Hi all, I just bought a 1970 26' deck-over all steel tandem flatbed car trailer. It carries a standard ball-type reciever. The probelem is that when I go to accelerate or brake at low speeds, it bounces the whole truck like I'm in a paint shaker! It also bounces the truck on any imperfection on the road and dips nearly bounced me out of my seat! (bridges were the worst). I just brought the thing 600 miles back from Indiana and the ride nearly killed me. It handled fine up to 75 mph, no sway or shimmy. But the bouncing was the same no matter what speed. I can post pictures if anyone wants a look at the trailer, but I either gotta fix this, sell it, or invest in a spare pair of kidneys :'(.

 

Are you talking an &quot;up and down&quot; or &quot;front to back&quot; bounce?<br><br>For front to back....(which I am assuming you are having a problem with due to the transition from gas to brake and gas again explanation)<br><br>Does the trailer have electric brakes or hydraulic actuated by an integral trailer hitch master cyclinder.<br><br>Could be the integral trailer hitch master cyclinder is adjusted for being loaded or not adjusted correctly.<br><br>For electrics, could be the brake controller is not adjusted correctly.<br><br>For either electric or hydraulic<br><br>Trailer brakes should almost be unnoticable and drag, not grab. They should also phase in slightly after the pullling vehicles brakes are applied.<br><br>---that is my 0.02 without actually seeing it----

 

If up and down...<br><br>could be your suspension and tires.<br><br>&quot;Bilstiens, 2&quot; Tuff Country leveling kit, 3&quot; body lift, Roadarmor on the way, roadmaster susp. , 35x12.50R18 BFG MT's &quot;

 

Was reffering to the up and down bounce, it feels like its pulling the back of the truck into the air when it hits a bump.

 

Loaded or unloaded?<br>If loaded, where was the load?<br>About those pictures.......<br>Guestimate..how much tongue weight do you have?

 

Sounds like tounge wieght is wrong to me.

 

<br><br>this one is rather simple, been there and done that, your shocks are weak, replace all four with Rancho 9000 or equivelent. Regardless of other problems that may be there, the bounce is controlled by the shocks.

 

I just put these Bilsteins on 6 months ago, they can't be shot already(I hope) Was actually thinkin about switchin to 9000's earlier though ;D<br>[quote author=Haulin in Dixie link=board=11;threadid=12681;start=0#120125 date=1048571837]<br><br><br>this one is rather simple, been there and done that, your shocks are weak, replace all four with Rancho 9000 or equivelent. Regardless of other problems that may be there, the bounce is controlled by the shocks.<br>[/quote]

 

My trailer will kill ya empty, but rides like a champ loaded. I built it to be balanced loaded with my tractor. (we loaded the tractor and shifted the rear axle to get 25% tongue weight). If I put one skid of sod on it I hafta put it just back of the rear axles to smoothen it out. I have too much tongue weight empty. I also (if deadheading) will lower the air in the tires to 35psi, loaded I run 80. this takes some of the rough ride out. Trailer is sprung hard. Try it loaded and see. This may be the case. HTH. BTW it is a 5th wheel 20' long

 

TOUNGUE WEIGHT is lacking. If you &quot;misload&quot; any trailer it will do what you are discribing. <br><br>Michael