Will it sway?

JBarca wrote:

rjkfsm wrote:
I have a brake controller and a WD hitch, but no bars. I will be driving in the mountains from MO to MD.

The shortest route for me is I-70 all the way through southern PA where they got 8"+ of snow in the last 24 hours. While no snow is in the immediate forecast and they should have time to clear the roads before I get there, I will go the southern route if I have to.

RK

Now your receiver, look for a sticker on it, the receiver itself or the owners manual. It could be rated very low with no WD hitch. And even then, 600# on a 1/2 ton with no WD is something to really think through. I myself would not do it for a 1,000 mile trip. The front end of the truck will be bobbing around, that 32 foot TT can be pushing hard on the cross winds of I70 from IN to Ohio. It's flat land in that area. No WD and no anti sway and light truck = stop and really think if you want to do this.

Since you have a hitch head, is it adjustable in height? Do you know a brand, or take a pic and show us, we can spot most all brands. You want the camper towing level, no nose high and not real nose low either. Real nose high can aggravate sway. Real nose low and it loads too much weight on the front TT axle. Back to old tires, long distance and the front axle under high weight.

Options:

1. Let us see if we can help you get the hitch and shank to work with a set of used or new WD bars, chains and snap up brackets. Or better buy an entire used WD hitch on craig's list and then sell it again. If you are going to keep the camper, then the hitch is needed anyway.

2. Rent a 1 ton truck with a receiver rated for weight carrying that can handle 750 to 1,000# in weight carrying mode. Hot shotters deliver campers all this time with no WD hitch but they have a heavy truck and do this for a living.

There is risk to what you are asking about and trying to help you lower it to a manageable state. 800 to 1,000 miles, 600# TW, 1/2 ton truck that is at least a full size pickup, 32 foot camper, no WD hitch and no sway control, for me, no I would not do it. I would get the truck setup to take care of that TW. That is a lot of trailer. If this is a Durango etc, we need to talk some more.

That is one long ways for a rig not setup right. Given the wrong circumstances this can get bad quick. Not trying to scare you, help educate and not see you get into trouble if we can at least help it.

Hope this helps

John

John,

You have a lot of great suggestions here, but depending on the OP's TV, it may well be capable of very safely towing the load.

A modern 1/2 ton (let's take a new Chevrolet Silverado for example) has a factory weight carrying capacity of 800lbs, 1200lbs WD, is rated to tow about 10,000 lbs, etc.

His truck is rated to tow 8,600, so let's derate a little.

Still, it takes a bit of imagination to consider a 4500lb empty TT with proper tongue weight to be a serious burden or danger when towed with such a vehicle -- which includes a WD hitch -- as long as prudent speed is used.

Realize that modern 1/2 ton pickups are nearly as capable as 3/4 tons not a decade ago, and the GCWR isn't far off either.

I completely agree that one would have to be bananas to pull off some of the stunts you see out there with light pickups, but in this case there's a massive safety margin and an experienced driver in the equation.