Is the left side of my trailer heavier?

[sportsman_500]

Looking for some input. I have been trying to dial in the set-up on my new to me 2008 Ram and Raptor 3018. My hitch is a Reese Strait Line dual cam w/ 1,200 lb. trunnion bars.
My issue is it always takes a lot more grunt to snap up the left side bar vs. the right. I always hitch up the exact same way. I drop the coupler on the ball, lock the hitch and raise the truck and trailer until I really hear the jack straining. I then snap up the bars in no particular order but no matter what the order the right side I can almost snap the bracket up by hand without my cheater. The left is always wayyyyy harder. I have swapped bars, tried different bars with no difference.
My generator is on the left side up front but can it make that much difference? I really think the uneven pressure on the bars can cause some sway issues which is what I am battling.

[93Cobra2771]

If the first bar is that easy to snap up, and the second bar requires that much force, seems to me that either your shank is bent, or the receiver might not be perfectly level, something along that line.

[sportsman_500]

Thank you all for your responses. I have tried to answer as many of your questions a possible and make comments where I see fit. You have given me a few more ideas on things to check and try. I will keep you all posted.

Could be heavier if your slide is on that side.

This model does not have a slide.

If you are hooking up totally level with both truck and trailer, left to right, and perfectly straight on with each other (like that always happens!!!), weight wouldn't be any issue. If either is not level or if angled to one side, then of course, one side would need more effort.

The area where I hook-up is level and I would say I am usually backed up as straight possible.

Weigh it and find out. Sway issues are usually caused by not having an adequate tow vehicle.

That doesn't hold much water with me. My previous tow vehicle was an Avalanche 2500. Same trailer, identical set-up followed me like a stray dog!

IMHO you definitely have a problem there. Not sure what, but definitely something... Since swapping bars didn't help so I'd be looking at the hitch head.

I will take a close look at this. I even have one I can borrow that I know is barely used to see if that makes a difference.

On a level surface, is the trailer level side to side?

Yes. I have checked this on several occasions.

Do you always snap up in the same order every time? Have you tried swapping sides to see if it's not just one side, but the FIRST side that's always harder.

Yes, only because I am usually on the left side first when hooking up. The last time though I was on the right and was almost able to snap the bracket up by hand where I had to use my cheater on the left with a lot of force.

The second bar will ALWAYS be easier to snap up than the first to a degree because the first bar is exerting its WD force on the truck and trailer.

I agree but with how much difference? Mine seems way to extreme.

[myredracer]

ah64id wrote:

mkirsch wrote:
Another thought:

The second bar will ALWAYS be easier to snap up than the first to a degree because the first bar is exerting its WD force on the truck and trailer.

I have found the exact opposite. With the first bar you get the rotation of the shank, albeit not much, and the lack of strain on the hitch/truck/trailer. With the 2nd bar you are putting more tension on the first bar, and lifting the second into place.

This is what I find with ours too.

[AH64ID]

mkirsch wrote:
Another thought:

The second bar will ALWAYS be easier to snap up than the first to a degree because the first bar is exerting its WD force on the truck and trailer.

I have found the exact opposite. With the first bar you get the rotation of the shank, albeit not much, and the lack of strain on the hitch/truck/trailer. With the 2nd bar you are putting more tension on the first bar, and lifting the second into place.

[mkirsch]

Another thought:

The second bar will ALWAYS be easier to snap up than the first to a degree because the first bar is exerting its WD force on the truck and trailer.

Do you always snap up in the same order every time? Have you tried swapping sides to see if it's not just one side, but the FIRST side that's always harder.

[AH64ID]

It's probable that one side is heavier, but the heavier side would lower and easier to snap up to the same position.

Does the left side move as freely without a chain?

I would guess there is something off level with the street, or head.

My driver side is always hard than my pass side at the house due to how the trailer slopes with the street a little differently than the truck.

[stripit]

My trailer when we were full time travelers was 1,100 lbs heavier on the street side than the curb side. So yes it is very possible one side has more weight than the other. Only way to know for sure is weigh each wheel position and see.

[Wishin]

If one side is heavier, which is certainly possible, then it might lean that way. The side leaning down will cause your snap up bracket to be lower compared to the other side and easier to hook up. I'm so rarely on a level surface, I've never noticed a pattern on my trailer. Could be other things as well. On a level surface, is the trailer level side to side?

[mkirsch]

The answer is: Probably, one side or the other is heavier, maybe even a LOT heavier. RVs are generally not designed to be particularly well-balanced laterally.

That said, the WD bars are so close to the middle that your trailer would have to have severely heavy on one side for there to be a significant difference in how the bars snap up.

IMHO you definitely have a problem there. Not sure what, but definitely something... Since swapping bars didn't help so I'd be looking at the hitch head.

[wandering1]

Weigh it and find out. Sway issues are usually caused by not having an adequate tow vehicle.

[the_happiestcam]

Could be heavier if your slide is on that side.

[TUCQUALA]

If you are hooking up totally level with both truck and trailer, left to right, and perfectly straight on with each other (like that always happens!!!), weight wouldn't be any issue. If either is not level or if angled to one side, then of course, one side would need more effort.

On my DC, I can feel that the right side generally needs a bit more effort, and that of course depends on alignment, and campsite!! BUT, I have found that one of my three heads I have acquired, isn't welded exactly vertical!! (Great work nowdays!!) Also, when you hook up one side, the head will tilt toward the unhooked side, depending on how much play is in your receiver, creating a bit more effort lifting the second side.

Of course, as the weight police always say, you should weigh your setup and that can determine if it is that much out of balance!!!!

[n7bsn]

It's possible, wheel by wheel weight (most closed highway truck weigh-stations leave the scale one)

[K_Charles]

Did you weigh it? If you did then you will know, if you didn't no one knows.