Springs way too bouncy - how to fix?

[Finntec]

I am certainly no expert, but from my experience I found that lowered the pressure a little did smooth out the ride. Our TD weights 580. We had 200 lbs of gear in it. The trailer is rated to 990lbs. We lowered the air pressure 10 psi under max. It reduced the bounce. I thought of doing more, but I didnt want to chance it.

I know that my TD can "Get two feet of Air" when you hit a 10" frost heave at 60mph. The car missed it, TD didnt. I said, "Who put that basketball under the pavement?"

I am not saying I went over the speed limit, but I know the TD pulls well up to 83 mph. I did drive for hours at the posted limit of 75. Well above the recomended limit of many trailers. Mostly we traveled at 65mph or 35 mph. It just worked out that way.

Our tires and hubs never got hot. I checked every two hours.

I was told once to keep in mind that many of the trailers we use for TDs are used everyday in construction and farming in situations we might never attempt to go with a TD and they work fine. Be safe and experiment carefully and you'll find out what works well for you.

11,000 miles+ TD (original tires). So far this year. -Ray & Debby

[Sandy Claws]

This is for JimL: You mentioned that the curb side tire was bouncing. I haven't heard anyone mention balancing their wheels yet. If one wheel is bouncing and the other is not, I would suspect wheel balance and not tire pressure. Just a thought.

[JIML1943]

Yes the tires are new and balanced, in my post i think i said that when i got home i checked tire pressure and curb side tire was about 7 lb low on air.

[Gerdo]

I have and do balance all of my tires even on my trailers. Balancing your tires will give you a smooth ride in your car but will make a tire last longer and ride safer. You cant feel how bad a trailer tire is out of balance and the problam will get worse with mileage untill one side of your tire is worn out and the other side will look newish. Balance them, why vibrate your TD for all those miles.

[bdosborn]

I have the 1800# HF trailer and run between 45-50 psi tire pressure. I think my trailer weighs at least 1500#. I have about 10,000 miles on the tires and there's hardly any tread wear (the little rubber wiskers are still on them). They held up fine to the 8 hour drive in 100F weather on the way to the Redwoods. I've had great luck running with reduced pressure.
Bruce

[blackgrouse]

our last trip my daughter was behind us for 2 hrs. she said the curb side tire was bouncing the whole trip, these are new tires with less than 300 miles.

JIML When you mentioned that your daughter noticed that your curb side tire was bouncing the whole trip. So the other tire wasn't bouncing. I don't think that it had to do with tire pressure. My experience would tell me that that the curb side tire and wheel assembly was bouncing because it was out of balance. I would sure have it checked because if she could visibly see it bouncing it is REAllY out of balance.

Respectfully,

Robert, 20 years alignment and brake mechanic, tire sales. Retired!

[blackgrouse]

Sandy Claws,

I'm sorry I missed your post. I'm with you. JIML should look at getting his TD's tires balanced!

Robert

[wuzuki]

tyre pressures do make a difference i run my suzuki at 28psi and if i pumped it up to max pressure on side wall it would be 55psi the max tyre pressure written on side wall is for max load ie if it said 35psi for 2500lbs
and you only have 900lbs you can run them at alot lower with out causing any strange tyre wear. and if you have a big tyre you can even run lower
as air psi bigger tyre more internal serface area.

[brian_bp]

Since this topic has been revived anyway, I'll put in another comment...

Leaf spring packs need damping, and they get it either from friction between the leaves, or from friction between the "slipping" end and the frame mount in the slipper (no shackle) configuration. If you remove leaves from a multi-leaf shackle-mount pack, your damping (which was probably insufficient to start) will be even less (zero if you're down to one leaf), and you may need those shocks. Monoleaf springs are better than multi-leaf packs in many applications, but those applications are usually either very light slipper-spring trailers, more serious applications with shocks, or just the cheapest thing someone can build without regard to sound handling.

Personally, I think suspensions without shocks are state of the art... for the 1930's. I put a pair of shocks on my travel trailer (using the Monroe retrofit kit) and find that they work well. Okay, it's big and heavy compared to most teardrops, but the technology is the same.

...Shocks are nice, but they only stop the second bounce...

Hydraulic dampers (shock absorbers) influence every movement of the suspension, not just the "second bounce". Well chosen, they essentially eliminate the second oscillation cycle, but even the initial response to a bump (or corner, or lane change) is better controlled.

Although reducing spring rate is the best way to smooth ride (within reason) and shocks are the way to fix suspension damping, lower tire pressures have a place, too. There is a best pressure for every load and use situation, and it is not necessarily the highest.