Ok here is the situation. we had a 30 foot 99 jayco travel trailer, my truck handled that camper just fine. Last week we traded it in on a 08 34 foot camper that weighs in at 9,000 lbs loaded.
NOW with the new camper once I get over 50mph it wants to pull the rear end of my truck left and right. I have adjusted, adjusted again and re adjusted my WD hitch setup but nothing helps at all. I even ran it down the road without the spring bars at all. Am I right to start thinking that there is a problem somewhere with my truck??? What its doing is not sway, I have experienced sway with my old truck.
Is there any bearings, bushings or ANYTHING I should check out? The only thing different with my truck since I pulled the old camper is the ball joints, they were replaced 2 weeks ago.
I KNOW this camper isn't more than my truck can handle and its making me go crazy
__________________
2002 F-350 XLT 7.3, SRW, Crewcab,
Yaesu 7800 Dual Band,
Children's Band Radio,
ISSPRO Gauges
DIY Tymar Intake,
Straight Pipe,
Wicked Wheel,
ATS Housing,
IC Foil Wrap Delete,
TC Lockup Switch,
Hypertech Power Programmer III,
Flux Capacitor,
Uranium P-32 explosive space modulator,
High torque muffler bearings.
Hmmm...your truck towed the 30' with no problem and now a 34' tows funny.
Some one with more experience will hopefully chime in here, but I would be taking the trailer back for an inspection on the axles. One way to find out for sure, is to tow the trailer with a different truck if you can.
Scott
__________________
2005 F250 Lariat, CC, Short Box, FX4
Arizona Beige/Tan
Magnaflow 4" Cat back
Leveled w/ Toyo Open Country A/T 285/75-18's
Born in KY on 12/07/04
If the truck towed fine with a different trailer, and the issue you describe only occurs past 50MPH, I would check the alignment of the trailer axles. It really sounds like the trailer is initiating the tug to the rear of the truck not the truck causing it.
If its a new trailer, it's possible "someone" prior to your delivery of the trailer has hit a curb to knock it out of alignment. Also check the wheel rims of the trailer are true and round....
I am assuming your WD hitch is set up correctly, and have adequate tongue weight, and tires aired up to a PSI for towing (on the truck) and weight capacity (on the trailer).
__________________
2005 PSD Ford Excursion 4x4
Rear Ride Rite Air Bags
Helwig Swaybar
Rancho 9000's / Rancho Steering Stabilizer
Prodigy Brake Controller in Cubby Hole
ART Rotors
Hensley Hitch
GOS Performance Headlight Harness / Sylvania ExtraVision Bulbs
Pulling a 2008 Airstream 27FB International Signature Series
Last edited by Bambi_Bandit : 05-08-2008 at 02:48 PM.
My dad and I have this same issue, only opposite. His travel trailer sways and makes his truck buck and is horrible to drive. When I hook to it with my truck, I have no issues at all and it rides just fine. I can't use a WD hitch due to the lift on my truck. My truck is in my sig, his is an '03 6.0L ext.cab shorty bone stock. The only thing I can figure is weight of the tow rig. I weigh in around 9,500 - 10,000 lbs and he's considerably lighter.
If it's possible, try loading down the truck a little and trying it again. The only problem with this is by the time you load the truck a bit you've hit the GVWR and there is no room left for the trailer. I don't know what to say.
__________________
'02 F-350 "Babe The Big Blue Truck" 4x4, Ext. Cab, 8' bed
DP-Tuner 80T, WW, DIY intake, openair CCV, 80HP 'pane shot, SBC DD all ceramic clutch, ISSPRO boost/pyro gauges, 4" lift, 255/70R22.5 tires, brake linelock, 16 flashy lights, 12 strobes, 12 switches on console, 9 switches on the dash, 7 two-way radios, 5 air horns, laptop, siren, 105 gal. in-bed fuel tank, and who knows what else... oh and a Kennesaw Mountain front bumper
'66 Bronco "Big Little Monster" - 5.0L EFI, AOD, D20, 3.5" WH sus. lift, 3" body lift, 35" BFG muds, Stock Dana 30 front with Lock-Rite, disk brakes, Warn Hubs, Stock Ford 9" rear with mini spool
it might be a good idea if you haven't already to take it to a scale and check the axle weights. seeing as how the trailer is new to you your tongue weight might be goofy. other than that i would lean towards being suspicious of the trailer as well
I took it to a CAT scale last night and here are the tickets.
after weighing we ran all the fresh water into the grey holding take that is up towards the nose of the trailer and MAN OH MAN she handled MUCH better on the ride home. But that sucks because im not about to fill the holding tank everytime I want to go somewhere.
__________________
2002 F-350 XLT 7.3, SRW, Crewcab,
Yaesu 7800 Dual Band,
Children's Band Radio,
ISSPRO Gauges
DIY Tymar Intake,
Straight Pipe,
Wicked Wheel,
ATS Housing,
IC Foil Wrap Delete,
TC Lockup Switch,
Hypertech Power Programmer III,
Flux Capacitor,
Uranium P-32 explosive space modulator,
High torque muffler bearings.
yeah that would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it? is there any other weight you can transfer, junk that could go in truck box instead of the back of camper. looks like your tongue weight around 1000 lbs or roughly 10%. just from a weght perspective i don't think you need the w/d very bad, your front end is still heavier than the drive axle. I'm assuming full fuel passengers etc could add some to the truck? where is the fresh water tank, can you leave it nearly empty til you get to destination or are you dry camping
yeah that would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it? is there any other weight you can transfer, junk that could go in truck box instead of the back of camper. looks like your tongue weight around 1000 lbs or roughly 10%. just from a weght perspective i don't think you need the w/d very bad, your front end is still heavier than the drive axle. I'm assuming full fuel passengers etc could add some to the truck? where is the fresh water tank, can you leave it nearly empty til you get to destination or are you dry camping
I'm w/ Nitrogen on this. It sounds to me like you pin weight is too light, and you need to shift some of the weight to the front of the trailer. Get you pin weight up to about 12%.
I know it expensive, but with a TT that long (for me that's anything over 30'), I'd seriously look at the Hensley Arrow. I know that $3k is a bunch of money, but the safety factor is there and I think it'd be money well spent, if my life were at stake.
OMC
__________________
Feb 03 6.0 Silver F-250 SD SC XLT long box, 6-spd 3.73ls, Fx4, Stock, Spray-in liner, Contico box.HARPOONED.
Spend the $$$ and get a Hensley, you won't be disappointed. I had the same issues w/ a swaying trailer, no adjustment would correct it.
I spent the $$$, got the Hensley - no more sway. I am very happy w/ this hitch.
Hopes this helps,
butchcassidy1
__________________
2000 F250, 2WD, XLT,(AKA "THE DINOSAUR RELIC" - only used when I can afford to fill the tank, otherwise it sits in the yard and I now carpool or take the bike. Come November relect NO ONE!!!
When the new trailer is hooked to the truck is the frame of the trailer slightly lower in the front vs the rear. I had a trailer sway issue that made it real tough to drive over 50mph.
The frame on mine was almost perfectly level on flat ground. A trailer builder suggested lowering the hitch ball by 2 or 3 inches. Cured the problem. You really have to look at it to tell it's no longer "level".
__________________
2001 F250 SC 4X4 Blue PSD Auto, Cody Gooseneck Hitch, Rancho Shocks and Steering Stabilzer, Tekonsha Prodigy Controller, Garmin Streetpilot 2610 GPS, Walker BTM, 285/75R/16E, Western Diesel Trans-Pyro-Boost, Pillar Mount, Painless fuse panel, In-tank and Pre-pump mods, Slotted Rear Rotors, Slotted and Cross Drilled Front Rotors, Fumoto Valve, Zoodad Mod, Transfer Flow 46 gal tank, Mag-Hytec Differential Cover, Electric Tailgate Lock, IAH Deleted, Coolant Filter, DP-Tuner 80 hp PCM, CCV Mod, 203 Thermostat, Ford AIS Air Filter
Pickup front axle weight = 4,500 w/o trailer but only 4,460 with the trailer tied on. Conclusion = you need to tighten up the weight-distributing system to transfer more weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle.
Rear axle weight w/trailer = 4,040
Rear axle weight w/o trailer = 3,080
---------------------------------------
Hitch weight on the rear axle is 960 pounds, or over 12 percent of gross trailer weight.
Conclusion = you need to tighten up the W.D. system to transfer more weight off the rear axle.
Pickup GVW w/trailer = 8,500
Pickup GVW w/o trailer = 7,580
------------------------------------
Actual hitch weight not transferred back to the trailer tires = 920, or 11.8 percent. Nothing wrong with 11.8 percent before you hook up the WD system, but with the WD system properly adjusted and the trailer load properly balanced you should not have more than 7 to 8 percent net hitch weight on the pickup tires. Conclusion? You need to eat your Wheaties before you bear down on the WD bars and tighten them up some more.
__________________
My Sierra Blanca is a '99.5 PSD CrewCab hot-rod Towing Machine! BTS tranny; TurboRamAir intake and 4" stainless turbo-back exhaust; DP-Tuner tunes flashed into an Edge Evolution tuner; ISSPRO EV gauges and TTM; AIC. I special-ordered it new and plan to drive it until it quits.
Last edited by SmokeyWren : 05-12-2008 at 08:42 AM.
One thing I did notice is when I really get those spring bars under tension it makes the hitch receiver bend upwards... is that bad that it bends like that?
I've checked the welds for cracks and breaks and haven't found any, just looks bad when it flex's that much
__________________
2002 F-350 XLT 7.3, SRW, Crewcab,
Yaesu 7800 Dual Band,
Children's Band Radio,
ISSPRO Gauges
DIY Tymar Intake,
Straight Pipe,
Wicked Wheel,
ATS Housing,
IC Foil Wrap Delete,
TC Lockup Switch,
Hypertech Power Programmer III,
Flux Capacitor,
Uranium P-32 explosive space modulator,
High torque muffler bearings.
Have you adjusted the leveler bars? You may be transfering too much weight to the front of the truck off of the rear axle.
Try letting the truck squat a little more and see if that helps. It could just be a piss poor design too if there is not enough weight up front of the trailer.
__________________
1996 F-250 extended cab long box five speed. Home made Tymar, 203 Stat, 60 gal in bed fuel cell, 315/75's, no cat, no muffler, ebpv welded open 3" to 3" DP, Babies. 255K, still chugging, and still smoking when cold.
UPDATED 8/1/08 Replace so far. 1 LUK flywheel+clutch, 2 thermostats, 2 set of brakes, 1 set of calipers, 5 CPS, 3 sets of tires, 2 Transfer pumps, 1 Injector modual, 1 Computer, 2 Alt, 2 sets of batteries, 1 Water pump, 6 Belts, 1 PS hose, 2 Sets ball joints, 2 set u-joints, 2 carrier bearing, 2 Speed sensors, 1 oil pres sender, 1 temp sender, 4 sets of e-break cables, 1 front fuel tank, 2 rear fuel tanks, 2 set of glow plugs, 6 Glow plug relays, Oil galley o-rings, Turbo pedistal o-rings, EBPV o-rings, 3 sets of Injector O-rings, 1 Vac-pump, 1 new carpet.Total $$$ in repairs v/s miles driven = 3.0 cents per mile. Add fuel to that it jumps to 14.8 cents per mile over the life of the truck.
One thing I did notice is when I really get those spring bars under tension it makes the hitch receiver bend upwards... is that bad that it bends like that?
If it's the factory standard or optional receiver rated 12,500 pounds with a weight-distributing hitch, I wouldn't worry about it.
If you can get a scale report without the W/D hooked up so you can determine actual hitch weight, then you want your WD system adjusted so not more than about half the actual hitch weight is on the rear axle, and the other half is distributed to the front and trailer axles. If your hitch weight is more than about 12 percent of gross trailer weight, you need to rearrange the weight in the trailer to result is less hitch weight.
Linear Mode
