shocks for a pup?

[badabing67]

I was wondering if anybody knows if somebody makes a shock kit for pups? we have a new 06 niagra and this weekend was the maiden voyage, everything was great except the bouncing while traveling (my 30ft bunkhouse did'nt bounce this much) I have heard of shock kits for the bigger trailers but not for pups.
 also does anybody have a trick to keep the trailer from shaking every time somebody moves. I don't remember our 99 timberlake shaking, our 30ft bh always moved because i couldn't get enough weight off the tires. this trailer shakes when the dog pants, (it's hard to sleep like that)

[kwatson51]

Can't addresss the shock issues...our Starcraft is pretty well behaved back there. We may have more weight in it than you. I know empty trailers tend to bounce.
Other things to check would be that the trailer is level (or close to it), weight distribution and such. You've probably already done that, but I mention it for folks reading this post. I have heard of shocks for PUPs, but only on the off-road types.

We had a problem with the PUP shaking trip before last. Very uneven ground but we were level (thanks Linx!) I suppose I didn't put the stabilizers down snug enough. This last trip was ok. Even ground and snugged the stabilizers pretty well.
We don't try to lift the PUP with them of course, but do try to make sure they are doing their job.

[AustinBoston]

I was wondering if anybody knows if somebody makes a shock kit for pups? we have a new 06 niagra and this weekend was the maiden voyage, everything was great except the bouncing while traveling (my 30ft bunkhouse did'nt bounce this much) I have heard of shock kits for the bigger trailers but not for pups.

I have heard of shock kits for pop-ups.  Try Dexter.  Unless Fleetwood recently changed manufacturers, they made the axle on your Niagara.  I found the bouncing was reduced on our Bayside (same specs as the '00 Niagara) when we added a weight distributing hitch, but if you really need a WDH, there is something wrong with your truck's suspension.

also does anybody have a trick to keep the trailer from shaking every time somebody moves. I don't remember our 99 timberlake shaking, our 30ft bh always moved because i couldn't get enough weight off the tires. this trailer shakes when the dog pants, (it's hard to sleep like that)

How big is your dog?  I'd expect breezes to add more movement than our German Canardly's panting.

How much movement you feel when set up depends on a number of factors.  

First, make sure your tires are at the appropriate pressure.  With your trailer, that is probably 65 PSI, tire maximum.

Second, chock those wheels.  I not only chock them, I then take a deadblow hammer and whack each chock to make sure it is well planted.

Third, make sure the stabilizers are set correctly.  Over-tightening the stabilizers can actually make the trailer less stable.  Here is what I do:

• On very hard surfaces (concrete, asphault, hard packed gravel), lower each stabilizer just until it touches, then tighten each 1/2 turn.
• On medium surfaces (grass/sod, loose gravel) lower each stabilizer just until it touches, tighten each 1/2 turn, then tighten each another 1/2 turn.
• On softer surfaces (sand, loose soil, muddy soil), put a Lynx leveler (a block of wood might be better, but I have the Lynx in the trailer all the time) under each stabilizer.  Tighten each by 1/2 turn, then tighten each by another 1/2 turn.  After a few hours (or the next morning) I check each to see if I want to add another 1/2 turn.

Over-tightening the stabilizers can cause the frame to warp slightly and can cause them to bear an uneven amount of weight, both of which can cause the trailer to be less stable.  You want to tighten them just enough, and do so evenly.

Even so, sometimes there is movement that gets annoying.

Austin

[badabing67]

thanks for the tips on leveling, this past weekend was on a gravel pad with lynks pads on all four corners but i'm sure i over cranked the supports. i guess i'm still used to the big trailer with the bal scissor jacks that would lift the tires off the ground. we're going again this weekend (this time dry camping) in the mountians of Va. near W Va. so i'll use your suggestions and let you know what happens.
as for the shock issue my big problem is when the road gets those little whoop de doos and the trailer starts bouncing and the truck bounces opposite and you just get sea sick bouncing down the highway. i was hoping some shocks for the trailer would help control it. i sure hope i don't need a wdh i just let mine go with the 30 ft trailer when we got the pup. we tow with a f-150 super crew 4x4 and the trailer sits level and tracks real nice behind it, (you don't even know it's back there, till the bumps) . thanks for all the info i'll let you know how it works out

[SkipP]

We stopped almost all of the wiggle on our camper through the use of a BAL single-tire chock on the high-side wheel and BAL's leveler on the low side. Really locks both wheels in. For us, it was an added, unknown benifit of the wheel chock although a welcome one!

[tlhdoc]

I use the BAL Leveler, but don't have the single wheel chock.  Even having the leveler alone helps a lot.  I will get the single wheel chock one of these days.

[badabing67]

we just got back from our 2nd trip and using the suggestion of not trying to level the pup with the stabalizers and making sure the wheel chocks are tight (dead blow hammer) really helped and this trip we were in the wilderness with no hookups got the truck and trailer muddy just getting there and had a ball. thanks for the help

[Petra]

I have an '05 Niagara and it doesn't have any excessive bounce to it when towing. We have and "04 VW Touareg w/V8 and air suspension. Also have a BAL leveler and the welds broke during the second use :-( so I just went back to intelocking plastic leveling pads.