Short bumper pull + 3/4 ton truck

[wsmoak]

Does anyone pull a short 2H bumper pull with a 3/4 ton truck?

I just traded down from a gooseneck stock trailer to the littlest possible 2H slant bumper pull trailer for running around locally. We drove down to Ocala to pick it up. It’s brand new.

Holy mother of all vibrations. On the way back we lasted about 40 miles before stopping to have the trailer tires balanced. (Gainesville is super fun with a horse trailer!! At least school was out.) One of them took 3.5 ounces. That improved things somewhat.

But I still feel like I’ve been sitting in a massage chair after pulling it.

We tried it behind DH’s Tundra and it is much better with the softer suspension but you can still feel it. There’s a shudder every so often.

We got the truck tires balanced and that improved things further. We will continue checking things to make sure nothing is wrong. Getting the truck aligned and the drive train checked out is next in case the vibration really is coming from the truck. But I know my truck and it is not giving me any indication of problems. DH is going to pull the utility trailer with a load on it to see if he can detect any similarities.

Anything else to consider? The internet is suggesting that this just happens sometimes, especially with very short bumper pulls. (The internet also suggests that it could be various catastrophic things, thus the concern and cross checking to try to pin it down.)

[clanter]

look at the age of the trailer tires, there is DOT production date on the sidewall, usaually over five years of age is point of replacement, also find the country of manufacture… many imported tires from China are very,very poorly made

Also a tire may have a broken belt making it out of round

[Calvincrowe]

That doesn’t sound normal, at all. I’ve hauled many times with a 3/4 ton and 2H bumper pull. Something’s not right with the trailer—is it a used one? New? Was it an accident? Sounds like a bent axle?

[FitToBeTied]

I’s second bent axle.

[CobJockey]

I’ve used a 3/4 ton to haul my 12 foot long Shadow 1H slant with tack room which is one of the smallest bumper pulls on the market, and I truly didn’t know it was back there both when it was unloaded and loaded and at speeds of up to 70mph. Sounds like something isn’t right.

[wsmoak]

A manufacturing defect in a new torsion axle or some damage to it in shipping/unloading is not out of the question. We’ll get the good suspension place in town to check it out.

It’s got steel wheels and Ranier ST tires on it, so nothing special and as mentioned a couple of them took several ounces to balance. Replacing all of them is an option! I usually get Goodyear Endurance which are made in the US (or were… I haven’t checked since Pandemic Times.)

[clanter]

@wsmoak

Ranier ST tires

I think these tires are rated for 65 mph and no higher,check the tire’s sidewall for speed rating

[Larbear]

I pull a short 2 horse bumper pull with an F250 and it seems fine to me and smooth, ie didn’t feel like I was in a massage chair

[ThreeWishes]

I pull a 2 horse Equispirit aluminum trailer with my Ford F-150. With one large 1300 pound warm blood aboard, in Florida, no hills, not faster that about 65. Never have I had vibration. Something is amiss.

[endlessclimb]

I pull a 2H straight load with a LONG 3/4 ton (crew cab, long bed) with air bags to stiffen the suspension. The trailer is noticibly nose-high, and still no vibration.

Note: Trailer is for short trips due to the imbalance. I am unwilling to fork over the $$ for axle blocks, and I will not put a longer shank on the hitch… 13" is all I can take mentally when doing the torque calculations

[cayuse]

This does not sound normal at all. We’ve always used 3/4 ton and 2 horse bumper pull trailers and have not had this problem.

[grinanride]

Put some weight in it and try again, it a trailer is too light weight and 205 ST trailer tires inflated to carry 1800+ each when empty it will beat you up. Trailers need a bit of weight to them IMO IME

Risa
Happy Trails Trailers

[moonlitoaksranch]

Oh my gosh! I think we have the same length truck! Makes parallel parking fun, doesn’t it?

OP, I’ve never had that issue with three different length BP trailers. If you are near Gainesville, Texas Trailers is a great service shop. Call to make an appointment though. They are BUSY.