Tongue Weight (getting sucked in by trucks)

All great advice! thanks! It is a smaller SUV, the wheel base is smaller, so that may be an issue. I also don't believe I've ever had the tires at max pressure, so that's another thing I will try...Usually with the WDH it is pretty level, It's just a white 'knuckler trying to keep it steady when being passed or passing large trucks. I wouldn't say "squirrly" per-say, just difficult to keep it straight. It doesn't sway too much, except when passing... as I do have a sway bar (but I set it rather loosely) I'm new to towing anything except a pop-up, and that towed effortlessly with our mini-van. That being said, any advice helps, and I won't take offense, because I don't have a clue :)

Thanks again!

Is a Mercury Mariner an SUV?
If so the wheel base could be too short. I permanently retired a Chevy Tahoe from towing my TT because of the same thing you are experiencing. It is a case of the tail wagging the dog. And no amount of after market stuff is going to correct it.

Also is your TT a single axle?
Check to see all what you have stored BEHIND the axle. Bring anything stored behind the axle up front in front of the axle.

My first single axle small TT was all over the place on me simply because I had placed a somewhat heavy metal exercise pen for my dogs and 2 full coolers, 'behind' the axle.

I pulled over and moved all of it in front of the axle, made a BIG difference! After that experience I made sure 'nothing was placed behind the single axle'.

Grit dog wrote:
Sounds normal to me unless there's something I'm missing.
Assuming the trailer is small but you're pulling with a lightweight vehicle so expect to get tossed around by semis.
If it pulls fine otherwise, only real solution is a heavier tow vehicle IMO. Not suggesting you need one, rather only that mass and wheelbase are 2 large factors in how well a TV performs with respect to your issue.

X2 to a point... I've seen in heavy cross winds Semi's being "sucked" in (empty truck/trailer) being passed/over taken by other semi's. I've been "sucked" in as well, transporting various TTs. Doesn't matter the length or weight in heavy cross winds whether its a semi or a small SUV...its those crazy "vortexes" as mentioned. Its rare if not at all when hauling fifth wheels. Worse with those "ultra-light" TTs.

Maybe I missed it, but the very first thing I would do is make sure tires are properly inflated (which for towing is typically MORE than for daily driving). Inflate the trailer and tow vehicle tires to their max pressure. See if it makes a difference. Trailer tires are intended to be at their max, and it doesn't hurt tow vehicle tires either, aside from possible wear issues if left at max inflation all the time.

Roman Duck wrote:

1964DeCamp wrote:
Hi, I have an old 1964 DeCamp travel trailer. The sticker says it is 2000 lbs...which I fail to believe. Last summer I towed it with a Mercury Mariner, which has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs... however, even with weight distribution, it still feels odd, I get sucked in and a bit squirrely when passing trucks, and going over 60 mph....is there anything I can do to help with the towing? Is this something that could be adjusted within the tongue weight? is there somewhere to have it weighed, or anything I can buy to help getting it to tow better? any help would be appreciated! thanks in advance

Try installing a sway bar, if you already have one, then add a second one to the other side. make sure you have the correct tire pressure on the tv. get tire weights at a scale then go to your tire manufactures web site for load capacities and proper inflations numbers and see what is the correct pressure for your tires according to the weights that you recorded at the scale

NEVER IMOP use sway control to hide a sway problem. Correct the sway problem, then add sway control.

Sounds like the OPs problem is either too little tongue weight, OR lost steering control cause by loss of weight on the steering axle. A WDH could fix it.

1964DeCamp wrote:
Hi, I have an old 1964 DeCamp travel trailer. The sticker says it is 2000 lbs...which I fail to believe. Last summer I towed it with a Mercury Mariner, which has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs... however, even with weight distribution, it still feels odd, I get sucked in and a bit squirrely when passing trucks, and going over 60 mph....is there anything I can do to help with the towing? Is this something that could be adjusted within the tongue weight? is there somewhere to have it weighed, or anything I can buy to help getting it to tow better? any help would be appreciated! thanks in advance

Try installing a sway bar, if you already have one, then add a second one to the other side. make sure you have the correct tire pressure on the tv. get tire weights at a scale then go to your tire manufactures web site for load capacities and proper inflations numbers and see what is the correct pressure for your tires according to the weights that you recorded at the scale

Good advice above.

First thing, make sure the trailer is level or slightly nose down.

It should never feel squirrely. It sounds like there is not enough weight on the front wheels, that is less steering control. If it's squirrely make sure you when you adjust the hitch you put the weight back on the front tires. Measure the front at the axle before you put the trailer on, then attach the trailer and measure again. You'll need to adjust the hitch to bring the front back to stock height.

As far as getting sucked in I've found with smaller tow vehicles and trailers I felt more of the turbulence from the passing trucks. With my current rig I don't feel much pull at all. Nothing dramatic anyway. There is a scientific explanation for it, it has to do with a vortex that's created. I found a great page on this a while back but never bookmarked it. :(

Sounds normal to me unless there's something I'm missing.
Assuming the trailer is small but you're pulling with a lightweight vehicle so expect to get tossed around by semis.
If it pulls fine otherwise, only real solution is a heavier tow vehicle IMO. Not suggesting you need one, rather only that mass and wheelbase are 2 large factors in how well a TV performs with respect to your issue.

You can try redistributing weight using your hitch tighten or loosen up on the chains to see what helps.

I try to move away from the truck as I go by to lessen the suction effect. Another trick is to come up on the truck slowly and then accelerate once you get along side of it.

My 1978 Nomad (24ft) sat on top of the axles which provided more ground clearance but it also seemed to help ease the sucking and push from wind gusts and trucks. Our current 5th wheel also sits on top of the axles and it is very stable as well. I know the weight of the 5th wheel has a lot to do with it but I'm not affected by wind like other 5th wheels we have followed.