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Dansjeep2000's avatar
Dansjeep2000
Explorer
Mar 22, 2016

Zero tounge weight problems.

New guy here and I'm stuck
I purchased an enclosed 16'tandem axle trailer and it has no tounge weight at all. When towing over 50mph it starts to wig wag and shake the rear of my pickup side to side bad. Will a anti sway hitch help or do I need to move the axles back? Any help is greatly appreciated.

29 Replies

  • Bought it used and empty is empty. I have been all over it including underneath and nothing is out of place. The axles are centered on the trailer though.
  • Did you buy it new or used? If new, take it back and tell them where they can stuff it.

    What's in the trailer when it's "empty?" A lot of these trailers have had things built into them like workbenches, cabinets, etc..

    Heck, for all we know the previous owner hung a chunk of concrete under the back of the trailer to reduce tongue weight because it was too heavy for his truck. Not the smartest thing to do, but not beyond the realm of possibility.
  • Not homemade. It is a Southwest Expressline 8.5x16 tandem axle enclosed trailer.
  • The tongue weight should be 10 to 15% of the trailer weight. Is this a home made trailer? I would move the axle back.
  • For a quick solution, throw a couple of sandbags in the front. That would at least tell you how much weight to add to make your trailer stable.
  • Kind of, really just planned on hauling the atv's in it then tossing down the cots when we are on location. I'm gonna try and load it nose heavy and see how it does. It just blew my mind when I unhooked it and it just sits there with the tounge jack off the ground sitting level all on its own.
  • It's probably engineered to carry a load, with the heavier bits placed ahead of the axles.

    Are you going to build it into a stealth camper? Put a battery box with four GC2 in it. Put a water tank up there too, and a pair of LP tanks on the tongue, you'll be all set.
  • Thats what I was afraid of, definitely a bad design. I guess I'll try loading it front heavy and take it for a test run to see how it does. Empty it bucks all over.
  • You will need to move the axles back, or place some weight to the front of the trailer.
    Sounds like it is not very well engineered.