Removing shocks?

efavilajr · 07-04-2010, 08:53 AM

We have a 2006 Crossroads Cruiser we bought used a year ago which we put a bit less than 2,000 miles on last year with Towmax tires. A month ago we had a total failure of the right read 225/75R 15 Towmax so I bought new 4 Goodyear Marathon 225/75R 15's at Camping World.

Well, coming back from our first trip out (about 20 miles out and 20 back home) with the new Marathon tires when we came back from a short trip and 4-night stay, I discovered the right-rear tire was rubbing against the top of the shock absorber the entire time the tire turns. Also the other 3 shocks are very close to making contact to the tires as well!!

So, 2 phone calls later to Crossroads and their tech Randy, he knew immediately of the problem and admitted as such on some models and some years. His immediate recommendation was to remove all 4 shocks completely and run the trailer without them!!! YIKES was my response to Randy. Is this an OK thing to do?????

So....my question to y'all, have you heard of this kind of a problem and what's the reality of running a trailer of this size (29' and about 10,000lbs loaded) without shocks? Curiously, where we have our Cruiser stored is a large RV/trailer storage lot and I went down the line looking underneath about 8 5th wheels and I was really surprised to discover most of the larger 5th wheel's didn't have shocks!!

What advice can you give? I did look at relocating the existing shocks by drilling new mounting holes but that's not possible due to steel cross members would keep the head of the shock from being mounted closer to the frame! Randy alerted me that it might not be possible on this frame to move the shocks closer to the frame and away from the tires.

My other thought was to try and locate smaller (skinner-body) shocks that I could use to replace the existing units and give me a bit more clearance between the shock body and tire.

thanks to all.

Ed and Debbie

Edited by: efavilajr

Hunter11 · 07-04-2010, 09:13 AM

Yes there were some trailers in the late 05 to 07 range that had shock mount/shock rubbing issues. We had an 05 Cruiser 29RK and shocks were not an option at the time we ordered it. We owned it for 4 years and never had any issues without them. I would run it without them before I would tow it with the mounts/shocksrubbing the tires. I believe the fix at the time was having the shock mounts moved so they would not rub.

efavilajr · 07-04-2010, 09:26 AM

Hi Hunter11, thanks for the quick reply!! It looks like you have the same unit we have.....ya, I told my wife the 5th wheel is Red-X'ed until I get a satisfactory solution to rubbing tires....I'm still kinda surprised the frame manufacturer would let the unit out of the door with this issue!!

Edited by: efavilajr

fhenn · 07-04-2010, 09:45 AM

Replace the shocks with the equa flex system

rcflyer · 07-04-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fhenn

Replace the shocks with the equa flex system

I believe that is what was done on the newer trailers. The Equa-Flex is easier on the frame than shocks not that Lippert has no frame problems. I am impressed with the smooth ride my 2010 Cruiser has with the Equa-Flex.

cruzinfools · 07-04-2010, 01:48 PM

Yes I had the same problem with my old Crossroads trailer, they did not have the Equa-Flex then. My new trailer has the Equa-Flex and it rides better than the one with the shocks. Equa-Flex is not to expensive for what they are and do. Good Luck.

dalemac377 · 07-04-2010, 02:06 PM

I also recommend that you go to the Equa-Flex system and get rid of the shocks. We have had two Cruisers with the Equa-Flex suspension and the ride is very good.

fixit5561 · 07-05-2010, 12:21 AM

ditto on the Equaflex. I added it to my trailer, it wasnt too hard to do and the ride is excellent. while your at it put a wet bolt kit and bronze bushings on it too while it is apart.

cwit · 07-05-2010, 01:54 AM

I'm with fixit5561, You really should do both.

efavilajr · 07-05-2010, 02:01 AM

I'm definitely thinking now about the equa flex system -- But, it does seem a lot of trailers are sold with shocks or anything else -- on the phone the Crossroads tech Randy recommended simply removing them then taking a sawsall and cutting off the shocks mounts as well and going without them......so, what's the downside to just removing the shocks? More sway and a bit rougher ride for the trailer?

I'm new to this "lifestyle" so I was surprised to learn a lot of trailers don't have shocks!

Many thanks again!

ed and debbie

fixit5561 · 07-05-2010, 02:10 AM

most trailer dont have shocks, they just rely on the springs for suspension. The ride without the shocks will be a little rougher, dont know if it will sway more probably not IMO.

Shocks hold the tires to the ground better, that is there purpose to dampen the bumps. With the equaflex you will get pretty much close to the same thing, it smooths out the bumps.

Hamops · 07-05-2010, 02:52 AM

Since I had to have my shock mounts replaced in '06, I continued with the shock system, but once the shocks are due for replacement, I'm going to scrap the shocks and mounts and go with the Equa-Flex system

efavilajr · 07-05-2010, 04:38 AM

I guess manufacturer's leave them off to save a few bucks......sounds like nothing bad will happen if I remove the 4 shocks and see how it goes, then if we don't like the ride we can look into the EquaFlex system.....

Thanks to all again for all the advice!!

Robbie Ribbins · 07-05-2010, 07:34 AM

I have a friend with an 40 foot 3 axle toy hauler that came without shocks, and he spent several $$$$ installing shocks on all 3 axles, and after 1 year removed them as the trailer was worse off with the shocks. Trailer now 9 years old and has about 60,000 miles and no problem without the shocks. Next week he is headed to WV from Mo.

cgaucho1981 · 07-06-2010, 05:52 AM

I would like to jump in here if I may, and I am pretty sure of this. When I nearly lost my wheels in California last December, it was because I had a shock, and that is all that was holding the wheels on. The repair man said we were lucky to have a Paradise Point and not a cruiser as he had seen them with no shocks, Mine is also a 2006 with shocks. Since returning from the south I see no wear on my tires now like I did before.

efavilajr · 07-06-2010, 06:24 AM

cgaucho1981, not sure what you meant by "nearly lost my wheels in Cal?" .... a wheel almost fell off? Was it due to the shock?

Thanks!
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Edited by: efavilajr

cgaucho1981 · 07-06-2010, 08:53 AM

Well from what I understood was the shock was holding it together. When you look between the wheels the steel traingle with 3 holes/bolts was hanging down only one bolt was there.The wheels may not havecome off but they would have fallen to the ground. Hope this helps and I am sure others on here can help explain what happened. We are not experienced enough, my old 1996 Chateau never had problems like I have had on this rig. I have travelled east to west coast never dreamed that the bottom would fall out of a new fiver. Maybe mine was made on a Friday too and it was not cheap. But as many are we are upside down with the finanacing so we have to keep it for a while longer and hope for the price we paid to fix the problem, it should last a long time.

cowboy_71 · 11-07-2010, 07:55 AM

I was under our FW recently to apply slide-spray to the slide gears and made an alarming discovery.... one of our shocks was hanging disconnected from the top frame mount, the weld that held the piece of angle iron to the frame had failed...my immediate fix was to remove the shock...think pulling it without one out of four will cause problems?...wow, the others are only about a half inch from the tires...will CR pay to have them moved away from the tires under the 5yr stucture warrantee? cause there is no sign that this fix has ever been done...

Ridgeman · 11-07-2010, 08:27 AM

Doesn't hurt to ask them. But the 5 year structural waranty does not cover the Lippert frame and components. The Lippert warranty is 2 years. I recently had to replace an axle on mine at 3 years and a couple of months. Lippert didn't cover it. However because I had voiced a concern with that axle in writing to Crossroads and Randy on the phone, when I first got my rig,Crossroads stepped up and paid for the parts. I did the work.

Hamops · 11-07-2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboy_71

I was under our FW recently to apply slide-spray to the slide gears and made an alarming discovery.... one of our shocks was hanging disconnected from the top frame mount, the weld that held the piece of angle iron to the frame had failed...my immediate fix was to remove the shock...think pulling it without one out of four will cause problems?...wow, the others are only about a half inch from the tires...will CR pay to have them moved away from the tires under the 5yr stucture warrantee? cause there is no sign that this fix has ever been done...

Be'n there; dun that! All the welds on my shock mounts let go and one destroyed the tire, wheel and trailer trim. All were repaired by Crossroads. That was 4 years ago and everything is still ok.

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