2016 Chevy Suburban w Towing Package
Just purchased travel trailer. Looking for pointers on use of toeing features including tow/haul mode, breaking, TCS, etc.
Forum Discussion
First off, what you were experiencing was NOT sway. If it was sway, the only way to stop it would have been to manually apply the trailer brakes alone to bring the trailer back under control. Since you did not know this, it is likely that you would have lost the trailer, but since you were able to return the trailer, it definitely wasn't sway.
What you were experiencing is the push-pull effect caused by the air displaced by large passing vehicles. You will always feel that to a certain extent pulling a trailer that is near the limits of the tow vehicle, but better sway control, and airing up your tires to the maximum sidewall pressure, would improve the feeling tremendously.
I know it sounds like I'm contradicting myself here saying you don't have sway, but better sway control would help the problem, but it's true. The reason you're feeling the push-pull is due to the flexible joint at the trailer hitch. Your trailer is being blown off-center and pushing the rear end of the truck around. Sway control stiffens that flexible joint so the trailer can't move as much and can't push the truck around.
Frankly that was a lot of trailer for your truck especially fully loaded. 7500lbs is about all you'd really want to pull with a 1500-class Suburuban loaded up with a heavy family and all the stuff they bring along. Even so it won't be the most comfortable experience. You would do yourself a service starting off with a somewhat smaller trailer.
What you were experiencing is the push-pull effect caused by the air displaced by large passing vehicles. You will always feel that to a certain extent pulling a trailer that is near the limits of the tow vehicle, but better sway control, and airing up your tires to the maximum sidewall pressure, would improve the feeling tremendously.
I know it sounds like I'm contradicting myself here saying you don't have sway, but better sway control would help the problem, but it's true. The reason you're feeling the push-pull is due to the flexible joint at the trailer hitch. Your trailer is being blown off-center and pushing the rear end of the truck around. Sway control stiffens that flexible joint so the trailer can't move as much and can't push the truck around.
Frankly that was a lot of trailer for your truck especially fully loaded. 7500lbs is about all you'd really want to pull with a 1500-class Suburuban loaded up with a heavy family and all the stuff they bring along. Even so it won't be the most comfortable experience. You would do yourself a service starting off with a somewhat smaller trailer.
