shock absorber kit

[rccs]

I am thinking of installing shock absorbers on my popup camper. Monroe makes a kit for the installation and has the shock absorbers for it. Has anyone installed shock absorbers on their popup? Shock warehouse has the kit and shocks and for this month has free shipping so I am going to decide soon but would like any feedback on this.
The reason for my wanting to install the shocks is because on concrete roads I get the "galloping" type ride from the joints in the road that others here and elsewhere have mentioned. I have already installed heavy duty shocks on the rear of my tv but that did not help much. I tow with a Chrysler town & county LXI model minivan. On blacktopped roads the ride is smooth, it is just on the concrete roads that it is not. Usually I have to go about 50-55 miles an hour to minimize the galloping effect of the concrete roadway.

[rccs]

Well I guess no one has heard of the shock absorber kit or has not installed one by the looks of the number of replies here. I ordered the shock kit and shocks today so after I install them this spring I will let everyone know if it was worth the effort.

[Jim K in PA]

I am curious where you found the kit. Do you have a link to a source, or perhaps to Monroe's site?  

We have a Torflex axle under our Viking, so the kit may not be useable on our PUP if it is designed for a leaf spring suspension.

There is another thread on shocks, which I am sure you are following, but here it is: http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=65382

Post some pictures of the kit and the install if you can.

[srds]

Let us know how it went ,I did'nt know they had a setup for pups-neat

[mike4947]

If it were me I contact the Dexter folks on the shocks for Torflex axle issue. They are really good about helping folks with their products.
The Monroe shock kits I know are for conventional leaf spring axles.
Shocks do work well on a lot of PU's. Especially if you do any rough or dirt road towing.

['tiredTeacher]

If it were me I contact the Dexter folks on the shocks for Torflex axle issue. They are really good about helping folks with their products.
The Monroe shock kits I know are for conventional leaf spring axles.
Shocks do work well on a lot of PU's. Especially if you do any rough or dirt road towing.

Should I contact Dexter (I have leaf springs) or Monroe?

[rccs]

I found the shock kit at shockwarehouse.com  . It is available for leaf springs or the torflex axle. The free shipping ends at the end of this month so that is why I ordered it now. Their site has installation instructions that can be downloaded and a picture of how to decide which shocks are needed.

[wavery]

I found the shock kit at shockwarehouse.com  . It is available for leaf springs or the torflex axle. The free shipping ends at the end of this month so that is why I ordered it now. Their site has installation instructions that can be downloaded and a picture of how to decide which shocks are needed.

I may be mistaken but the way that I read it, they want $63 per shock plus $62 for the bracket kit. That's around $200, if I'm reading this right.  :confused:

I think shocks would be great but not $200 (and 3 hours labor) worth of great.

For that kinda $ I'll make my own leaf spring brkt. It's just a flat steel plate with holes drilled in it. The top of the shock just bolts through the frame and I can use a bronze bushing and 2 washers for a spacer. I can pick up a pair of new shocks on eBay for $30.

[rccs]

wavery   My total order came to $107.00 for the kit and 2 shock absorbers and these are Monroe shocks, not something with no name made in China.

[wavery]

wavery   My total order came to $107.00 for the kit and 2 shock absorbers and these are Monroe shocks, not something with no name made in China.

Thanks.........$107 I may do, so that I don't have to mess around making stuff. I tried call them this morning (800-245-7469) . I was told that they don't have anything like that and they don't list anything on their website:
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/index.cfm
 
Do you have a part number that you ordered?? :confused:

[rccs]

wavery  The web address you posted will get you there. You need to click on Monroe (not in the special deals) and when you get the Monroe page go to the bottom under Monroe information links and click on trailer retrofit kits. Or you can go to //www.shockwarehouse.com/site/mon_retrokit.cfm
You need to do a little measuring to determine which parts you need and it is all explained there.

[wavery]

wavery  The web address you posted will get you there. You need to click on Monroe (not in the special deals) and when you get the Monroe page go to the bottom under Monroe information links and click on trailer retrofit kits. Or you can go to //www.shockwarehouse.com/site/mon_retrokit.cfm
You need to do a little measuring to determine which parts you need and it is all explained there.

Thanx..............I placed my order... That's one hard website to use. Even when I called, their own employee couldn't figure it out. :sombraro:

[Jim K in PA]

The site states that kits are available for torsion axles, but the applications listed are only for leaf springs.

I'll see if the Monroe site actually has a part number for the torsion axle.

Thanks for the link.

[rccs]

wavery  Bad news, Shock Warehouse called me today and said that Monroe no longer makes the  retro-fit kit for the shocks but still makes the shocks.I told them to send me the shocks anyhow and I will make my own "kit". Our local Fleet Farm store has trailer parts and I will just buy the plates and weld a piece of tubing onto them for the bolts myself. I went to Shock Warehouses web site and printed everything I could that would be helpful in making my own parts just in case they remove the information from their site now that they found this out.  Like you said in your earlier post, it would not be that hard to make the mounting kit.

[rccs]

Shocks came today on UPS. I have started to make my installation kit. Now all I need is some warm weather to be able to work on the installation. More snow and cold temps. predicted here for Friday though. We have had the more snow and cold this year than we have had in about 5 years.