Shakes, rattles, and roll, Oh my.

[ohiost90]

Although I have pulled small boats and small utility trailers in the past, this is the first time I've started pulling a largish TT. And frankly, I'm not liking it at all.

Every bump and imperfection in the road, I feel the trailer pushing and pulling the truck. The hitch noises scare the hell out of me and I'm constantly in fear that the trailer is just about to start the death sway that I've seen on u-tube. I usually go 50 to 55 on the highway and if I hit 60 I start to slow down.

My questions are...

Is it normal that I would feel the trailer pushing and pulling the truck while going over bumps in the road? Its not like the truck is out of control, but I certainly know something is back there.

Normal regarding the hitch noises over bumps and turns?

Lastly, can anyone describe how a trailer feels and/or looks like when its starting to sway? I find myself constantly looking in my mirrors to check, but its always seems to be tracking straight.

My set-up is as follows:
2003 1500HD GMC Sierra Crew cab. 8600 GVWR, 7900 Tow, 14000 GCWR. pulling a 2018 passport 2400BH. Its listed as 4900 pds dry and I couldn't have put more than 500 to 1k in it as I didn't have anything in the holding tanks. I made sure most of the cargo loaded was in the front cargo hold. Its hooked up with an equalizer 8K WD hitch. On my to do list is to run it over a CAT scale.

[BuzzWolfAR]

Nothing sounds abnormal. Learning to pull a trailer comfortably takes time and experience.

I still get anxious during the first few minutes while towing, but settle down once I get going.

I've only towed trailers 10-15,000 miles, but gained confidence quickly.

[Cumminsfan]

That TT is not too big for your truck so it sounds like a WDH adjustment is all thats needed.
With that being said, how old are the shocks on the truck?
Yes get it all weighed. You need about 12% on the tongue weight. Truck should be setup so that the front end is returned to the original height or as close to it as you can.
The TT needs to be parallel to the ground or if needed slightly nose down.
Check all those boxes and it should settle down.

[russr]

Usually not enough tongue weight will cause the twitchy condition. What are your measurements before you hook up and after. Ground to top of wheel well ft and back of tow vehicle.

[tuffr2]

Good news, it sounds like you just need to get the WD hitch dialed in. My experience of towing a 5,500lb trailer with a F-150 was positive. The truck towed at 72 mph from Ohio to Florida as a non-event. The mpg dropped from 20 to 10.5 and I knew it was back there but my WDH seemed to tie the trailer and truck together more as one unit.

I did have some noise backing, and turning as I went thru a campground but none as I traveled on the highway.

Is your truck rattling? Maybe it is tools etc that you are hearing. You should not hear any rattling.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by ohiost90

My set-up is as follows:
2003 1500HD GMC Sierra Crew cab. 8600 GVWR, 7900 Tow, 14000 GCWR. pulling a 2018 passport 2400BH. Its listed as 4900 pds dry and I couldn't have put more than 500 to 1k in it as I didn't have anything in the holding tanks. I made sure most of the cargo loaded was in the front cargo hold. Its hooked up with an equalizer 8K WD hitch.

That's plenty of tow vehicle, even when the trailer is loaded to the 6,800 GVWR with almost 1,000 pounds hitch weight. But when you load the trailer to over about 5,450 pounds gross trailer weight, your 800 pounds Equal-I-Zer won't be enough, because your hitch weight (including the weight of a good WD hitch) will be more than 800 pounds.

But with your trailer grossing less than 5,400 pounds, your problem is hitch adjustment and not that the hitch is not heavy-duty enough. So here's the drill:

1] Without the trailer tied on, and while parked on level ground, measure the distance from the FRONT fender well to the ground.

2] Tie on the trailer and adjust the tension on the spring bars so the distance to the ground of the front fender well is the same as it was without the trailer. Or slightly higher (zero to not more than one-half inch higher) with the trailer as without the trailer. Don't worry about the rear-end sag. If you get the front end right, the rear end will take care of itself.

To reduce the distance to the ground of the front fender well, increase the tension on the spring bars. To increase the distance to the ground of the front fender well, decrease the tension on the spring bars.

On my to do list is to run it over a CAT scale.

Yes, that's essential before you do the measuring above. You have to adjust the weight in and on the wet and loaded trailer to result in 12% to 14% tongue weight (TW), aiming for 13% which is the average TW of a travel trailer (TT). To do that requires a tongue weight scale, or at least two passes over the CAT scale, or using the internet to find the procedures for using a bathroom scale plus some lumber to weigh the tongue.

To determine tongue weight using the CAT scale, weigh the tow vehicle without the trailer. Then weigh it again with the trailer but without the spring bars installed. Add the weights on both axles of the tow vehicle to get GVW. Subtract GVW without the trailer from the GVW with the trailer and the answer is tongue weight.

When the weight in/on the trailer changes by more than a few pounds, double-check your tongue weight. Easiest method is with a tongue weight scale. I keep my tongue weight scale in the trailer and use it often. It's just one more investment you need to make if you plan to do much RVing or camping. Here's the most popular (affordable) tongue weight scale.
https://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Sherline/5780.html

Weigh the rig a third time with the trailer and with the spring bars tight so the distance to the ground of the front fender well is the same as it was without the trailer. Then the difference in the weights on the various axles with and without the spring bars tight will tell you how much weight is being distributed off the rear axle and onto the front and trailer axles. Ideal is 20% to 25% of tongue weight distributed to the trailer axles and another 20% to 25% distributed to the front axle, leaving 50% to 60% of remaining on the rear axle.

[tuffr2]

Oh, I just looked and see you are in the rust belt. 2003 was not a good year to keep rust away from trucks. Is the frame still ok? I am thinking that truck might rattle and roll without a trailer.

I spent 30 years in Columbus Ohio so I know they use salt on the winter roads.

[keymastr]

That trailer will be real close to 7500 pounds with 1000 pounds in it. The 4900 pounds is the shipping weight which does not include batteries, propane or tanks and anything else like slide toppers, additional TVs or sometimes even the air conditioner. Also, at 27' long it is pushing the limit of any 1/2 ton truck, let alone one of the older models.

You should still be able to make it work if you do not have any extra weight in the truck bed like a generator or a canopy and you keep the trailer weight as low as possible but it will never be a great towing machine.

If you get the hitch dialed in as well as you can it will be acceptable but you probably need to get some good shocks and load range E tires as well to make it the best it can be.

[dexters]

Originally Posted by ohiost90

I feel the trailer pushing and pulling the truck. The hitch noises scare the hell out of me and I'm constantly in fear that the trailer is just about to start the death sway that I've seen on u-tube. I usually go 50 to 55 on the highway and if I hit 60 I start to slow down.

Check your brake control settings.

[Nut4speed]

Originally Posted by keymastr

That trailer will be real close to 7500 pounds with 1000 pounds in it. The 4900 pounds is the shipping weight which does not include batteries, propane or tanks and anything else like slide toppers, additional TVs or sometimes even the air conditioner. Also, at 27' long it is pushing the limit of any 1/2 ton truck, let alone one of the older models.

You should still be able to make it work if you do not have any extra weight in the truck bed like a generator or a canopy and you keep the trailer weight as low as possible but it will never be a great towing machine.

If you get the hitch dialed in as well as you can it will be acceptable but you probably need to get some good shocks and load range E tires as well to make it the best it can be.

It won't be anywhere close to 7500lbs.
I have a 2670bh (basically same trailer but 4ft longer with a couch) and even wet (full fresh tank, full propane) and loaded for a week long trip ours scaled in at 6800lbs.

[ohiost90]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Oh, I just looked and see you are in the rust belt. 2003 was not a good year to keep rust away from trucks. Is the frame still ok? I am thinking that truck might rattle and roll without a trailer.

I spent 30 years in Columbus Ohio so I know they use salt on the winter roads.

Frame still solid but I know what you mean by rust...I've replaced brake lines, gas lines, and tranny lines. Truck only has 101K on it as its only been a daily driver for a few years. In less words, its still solid.

[ohiost90]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Good news, it sounds like you just need to get the WD hitch dialed in. My experience of towing a 5,500lb trailer with a F-150 was positive. The truck towed at 72 mph from Ohio to Florida as a non-event. The mpg dropped from 20 to 10.5 and I knew it was back there but my WDH seemed to tie the trailer and truck together more as one unit.

I did have some noise backing, and turning as I went thru a campground but none as I traveled on the highway.

Is your truck rattling? Maybe it is tools etc that you are hearing. You should not hear any rattling.

No, the truck is solid and I don't have anything loose. The noise i hear is when I'm turning and / or backing up. Sounds like metal bending and breaking. Maybe I just need to lube a few things?

[ohiost90]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

That's plenty of tow vehicle, even when the trailer is loaded to the 6,800 GVWR with almost 1,000 pounds hitch weight. But when you load the trailer to over about 5,450 pounds gross trailer weight, your 800 pounds Equal-I-Zer won't be enough, because your hitch weight (including the weight of a good WD hitch) will be more than 800 pounds.

But with your trailer grossing less than 5,400 pounds, your problem is hitch adjustment and not that the hitch is not heavy-duty enough. So here's the drill:

...snip....

thanks for the tips. I checked the hitch when I got home this afternoon, I was mistaken...its a 1,000/10,000 hitch.

The truck "looks" level and actually doesn't look like there is a load on it. That being said, I'll do the measurements and the weights when I can.

[ohiost90]

Originally Posted by keymastr

That trailer will be real close to 7500 pounds with 1000 pounds in it. The 4900 pounds is the shipping weight which does not include batteries, propane or tanks and anything else like slide toppers, additional TVs or sometimes even the air conditioner. Also, at 27' long it is pushing the limit of any 1/2 ton truck, let alone one of the older models.

You should still be able to make it work if you do not have any extra weight in the truck bed like a generator or a canopy and you keep the trailer weight as low as possible but it will never be a great towing machine.

If you get the hitch dialed in as well as you can it will be acceptable but you probably need to get some good shocks and load range E tires as well to make it the best it can be.

Thanks for the reply...If I get that trailer to 7500 pounds, I've exceeded the GVWR of the trailer. I can't see how I could get 2500 pounds of gear in that thing. Oh...I suppose I could...but unlikely.

As far as the 1/2 ton truck...its not like any 1/2 truck...I know everyone says that but in this case its true. google the '03 1500HDs. I think you will be surprised by the specs. IE, how many "1/2 ton" trucks have 6K rear axle capacity or an 8600 GVWR?

It already has E Load tires on it but I might be due to new shocks, I'll have to look at that.