How to Reduce Fifth Wheel/Gooseneck Trailer Jerking
Question:
How can I help eliminate the jerk on my 43foot toy hauler?
asked by: Paul T
Expert Reply:
How to reduce or eliminate the rattle or chucking as it's called will depend on your set-up. What hitch are you using, a fifth wheel hitch that holds onto the king pin at the front of the trailer or a gooseneck hitch that uses a trailer ball in the floor of the truck bed?
If you're using a fifth wheel hitch, you'll want to use a quality hitch that grabs the king pin tightly that doesn't allow the king pin to rattle around in the hitch jaws. A fifth wheel hitch that uses a slide bar type jaw system like part # PS30129 will hold the king pin securely enough that there's no worry about it coming loose, but some movement will be allowed. This movement causes the banging and clanging you feel and hear. An air ride pin box (see linked article) will further dampen the banging and jerking.
If you're using an adapter that allows you to tow a fifth wheel trailer using a gooseneck hitch, the banging is kind of the nature of the beast. Using the correct hitch to tow the correct trailer, thus eliminating the adapter will go a long way toward solving the problem.
If you could reply and tell me a bit more about your towing set-up, I'd be happy to provide some recommendations that are a bit more specific.
