2022 RAM 1500 sways when towing

[1320Fastback]

More tongue weight and upgrade the tires on the truck.

[TimtheToolGy]

Originally Posted by boogiejack75

Hellwig sway bar; Timbren bump stops (similar to Sumo); E rated LT truck tires.

No help.

What brand and make WDH were you using?

What method was used to set the WDH?

I'm not saying that WDH is the fix but just collecting information from your useful experience.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by TimtheToolGy

What brand and make WDH were you using?

What method was used to set the WDH?

I'm not saying that WDH is the fix but just collecting information from your useful experience.

If you go back in this thread you will find where I linked and posted a video of the installation and adjustment of the hitch. (Post# 13) I (we) followed the installation directions to the letter. I believe this is why the trailer tracks so well behind my Chevrolet Z-71 1500 1/2 T. even with the standard load Cooper M&S tires I run on it.
When we changed trucks we checked the ride height etc. and everything matched the Ram almost perfectly. On the level the top of my receiver hitch is only 1/4" higher than Marc's Ram. I did add 5# more air pressure to the rear tires on my truck the same as we did on Marc's truck.

[carybosse]

I may have said this before, but when we are trying to give advice, we usually have a member with a travel trailer and access to one truck. This situation, where a second truck that would seem to be comparable, has no issues, really points to some sort of truck issue or perhaps WDH issue, not a trailer issue.

Once this is resolved, I think we will have a lot of useful information for the next guy, even if the next guy only has one truck to work with.

[move on]

Originally Posted by kdauto

This is not complicated. Most RAM 1500s are poor tow vehicles when exceeding much over 5000lbs.

Any offroad package, knobby, fat and soft tire will add to the problems. Lifted trucks (stock or not) add to the problems. Offroad package suspensions tend to be tuned to absorb large dips and bumps, not heavy loads.

You can spend thousands to get it to tow better, but you will lose most of the attributes the truck was purchased for.

Patch solutions that will help: LT load range E tires at 60-70 psi towing, and NOT the aggressive A/T tires either. A smoother H/T tread is better. Stiffer suspension, lowering back to a reasonable stock height of necessary. A better hitch setup can help, but may be a PITA to use.

I think this is probably true. Off road trucks are not made for towing. It would be interesting to see more comments about towing problems with off road trucks.

[Mt. Jim]

I'm following this closely as I just bought a 1500 Ram limited and will be looking for small toy hauler. We lived full time in a 44 ft toy hauler pulled by a 3500 Ram single rear wheel. We have since bought a s and b house and now just want something small. I had 16 ply 245 19/5 tires on the pickup and still had little sidewall flex in sidewind until I changed trailer tires to 18 ply from cheap 16 ply that came on it. Solid as a rock after that. So sidewall flex can contribute.

[GIjoe]

Originally Posted by kdauto

This is not complicated. Most RAM 1500s are poor tow vehicles when exceeding much over 5000lbs.

Any offroad package, knobby, fat and soft tire will add to the problems. Lifted trucks (stock or not) add to the problems. Offroad package suspensions tend to be tuned to absorb large dips and bumps, not heavy loads.

You can spend thousands to get it to tow better, but you will lose most of the attributes the truck was purchased for.

Patch solutions that will help: LT load range E tires at 60-70 psi towing, and NOT the aggressive A/T tires either. A smoother H/T tread is better. Stiffer suspension, lowering back to a reasonable stock height of necessary. A better hitch setup can help, but may be a PITA to use.

Don't know where you heard that the RAM is a problem towing over 5K because that is simply not true! Our RAM has done an admirable job while towing over thousands of miles in every imaginable weather condition and terrain. Our hitch is configured correctly and I use the Curt better weigh module to check loaded weights every time we embark on a trip. I suspect someone does not have a proper hitch or that the weight parameters are way out of whack!

[TimtheToolGy]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

If you go back in this thread you will find where I linked and posted a video of the installation and adjustment of the hitch. (Post# 13) I (we) ...Marc's truck.

My comment was to boogiejack75 and not to LETMGROW since he did not mention WDH.

LETMGROW--I just went back and watched the video (@16:30) that mentioned to adjust WDH front fender to return AT LEAST 50% AND ALL THE WAY BACK IS EVEN BETTER.

Getting to 100%, on its own likely is not a full fix but could help with stability including porpoising. Cost to try is only time. https://www.etrailer.com/question-395071.html

Previously I mentioned a post from a different site stating that the E2 did not dampen as well as a bit higher end WHD but this was on a very long trailer which would be harder to stabilize.

Can you borrow higher load LT tires and wheels off another truck to see what affect that would have? I am trying to find ideas that will cost little to nothing to try.

Also redistributing weight or adding weight to front of trailer to test for a change in stability costs nothing in parts. If E2 does not have the tension to get back to 100% this may make problem worse due to the added weight on ball. Again free to try... A bathroom scale and a pivoting beam (level and fulcrum) can approximate the load on hitch. Of course time is not free/unlimited.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by carybosse

I may have said this before, but when we are trying to give advice, we usually have a member with a travel trailer and access to one truck. This situation, where a second truck that would seem to be comparable, has no issues, really points to some sort of truck issue or perhaps WDH issue, not a trailer issue.

Once this is resolved, I think we will have a lot of useful information for the next guy, even if the next guy only has one truck to work with.

I'm doing my best to resolve this and come up with a definitive solution by doing things one step at a time and not spend money on things which don't contribute to the fix.
I want to share any information I gather with other interested parties in the hopes it will make their lives easier if they encounter the same issue as we have.
The purchase of the Timbrens was based on three other's experience installing them and helping with the sway issue. Two of the people I know well while another is a customer at the dealership where Marc's truck came from. I also got advice from a friend of mine who owns a tire shop and auto / truck repair and alignment center saying they have installed the Timbrens and have had good success with them. If they work for us you all will be among the first to know. If they don't you will be the first to know. I'm not afraid to admit I made a mistake and I won't hide anything.
I do have another Ace in the hole. I sent my son in law a message I need him and his truck to stop by. I didn't tell him why. He has a 2019 Chevrolet 1500 which I will hook the trailer up to and we can test that to remove any doubt the problem I'm chasing has to do with the truck and not the trailer or hitch set up.
I do know, when we installed the Timbrens in Marc's truck I got a brief look under the rear of the Ram. It sure looks busy under there.

[carybosse]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

I'm doing my best to resolve this and come up with a definitive solution by doing things one step at a time and not spend money on things which don't contribute to the fix.
I want to share any information I gather with other interested parties in the hopes it will make their lives easier if they encounter the same issue as we have.
The purchase of the Timbrens was based on three other's experience installing them and helping with the sway issue. Two of the people I know well while another is a customer at the dealership where Marc's truck came from. I also got advice from a friend of mine who owns a tire shop and auto / truck repair and alignment center saying they have installed the Timbrens and have had good success with them. If they work for us you all will be among the first to know. If they don't you will be the first to know. I'm not afraid to admit I made a mistake and I won't hide anything.
I do have another Ace in the hole. I sent my son in law a message I need him and his truck to stop by. I didn't tell him why. He has a 2019 Chevrolet 1500 which I will hook the trailer up to and we can test that to remove any doubt the problem I'm chasing has to do with the truck and not the trailer or hitch set up.
I do know, when we installed the Timbrens in Marc's truck I got a brief look under the rear of the Ram. It sure looks busy under there.

Wow, so we will get 3 trucks to compare handling characteristics. I do think it might be more telling with another 2022 Ram 1500, maybe one not with an offroad package, but every data point can be helpful.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by carybosse

Wow, so we will get 3 trucks to compare handling characteristics. I do think it might be more telling with another 2022 Ram 1500, maybe one not with an offroad package, but every data point can be helpful.

Another 2022 could be doable. One of the fellows where Marc works has either a 2021 or a 2022 Ram. He is one of those Marc spoke with who recommended the Timbren install. I mentioned this fellow in a previous post. I don't know what trim package or tires he has though. He had a similar problem hauling an enclosed car trailer.
We have talked with the previous owner and he said he had no problem with sway with his Chevrolet 1500 pick up. I don't really know him but I have known his dad for years. Pretty straight people. The P.O. was sad to see the trailer go out his driveway.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by GIjoe

Don't know where you heard that the RAM is a problem towing over 5K because that is simply not true! Our RAM has done an admirable job while towing over thousands of miles in every imaginable weather condition and terrain. Our hitch is configured correctly and I use the Curt better weigh module to check loaded weights every time we embark on a trip. I suspect someone does not have a proper hitch or that the weight parameters are way out of whack!

He said "most" and "much over".......I have a 2014 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi, QC 4x4 w. 3.92's and I agree with his assessment......I might push it to 6000lbs or so with the right tires, hitch and possibly airbags/timbrens, etc, but since the Payload is 1397 lbs, there just isn't the capacity to tow a bunch more than that comfortably/legally/safely.

Dave

[Charlesland]

We had a swaying problem that developed after towing a 5th wheel 10k miles. When we'd drive over a dip or other bad pavement that cause up and down motion, swaying would start and get worse until brakes applied - worst at 60 to 65 mph. After several fixed that didn't help we replaced rear shocks and problem solved. The telltale was that when a dip there would be a slight sideways motion.

[runamuck]

my '19 ram 1500 laramie tows our 6000# trailer pretty well. most of the folks that we pal around with are pulling around the same size or larger trailers than ours with ram 1500's have no problem. my son recently bought a 8500# 5er so traded his 1500 for a 2500 but his 1500 towed fine. because the gm 1500's with the 6 speed are so bad at towing, I only kept my '17 gmc sierra a year before I upgraded to the ram. if you are having trouble there's bound to be something in the setup that needs tweaking.