Agreed-Definitely an overload scenario. A 350 dually or F450 would be the best bet. But, if keeping the 250 is required, airbags, shocks, and an andersen would be my suggestion.

 

The hitch connection absolutely can be part of the problem. If not setup correctly or worn it acts like a big rubber band.

The F250 is more than capable of the rig he's pulling if setup correctly.

Keys to check:

pin box connections are good and tight
hitch connections are good and tight.
no broken frame welds
trailer suspension is in good condition without any worn components like bushings and drag links.
trailer tires in good condition and properly inflated
truck tires are proper load range and fully inflated
a good set of Hd shocks on ALL four corners of tow rig (prefer rancho 9000xl)
timbrens ok but I prefer bags.

if you cover all these areas in detail you should eliminate your chucking problems.

 

With a typical travelling load, I'd bet he's a thousand pounds over on the rear axle. Yes, we can argue all day whether they're actually the same axle or not, I really don't care. That trailer has to be very close to 3000 lb. on the pin. That doesn't count any tools, ice chests, firewood or bikes in the back of the truck. Nobody's going to convince me a 250 can safely haul a trailer that grosses 16K at highway/freeway speeds. Too much tail, not enough dog. That load needs a dually. If you guys want to do it, go right ahead. Try to convince the comml. cop it's more than capable. I wish you luck.

 

All this talk about chucking just comes down to the fact that the truck and the trailer are fighting each other on the expansion cracks on concrete roads, or the transition from the highway to a bridge, etc. It's just going to happen. TrailAir made a hitch called a tri-glide that worked well--I wore one out. Mor-Ryd has one as does Demco. They all work to a degree, but there are some situations that you will just have to slow down for. I-20 around Birmingham, and Lake Charles are just two. It has nothing to do with an F-350 vs. F250 at all. I know folks who pull with a semi who talk about the same thing. The fact that the truck weighs more than the trailer, and the fact that they are sitting on air seats, with an air bag under the cab, and air bag suspension on the truck kind of evens it out. They don't care what the trailer is doing. But don't go blaming the problem on the wrong things.

 

If you check the specs you will see you are not correct

2830lbs hitch weight. 5er at not quite 14k empty. F250 max 5th wheel tow is 15900. I'm not hauling 2 tons of concrete blocks in the cargo bay. A trip to the scales shows I am OK. Close but under. Dually not a option in the city garage where I park.

 

I've been doing this for a long time and I will say it again, bucking, clunking or what ever you want to call it is caused by the trailer suspension not the hitch. My 20K Resse has play in it and it doesn't clunk with a standard pin box because my trailer is dampen with rubber spring block equalizer and good shocks. You can change your pin box or use a dampen hitch and it will help but the problem is still there your just masking it.

Denny

 

If you're pulling the trailer dry/empty then the mfg's numbers may be close, but I'm highly skeptical of the numbers you posted. I Know my posted pin weight is 2380, but with a typical load it comes in at 2700-2750, so nearly 300 over whats published. That puts me right at 7000 on the rear axle. That's with nothing else in the bed. I'll stop ranting about weight, you got what you got, so....

1) Best shocks you can get
2) Air bags
3) Mor-Ryde pin box
4) Equa-Flex equalizers for the trailer.
5) Shocks for the trailer, if it's not a logistical nightmare to install them
-- by that I mean dropping/cutting belly sheeting, moving wires etc.

 

In my last 5th wheel, a 36 footer, I had an airbag receiver on the trailer. On bad road I would get one bounce and the hitch took care of the bouncing.

 

Here's a example, we had a 2001 Hitchhiker Premier trailer with shocks and standard equalizers and it had a bucking clunking problem, not bad but is was there. When we ordered our 2003 Hitchhiker Premier the only thing we changed on the suspension was adding Mor-Ryde RE equalizers and all that went away. Same DRW truck, hitch, 3200 to 3400 pin weight and 16K trailer weight, it is 3 ft longer.

They no longer make the RE Equalizer option but they make SRE 4000 that still uses rubber spring blocks so you get suspension dampening and the rubber springs gives up and down travel, both give you a better ride and pulling experience.

Denny

 

Denny are talking about this style on your hitchhiker?

 

Yes that is what I have but a older version that bolts on not welded, it was installed at the factory. You can see the rubber spring blocks that the equalizer is bolted to.

Are they yours, if so it looks like the outer rubber is starting to tear, I replaced my rubbers on both sides last summer. I looked on their website and they said to use 010 rubbers and when I took my old ones out they were 08, made the trailer ride harder with the 10 springs.

Denny

 

I second what rvpuller stated, however, I have not been rv'ing a long time but I do have a three month old Keystone Sprinter that wanted to buck/jerk the first time I had it on the interstate using my SRW F350, so the following week, I hooked it up to my DRW F350 thinking it would cure it, but it did not. I had my wife drive while I followed the trailer, I was surprised how much flex side to side the axles have and how much bounce the trailer has over bumps. And I swear my trailer tracks a little sideways.

I have ordered a shock kit, a correct track kit and wet bolts. That should fix it or at least dampen it. I hope.

 

Yes that is what's on mine. Most of those are surface cracks and not deep by Morryde specs. As soon as I know where I'll be for a short period of time I'm going to order the HD shackle kits and install it, it doesn't look like a hard thing to do. I don't have the pleasure of concrete pad other than the desert ground plus the Bigfoot system should help lifting the trailer.

Rubber Shear Spring Replacement Criteria
Rubber Shear Spring Inspection (inspect at each oil change)
The rubber springs should be periodically inspected for any tears or cracks. If a rubber spring exhibits a
3” long and 3/4” deep crack or tear, the rubber shear spring should be replaced. This can be checked by
using a flat tool such as a putty knife. The putty knife can be used to probe the rubber shear spring in the
affected area. If the knife can be inserted 3/4” deep, by at least 3” long, the spring rate of the spring is
affected and should be replaced. Note: It is normal to see rubber spring weather checking, which is
small surface cracks in the rubber. Weather checking does not require a rubber spring to be replaced.
Shear springs do not need to be replaced until a tear goes all of the way across the body of the shear
spring and works its way into the shear spring a minimum of ¾ inches.

 

I had tears in one over 3/4 deep both top and bottom, the other side of the same box was only 1/2 deep all the way across. I replaced both sides while I was at it, the trailer was 13 years old with over 100K miles and second set of springs and shocks so they served me well.

Denny

 

Your talking about the north side of,town...it took down our ceiling down on our new fifth wheel before we got,home. Stay out of right lane. Left lane is good