Hi: I don't tow a big trailer like you do but I do understand what your hitch set up does. I carry a lot of weight with my truck camper, see sig. and trailer also. I would guess that you are unloading your main load engaging leaf, the thick one that the other springs set down onto when you apply a heavy load. If your trailer pin weight is only 1300lbs and you are lifting some of that weight off the rear end to bring the front end down, I would try only 10lbs in your bags, and check to see if you have those springs engaged. The sway you are seeing is likely coming from the rear.
Mike
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Justin Stevenson wrote: As for my weight distribution, I am using an EZ-Lift weight distribution system with a sway control bar.........the tires are my guess as to the problem but these actually have 3 ply for the side walls, so they have one more side wall ply than my old tires. I am just wondering if the after market front end sway control would solve this annoying problem.
First off, are you using 1,400# rated bars with your Eaz-Lift hitch? If not that could be part of the problem.
Does the hitch of your new truck set at the same height as the old one? I would think so, but it's worth measuring to make sure your towing the trailer level.
Really, you shouldn't need airbags if your WD hitch is setup properly. It could be that your airbags are throwing off the balance and they could be working against your WD hitch.
As for the tires, I have 245-75-16 Toyo Open Country's on my 2004 2500HD. I run them at 80PSI when towing and they do just fine.
I don't have the 1,400 lb weight dist. bars (they worked fine before...). My trailer sits quite high and when I put my trailer on the truck with that type of trailer tongue weight, it does go down a bit to be slightly off level, so the air bags raise it to level with 35-45 psi. I have the hitch adjusted the the highest notch, which is due to the height of the trailer. I also have a two quad rack that goes on my truck, which I have not used on this truck but will in a few weeks (another reason I use the air bags to keep the truck level).
I previously had the Toyo Open County A/T (All terrain, more highway based tread) in a 265/75R/16 in range E and did not have any notable problems.
I don't have an option in how I load my trailer in regards to the weight. The trailer has a 14' slide in the front half of the trailer, has a front kitchen and has four holding tanks from the front of the axle to the back. I pull it empty as well as loaded with the 60 gals. of H2O, with or without my gear, and have experienced the same issue.
I had the tire dealership check my allignment to make sure that wasn't an issue and it was right on.
I am thinking I might see if I can get the tire dealership to swap out to the A/T tires and try them before I spend that amount of money on a set of truck sway bars in the front (and possibly rear) end.
Thanks again for the information.
I think Woodrow is on the right track. When you inflate the bags to “level” the rig after setting up the WD hitch you are taking weight off the front axle and putting it back on the rear. Did you say you had tried towing with your air bags empty? If not try setting up your WD hitch as if you had no air bags at all and see how it tows. If it still wanders around I would bet it’s the tires. Your truck is too young to have any wear issues in the front end. I have no air bags, a very heavy tongue trailer, but skinny, stock-sized tires, and no front end issues at all. Good luck.
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