Stability, hitch and tongue weight....
Concerned over handling of my combo - but I'm inexperienced as to what "good" travel trailer towing should be like. Problem: Occasional small sway (measured in a couple of inches each way, but can ...
Forum Discussion
Sway can sometimes be caused by a number of contributing factors such as tire types, tire pressures, WDH brand/type, WDH setup and adjustment, trailer nose being above level, etc. Sometimes doing additional things like adding shocks to the TT, HD shocks to the truck, using a Pro-pride WDH, etc. can help. We have no sway issue with our truck & TT setup but it took a while to do different things (like adding shocks) and fiddle with adjustments to get there. A couple of photos might help - a closeup and one at a distance.
If you have an Anderson WDH, I would say that could be part of the problem. I've read numerous reports that they don't work that well above 600 lbs TW. For a TT that long and heavy, I'd use a quality/reputable WDH with spring bars on it and friction sway bars or integral sway control. I went with a Reese DC because of the pro-active centering action and am very happy with it on our 29'TT and we have no issues with sway.
Actual delivered weight of a new TT at a dealer can be higher than the advertised UVW. There should also be a sticker inside or on entry door that shows the actual weight as it went out the door at the factory. I'd get to a truck scale somewhere at earliest convenience to get accurate payload capacity of truck, TW and GVW of TT. If you were to upgrade the WDH, you'd want a more accurate TW to ensure the bars are sized correctly. If it were me, I'd base TW on the TT's GVWR of 8500 lbs. Things like factory options, modifications/upgrades, one or more full holding tanks, more gear/groceries for a longer trip, etc. can all drive wt. up. 775 lbs of "stuff" added to the TT would be about right based on my detailed weighing experience. You could be closer to the GVWR than you think.
That TT could have a somewhat lighter TW by design than most which is typically in the 12-13 percent range. Ours is over 14 percent. At 8500 lbs GVW and if it were about 12-13 percent, the TW *could* be around 1000 - 1100 lbs. Truck's actual available payload capacity should include passenger(s), pet(s), groceries, firewood, camping gear, a full tank of fuel, etc. If you've added anything like a cap or done other upgrades, that can add more weight. It's not inconceivable that you could be close to the truck's payload capacity, or even over or would be if you shifted TW forward. A trip to a scale is what will tell you for sure.
You want the TT to sit level on level ground when truck and TT are all loaded up for camping. In our case, adjusting the TT to sit slightly nose down made a noticeable improvement. I run our truck tires at 80 psi rear and 75 front. Much less than that and I really don't like the way it feels.
If you have an Anderson WDH, I would say that could be part of the problem. I've read numerous reports that they don't work that well above 600 lbs TW. For a TT that long and heavy, I'd use a quality/reputable WDH with spring bars on it and friction sway bars or integral sway control. I went with a Reese DC because of the pro-active centering action and am very happy with it on our 29'TT and we have no issues with sway.
Actual delivered weight of a new TT at a dealer can be higher than the advertised UVW. There should also be a sticker inside or on entry door that shows the actual weight as it went out the door at the factory. I'd get to a truck scale somewhere at earliest convenience to get accurate payload capacity of truck, TW and GVW of TT. If you were to upgrade the WDH, you'd want a more accurate TW to ensure the bars are sized correctly. If it were me, I'd base TW on the TT's GVWR of 8500 lbs. Things like factory options, modifications/upgrades, one or more full holding tanks, more gear/groceries for a longer trip, etc. can all drive wt. up. 775 lbs of "stuff" added to the TT would be about right based on my detailed weighing experience. You could be closer to the GVWR than you think.
That TT could have a somewhat lighter TW by design than most which is typically in the 12-13 percent range. Ours is over 14 percent. At 8500 lbs GVW and if it were about 12-13 percent, the TW *could* be around 1000 - 1100 lbs. Truck's actual available payload capacity should include passenger(s), pet(s), groceries, firewood, camping gear, a full tank of fuel, etc. If you've added anything like a cap or done other upgrades, that can add more weight. It's not inconceivable that you could be close to the truck's payload capacity, or even over or would be if you shifted TW forward. A trip to a scale is what will tell you for sure.
You want the TT to sit level on level ground when truck and TT are all loaded up for camping. In our case, adjusting the TT to sit slightly nose down made a noticeable improvement. I run our truck tires at 80 psi rear and 75 front. Much less than that and I really don't like the way it feels.
