I'm having issues with the bow wave from passing trucks. I have a Jayco 328RLS towed by a 1991 Chevy Suburban. I'm using a Reese Strait-Line WDH with 1500 pound bars. The front axle is about 100 pounds lighter than the unhitched weight, though I intend to fix that by adjusting the hitch a little.I typically drive around 55mph on the interstate, and when the 18-wheelers fly by at 70, I get blown to the side a little. It's bad enough for me to be on-edge when towing, but I also don't have thousands of miles towing my camper under my belt yet.I believe my bow wave issues may be partially due to the steering on my Suburban. The older 80s bodystyle Chevy trucks (for which my 91 shares bodystyles with) have very easy steering. The steering on these old trucks is so easy, that you can easily dry-steer from lock to lock with your pinky finger. Coincidentally, it's VERY easy to steer when the truck is moving. The entire steering/suspension assembly including steering box, tie rods, adjusters, ball joints, etc has been recently replaced and aligned, so they're all in good condition. I think the ease of steering is allowing me to be more easily blown around on the highway. Is this possible, and if so, would adding a steering stabilizer (shock for steering) improve the bow wave issues? How else other than watching the rear view mirror like a hawk and bracing for it can I help reduce the bow wave from passing trucks?Thanks in advance. I'd really love to be more at ease when towing my home.

Let me ask you a question.Does the bow wave push your Suburban and your trailer as one or does the trailer and the truck feel like separate units?Also, is your rig a 1500 or a 2500? Tell us about your Weight Distribution Hitch. And a picture of the sweet vintage Suburban is required ;)Thanks!Jeremiah

32 foot trailer.You have a good hitch...as you stated, get more weight to the front of your tow vehicle so that you don't have under-steer.Your 91 Burb: How are the shocks - need repacing? How about the tires - P rated or LT's? LT's will give you more stabilitySome slight bow wave is not out of the ordinary.See a "big boy" coming and move slightly to the right before he passes might help

What is your tongue weight percentage?

I think what you are referring to is commonly called sway. All bumper pull trailers will do some of that, but it should be very mild. The first thing that hit my mind was either you don't have enough tongue weight, or most likely you don't have enough truck for that trailer. You might take a look at the load rating on your TV tires. If they are P rated try a stiffer tire. How much air do you put in the tires? If you are not at max pressure as stated on the sidewall, try that first. It's definitely the cheapest and easiest. I know you don't want to hear it, but mostly it sounds like you don't have enough truck. Just my opinion, that and $1.50 can get you a cup of coffee.

When I get pushed, it feels like it get pushed as one. I think the Strait-Line is really doing its job well.I hate the 1500-2500 question, since I seem to always get yelled at for this. Technically, as the truck shipped from the factory 20 years ago, it was a 1500. Now, everything except the frame is now 2500 or 3500 parts. I try to not claim it's as strong and as good as a 3500, but it's definitely not a puny 1500 either...The hitch is a Reese Strait-Line hitch with 1500 pound bars. The Strait-Line part includes built-in sway control. I need to pull a link or two to get the 100 pounds I'm short back on the front axle, but I'm already at the minimum links showing, so I need to tilt the head some.As for pictures, they'll have to wait. I have a couple at home that I can possibly post.

Dealing with bow wave | Good Sam Community

49 Replies

kep5niner
Explorer
Sep 09, 2014
lbrjet wrote:
Your trailer weighs 9400 and your truck weighs 6000. You are going to get pushed around no matter what.

^^^ What he said.
hawkeye-08
Explorer III
Sep 08, 2014
Nothing wrong with going 55 on interstate.

My opinion,
1) make sure your tongue weight is enough
2) make sure your trailer is level or slightly nose down when all hooked up
3) make sure your hitch is setup optimally (as you know, probably need to get that 180# back on front axle).
LarryJM
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2014
Desert Captain wrote:
Gdetrailer wrote:
stationaryfulltimer wrote:
I'm having issues with the bow wave from passing trucks. I have a Jayco 328RLS towed by a 1991 Chevy Suburban. I'm using a Reese Strait-Line WDH with 1500 pound bars. The front axle is about 100 pounds lighter than the unhitched weight, though I intend to fix that by adjusting the hitch a little.

I typically drive around 55mph on the interstate, and when the 18-wheelers fly by at 70, I get blown to the side a little. It's bad enough for me to be on-edge when towing, but I also don't have thousands of miles towing my camper under my belt yet.

I believe my bow wave issues may be partially due to the steering on my Suburban. The older 80s bodystyle Chevy trucks (for which my 91 shares bodystyles with) have very easy steering. The steering on these old trucks is so easy, that you can easily dry-steer from lock to lock with your pinky finger. Coincidentally, it's VERY easy to steer when the truck is moving. The entire steering/suspension assembly including steering box, tie rods, adjusters, ball joints, etc has been recently replaced and aligned, so they're all in good condition. I think the ease of steering is allowing me to be more easily blown around on the highway. Is this possible, and if so, would adding a steering stabilizer (shock for steering) improve the bow wave issues? How else other than watching the rear view mirror like a hawk and bracing for it can I help reduce the bow wave from passing trucks?

Thanks in advance. I'd really love to be more at ease when towing my home.

The part I bolded IS your main problem.

There is TOO MUCH difference in speed between you and the passing vehicle.

Honestly If you are truly and only going 55 on an Interstate road with posted 65+ speeds YOU ARE ON A "SUICIDE MISSION"..

I would recommend that if you don't feel "comfortable" towing at at least NEAR the speed limit ( say 60 MPH if posted at 65 MPH) then perhaps you should look for smaller lower speed limit roads.

Driving too slow is just as bad as excessive speeding since now you become an slow moving object in the way of others WANTING to go faster.

No matter how much you tinker with WD, hitch or even your vehicle suspension you will still feel the effect.

There are two things that you can do which will drastically reduce the effect..

#1, SPEED UP SOME as the passing vehicle approaches your trailer, doing so MINIMIZES the "difference" between your pressure wave and the passing vehicle pressure wave.

#2, MOVE OVER AWAY from the passing vehicles lane without going off the road (IE don't "hug" the CENTER LINE of the road), doing so puts SPACE between your pressure wave and the passing vehicles pressure wave. DISTANCE between vehicles reduces the effect of each others pressure wave, result is both vehicles will feel LESS pressure wave..

Doing BOTH of the above most likely will pretty much eliminate the effect you are feeling.

Congratulations on giving the worst advice EVER!!! :S

The OP is pulling a 35' TT with a half ton SUV and you think his only problem is going too slow??? The laws in a number of states, California comes to mind, require that vehicles towing NOT exceed 55. You have the nerve to shout at him that driving 55 constitutes a suicide
mission and then tell him to get off of the road because "you" think he should not be there. :R What color is the sun on your planet? :h

Yes, common sense and physics dictate that not hugging the centerline will help but not nearly as much as getting enough truck. More speed in an unstable rig is not the answer.

:R

Thank you for saying what I was thinking as I was picking my jaw up from the floor after reading the post you have quoted. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with driving 55 on even a 75mph interstate as long as you stay in the right lane except for passing even slower moving vehicles.

I do agree the bow wave effect can be further mitigated by hugging the right side of the right lane and I drive there normally when the shoulder is wide enough so it just gives me a little "EXTRA" room for vehicles overtaking me and is a little less stressful in maintaining a very strick position within my lane of travel.

Larry
Lantley
Nomad
Sep 08, 2014
PacNWChris wrote:
Although it's not for everyone because of the price, I can echo what I've seen others writing about an anti-sway hitch like the ProPride. We've got a single-rear wheel, short bed F350 towing a reltively rear-heavy 35' trailer.

The hitch performs amazingly. We've honestly NEVER felt any movement from big rigs passing us either in our direction of traffic, or against it. Even the movement that is caused by strong winds is minimal. I don't believe that there's any such thing as 100% elimination of sway/movement - after all, a strong enough wind can move anything around. But a good hitch can go a LONG way in making the tow much more relaxing.

Exactly, Despite what others may believe, you do not have to accept or live with the bow wave effect.
A premium hitch can and will eliminate the bow wave!
PacNWChris
Explorer
Sep 08, 2014
Although it's not for everyone because of the price, I can echo what I've seen others writing about an anti-sway hitch like the ProPride. We've got a single-rear wheel, short bed F350 towing a reltively rear-heavy 35' trailer.

The hitch performs amazingly. We've honestly NEVER felt any movement from big rigs passing us either in our direction of traffic, or against it. Even the movement that is caused by strong winds is minimal. I don't believe that there's any such thing as 100% elimination of sway/movement - after all, a strong enough wind can move anything around. But a good hitch can go a LONG way in making the tow much more relaxing.
jamnw
Explorer
Sep 07, 2014
nomad297 wrote:
CampingN.C. wrote:
some trucks will push/pull me more than others. I actually get it worse from Uhaul style trucks than full size tractor trailers.

Same here. Although I am not swaying, I usually can tell when a large truck is passing me. Sometimes I feel nothing when a tractor-trailer passes me, but I can always feel a smaller box truck, and sometimes the feeling is different with a box truck -- I will sometimes feel two "tugs". When I feel a tractor-trailer, all I feel is one long tug.

Bruce

X2

I've got an F250 with a 28ft TT. I've noticed that loading makes a difference. If my FW tank is empty I really feel the push/pull. Tank is between my axles.
Too much stuff in the rear of TT and I notice more push/pull

Some passing vehicles, trucks or autos are worse than others. As said the Uhaul type trucks get me good and I hate to see a big huge square-faced dump truck style come by.
Some semi trucks don't affect me at all.
I drive 55-65.

I try to stay in the right lane as much as possible. I absolutely avoid the cruising in the middle lane. Got caught between a big line of semi trucks on both sides. It scared the stuffings out of me.

I think what you're getting is normal and some can be reduced by trying different loading set up. Move more to front of TT.

Personally can't afford a Hensley Arrow hitch, so I'm stuck trying different combinations. I've pretty much got mine figured out but I still get caught by surprise by a big truck on occasion.
CampingN_C_
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
I think some are getting too caught up in HIS speed. If he's doing the posted speed limit or even more doesn't mean he won't get passed by a truck going faster. I don't tow faster than 60-65 but I've been passed buy trucks going 80.
The larger difference in speed results in a larger push/pull affect.
I think we would all agree that the OP speeding up is not a solution. Personally I don't think there is one.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Sep 06, 2014
Yes the speed difference can make it worse, however 60 in no better. BUT 55 on the interstate is not a bad thing. Well over the minimum. A driver would have to be blind not to see a 10 foot high white lit up wall a mile of them, and make the correct moves to pass it.
Also. School busses routinely run 55 on the interstate. Its all they can do. Truck slow down to under 55 on long hills.

Any one that runs into a BIG white moving wall. Does NOT need to be on the road in the first place.
nomad297
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
CampingN.C. wrote:
some trucks will push/pull me more than others. I actually get it worse from Uhaul style trucks than full size tractor trailers.

Same here. Although I am not swaying, I usually can tell when a large truck is passing me. Sometimes I feel nothing when a tractor-trailer passes me, but I can always feel a smaller box truck, and sometimes the feeling is different with a box truck -- I will sometimes feel two "tugs". When I feel a tractor-trailer, all I feel is one long tug.

Bruce
lbrjet
Explorer
Sep 06, 2014
Your trailer weighs 9400 and your truck weighs 6000. You are going to get pushed around no matter what.

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Dealing with bow wave

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