Is my TT too big for long trips?
We are at a crossroads with our current travel trailer. It’s a 2017 Flagstaff 831 BHDS measuring 34’9” total length & a dry weight of 7195, GVWR 8761. The tow vehicle is a 2015 F-350 with a 6.7 diesel...
Forum Discussion
Fishwater wrote:Something isn't set up right. Minimizing/eliminating sway is a combination of factors, and not just the WDH itself or TT length. Should run TT tires at max. sidewall psi. Inflate truck tires to max. psi or near it. I run our LRE at 80 psi rear and 75 front. Increasing TT tires one load range can help (higher psi and wider). TT should be level to slightly nose down. I found nose down works better.
I’ve struggled this season fighting sway with my 10year old Reese Strait Line DC hitch, I’ve had this hitch on my previous 33’ Passport for 4 years & never had sway.
Are you positive the Reese DC is set up properly? I think the spring bar rating is too light. Reese's bars are rated by TV payload + tongue wt. so you could be significantly undersized. How many links are under tension? How did you adjust the amount of weight restored back onto steer axle? How bad is play between receiver and hitch head? Have you got the cams correctly positioned in the bar "crooks" (extremely important)? You want at least 12-13% of TT wt. for tongue wt. and a bit more is better (we're nearly 15%). With lots of payload cap. in the F350, don't reduce tongue wt. If anything, increase it. Are the cams worn (they do over time and can be flipped over).
Adding shocks on the TT will help a lot. Installing heavy duty shocks (like Bilstein) will help. We've done both and made a huge improvement in sway.
The Reese DC WDH is an excellent hitch. Can't do much better except for a Hensley or Propride. If everything is properly set up, you shouldn't have sway issues, esp. with an F350. Don't fault the TT and it's length. We have the DC WDH and have no sway, anywhere, anytime and handling is excellent on the twistiest of mountain roads at speed. Note that any TT/TV combo will struggle with gusting side winds.
I would go over all the things that can be a factor in reducing sway instead of giving up on the TT. Do NOT get a Hensley or Propride and mask underlying issues that need to be addressed. I would seriously consider getting an new dual cam WDH with trunnion bars.
