Dealing with bow wave

rbpru wrote:
I occasionally get hit with the same effect. The odd thing is it is not constant.

Some days it is a noticable push, some days it is not there. Since I always set the cruise at 60 mph and hitch up the same way, I just attributed it to a shift in the TT loading due to changes in the gray, black and fresh water tank levels or perhaps a cross wind condition.

Though it can annoying at times, it is one of the variables encountered when pulling a TT. I have a half ton and a 26 ft trailer, the effect might be worse with a larger TT.

The thing to realize is that there is aerodynamic collision happening all the time with your rig, your rig is making its own bow wave... when a passing vehicle passes its bow wave has to push past your bow wave.

We can call this aerodynamic resistance.

Go with me on this....Airstreams and Minivans tend to do very well together (please no flaming here) from an aerodynamic perspective. The front of the vehicle is aerodynamic and there is no bed so the air slips over and around the van, the vehicle is relatively low so there is less aerodynamic force hitting the tires.. because they are tucked into the vehicle and not exposed from the front profile ... the air then hits the Airstream (which is very aerodynamic) and slips past it with relative ease.

Now, a truck like the OP's is quite literally as aerodynamic as a brick. That means that the Suburban is pushing a lot of air in front of it with no easy method for letting the air slip around it. The air that does get around the Suburban is then met with a high walled relatively flat profiled travel trailer... this air creates another pressure wake or "bow wave".

What the OP is dealing with is his bow wave he is creating getting disturbed by the passing vehicles bow wave. As the pressure from the passing vehicle approaches there is a disturbance created... and the vehicles are "sucked" towards each other... then as the passing vehicle actually passes there is a "push" that will push the passed vehicle away..

This suck and push is normal and is impacted by the shapes of the pressure wakes, speed disparity, and condition of the components in the vehicles used.

I suspect that everything is fine and the OP will get use to it as he gains experience. My only caveat is if the trailer is loaded tail heavy. That could create some instability.

Thanks!

Jeremiah