Shocks on holiday trailer

[ABMax24]

Our new Jayco fifth wheel came prepped with brackets to install shocks on both axles. Has anyone else done this, and do you think it's worth it? Does it make the ride better or reduce "chucking" while towing? I also will tow either my RZR or boat behind the trailer at times.

 

[busted2x]

My creek side came with shocks, it makes a big difference on how much input the trailer gives to the truck. Worth it 100%

 

[Bnorth]

It was mentioned in a thread on here a few years ago that it made it a big difference. That and balancing the trailer tires seemed to both really be worth it IIRC.

 

[ABMax24]

Just to update this, I finally pulled the trigger on tire balancing and shocks for my trailer this year, we were finally going far enough to justify it. I still can't believe how much weight it took to balance my 16" Good-Year Endurance trailer tires, and all 4 of them are that way, probably not going to buy another set of those after seeing that. I used to get a weird vibration/harmonic in the rear of the truck/trailer while towing right at 100km/hr, this is now gone.

For shocks I went with the Monroe 555025 magnums ($225 to my door from Rockauto), the spec sheet doesn't include the length of the rubber bushing so they are on the long side, but still have just enough travel to work, in hindsight I would have got the shorter 555001's. My trailer never has had bounce/jounce issues, but these have settled the trailer down a little, reduced the sway just a little, but makes a noticeable difference in the potholes, the shock is just stiff enough on rebound that it keeps the tire from dropping all the way into the hole. I have 3500km on them now, and am interested to see how they'll work when towing the boat or RZR behind the trailer, this is where the suspension needed some help.

I think shocks would be more beneficial on travel trailers, I see lots of trailers on the highways now that repeatedly bounce after a bump, and they might even help with some of the side to side sway.