Jerking problme F250 Crew SB 6.0

I'm having a strange problem with my 2003 F250 6.0 Automatic. Just got a new 5th wheel trailer and the jerking is terrible. Took the whole rig back to the camper sales lot and they agreed. They started checking and what we found was that the "helper" spring is bumping on the rear end while the front end is still a good 2 to 3 inches away from the bump-stop. This is causing the axle to torque in a rearward direction everytime the trailer hits a bump and transfers load to the truck. Anybody had this problem before, and if so what did you do to fix it? Thanks for any ideas.

Bill

Reply to
Bill B
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Reply to
Bill B

Reply to
silverfox

Thanks for the input. That was one of the first things checked. Hitch is a Pullrite SuperGlide 16. All bracketing is customized by Pullrite for each specific vehicle. When I ordered the hitch, they wanted more info on the truck than I ever dreamed they would need. Fits great!! The hitch installer from the trailer dealer test drove the truck and I sat in the back seat and watched the hitch. NO front to back motion there. The problem seems to be the fact that the overload spring is only being hit on the rear end of the arch. That tends to rotate the entire axle assembly backwards. Imagine the truck sitting still and the axle being rotated backwards. That would move the truck backwards, even though it may only be an inch or so. Now imagine the truck being moved back and forth an inch or so while doing 60mph. Quite an experience!

We are attmpting a fix by mouning a rubber bumper stop to the front end of the spring so that both ends of the spring come into contact with the frame stops at the same time. Tried it by using a large hose clamp and a 2X4 on the end of the spring. Big help but not quite there. Just talked to the hitch installer and he said the biggest rubber bump stop he could find was about an inch too short. He's going to install a spacer between the spring leaf and the rubber bump. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Still open to other suggestions in case this doesn't work.

Bill

silverfox wrote:

Reply to
Bill B

Bill, I see that my previous response sent a blank. Don't know why.

Anyhow, suggest that you look into supplemental Air Springs/Bags. They have a compressor as part of the system and you can pump them up to level your truck. My neighbor, also with a '00 F250 towing a 5th wheel used that approach and he is very happy.

Reply to
Mellowed

Well, I took the whole rig to a scale. Didn't disconnect and weigh just the truck, but this is the result while connected. We have no personal items loaded yet but did fill all holding tanks with water. (45 fresh,

43 black, 56 grey) Obviously, we wouldn't normally travel with all tanks full.

Steer axle 4360 (Front GAWR=5200) 840 UNDER rating Drive Axle 4960 (Rear GAWR=6084) 1124 UNDER rating Trailer Axle 7580 Gross Weight 16900 (GCWR=20000) 3100 UNDER rating

Now the real confusing part. If I add the Steer and Drive axle weights, I get 9590. According to the sticker by the door, the GVWR is 8800. I'm 790 over that. Am I overloaded or not?

The original problem has been greatly reduced by adding about 3" to the front frame mounted rubber bump stop. Now both ends of the "helper" get contact at the same time.

Thanks to all that responded to the original problem.

Bill

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Reply to
Bill B

Thanks for the response, Mellowed. Somehow, my original post didn't show up, so I reposted and a few minutes later, my first one appeared. Like you, don't know why but I have two posts and getting responses on both :-) Air bags were the first thought of the RV dealer but since I have a short bed, had to go with the slider type hitch. I chose the Pullrite SuperGlide which is an automatic slider. The tighter I turn, the further back it slides. Great hitch. Bad part is that the brackets for the hitch go right where the air bag would be, so that didn't work out. The fix for the spring hitting the back end first and causing the jerking was solved by adding to the front bump stop. Now both ends of the spring touch at the same time.

Bill

Mellowed wrote:

Reply to
Bill B

Yes, you are over gvw for the truck. Don't know if that's what's causing the jerking issue, but it could be. My 250 with trailer on grosses out at 9200, which is over the 8800, but am using a reese slider, and it's 6" in front of the axle in the tow position, and have no jerking at all. If I try to tow with the hitch slid back, (4" back of the axle) the thing is terrible -- it goes down the road like a porpoise, the slightest bump makes the truck and trailer bounce just as you've described. I'd still look at the position of that hitch, if the pin isn't in front of the axle by a few inches, you'll have these problems.

The other thing is that you didn't post the truck weight without the trailer aboard, so don't know about the pin weight. It might be too heavy.

Good luck with it, and happy camping

Bill

Reply to
William Miller

Reply to
Bill B

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