310GK Bounce When Towing

[txloser]

So, I recently upgraded from a Chevy 2500 standard bed towing this trailer to a Chevy 3500DRW. This has been a great improvement where lateral stability is concerned. Ride is more firm of course, but I expected and accept that. My issue now is the bounce on rough sections of road. The sea saw effect. Didn't have this with my 2500 except on the worst of roads, and even then it wasn't bad. I'm towing nearly level, hitch is over the axle, and trailer has all the heavy bits in front and basement storage. I was really hoping not to have to modify such a capable truck but it seems I may need to. Past trucks including the most recent 2500 had Bilstein 5100's on all four corners and rear airbags. I needed bags in the past for support, but not so much here as the rear only drops an inch past level. That being said, would airbags with a modest amount of pressure help calm the bounce or will I just be fighting the stock suspension from working as designed?

As far as weight is concerned, the rear axle is sitting at 6960, and GVW is sitting at 12280 so no where near the truck's limits of 10200/14000.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I still gotta think pin weight. Do you have the ability to get it weighed...somewhere close?
The only time a see-saw effect happened to me is when I was light on the pin.

Oh... there was a goofy section of I35 between Duluth and the Twin Cities. The bumps or cracks were spaced in such a way the trailer just wanted to buck...but, I see from your map you have never been to Minnesota..so it isn't that...lol

 

[Conner58]

Thinking a shock change will help and the air bags probably help some also .
Sounds like you need the same mods you made to 2500

 

[WhittleBurner]

An air hitch will take away almost all that bounce you feel from bad roads. We have an AirSafe and rarely get bounced around .

 

[SolarPoweredRV]

So, I recently upgraded from a Chevy 2500 standard bed towing this trailer to a Chevy 3500DRW. This has been a great improvement where lateral stability is concerned. Ride is more firm of course, but I expected and accept that. My issue now is the bounce on rough sections of road. The sea saw effect. Didn't have this with my 2500 except on the worst of roads, and even then it wasn't bad. I'm towing nearly level, hitch is over the axle, and trailer has all the heavy bits in front and basement storage. I was really hoping not to have to modify such a capable truck but it seems I may need to. Past trucks including the most recent 2500 had Bilstein 5100's on all four corners and rear airbags. I needed bags in the past for support, but not so much here as the rear only drops an inch past level. That being said, would airbags with a modest amount of pressure help calm the bounce or will I just be fighting the stock suspension from working as designed?

As far as weight is concerned, the rear axle is sitting at 6960, and GVW is sitting at 12280 so no where near the truck's limits of 10200/14000.

I am thinking that the OEM shocks are not performing as well as the Bilsteen shocks you are used to. In addition, I think the air bags were helping your ride quality just as much as it was keeping the truck from squatting.

If you have the factory Puck System in your new truck. I would suggest replacing your pinbox with a Reese GooseBox. The Reese GooseBox has an integrated airbag that really smooths out the ride. Considering what replacing your shocks with Bilsteens and adding airbags would cost, replacing the Pinbox and selling your existing hitch might be the most wallet friendly option.

I will say from experience that we really love how the Reese GooseBox rides, and being able to simply pick up the ball to gain access to our truckbed is fantastic.

 

[Gronk1]

My truck is older, but Bilsteins & air bags made a bid difference in my towing experience. It firmed up the bounce quite a bit, to much air makes the boing worse. I fine tune the bags on the go to find the sweet spot. The added benefit is when empty I put enough air in the bags to get off the overloads which make for a better ride.

 

[txloser]

I added some bags today. Just the 5000lb bags since I don’t need much. I’ll hold on the shocks for now since the current ones only have 1300 miles on them. I’ll do a test tow tomorrow to see how it does. I don’t expect a night and day improvement but even a small one is good.

 

[Spartacus]

I added some bags today. Just the 5000lb bags since I don’t need much. I’ll hold on the shocks for now since the current ones only have 1300 miles on them. I’ll do a test tow tomorrow to see how it does. I don’t expect a night and day improvement but even a small one is good.

Which air bags did you go with I have been thinking about adding somes?

 

[LMagelitz]

Which air bags did you go with I have been thinking about adding somes?

You didn’t ask me, but I just went with Airlift 5000lb, 2 gal tank, remote in truck cab. Works good so far.

 

[txloser]

Which air bags did you go with I have been thinking about adding somes?

I did the Air Lift 5000 ProSeries. Didn’t need the 7500xl with the jounce. I also didn’t add an onboard compressor this time. Just a single point shrader at the license plate. I’ll just leave them at 10 psi or 5psi and see what that yields with the trailer weight on it. Currently they’re at 10psi and empty I can’t tell much difference. If anything it almost rides better which is not what I expected. I’ve always had Firestone in the past, but figured I’d give these a try just to mix things up a bit. Sure was nice letting someone else install these as they’re a bit more of a pain than the Firestone bags to install. Still took the guy two hours. For me it would’ve been 4 and a sore back today.

 

[LMagelitz]

I did the Air Lift 5000 ProSeries. Didn’t need the 7500xl with the jounce. I also didn’t add an onboard compressor this time. Just a single point shrader at the license plate. I’ll just leave them at 10 psi or 5psi and see what that yields with the trailer weight on it. Currently they’re at 10psi and empty I can’t tell much difference. If anything it almost rides better which is not what I expected. I’ve always had Firestone in the past, but figured I’d give these a try just to mix things up a bit. Sure was nice letting someone else install these as they’re a bit more of a pain than the Firestone bags to install. Still took the guy two hours. For me it would’ve been 4 and a sore back today.

My wife swears the 10psi helps the ride when empty when sitting in the back seat. It takes about 50psi to get me off the overloads with our 310. I can’t say I can tell a difference with the loaded ride, but we’ve only been on one short trip with them.

 

[poohbear]

An air hitch will take away almost all that bounce you feel from bad roads. We have an AirSafe and rarely get bounced around .

+1 on the air ride hitch. We also use the AirSafe (ours is the older 25K with the Holland head ) . I will say with the 397 I haven't found the " sweet spot " yet on the air pressure but getting close.

 

[txloser]

I may try that some day. The Morryde rubber pin box did well on my last FW, and this was great too on my last truck. Maybe I’m over trucked now, and that’s part of the issue. Previously the airbags carried a good bit of the weight so it made for a nice ride. In a straight line anyway. Tomorrow I’m hoping to tow with these bags and I’ll see then if it’s a little better.

 

[Spartacus]

You didn’t ask me, but I just went with Airlift 5000lb, 2 gal tank, remote in truck cab. Works good so far.

So sorry sir, how do you like them, do they ever leak and do you have any pics of your install?

 

[Spartacus]

I did the Air Lift 5000 ProSeries. Didn’t need the 7500xl with the jounce. I also didn’t add an onboard compressor this time. Just a single point shrader at the license plate. I’ll just leave them at 10 psi or 5psi and see what that yields with the trailer weight on it. Currently they’re at 10psi and empty I can’t tell much difference. If anything it almost rides better which is not what I expected. I’ve always had Firestone in the past, but figured I’d give these a try just to mix things up a bit. Sure was nice letting someone else install these as they’re a bit more of a pain than the Firestone bags to install. Still took the guy two hours. For me it would’ve been 4 and a sore back today.

Do you have any pics, I was thinking about the 7500XL since with those I don't have to have any air in them in case I forget and let them get below 5 psi.

 

[Spartacus]

My wife swears the 10psi helps the ride when empty when sitting in the back seat. It takes about 50psi to get me off the overloads with our 310. I can’t say I can tell a difference with the loaded ride, but we’ve only been on one short trip with them.

If you don't mind what is your pin weight on your 310GK?

 

[LMagelitz]

If you don't mind what is your pin weight on your 310GK?

I’m heavy….3500lb+
Washer/dryer, QD8000 diesel genny up front, inverters and lithium batts in pass-thru, dual pane windows. Our 310 has an 18k GVWR. With the MORryde IS, we are now about 16600lb total trailer weight (w/full fresh water tank).

I don’t have any pics handy, but if I get a chance tomorrow, I’ll post a few.

Jury is still out for me on whether I like them. I’ve only towed on one short trip so far. I do really like having an on board air tank. I installed a port in the bed of the truck.

Leaks? Not that I’ve had to diagnose yet.

 

[Spartacus]

I’m heavy….3500lb+
Washer/dryer, QD8000 diesel genny up front, inverters and lithium batts in pass-thru, dual pane windows. Our 310 has an 18k GVWR. With the MORryde IS, we are now about 16600lb total trailer weight (w/full fresh water tank).

I don’t have any pics handy, but if I get a chance tomorrow, I’ll post a few.

Jury is still out for me on whether I like them. I’ve only towed on one short trip so far. I do really like having an on board air tank. I installed a port in the bed of the truck.

Leaks? Not that I’ve had to diagnose yet.

Yes you are running a little heavy with that setup, you should get good use out of those airbags in that case, thank you.

 

[txloser]

Towed 200 miles today and the airbags did there job. Expansions and “wavy” sections were just a couple shallow oscillations. 35psi got me just hovering over the overloads.

Now a little solitude camping with the Solitude. Solo one nighter.

 

[Spartacus]

Towed 200 miles today and the airbags did there job. Expansions and “wavy” sections were just a couple shallow oscillations. 35psi got me just hovering over the overloads.

Now a little solitude camping with the Solitude. Solo one nighter.

Man, I love that setup it show look good, on the air bags I had some air lift ultimate that was on my 2018 Ram and bought also the stainless steel air lines I was thinking that since I can't use the hardware but I can use the bags and stainless steel airlines to just buy some hardware for the gmc and put those together and install it on the gmc.

I'm not sure if I can just buy the hardware so I might have to buy a lesser airlift kit and take off the airlines and the bags and have me the LoadLifter 5000 Ultimate air bags, I am going to call the company and see if they will sell me the hardware tomorrow and if not I buy the kit, hey man enjoy and relax.