nice job!!

Gerdo wrote:First long trip with the new shocks. WOW. Before when I hit big bumps (like the ones when they are repaving) my TD would bounce a few times. Now it settles with one short bounce. Well worth it, I would deffinitly do it again.

I keep telling people that shocks will take the bounce out of the teardrop. They even track better.

Have a good day.

He doesn't know what he's talking about. He just likes stirring the pot.

Gage wrote:

Gerdo wrote:First long trip with the new shocks. WOW. Before when I hit big bumps (like the ones when they are repaving) my TD would bounce a few times. Now it settles with one short bounce. Well worth it, I would deffinitly do it again.

I keep telling people that shocks will take the bounce out of the teardrop. They even track better.

Have a good day.

He doesn't know what he's talking about. He just likes stirring the pot.

Gage, are you sure you know what you're talking about
Cheers Fella
Paul

Gage wrote: He doesn't know what he's talking about. He just likes stirring the pot.

What'd he say? Who's he talking about?

Gerdo, I looked at putting shocks on my TTT awhile back and was going to buy the Monroe #5752. It's pretty much the same compressed and extened length but yours comes with a "parts pack" and the ones you bought are the Gas Magnum RV shocks and the 5752's are the Sensa-Trac passenger car shocks. I wonder what the hell the difference is other than the parts pack?

Man, that's a really noice job you did!! Mine bounces quite a bit if I hit the right set of bumps. Once, I thought it was going to roll over on it's side, it was bouncing so much. Scared the crap out of me!!

WarPony
It was deffinitly worth the time and money. Do It! After researching hundreds of shock types and lengths (I wanted a shorter shock to get the best angle) Each type shock is valved differently and will ride differently. I couldn't find a shorter shock except one for a truck and that would have been too stiff. The shocks secomended here http://www.monroeheavyduty.com/monroeHD ... trofit_kit are valved for the different weight trailers along with the different lengths. The 555002 that I used has a static length of 10" - 11 1/4". That is about mid stroke. They have about 3"s of travel. To see if this was enough travel I measured the space between the frame and axle when loaded, jacked the TD up (let the axle hang) measured again, and measured the space between my tire and fender when loaded. I determined that the shock had enough travel. When installing the top mount I wanted to compress the shock a little.

Gerdo, I'm definately going to add some shocks to my rig. I'll probably go with the 555002's also because they will have the bolts and washers with them. Probably going to be a winter project because I have some stuff to get done before I head to Bistineau.

Nice work!

I used the Monroe kit on my travel trailer - it is much too big and heavy to qualify as a Tiny Travel Trailer, but the issues are the same. I have the same 555002 shocks. While I used Monroe's design, this one looks just fine to me. The Monroe design is probably stronger, but I would be comfortable with the angle iron solution on a light trailer. The biggest advantage of the factory kit would be not having to find the spacers used at the top mount to hold the shock body away from the side of the frame.

It seems like the 555002 shocks might be too stiff for a light trailer, but if it works, maybe they're just not stiff enough for mine?

Gerdo

Great Work Indeed ... Thats the 1st thing I installed on ours as well..





Classic Finn