Tail Waging

What is the brand, condition, load rating and actual load on the trailer tires? Are they inflated for maximum load? Even though it is fairly new, is the trailer (and truck) suspension in great condition?

brackleybeach wrote:
I have a 34 ft travel trailer. With a turn of the steering wheel at highway speeds the tail end wags back and forth. Will a tilt of the ball correct this or why does the ball have different positions? I am using the duel cam system which is supposed to stop this. Will tightening the chains help?

Please post a couple of photos if you can. One close up of the WDH and one farther away with TV & TT.

Have you measured the before and after front fender height? You need to transfer the correct amount of weight back onto the steer axle when the TT is hitched up.

Having the cams centered in the "crooks" of the spring bars is really important. Being out a little bit can make for some not so good handling and sway. You should have 5-6 chain links engaged and the bar angle needs to be adjusted to get this. Have you got the correct rating of bars for the tongue weight?

As mentioned, read the tutorial and make a visit to a scale somewhere. Getting the weights for a TT takes 3 separate passes.

Once a DC WDH is all dialed in, they are awesome.

Moved "up" to a travel trailer, did he? Safe to say that on the travel trailer forum, isn't it?

Although we haven't heard back from the OP and his profile picture shows a Springdale 5er, his signature says and he states that it is a 34' travel trailer.

APT wrote:
Good pojnt, Tom. So a trip to the closest CAT scale can also help.

I am kind of simple. I need all the facts that I can get before offering a solution to a problem. There are dozens of variables involved in towing, and "Tighten up another link", or "Change your tires" answers don't always take them into account.

Good pojnt, Tom. So a trip to the closest CAT scale can also help.

You can adjust on your hitch all week, but if something like not enough tongue weight is your problem, you will have wasted seven days.

You should take the time to learn how to adjust your WDH. This WDH primer may also help your understanding.

In addition to those references, you should understand how the Reese dual cam system works. It is picky about centering the detents on the bars on the cam lobes when driving straight. Many basic WDHs are not adjusted properly from the RV dealer, let alone the picky Reese straight line.

I have the same WDH. I have experienced stable at 75mph as well as scary at 60mph with the same truck/trailer combo. You have to get the adjustment right. And my TT tows well behind a dually with no WD, so the trailer/loading itself is stable.

Do you have to much weight in the trailer up front or in the rear? Like Rookie said you shouldn't have wag even without WD bars and anti sway. Not sure your trailer weight but just guessing I would say your TV should be able to handle the load so I would look at how the trailer is loaded. Biggest thing on fifth's is stuffing that huge front pass through full of heavy stuff.

I see yours has the rear kitchen which can contribute to having more weight behind the axles then in front which causes wag. Maybe you don't have enough stuff in your front pass through. Good starting point is to carry 60% of your weight in front of the trailer axles then adjust from there. A simple fix could be you are not running with your fresh water tanks full and if they are in front of the axle this would probably give you the weight you need to stop the wag as trailers are designed to tow with full tanks.

You need to provide more info. If your cranking the wheel to hard and driving to fast everything will wag. What kind of anti sway system do you have? Is it tight enough? Do you have to much weight aft of the wheels in the TT. Your sig says fifth wheel but this is a TT post so What kind of set up. Be more specific and Im sure people will try to help you out. Until then take it easy on the road, thats not to safe!