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RV PA · 08-16-2021, 10:58 AM

I have a 37 foot puma TT 32RBFQ. I am towing with a F 250. The trailer is new I towed it one time before leaving on vacation. NO issues that I noticed on short trip. I put new tires on the truck be fore going on vacation. When we left for vacation I found that I could not go over 65mph. The TT was all over the road and the truck was also pushing when trucks and even cars passed that was really bad. Stopped many time along the way changing air psi and hitch setting nothing helped. Made it to vacation and back home a week later. Took the truck to my tire shop they could not believe how the truck was all over the road when you moved the wheel back and forth with no trailer on it was like jello. They ordered me new tires and said the ones I got where junk. And yes they where 10 ply tires. So the new tires came in and installed them. Drove much better with the new tires no trailer. So I took my WD hitch apart and reset everything trailer is perfectly level. the truck is setting how it should be. Have 870 LB of tong weight. Took it out on the high way 60mph the trailer was wondering on the road truck was not push as bad with new tires. So I am at a lost. I hooked the TT to my friends 2500 Ram and towed the camper with my hitch and bar set up nothing changed. TT tows like a dream 72 mph on the highway one hand on the wheel ( no white knuckle grip) left trucks pass very little movement.. LOOKING FOR ADVICE!!

jleonard · 08-16-2021, 11:41 AM

Buy a Ram?
Seriously maybe more tongue weight?
Have you weighed the rig on a CAT scale?

Cumminsfan · 08-16-2021, 01:29 PM

Sounds like you have more issues than tires. I would take it to a specialty front end shop, not a dealer or tire store. Some place that does alignments and front end work for a living.

tpaul · 08-16-2021, 03:59 PM

870 lbs tongue weight is not even 10% of the empty weight of that trailer. Weigh it loaded as well as the weight of the truck separately and if your F250 cargo capacity allows, increase the tongue weight to 12-15%. Remember to include the weight of the hitch, passengers and cargo (+ the tongue weight) in comparing the truck weight to the cargo capacity listed on the sticker.

TXiceman · 08-16-2021, 05:00 PM

You really need closer to 12% of the trailer weight on the hitch for the tongue.

Spec on the trailer are......
Hitch Weight:948 lb.GVWR:10,500 lb.UVW8,998 lb.CCC1,502 lb.Exterior Length:36' 11"Exterior Height:11' 1"Exterior Width:96"Fresh Water:43.00 gal.Gray Water:64.50 gal.Black Water:34.50 gal.Awning Size:21'

I think at 870# on the hitch you are way too light. You need to be 1,100 to 1,200 lb to get the trailer properly balanced. IS your fresh water tank forward of the trailer axles? If so, fill it and see how it handles with 800# plus of water in the tank.

Are you running the truck and trailer tires at the maximum pressures per the side walls or lower?

Ken

tuffr2 · 08-16-2021, 05:13 PM

I would add tongue weight if you can. There is a YouTube video that stresses tongue weight to help stop sway.

I towed in that area for 3 years with a too small TV. I would go from the Woodland Campground on RT 22 just to the west of Enensberg to Blue Knob State Park. My towing was never much faster than 45mph. I was always in windy back roads. I never made it to Raystown Lake camping because I would take the boat. That is a very pretty area.

Again - try to add tongue weight to see if that helps. The other thing that pops up is that is a big trailer. It probably exceeds in the length to wheelbase guideline for comfortable towing. Especially if you only have a 160" wheelbase truck.

Here is that chart of trailer length to wheelbase.

Click image for larger version

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Cumminsfan · 08-16-2021, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tpaul

870 lbs tongue weight is not even 10% of the empty weight of that trailer. Weigh it loaded as well as the weight of the truck separately and if your F250 cargo capacity allows, increase the tongue weight to 12-15%. Remember to include the weight of the hitch, passengers and cargo (+ the tongue weight) in comparing the truck weight to the cargo capacity listed on the sticker.

Good point I missed that. Brichure dry TW is 948 lbs, Add propane and batts and it's pushing 1100 lbs. He's loaded the rear up big time and removed TW.

https://palominorv.com/travel-traile...ma/32RBFQ/3134

bneukam · 08-16-2021, 06:43 PM

What’s the powertrain? A 6.2 is a lot lighter than the 6.7, and if your taking additional weight away up front with incorrect weight distribution that could also be the issue.

Measure the distance of your front fender with no load, and then hooked up. This will tell you if your losing weight up front.

Adequate tongue weight, and proper weight distribution so the front end is not losing weight is where I would start.

xc-mark · 08-17-2021, 06:08 PM

good tires play a HUGE roll in towing safely. I would only use a michelin LT tire on my trucks. My buddy put Nitto load range E tires on his truck and has the same thing happen with his 10,000lb Jayco 32' bunk house , but his 5 year old barely 4/32" depth tread michelins back on it for the next trip it was like a differnt truck . tires was the only change he made , took his fancy 1" taller tires off and put back his stock wheels and tire.

Your truck needs to have weight on the bars to control sway , your truck isnt low in the back correct? Have you measure with the bars on and off at the front fenders?

tuffr2 · 08-18-2021, 05:31 PM

I still say if he has just the short bed truck with 160" wheelbase that 37.5' trailer trailer might be too much. I know with my 160" wheelbase I am looking at much shorter travel trailers. My max is 32' and I would prefer to keep it more like 30'.

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NevadaNick · 08-18-2021, 07:08 PM

Too light on the tongue, doesnt matter how long the trailer is

JIMNLIN · 08-18-2021, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Took the truck to my tire shop they could not believe how the truck was all over the road when you moved the wheel back and forth with no trailer on it was like jello.

sounds like a classic case of new tire tread roll or squirm. Depending on tread design/tread type. Just a example is a brand X large lug all terrain can have much more tread squirm than a same brand X all season type tread.

When I was towing for a living I hated new tires on my trucks for the first couple of thousand miles till they broke in.

Also a MT (mud terrain) with those big lugs and voids and 16-18/32nds of tread depth can also roll like their almost flat till they get broke in.

Then on the flip side is a LT tire like the XPS Ribs or R-238 Bridgestone with very little tread lugs/voids can be rock solid from the git go.

tuffr2 · 08-18-2021, 09:49 PM

Nevada and I disagree quite often.

My experience - I tried towing a 26.5' travel trailer with a tow vehicle that had a 122" wheelbase. It was a white knuckle towing experience with a lot of sway.

Same exact trailer, same exact WD hitch set exactly the same, same exact loading with a tow vehicle with 145" wheelbase was rock solid. At 72mph rock stable. So much so I let the wife drive for a few hours.
No influence from Semi's either.

So when Nevada says length of trailer for does not matter he is right. It is length of wheelbase of the tow vehicle that matters in relation to trailer length.

If you look at the wheelbase to trailer length guide you can easily see 122" wheelbase for a 26.5' travel trailer was not enough. I increased the wheelbase by 23" and had a solid towing combo.

This was my experience.

bneukam · 08-18-2021, 10:00 PM

Could be too much trailer, but the first thing the OP needs to check is proper tongue weight on the trailer. Then make sure the WDH is set up properly so that the front end is not losing weight, this is especially critical if he has the much lighter 6.2 gas. Owners have complained with a front end float feeling with this engine and certain tires, with no load.