skp51443 Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 From my experience many years back the flexible shackles on the rear axle helped smooth out small bumps but made the big ones feel worse. Had the same experience when I added flexible shackles to the front axle on my IH MDT more recently, the little stuff that wears on you from constantly vibrating your hands is a lot less of a problem but when you hit a bump big enough to run them against the stop you get a much worse jolt than with stock springs. First rule of computer consulting: Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day. Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Seward Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Not sure it will help, but you might try installing Koni FSD shocks on the rear suspension. I installed them on the front suspension of our class A coach and it sure softened up the harsh ride on rough highways. Best of luck & Safe Travels. Jim & Sherry Seward 2000 Residency Mod. 3790 2003 Suzuki XL/7 4WD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryneal Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Glad to report the new airbags helped especially on the sever uneven bridge spots and keeping the frame off the hard rubber stops. Westlake had a few miles of bad road and the asphalt was greatly appreciated to Texas. Guess moral of this story, ask before travel. Jerry and Joan 2014 Ford F350 with 6.7 turbo, TrailerSaver 2014 40' Heartland Gateway Fifth wheel iLoveRVlife.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryneal Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Jim, thanks for the tip on the Koni's. Jerry and Joan 2014 Ford F350 with 6.7 turbo, TrailerSaver 2014 40' Heartland Gateway Fifth wheel iLoveRVlife.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 I put on bags, shocks, air ride hitch, still rode like a sled. Gave up and got HDT. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Seward Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Jim, thanks for the tip on the Koni's. You're most welcome, if you should install the Koni's, please let us know if they help any. Again Best of luck & travel safe.. Jim Jim & Sherry Seward 2000 Residency Mod. 3790 2003 Suzuki XL/7 4WD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justRich Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Here's a thought: I know that there are after market kits for doubling up shocks, but I've never seen it applied in the RV world. ~Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skp51443 Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Doubling the shocks can have the wrong impact on your ride since they will make it much stiffer and pass more of the bump through to the frame. For rough country use more shocks is a good addition and works better to reduce suspension travel than just increased spring rates. There is really no fix as such although replacing the suspension with a better one comes close. Air bags are useful, not because they improve the ride themselves but because they get the factory suspension back to closer to center and give you more travel to absorb big bumps without hitting the frame rails. Air bags are also rising-rate springs which have less initial resistance to hitting a bump but as the suspension moves towards the frame the spring rate increases. Better shocks are good, both because they can give improved dampening if that is needed and they have better internal parts that can more precisely control the axle movement and the transfer of the bump's impact to the frame. First rule of computer consulting: Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day. Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justRich Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Suppose the shocks are adjustable like the Rancho 9000's . . .their max setting is "9" but suppose a "12" would be better? And how would dual shocks perform if both were set at "6"? Is that equal to 12? Or is it still a "6"? Sorry to hijack this thread...does this thread deserve a new topic? ~Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richfaa Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 We have some very bad roads across the country .I- 10 may be the very worst .We just changed to the Hensley Trailersaver BD3 air ride hitch in the truck to help with the problem. We have the Mor Ryde pin box. Mor Ryde IS suspension, air bags on the truck and now the Hensley BD 3 hitch that is a lot of dollars to attempt to improve the ride on our roads but we feel it was necessary.We just installed the Hensley and will not get the chance t o try it out till we leave Florida in April and we will be doing about 7 K miles this summer over some of those very bad roads.I do not know what else we can do. Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarvan Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Air bags are useful, not because they improve the ride themselves but because they get the factory suspension back to closer to center and give you more travel to absorb big bumps without hitting the frame rails. Air bags are also rising-rate springs which have less initial resistance to hitting a bump but as the suspension moves towards the frame the spring rate increases. I have bags on my rear axle. First off, they level the truck so I don't blind people with low beams on. Secondly, I have (factory standard) two sets of leaves. The main set with five or so leaves which the truck rides on when level, and then there's two "helper" leaves up higher which come in to play when the rear goes down. These are short and thick, and are the last piece of suspension before the rubber stops on the frame. So by bringing the rear back up the bags keep me off these two leaves. Previously a 2017 Forest River, Berkshire 38A, "The Dragonship". https://dragonship.blog/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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