Chucking

[wward208]

Picked up new 2010 Montana model 3150 in Tampa. Towed it back home (450 miles) and it towed absolutely perfect. It was loaded the same as my old camper I traded in. I tow with a 2004 Dodge diesel 3500 srw. After arriving home found that camper was low in front. Adjusted hitch in truck up two holes which put in in highest position. Immediately after leaving on next trip started having quite severe chucking problem. I plan on dropping hitch back to original position and towing again. If this fixes the chucking problem would it be ok to tow trailer in nose down position? I might add every other new monty I seen while shopping had the Morryde pinbox installed. Mine has standard pinbox. Do the new Montanas need the Morryde? Would the Morryde fix my problem? Thanks

[sreigle]

I have no experience with the mor/ryde pinbox but have heard from several that it helps the chucking but doesn't fully eliminate it. But the difference is supposed to be significant.

Just how much nose down is it? You might try lowering one hole instead of two and see if that helps. By any chance were you on concrete highways, like most interstate highways when it was chucking and on other kinds of roads when it was not? Chucking seems to be worse on concrete roads with laps between sections.

Also, there seems to be a relationship between chucking and the distance between the truck rear axle and the trailer axles. Some combinations are worse than others. But I wouldn't think dropping the pinbox two holes would make enough difference to cause the chucking.

I've also heard the trailair and similar hitches with airbags can make a difference, too.

If your truck is tail low when towing, it may be that airbags will help. They'd level the truck (if that's the problem) and provide additional damping. When we had a truck with the airbags and also had the onboard compressor, while going down the road I could adjust the pressure in the bags and that would reduce the chucking although it did not eliminate it. When you raised the pinbox it added pinweight to the truck and might induce a tail low situation with the truck is what I'm thinking might be happening to you.

Good luck. Towing with heavy chucking is not fun.

[wward208]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

I have no experience with the mor/ryde pinbox but have heard from several that it helps the chucking but doesn't fully eliminate it. But the difference is supposed to be significant.

Just how much nose down is it? You might try lowering one hole instead of two and see if that helps. By any chance were you on concrete highways, like most interstate highways when it was chucking and on other kinds of roads when it was not? Chucking seems to be worse on concrete roads with laps between sections.

Also, there seems to be a relationship between chucking and the distance between the truck rear axle and the trailer axles. Some combinations are worse than others. But I wouldn't think dropping the pinbox two holes would make enough difference to cause the chucking.

I've also heard the trailair and similar hitches with airbags can make a difference, too.

If your truck is tail low when towing, it may be that airbags will help. They'd level the truck (if that's the problem) and provide additional damping. When we had a truck with the airbags and also had the onboard compressor, while going down the road I could adjust the pressure in the bags and that would reduce the chucking although it did not eliminate it. When you raised the pinbox it added pinweight to the truck and might induce a tail low situation with the truck is what I'm thinking might be happening to you.

Good luck. Towing with heavy chucking is not fun.

Thanks Steve for the response--I may have not been clear but I lowered my hitch in the truck 2 holes which is app. 2 inches. I left the fiver pinbox in its original position. I think I am going to put hitch back into original position and start from there. Two previous fivers and never have I had any problem with chucking. My truck is a 3500 so this pinweight does not make truck squat. Thanks again. I'll let you know what I end up doing.

[NCFischers]

Mr. Bill,
When I brought my Monty home from the dealer, I noticed some chucking when starting and stopping. I have the Mor-Ryde hitch. My truck sits level when towing but the trailer was a bit nose high. I adjusted the hitch in the truck so the trailer was level and 90% of the chucking went away.
As Steve stated, some concrete roads can cause the problem if the distance between seams in the road are just the right distance apart. On the way to the Northeast Rally we crossed a bridge in Virginia and I thought we were going to be tossed out of the truck it was so violent. The rest of the trip was just fine.
Jim

[TLightning]

Any air pin box will help.

[washley1]

Wow, Jim said he had a lot of chucking on a bridge in Virginia; did that happen to be on the 95 bypass around Richmond? We hit that stretch in June going north and I thought the world was going to end!!

[NCFischers]

That's the bridge. That thing was terrible!!
Jim

[BB_TX]

I have an '07 3075RL. Had some chucking when I first got it. Not really bad, and not all the time, just on some stretches of concrete highway. But just a little annoying. Installed a 5th Airborne pin box and eliminated almost all the chucking.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by wward208
Thanks Steve for the response--I may have not been clear but I lowered my hitch in the truck 2 holes which is app. 2 inches. I left the fiver pinbox in its original position. I think I am going to put hitch back into original position and start from there. Two previous fivers and never have I had any problem with chucking. My truck is a 3500 so this pinweight does not make truck squat. Thanks again. I'll let you know what I end up doing.

My mistake, Mr. Bill. My suggestions still apply but refer to the hitch adjustment rather than pinbox adjustment. Good luck. I think you're on the right track with hitch height adjustment. If you're still not satisfied, then I'd suggest an air hitch or air pinbox. Good luck.