Towing questions
Hello all, I just bought a 2013 Jayflight 33bhts. I took for its 1st trip 3 days after buying it and it pulled pretty awful...I am towing with a 2002 F-350 7.3l diesel crew cab long wheel base with the 8ft bed and the camper weighs about 8900lbs dry. camper was a little down in the front as far as level goes but not by that much...it seemed to be really top heavy in the rear of the camper behind the axles of the camper...thats where it swayed real bad...from the front the truck to the camper axles seemed to tow straight. when I got home I lifted the hitch 1 notch and got the camper level and took it back to the interstate and it was a little better but still swaying(I can feel a little car passing me and get pushed a little bit so imagine the wind and big rigs)...filled camper tires to 55psi cold and truck had 70psi front and 75psi back cold and all tires are brand new E rated tires so i don't think tires could be the problem. It feels like there should be a 3rd axle in the back like theres just to much camper behind the axles
1. My truck has about 1-2 inches of play in the steering wheel(about to order a new steering gearbox to fix that problem)and am wondering if it could be alot to do with trying to overcorrect and playing catchup with the sway because of the steering that makes the sway way worse
2.The camper is not jam packed with stuff yet because we just got it and it's our 1st camper so it's going to take awhile to get every goodie we want so the back didnt have much in it...just some board games for the kids and clothes and stuff like that...it has the dinette table for the bottom bunk and the outdoor kitchen in the back though which I know adds alot of weight back there...could it be I just need alot more weight in the front or could it be something else?
3. should I run 2 sway bars?
4. Is there anything else I'm not thinking about that it could be...I want a nice smooth tow without the white knuckling which is why I did so much research when I bought my TV about a month before the camper and I was highly disappointed on the maiden voyage...please help me I dont want my family or anyone elses in danger everytime I tow
Thanks for any and all advice...its greatly appreciated
1. My truck has about 1-2 inches of play in the steering wheel(about to order a new steering gearbox to fix that problem)and am wondering if it could be alot to do with trying to overcorrect and playing catchup with the sway because of the steering that makes the sway way worse
2.The camper is not jam packed with stuff yet because we just got it and it's our 1st camper so it's going to take awhile to get every goodie we want so the back didnt have much in it...just some board games for the kids and clothes and stuff like that...it has the dinette table for the bottom bunk and the outdoor kitchen in the back though which I know adds alot of weight back there...could it be I just need alot more weight in the front or could it be something else?
3. should I run 2 sway bars?
4. Is there anything else I'm not thinking about that it could be...I want a nice smooth tow without the white knuckling which is why I did so much research when I bought my TV about a month before the camper and I was highly disappointed on the maiden voyage...please help me I dont want my family or anyone elses in danger everytime I tow
Thanks for any and all advice...its greatly appreciated
