Shocker Hitch

[Life is a Highway]

After having our 19 FC down for three weeks at Jackson Center
last year for shell to floor separation and dimpling around the ft locker
It was suggested that the equalizer hitch and stiff truck suspension could have caused it

I’m researching a new hitch system for our soon to be
Built Airsteam 30 FC. Yes the 25 went bye bye.

I just talked with Shocker Hitch and they make a hitch that can use a equalizer
weight distribution head ,or he recommended the traditional Red shocker hitch which does side to side and up and down air bag cushion. And instead of weight distribution you use one or two friction sway bars

I was concerned that their draw bar is not 2.5 solid instead a hollow Tube. 2 inch is solid. Our TV is a F250 Diesel Crew Cab. Anyone out their using either Shocker system. Appreciate your feedback.

[uraljohn]

Couple of thoughts on this.....To soften the rear axle ride on your F250 consider installing a pair of "Sulastic Shackles". Several good Youtube vidoes on these. I installed them on my 2013 Ford E150 XLT Premium van. Van has a 8600 GVW and the rear axle is rated for 5120 LBS making for a pretty stiff ride. These shackles realy made a difference in ride quality and do not effect the axle rating. About $400.00 and worth every penny. Install was easy peasy in the driveway and took less than an hour total.

More thoughts.....What tire pressure are you running in your trailer tires and tow vehicle tires? if your running 80 PSI in you trailer tires they are probably overinflated and creating a very stiff ride and beating the trailer to death. Go to a CAT Scale and do a 3 pass weigh in and you can determine the proper tire inflation needed by looking at an inflation chart for your tires. We have a 2019 FC 25 RBT and run the trailer tires at 60 PSI measured when tires are cold. No need to run 80 PSI and beat the trailer up.

More thoughts....Again hook up your rig and head to the CAT Scale to get a clear picture of all of your axle weights. Maybe you have your Equalizer set up incorrectly resulting in to much weight being transferred back to your tow vehicles front axle. That will hurt the frame on your trailer. How many washers are you running on your Equalizer Hitch Head? Are the L Brackets attached to the trailer frame set to high?

Several factors come into play to properly set up your rig. Going to a CAT Scale is critical to get the right set up. Tire pressures may be to high on TV and Trailer.

Hope these suggestions help or at least are some food for thought before needlessly searching for a new WD Hitch.

Google "Sulastic Shackles". Transformed the ride and towing of our rig.

[Life is a Highway]

Thanks very good advise the truck is only heavy about 50 lbs more no cat scale
But use of the BetterWeigh App

I believe you hit on something with tires. I was just at a Goodyear store who sells
Endurance Tires and the new tire has 65 Max in huge letters on the sidewalls. For
Over a year we ran 80 cold and popped rivets. After the repairs I lowered to 70 and noticed interior items not bouncing around as much

I’ll go cat scale the truck before the trailer is hooked up. I know from better weight I was not over weight on the front axle. 5 washers were in the head pin

[DewTheDew]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

Thanks very good advise the truck is only heavy about 50 lbs more no cat scale
But use of the BetterWeigh App

I believe you hit on something with tires. I was just at a Goodyear store who sells
Endurance Tires and the new tire has 65 Max in huge letters on the sidewalls. For
Over a year we ran 80 cold and popped rivets. After the repairs I lowered to 70 and noticed interior items not bouncing around as much

I’ll go cat scale the truck before the trailer is hooked up. I know from better weight I was not over weight on the front axle. 5 washers were in the head pin

I do not have an answer to your original question but we have not had any issues with our 2017 27'FC and an Equalizer hitch. We have yet to pop a rivet, though I keep thinking we will! We have mostly been on reasonable roads but certainly have hit some poorly repaired bridges that bounced around things on the inside (cushion on the floor). So I'm not convinced that the hitch is inherently too stiff.

We towed for the first two years with an F150 and the last 18 months with an F250 diesel.

[mefly2]

We have the 2 1/2" Shocker Air Equalizer shank with the Air Equalizer and EQ wdh.
When I called Equalizer CS and asked about dialing back the spring bars for use on a HD truck, they said that the sway control would be minimized as well. So, that left us with the decision to put a buffer in between the HD suspension and the AS. Shocker CS has been superb and so is their product. We like that the air fitting is up hiogh for protection and is easily accessed; the lower pivot point actually has a grease zirk (old tractor guy here) ...yes!

[Life is a Highway]

Thanks

Any pictures of your set up would be nice. I called equalizer and they told me lighter bars would make sway worse. The 12000 and 14000 hitch have the same bars. I am begging to believe a shocker system or the Airsafe would benefit the trailer. Air safe is stupid expensive.

Guy across from me in storage has a Ram new 2500 diesel and Airsteam 30 classic with front locker with a equalizer hitch. After two 7 k trips and I’m seeing the dimples around his front locker the death start of frame to shell separation.

[mefly2]

We are using 1,000# bars on our Equalizer hitch; I tapered / reduced the girth of the bars to make them more resilient (I posted details about 6-7 years ago; search) and we have had zero sway with either 3/4 T Chev or Ram, Ford Expy, or Ford 350... on two different 25 Internationals and a 20. We have used the same EQ hitch for over 10 years.

We do not grease the L brackets but do use the bracket jackets. And, yes, sway control is by means of the friction from downward pressure on the L brackets - minimal is provided by the bars pivoting at the head. Hard to think that stiffer bars would be required for adequate sway control ... maybe an add on friction device? Suggest possibly to check your hitch set up ... may need to be dialed in. Do not trust that it was set up properly at the dealer.

[gypsydad]

Don't know about the Shocker system; I have used Equalizer and Reese early on with my first (2) 25' AS's; I know the Equalizer bar bent while backing which led me to the Blue Ox Sway Pro; I am on my 3rd BOSP now with no issues.. I am on my 4th AS last 5 years, the 28'FCT. Run my tires last 4 years at 58-60 psi cold. No more popped rivets nor hinge/drawer issues since reducing GY Endurance psi cold to 58-60. I dialed in the BO/SP 1500lb bars on our F250 6.7L and the AS showing 3.5links as recommended by BO. First few years I had them at 4.5links showing. In talking with several folks who have/do use BO system, the ride is great when dialed in; the "give" the chain suspension to the sway bars provide excellent tension helping prevent sway. No issues backing or turning with this system. I know there are other systems; the BO SP system has worked for 3 different AS's, first with my F150 and now my F250...just get the proper size bars for your tongue weight, dial it in with the proper links showing, and should work out fine.

[civeng99]

Use an old Reese set up. I mean old. Works well. Trunnion style. You’ve got a perfect truck setup. You’ll be happy with whatever you go with if your weight setup makes sense and you’ve got the right bar size. I’ll second go east on the tire pressure.

[mefly2]

What works best for us is to monitor both tire pressure increase and distribution of heat across the tread / uneven tread wear. It has been advised that sidewall flex may result in excessive heat build up / tire issues.
Newer vehicles have the option of both tire pressure monitoring and temperature monitoring. Before that became available, we used add on TPMS and purchased an inexpensive IR temperature "gun" at HF to help determine optimal pressure. Yes, we over pressured from advice at times ... and experienced opened doors and drawers. Use caution with following advice from folks not configured as you are ... YMMV.
The original poster asked about the Shocker System; the Shocker air equalizer provides a perfect balance for us -with some cushioning - between our F350 and Equalizer wdh with sway control. We are much more comfortable towing now than we were with our F150 / SOB and no wdh back in 2002 ! Back in the late 1960s our business used to weld hitches directly on to the vehicle frames - have we ever come a long way. In 2012, we bought the Equalizer with "improvements" and found that it was a bit too stiff and we worried about adding a bit of flex into the arms - about 10 years ago, I detailed on here just how to add a bit of taper to the spring arms. It has worked well for 20 and 25' AS as well as tandem boat trailering. The Shocker Equalizer Air hitch is just the product that we have awaited. Hopefully this will be our last iteration for TV, RV, and hitch set up ... going on 74 years old and want to keep this wife !

[JJTX]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

After having our 19 FC down for three weeks at Jackson Center
last year for shell to floor separation and dimpling around the ft locker
It was suggested that the equalizer hitch and stiff truck suspension could have caused it

I would not have used a 2500 frame to tow the 19 footer, or my 19CB. I think a truck -can- be too stiff. I wouldn't have used any weight distribution as the trailer is so light, you can't possibly be anywhere near a ratio front/back on the truck that will affect it.

I would use sway control bar or something similar, or a hitch without WD though.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by JJTX

I would not have used a 2500 frame to tow the 19 footer, or my 19CB. I think a truck -can- be too stiff. I wouldn't have used any weight distribution as the trailer is so light, you can't possibly be anywhere near a ratio front/back on the truck that will affect it.

I would use sway control bar or something similar, or a hitch without WD though.

I think the 19 was part of 2019, not a 19-ft trailer. The OP's info shows a 2019 25-ft trailer, which is a good match for a 3/4-ton truck IMO.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by mefly2

We are using 1,000# bars on our Equalizer hitch; I tapered / reduced the girth of the bars to make them more resilient (I posted details about 6-7 years ago; search) and we have had zero sway with either 3/4 T Chev or Ram, Ford Expy, or Ford 350... on two different 25 Internationals and a 20. We have used the same EQ hitch for over 10 years.

We do not grease the L brackets but do use the bracket jackets. And, yes, sway control is by means of the friction from downward pressure on the L brackets - minimal is provided by the bars pivoting at the head. Hard to think that stiffer bars would be required for adequate sway control ... maybe an add on friction device? Suggest possibly to check your hitch set up ... may need to be dialed in. Do not trust that it was set up properly at the dealer.

^^^^^^^
THIS...

A springy hitch thing should not be needed if the lash-up is correct.👍

Just me...I have no room in my head space for WD that depends on bar friction supplied by tongue weight.

POI...we move 720lbs with 1000lb bars, Hensley Arrow on a 2500 '06 Burb.

Bob
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