Overload Springs......and Happy Thanksgiving

[JAG1]

Nice work Nisaacs. I'm like you I like to do good work. Thank you again so much

 

John, yes the camper is almost always on with that truck and the camper has a winter package with a heated basement and tanks so it is higher up. The truck came with a camper package with front and rear sway bars and two springs on each side for overloads. The shocks are the KYB MonoMax and are still acting like Katooms nightmare being so stiff like riding in a lumber truck when empty.

 

When truck shopping the dealer let me take home a dually, but I just couldn't get used to the extra wheel projecting out in the mirrors. They would do better to build the bed wider, would be handy for hauling and you could get used to driving a larger vehicle instead of a standard size when you might forget about those fenders sticking out.

[Tractorman]

@JAG1, you are describing a camper very similar to what I used to own.  Mine was a four season Citation with basement made by General Coach in Canada.  The manufacturer stated that the camper weighed 2700 lbs with 20 gallons of water and two full propane tanks.  With our gear thrown in, it weighed about 3,500 lbs.  Combined with the truck - about 11,000 lbs - 4,850 on the front and 6,150 on the rear.  

 

As suggested by others, you should weigh the rig.  Weigh each axle separately and write the weights down.  You will probably find that your front axle weight will increase only about 500 lbs or less.  The rest of the weight will be resting on the rear axle.  

 

I used the Rancho 9000 series shock absorber because there are 9 adjustable positions to incrementally control resistance to the hydraulic flow when the shock extends.  This makes the shock perform well with a loaded or empty truck, especially  a loaded truck with a high center of gravity.

 

Let us know what the results are if you decide to weigh the rig.

 

- John

[JAG1]

I will John as I need to give that truck a full warm up again soon. My total weight last time I did it was 10,200. never did the axles seperate though. I used to have Rancho shocks years ago and found the adjustment had corroded and froze up.

 

I have the U bolts on order that Nisaacs said to get and going to make my own one inch spacer block also. It looks like with the added spacer the overloads will be just starting to contact the bump stops. That and letting out 20 lbs of air from the air bags will help. I will let everyone know how it worked out.

 

BTW, I will have to go Tukey huntin' instead so dripley doesn't get winged and missed 50 times before I hit 'em. What great target practice that was last year.