What Caused My Trailer Swerve?

[timetogo]

What is a bigger truck? Buy a nice 3500 diesel and don't worry.

[justafordguy]

My last TT started out with an ease lift WDH and a friction type sway bar. The towing above 55 was very unstable in any wind at all. I upgraded to an Equalizer WDH with built in sway control and the TT was much more stable and comfortable to tow. You may just need a better WDH/sway control.

[rideandslide]

We have a Grey Wolf 26RL ( 5700# Dry) and tow it with a Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.6 Hemi, tow rating at 8800#. We had a slight sway problem and the trailer was set up with WHD and just about level.From recommendations from the forum that slightly nose down is better for sway, so i dropped the WDH one hole ( about an inch ) which put the nose slightly down. What a difference, would never thought 1 inch could make such a difference.

My next is airbag for the rear of the truck, would like to get a little less squat.

Jim & Pat

[TeJay]

We've had three TT's. Never having a TT before I was a little put out when I discovered that TT's don't have shock absorbers (98% don't but a few do). I've been around cars/trucks a lot. I've taught the stuff for 35 years. It absolutely blew me away. The TT is the only moving wheeled frame traveling our highways (in decent numbers) with out shocks (except for boat and utility trailers).

On our first TT I installed shocks. It traveled just fine. Think about it this way. First of all most TT's have straight axles. If one tire hits a bump/dip it effects the other side as well. An independent suspension isolates each wheel which controls sway to some extent. At least it's not compounded by involving the other wheel.

Then you add the fact that there is no spring dampening after you hit a bump and IMHO is a formula for disaster. Once the sway motion starts there's nothing to dampen or control it except your weight distribution hitch and what ever sway control it has.

Common sense tells me if I had shocks to dampen and reduce spring compression/rebound, trailer frame sway and other movements it would go a long way towards reducing the need for WDH's and extra sway control.

We finally gave up on the TT's and got back into a MH. They were way to scary for us.

This may not help your situation but may give you some understanding as to why it's such an issue with TT's. If I were a betting man I'd almost think the TT industry steers away from adding good shocks so they can get us for another $1,000 bucks or so for the WDH. One other point. Most know that one of the best towing TT's is the Airstream. Guess what?? They have working shocks.

TeJay

[rbleau6885]

Being a small truck has a part in your problem I had the same issue I have a 30 foot TT and a Chevy 2500hd crew cab I would be towing my TT and all of a sudden get a horrible sway. I can drive anything and this took controller of my truck to not just trailer sway I bought a new sway control had same issue. It ended up being my tires I bought aluminum wheels for my TT and decided to get heavy duty tires as a combo not thinking it was my tires anyways but after having them on this year I have yet to have a issue like that again even on windy times on the highway


Rich,24
2014 wildwood 27rlss
2005 Chevy 2500HD crew cab

[NFlcamper]

Originally Posted by TeJay

We've had three TT's. Never having a TT before I was a little put out when I discovered that TT's don't have shock absorbers (98% don't but a few do). I've been around cars/trucks a lot. I've taught the stuff for 35 years. It absolutely blew me away. The TT is the only moving wheeled frame traveling our highways (in decent numbers) with out shocks (except for boat and utility trailers).

On our first TT I installed shocks. It traveled just fine. Think about it this way. First of all most TT's have straight axles. If one tire hits a bump/dip it effects the other side as well. An independent suspension isolates each wheel which controls sway to some extent. At least it's not compounded by involving the other wheel.

Then you add the fact that there is no spring dampening after you hit a bump and IMHO is a formula for disaster. Once the sway motion starts there's nothing to dampen or control it except your weight distribution hitch and what ever sway control it has.

Common sense tells me if I had shocks to dampen and reduce spring compression/rebound, trailer frame sway and other movements it would go a long way towards reducing the need for WDH's and extra sway control.

We finally gave up on the TT's and got back into a MH. They were way to scary for us.

This may not help your situation but may give you some understanding as to why it's such an issue with TT's. If I were a betting man I'd almost think the TT industry steers away from adding good shocks so they can get us for another $1,000 bucks or so for the WDH. One other point. Most know that one of the best towing TT's is the Airstream. Guess what?? They have working shocks.

TeJay

With a WDH adjusted properly, the TV shocks dampen the bounce of Travel trailers. If a TV is too light, it's shocks will not be able to dampen the trailers bounce. The pivot point remains the hitch ball, but leverage from the bars lifts the rear of the TV and re distributes weight to the front axle of the TV and trailer axles. The bars also transfer force - force of the bounce and the force of the TV shocks dampening the bounce of the TT. Too light rated bars will not dampen either.

Having a TV of large enough size and rating to accommodate the TT you tow is part of safe towing. It helps overcome sway and bounce. Try stopping a TT if something takes out the trailer brakes (plug vibrates out, road debris cuts the brake wire, whatever else) if your TV isn't really rated for what you tow. I forgot to plug in my TT once, and remembered 3 stops later, just 4 miles down the road. With a large enough truck, I couldn't tell the trailer brakes were not working while towing 8,800# of trailer. I was more worried at that point of not having lights signaling my turns and stopping. Having to have to tow that same trailer with a lighter rated truck, before getting a HD 2500, I knew I didn't want to tow without trailer brakes with the lighter 1500 series truck.

[Menendez]

Originally Posted by TeJay

If I were a betting man I'd almost think the TT industry steers away from adding good shocks so they can get us for another $1,000 bucks or so for the WDH.

TeJay

I doubt the trailer makers give a damn about the financial well being of the hitch makers.

[tuffr2]

I had the same issue. Honda Ridgeline towing a 4,500lb camper. Towed from the dealer to home on back roads. Towed great. Top speed 45mph. Towed to our 1 st local campground. Again back roads with top speed 55mph for 1.5 miles. Towed great. I am thinking the Honda is good to go. Next trip 280 miles on route 70 with a lot of big truck traffic.

Yikes...at 60mph started to get sway that I could control with steering adjustments. At 65mph that sway doubled and was very uncomfortable drive. Slowed down to 58mph where it was more comfortable. That trip was an eye opener.

Fortunate for me the 2011 trucks were available and I had the resources to buy a new full size F-150 with a 5.0litre engine and 6 speed tranny.

The same set up with just a WDH as the Ridgeline wow, what a difference!!!. No sway at 70mph!!! Or no sway that I noticed. The Ford F-150 got better MPG than the Ridgeline towing or not towing.

When Semi's would pass with the Ridgeline I would 1st get sucked toward their rig then as they passed get pushed the opposite way. It was two hands on the steering wheel all the time.

With the Ford F-150, 1st fewer semi's would pass me but when one did I did not feel their air wave affect me.

The Ridgeline towing got 8.5 to 9 mpg towing. The F-150 got 10.5 to 11 towing. Non-towing the Ridgeline got 17 and the F-150 got 18.5. I did miss the nifty tail gate on the Ridgeline and the under bed storage bin but that was about it.

Your options IMHO.

1. Buy a full sized truck.

2. Buy a much smaller trailer. Pop-up, T@B, or A-liner type.

3. Buy an Airstream trailer that is aerodynamic and lower to the ground. Buy the expensive fancy WDH and Anti-Sway hitch like pro-pride.

4. Keep your trailer and try an expensive type anti-sway hitch and see if that helps.

I have a very high confidence level that options 1, 2, and 3 would work. Option 4, I have less confidence as you may never get it dialed in. Plus your trailer may not be as aerodynamic as it needs to be.

Do not under estimate aerodynamics - I have never seen fancy hitches for boat trailers.

Good luck

[Menendez]

I think before the OP throws money at this problem he should make sure he's set up correctly. Well, it would probably be a good idea to throw some money at a tongue scale; I have one and it's a very useful device.

[DMTTRANSPORT]

Originally Posted by rideandslide

We have a Grey Wolf 26RL ( 5700# Dry) and tow it with a Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.6 Hemi, tow rating at 8800#. We had a slight sway problem and the trailer was set up with WHD and just about level.From recommendations from the forum that slightly nose down is better for sway, so i dropped the WDH one hole ( about an inch ) which put the nose slightly down. What a difference, would never thought 1 inch could make such a difference.

My next is airbag for the rear of the truck, would like to get a little less squat.

Jim & Pat

Air bags will also keep your Trucks Headlights from blinding everyone!!

[twinboat]

Back in the day ( Whatever that means ), I towed a trailer. It was a heavy 23 ft. thing that I towed with a Bronco II. ( A small SUV )

The first time at highway speed it did the, "O Boy, I'm going to crash", sway. I braked lightly, to get it under control and got off the highway. I took it home on the back streets and went out and got the "Dual Cam" sway control. It cured the problem, but was always in the back of my mind. Within a year I upgraded to a full size Bronco SUV.

It was suggested that shocks may help in some sway control, but with the millions of shock-less trailers, traveling down the highways, not swaying out of control, although it may help, I don't think, that is the answer, to your problem.

If you are using a friction sway control, make sure you are tightening it up to specs. If it can not stop the sway, investigate other methods of sway control.

Make sure your tow vehicle and trailer tires, are aired up to specs and as mentioned before, your tongue weight is correct and weight distributing bars are set properly.

When you have everything setup, do test runs on empty highways, being ready to fight the sway if it happens.

IMHO, If you can't cure it, you will need to drive slow, until you change tow vehicles.

[Onstar20]

Honestly this is a very dangerous situation we often see on the road and for all of the reasons posted by others, it is clear to me this TV is not the best match to this TT. I've learned from experience that being able to distribute, beef up and tow ALL of that loaded weight (it adds up quickly) is "half" the challenge; stopping under emergency conditions is the "other". Can you remember the last panic stop you made when another driver cut you off?

Even if the driving conditions during the out of control swaying where caused by a truck passing, cross winds, road curves, sloshing holding tanks, load balancing, etc., "for me, been there done that" before I went out again, I would seriously think about getting a higher capacity TV. Attempting to make $$ adjustments to overcome these driving conditions to address control issues for a setup with minimal capacity and safety reserves will not be achievable. It is hard work to do the research to attain a TV/TT matched rig. BTW, TT ST tires are usually rated for speeds under 60 mph.
Please be safe out there with your family!
Happy Travels!

[Old Crows]

Hawg,

I think there is too little information here..... BEFORE you go running out to the truck dealer.... Do you know all the capacities of your Tacoma? (GVWR, Hitch weight, Towing Capacity, GCVWR, the CCCW) They are very important numbers. Next: the weight of the trailer, the Max allowable weight of the trailer, and the hitch weight. There are specifications and then there are 'actual' weights. We really can't say that you are overloaded or 'over trailered' if you don't have those numbers.

It would also be nice to know if the tires on your trailer have a max speed rating. Some do.... many do not.

Where are the water and waste tanks located on the trailer? Were they full, half full, empty????

If the specifications for towing are all in order, the first thing to look at is the 'actual' weight of your truck & trailer as you have it set up for a trip. From that point, you need to know the balance of the weight in the trailer. Is it heavier up front or toward the rear? If you are very close in CGWR how the trailer is balanced. Generally, you want the weight to be biased in front of the trailer's axle. (like and arrow!) Just a quick look at the weight and balance may answer some questions.

The fact that you traveled many miles with out issue is likely important. The fact that you experienced two 'events' may or may not be related to your set up. Without more information, it's difficult to say where to look for corrections.

[Loraura]

Check your tongue weight, should be 12% of the total TT weight at a minimum.

Check your Cargo Capacity allowance on the Taco. It needs to not be overloaded with you, your family, your stuff, the hitch, and 12% of the total TT weight.

Get a better sway prevention hitch like a Blue Ox or Equalizer.

The friction control hitch you have now only attempts to stop/reduce sway once it has begun. More expensive hitches prevent sway rather than try to control it.

Other than that, I know you already know that a full size pickup would handle this TT better.