New trailer swaying, looking for advice
Hello! Brand new posting, but have read the forum for a long time. Brief intro.. We have camped for many years, our first camper was a 17 foot Palomino Stampede Hybrid. We towed it with a Nissa...
Forum Discussion
I would do the hitch wt first, ie add some. THEN if you get the correct amount, and STILL have sway, if you have dual axels, check the alignment of them, make sure both are perpendicular to the frame, and not V'd in some way shape or form.
Another issue, make sure the trailer is reasonably level to slightly nose down. I prefer slightly nose down vs level myself.
Those are the first three things I would look for.
Another, altho harder to tell, is if you can get a scale that will weigh you side to side, make sure you are equal here, 200-300 lbs one way or the other will not cause an issue, but get more than this, you may get sway as the tires on the heavier side will be turning a higher amount due to a smaller radius when loaded. This could be sorta kinda alleviated by inflating the tires on that side so the active radius is the same.....but not my first choice in a fix.
look and fix issues like described, THEN buy bars to handle weight distribution and anti sway as a safety fix. Otherwise if you use an AS system now, you are hiding the issue! and if the bars fail, fall off, you are screwed. Better to have a trailer that will tow straight, then add bars, vs not towing straight but doing so after bars are added.
Marty
Another issue, make sure the trailer is reasonably level to slightly nose down. I prefer slightly nose down vs level myself.
Those are the first three things I would look for.
Another, altho harder to tell, is if you can get a scale that will weigh you side to side, make sure you are equal here, 200-300 lbs one way or the other will not cause an issue, but get more than this, you may get sway as the tires on the heavier side will be turning a higher amount due to a smaller radius when loaded. This could be sorta kinda alleviated by inflating the tires on that side so the active radius is the same.....but not my first choice in a fix.
look and fix issues like described, THEN buy bars to handle weight distribution and anti sway as a safety fix. Otherwise if you use an AS system now, you are hiding the issue! and if the bars fail, fall off, you are screwed. Better to have a trailer that will tow straight, then add bars, vs not towing straight but doing so after bars are added.
Marty
