Background:
I searched the forums for sway and saw alot of answers but no real explanation. Mowertech is someone who seems to have the best input imo. I took my new to me keystone 296BH (bumper pull)out for the memorial day weekend.It's 33' long, dry 7915 loaded aprox: 10,000 (need to get to scale asap)I have a blue ox wdh with 1100lbs bars, has sway control intergrated. My TV is an 04 chevy silverado 3500 6.0 gasser swr 4:10 8' beed xtnd cab. With current engine it's rated at 9700lbs with diesel 13,000 lbs. The frame can take the weight no problem don't need wdh. When TT is hooked up the thing barely moves. The engine pulls fine also it's just a tow vehicle so weight police take it easy. The truck pulls just fine in rolling hills of n. western mass/NH.
Problem:
I have sway above 60mph and down hill probably associated with not enough tongue weight. I have my wd set to move as much weight forward as possible currently.
I wander if i set it so it moved the least amount of weight forward and kept more on the rear axle if that would help?
If it is not enough tongue weight than how do boats with a 250horse engine hanging off the back have no sway? Is it the surface area of the TT, the sides? What is the physics of why a trailer sways. help me understand please.
Yes, you do need WDH. This is why your getting sway - you have way, way too much trailer and tongue weight to go without one. Also, you are likely over loading your receiver without a WDH.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4, 6 speed Cummins (lightly bombed),
2004 Forest River 25RKS many, many mods.
H0NDA eu2000i
I have only had one trailer that had a true sway problem. It was a home-built thing (no, I did not build it) that had the axles right dead center in the middle. In fact, when not hooked up or loaded, it balanced perfectly, had no tongue weight at all!
I tried everything with that mess, put 90% of the load forward of the axles, installed 6 ply tires, etc. At about 60 MPH, and especially going down hill, it would begin ever increasing oscillations side to side. It had no brakes, so the only way to stop the sway was to gently accelerate until the sway stopped (I know, seems counter-intuitive, but it worked) then VERY gently slow down to about 50 MPH. I got rid of the thing as soon as I could, and made SURE the buyer was aware that it was dangerous, and needed to be rebuilt. That is when I learned the difference between REAL trailer sway and the buffeting caused by wind.
I have never owned any kind of "sway control" device, and the only WDH I ever used was a very early model that I got used for use on a 1970 Jeep Wagoneer. Other than the chain links on the ends of the spring bars, it was non-adjustable. I set the links so the Wagoneer stayed level when the trailer was hooked up. It worked.
Reading about your problem, I suspect inadequate tongue weight. IMO, you need to get the tongue weight corrected FIRST, then set the WD hitch to compensate for it (keep the tow vehicle level). I don't know enough about the latest and greatest hitches to say anything more.
This scenario is precisely why I preach that if you have a true sway problem, find out why and FIX IT! THEN, you can set up your fancy hitch for optimum performance. NEVER, IMO, attempt to use the fancy hitch to solve (cover up) a sway problem!
You might also try adjusting tire pressures and/or changing tires to a stiffer sidewall. It MIGHT help.
Then again, it might not.
Good luck.
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
tekman741 wrote: Background:
I searched the forums for sway and saw alot of answers but no real explanation. Mowertech is someone who seems to have the best input imo. I took my new to me keystone 296BH (bumper pull)out for the memorial day weekend.It's 33' long, dry 7915 loaded aprox: 10,000 (need to get to scale asap)I have a blue ox wdh with 1100lbs bars, has sway control intergrated. My TV is an 04 chevy silverado 3500 6.0 gasser swr 4:10 8' beed xtnd cab. With current engine it's rated at 9700lbs with diesel 13,000 lbs. The frame can take the weight no problem don't need wdh. When TT is hooked up the thing barely moves. The engine pulls fine also it's just a tow vehicle so weight police take it easy. The truck pulls just fine in rolling hills of n. western mass/NH.
Problem:
I have sway above 60mph and down hill probably associated with not enough tongue weight. I have my wd set to move as much weight forward as possible currently.
I wander if i set it so it moved the least amount of weight forward and kept more on the rear axle if that would help?
If it is not enough tongue weight than how do boats with a 250horse engine hanging off the back have no sway? Is it the surface area of the TT, the sides? What is the physics of why a trailer sways. help me understand please.
Boats don't usually sway, because the axles are ususally near the rear of the trailer.
If you are getting sway over 60. and you say the rear drops none at all. But what is the frint doing. Is the front of the TV raising up, are you taking weight from it? If so, There is your problem. You need to get it back to at least the unhitched height, and weight. If it is raising, or getting lighter, then you are giving up steering control, and that will cause the whole thing to sway at speed.
ScottG wrote: Yes, you do need WDH. This is why your getting sway - you have way, way too much trailer and tongue weight to go without one. Also, you are likely over loading your receiver without a WDH.
I have a blue Ox wdh, i have that in my background.
If the trailer when hitched up is nose high it will have sway! Trailer in towing configuration needs to be level or slightly nose down. If you are hanging a lot of items on the trailers rear bumper, bikes, etc. will cause sway. You need more load on the hitch and distribution to the front of the TV.
mowermech wrote: I have only had one trailer that had a true sway problem. It was a home-built thing (no, I did not build it) that had the axles right dead center in the middle. In fact, when not hooked up or loaded, it balanced perfectly, had no tongue weight at all!
I tried everything with that mess, put 90% of the load forward of the axles, installed 6 ply tires, etc. At about 60 MPH, and especially going down hill, it would begin ever increasing oscillations side to side. It had no brakes, so the only way to stop the sway was to gently accelerate until the sway stopped (I know, seems counter-intuitive, but it worked) then VERY gently slow down to about 50 MPH. I got rid of the thing as soon as I could, and made SURE the buyer was aware that it was dangerous, and needed to be rebuilt. That is when I learned the difference between REAL trailer sway and the buffeting caused by wind.
I have never owned any kind of "sway control" device, and the only WDH I ever used was a very early model that I got used for use on a 1970 Jeep Wagoneer. Other than the chain links on the ends of the spring bars, it was non-adjustable. I set the links so the Wagoneer stayed level when the trailer was hooked up. It worked.
Reading about your problem, I suspect inadequate tongue weight. IMO, you need to get the tongue weight corrected FIRST, then set the WD hitch to compensate for it (keep the tow vehicle level). I don't know enough about the latest and greatest hitches to say anything more.
This scenario is precisely why I preach that if you have a true sway problem, find out why and FIX IT! THEN, you can set up your fancy hitch for optimum performance. NEVER, IMO, attempt to use the fancy hitch to solve (cover up) a sway problem!
You might also try adjusting tire pressures and/or changing tires to a stiffer sidewall. It MIGHT help.
Then again, it might not.
Good luck.
I will play with the tongue weight and also get it weighed. Tires could be an issue too they a carlisle(spelling) and one has a slow leak which is going back to the dealer. I filled them with 60 psi each. Makes perfect sense to not have a fancy hitch if you already have sway. And when the trailer did sway i used the break cntrlr first then instead i sped up to 65/70mph to straighten out.
sway is almost always caused by low hitch weight. Move some stuff forward the axles of the trailer. Boats as suggested don't sway because axles are almost in the most rear position.
tekman741 wrote: Background:
I searched the forums for sway and saw alot of answers but no real explanation. Mowertech is someone who seems to have the best input imo. I took my new to me keystone 296BH (bumper pull)out for the memorial day weekend.It's 33' long, dry 7915 loaded aprox: 10,000 (need to get to scale asap)I have a blue ox wdh with 1100lbs bars, has sway control intergrated. My TV is an 04 chevy silverado 3500 6.0 gasser swr 4:10 8' beed xtnd cab. With current engine it's rated at 9700lbs with diesel 13,000 lbs. The frame can take the weight no problem don't need wdh. When TT is hooked up the thing barely moves. The engine pulls fine also it's just a tow vehicle so weight police take it easy. The truck pulls just fine in rolling hills of n. western mass/NH.
Problem:
I have sway above 60mph and down hill probably associated with not enough tongue weight. I have my wd set to move as much weight forward as possible currently.
I wander if i set it so it moved the least amount of weight forward and kept more on the rear axle if that would help?
If it is not enough tongue weight than how do boats with a 250horse engine hanging off the back have no sway? Is it the surface area of the TT, the sides? What is the physics of why a trailer sways. help me understand please.
Boats don't usually sway, because the axles are ususally near the rear of the trailer.
If you are getting sway over 60. and you say the rear drops none at all. But what is the frint doing. Is the front of the TV raising up, are you taking weight from it? If so, There is your problem. You need to get it back to at least the unhitched height, and weight. If it is raising, or getting lighter, then you are giving up steering control, and that will cause the whole thing to sway at speed.
Terry,
I'd be surprised if it moves a 1/2inch. The truck with TT hooked up does not move.frnt rear of TT looks even/flat, with TT hooked up. I will measure it just too see but to my eye it looks like it does not move then again I'm at the hitch when the weight is put on the TV. When i step back it's a level setup. Even the level on the side of my TT is centered. Steering is fine it does not fell loose.
Thanks for the info on the boat trailer.
Great info confirmed my suspicions of tongue weight.
BY the way I just want to point out i used a tent for years,then a small TT for 1yr, and now this Behemoth. This is not camping it's rving or my house on wheels. It's bigger than a studio apartment I had. unbelievable.. Thanks again for all the help.
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