I recently purchased a 2012 Dutchmen 26' TT that has a dry weight of 5000#. My TV is a 2009 Yukon Denali (standard length) with the 6.2 liter engine. I also tow a small trailer & ATV behind my TT. The additional weight of the trailer & ATV is 1200#. I have WD hitch & sway bars. I estimate that the additional weight of passengers, dogs. generators and everything else adds an additional 600# to the equation. I am under my tow rating (8,500# with WD hitch) but not by much.I experience quite a bit of sway at speeds above 50 mph especially if I am going downhill. Almost all of my trips involve mountain driving since I live in Utah. Crosswinds are a real adventure also. I am not sure what would be the best solution to solve the sway problem. I have read that the Hensley Arrow hitch or the ProPride hitch will eliminate the sway but I am not convinced that is the right answer to my problem although it would certainly help. I also have read that going to E load tires on both the TT & TV would help as well as adding airbags. The expensive solution would be to buy a 3/4 ton diesel truck but for the 10 times a year that I would probably tow my TT, that seems like a lot of money to spend for those 10 camping trips per year but my family's safety is my ultimate concern.The dealer I bought my trailer from convinced me that my TV was adequate for towing the TT. I need some advice from someone who has had a similar experience. How should I best solve the sway issue I am having based on the information that I have given above? Thanks!

The E rated tires will help but I would also increase the tension on the WDH, probably by tilting the head more. There's also the dynamics of double towing with a light duty rig like the Yukon and its short wheel base. The second trailer is probably taking weight of the main hitch and that's never good. Could you post a pic of your hitch set-up?

With the rear trailer hooked to the TT what is the tongue weight of the TT? Most likely not enoughThere is a dutchmen TT (257RBGS) that has a dry weight of 5088 lb and the tongue weight is only 5% of that 453 lb. If you started with that and then put a trailer on the rear bumper you don't have near enough tongue weight.

You have a second trailer hooked up to the back of the TT???

kamperdog wrote:You have a second trailer hooked up to the back of the TT???Yes, out here in the Western States it is legal in many states, and is not at all uncommon!I,too, recommend that you look at the tongue weight of the TT when the second trailer is connected (it should be 10 to 15% of the TT GVW), and verify that the tongue weight of the second trailer is at least 10 to 15% of the trailer GVW.Here in Montana your overall length should not exceed 75 feet for such a combination, and the tow vehicle must have a manufacturers rated capacity of more than 2000 lbs (MCA 61-10-104)

kamperdog wrote:You have a second trailer hooked up to the back of the TT???Very confused, did not think that was legal. Thought only fivers could pull an additional trailer/boat (which never made any sense to me either). :h The problem, as noted above, is the second trailer is pulling down on the rear of the TT and excessively lightening your tongue weight. Much like a toy hauler you need more TW not less, I would think 15% would be the least you can get by with and am guessing you are way under that number. Secondly you are asking a lot of your TV and are probably well over the Denali's payload/GVWR and quite possibly over the GCWR as well. But hey, if the salesman said it would be OK.... :R

Bad Sway Problems | Good Sam Community

22 Replies

2012Coleman
Explorer II
Nov 04, 2013
mowermech wrote:
kamperdog wrote:
You have a second trailer hooked up to the back of the TT???

Yes, out here in the Western States it is legal in many states, and is not at all uncommon!
I,too, recommend that you look at the tongue weight of the TT when the second trailer is connected (it should be 10 to 15% of the TT GVW), and verify that the tongue weight of the second trailer is at least 10 to 15% of the trailer GVW.
Here in Montana your overall length should not exceed 75 feet for such a combination, and the tow vehicle must have a manufacturers rated capacity of more than 2000 lbs (MCA 61-10-104)
Why don't you try towing the TT without the additional trailer hooked up? If the problem goes away, then theres your answer.
allen8106
Explorer
Nov 04, 2013
Desert Captain wrote:
kamperdog wrote:
You have a second trailer hooked up to the back of the TT???

Very confused, did not think that was legal. Thought only fivers could pull an additional trailer/boat (which never made any sense to me either). :h The problem, as noted above, is the second trailer is pulling down on the rear of the TT and excessively lightening your tongue weight. Much like a toy hauler you need more TW not less, I would think 15% would be the least you can get by with and am guessing you are way under that number.

Secondly you are asking a lot of your TV and are probably well over the Denali's payload/GVWR and quite possibly over the GCWR as well. But hey, if the salesman said it would be OK.... :R

In many states it is legal but they require that the back trailer have electric brakes.
coolbreeze01
Explorer
Nov 04, 2013
A pickup will solve your sway problem if nothing else works. I always haul an ATV in mine........Have fun.
Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Nov 04, 2013
Try this, find a cat scale pull just the front tires of the TV up on the scale with the rear tires off the scale. Write that number down. Then disconnect the rear trailer and write that number down. Now disconnect the TT unhooking the WD and jacking the tongue completely off the hitch.

The first number is your tongue weight with the rear trailer connected, the second number is your RV tongue weight. By doing it this you now know the actual weights as it reflects to your TV.

Now you should weight each trailer to get the actual weight as loaded for a trip (load it the way you normally would for a trip).

If your TW does not meet the 15% requirement then move some weight around inside the TT until you get there.

I would also upgrade your tires to E load rated tires for the added sidewall strength.

Don
nevadanick
Explorer
Nov 03, 2013
I tow 2 bumper pulls and getting weight up front in the TT is essential. Some ways are as simple as the cases of water we take get put up front until we get where we are going as well as clothes, xtra stuff, whatever it takes. For my setup its even more important once the water tank which is up front is empty and the holding tanks which are in rear are full. I pay carefule attention to how everything is loaded. I have never had a problem towing doubles.
powderman426
Explorer
Nov 03, 2013
Does the utility trailer have brakes?? If not, it should in my opinion.
skipnchar
Explorer
Nov 03, 2013
K Charles wrote:
With the rear trailer hooked to the TT what is the tongue weight of the TT? Most likely not enough
There is a dutchmen TT (257RBGS) that has a dry weight of 5088 lb and the tongue weight is only 5% of that 453 lb. If you started with that and then put a trailer on the rear bumper you don't have near enough tongue weight.

This would be MY choice of where to begin looking. Axle alignment is also critical and especially so when towing double.
Bionic_Man
Explorer
Nov 03, 2013
I've towed tandem for almost 15 years now, but my experience has always been with a 5er as the 1st trailer.

My 1st 5er was a Dutchman, and I can tell you with confidence that it was NOT adequate for putting a second trailer behind it. I suffered through for two years before I decided to upgrade to the RV I have now.

Everyone else has done a great job of covering the tongue weight. What I will tell you is that if you are getting trailer sway, that is putting a TON of stress on the frame of your trailer. Make sure you pay close attention to the attachment of both the receiver hitch on the back of your TT as well as the connection point of the axles to your trailer frame. Both are potentially weak points where excessive trailer sway with a 2nd trailer could cause a catastrophic failure.

Towing tandem isn't for everyone. If you are going to do it, go the extra mile and make sure that everything is set up correctly. When that happens, you should have very little if any trailer sway.

As far as another option, if you are happy with the Yukon you could consider driving a second vehicle to tow the ATV. Almost all cars are capable of towing up to 2000 pounds. Your ATV and trailer should be under that.

Good luck with everything.
zogg
Explorer
Nov 03, 2013
I recently bought a 6x10 utility trailer. We used it to move my son into his new home. The first load we put some light stuff in the fron t and the washer and dryer in the back. All was well until we hit about 50 mph. That little trailer swayed so hard that it actually rocked the truck side to side....

I pulled over, unloaded and reloaded the trailer with the heavy stuff up front, and had no problem driving 70+ mph....

Could be as simple as not enough weight in the front of your small trailer causing swaying and causing your TT to sway also. Does the TT sway without the small trailer attached??
cdlaine
Explorer
Nov 03, 2013
CAT scales.

Hensley Hitch.... massively over-engineered but does what it
claims.

Charles

Forum Discussion

Bad Sway Problems

22 Replies

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Inverter Bad?

From Bad to Worse

Just Bad Luck?

Sway Control

Great to scary bad