Hello all,

We have recently purchase a Flagstaff 2020 Super lite 529rlks super lite fifth wheel, hitch weight = 1583, uvw = 9631. Our Tow vehicle is a 2015 F350, 4wd, long bed, crew cab, 6.2, srv. Our hitch is a Pull Rite, Superlite 2400. As of right now we don't tow too much. Our 5th is stored where we do most of our camping so the tow is about a 1/2 mile! Anyway, while towing the 5th from the dealer to storage, back to dealer (for a leak) and then back to storage it seems that there is fair amount of chucking, at least to me. What are some ways to reduce chucking?

Thanks

 

You need to move more weight forward.

 

As stated above put more weight on the pin by rearranging the load in the trailer. We tow with all sorts of stuff in the bedroom, coolers, folding chairs, guitars, so on.
You might also check to see if the trailer rides fairly level and adjust the hitch/pin box if it doesn't.
Some trailers are picky about brake gain.
Some hitch designs have some "slop" in them, allowing the pin to move around a bit. My old Reese slider had more slop in it than I cared for. Hoping the new Reese will be much better. We'll know when we finally get to camp with the new truck!

 

switch to an Anderson is what I would do in this case.

 

Get a MORryde rubber pin box.

 

I agree with Scott.... move to the Andersen Ultimate. You will not regret it ! https://andersenhitches.com/collecti...mate-5th-wheel

 

B&W Companion best hitch made, allows moving pin behind or ahead of the rear axle, make a difference towing.

 

You are running a Pullrite SuperLite so there is no play where the ball rest in the hitch socket but if you are light in pin the ball can jump up and down against the locking pin. It's also a 2400 so it's sitting on rails so agian if the pin is to light it can move the hitch on the rails. Also make sure the ball adapter is properly mounted on the kingpin with the spacer bolts torqued to 20 ft lbs. If the clucking is the trailer jerking on the truck it's more pronounced with a SuperLite because there is no play in the hitch but the problem may be in the trailer balance or the suspension walking over bumps in the road, its more of a problem in lighter trailers with standard suspension without shocks than heavier ones.

Denny

 

Wait . . . I thought chucking was fore and aft movement; not up and down; which I thought was porpoising.

 

If you look at the Super Lite, it's the same thing.
Rob

 

No more than you tow, I don't know if I would worry much. To test the chucking and weight, fill all the tanks in front of the axles, throw in a weights, dog food sacks, etc in the basement or front room to add a few hundred pounds to the TW. If the chucking goes away, you have it figured out.

 

Be careful with your pin weight..... Don't take stickers or "dealer tech stats" as 100% face value.

Scale your rig - many times in many configurations. Get a base weight of the truck empty, then hook up the 5th wheel how you normally have it configured. Note the changes in your axle weights on the truck.

What ever you do - DO NOT go over any of the following weight ratings:
- Rear axle load capacity
- Combined rear tire weight rating. On SRW trucks this is the weight capacity of each tire doubled. On DRW's this is the rating of each tire multiplied by 4

In most cases your rear axle weight rating is going to be the quickest rating to approach. However, if you have low weight rated tires (D class for example, instead of E class) - this is precisely why you need to know your numbers and why you need to look at all components in the "chain" to be sure of what you have.

Axle ratings should be higher than the gross combined weight rating of the vehicle. From a legal perspective - the GVWR of the truck includes the hitch/pin weight of the trailer. So if your truck weighed, say, 9,000lbs and your hitch weight was, say, 1500lbs then your gross weight (that the 2 axles of the truck is carrying) is 10,500lbs. If your GVWR is 10,000lbs then you are 500lbs over rating. However, the axle ratings are going to be significantly higher than the sticker. On SRW trucks your 2 ratings are (at least used to be) 10,000lbs and 11,500lbs. The axle ratings will get you much higher than that - but from a registration, insurance, and legal perspective it would be wise to adhere to the sticker ratings.

From a mechanical safety perspective - if you surpass the axle rating you are at risk of breaking the axle. If you surpass the ratings of the tires you are at risk of blowing tires quick. Under these ratings you should be OK - even though they are higher than the sticker GVWR's.

Back to the pin weight concern - for experimentation I agree with others here that you should move weight around. However, as the moral of my post is - know your numbers and get the rig on a scale!! You don't want to "throw everything including the kitchen sink" in the bedroom or basement just to try - you need to stay under the lower of the 2 ratings of either the rear axle or the combined tire capacities. If you surpass them bad things can happen. And to know you're OK you need a truck scale to tell you.

Also pay attention to the weight distribution of the truck, front to back. If you are light on the front axle that can affect steering and handling also. Your front axle weight should go up with the 5th wheel hooked up. With a bumper pull trailer, unless you have a weight distributing hitch, the front axle weight will drop (WD hitch and front axle weight should go up).

 

My experience with a half ton truck and exceeding the cargo capacity (way too much tongue weight!) was that the suspension failed before the axle did. The leaf spring shackle and the shackle bracket (the part that attaches to the frame) both failed, but not completely fortunately. The shackle had to be replaced and the bracket had to be welded and reinforced.

 

You are running a Pullrite SuperLite so there is no play where the ball rest in the hitch socket but if you are light in pin the ball can jump up and down against the locking pin. It's also a 2400 so it's sitting on rails so agian if the pin is to light it can move the hitch on the rails. Also make sure the ball adapter is properly mounted on the kingpin with the spacer bolts torqued to 20 ft lbs. If the clucking is the trailer jerking on the truck it's more pronounced with a SuperLite because there is no play in the hitch but the problem may be in the trailer balance or the suspension walking over bumps in the road, its more of a problem in lighter trailers with standard suspension without shocks than heavier ones.

Denny

I printed out your reply to show my husband. He doesn't seem to be to bothered about it but he drove tractor trailer (gas tanker) for 30+ years. But we'll see.

Thanks!