Sway & Wind

[Frenchy33]

Hi all,
I have a 30' Coleman trailer pulled by F150 Crew Cab 5.5' bed w/ Curt 600 WD & Sway Control System.

If not pulling in wind, my rig pulls like a dream, and I have no problem what so ever. This past weekend I was towing home in 13 MPH wind. I seem to experience a lot of sway in situations like that. It was to the point where I had to slow to 50 on the interstate to feel comfortable towing. As soon as I got off the interstate and out of the wind, I didn't have any issue (so doubt it is a weight balance issue). I also feel a pretty good bow effect from passing semi's.

Does anyone else share this experience, or is it possible I need to fine-tune my WD hitch?

I'm heading from IL to SD this summer, and am dreading the thought of wind over 10, which is most likely to happen.

[Frostbitte]

Frenchy33 wrote:
Thanks DutchmenSport. I'm seriously considering upgrading my truck next year to a 3/4 or a 1 Ton. Possibly upgrading the trailer to a 5th wheel.

For those who pull a 5er's, do you ever have issues with wind?

I did when I pulled my smaller 5th wheel with a half-ton. Since I've upgraded both, I do feel cross winds for sure but it isn't a white-knuckle experience. The one time it was a bit of an issue was when my truck's tires were underinflated and I was pulling our new (Sabre) trailer home down in Southern Alberta. Major cross winds down there. Once I inflated my tires properly, it wasn't an issue.

A heavy duty truck with a long wheel base and high-load tires seems to make a huge difference for me. 🙂

[DRTDEVL]

What tires are on the F150? I bet that's a LOT of the problem.

Upgrade to 10-ply, and, provided everything is set up right, the problem should be solved.

[Hannibal]

If the trailer tows fine with no wind influence, tongue weight and hitch setup aren't the problem. Soft tires and suspension are letting wind push the truck and trailer around. How bad is the push? Is it blowing you out of your lane or is it just unnerving feeling the affects of wind and big rig wake? Our 32.5' TT tows very well with no sway control. Did that for a year. No sway but we did feel trucks passing if there was a cross wind. Not scary but annoying if the line of trucks was never ending like on I-75 on a week day. So I came across a barely used Equalizer 4 point 10k for a song. It took all the wag out of the tail with passing trucks. Wife is much happier.
Travel trailers are tongue weighted right on the verge of sway to accommodate lighter tow vehicles for marketing. It doesn't take much weight at all to cause a too light tongue weight situation. Especially with rear kitchens. Our rule is we can load anything we can carry into the TT as long as it's over or in front of the axles. This doesn't sound like your problem.
Our previous 5th wheels would sway in the wind. The difference is, we didn't feel it in the cab as the 5th wheel didn't have the leverage of the pivot point being 5' behind the truck's rear axle. I could see it in the mirrors.

[BenK]

Grit is smack on...some folks won't notice an earthquake if it happened between their feet...

Some wiggle will always be there and again, some folks won't notice it

It is how either the driver corrects it or the WD Hitch system corrects it...

You, the OP, experienced that Mr Murphy moment and survived that moment...

The video Burbman posted in link below shows 'the other guy' who didn't survive that Mr Murphy moment...

If it ever happens again...try to have the presence of mind to reach over and initiate the manual trailer brake that sets the trailer brakes *ON*...that will have the trailer brake and 'pull' the setup straight


RV.net thread = Trailer Safety

BurbMan wrote:
Interesting video on trailer safety. Let's all remember the basics and be safe out there this summer!

Dangers of towing

[Grit_dog]

All I'll say is, yes there are conditions that will cause less than optimal towing experience.
But, it's pretty easy to separate the opinions of those with a lot of experience towing/driving heavy vehicles or combinations and the weekend warriors who sit at a desk 300 days a year and tow a camper once in a while.
It's all about comfort level and setup. Comfort level being key.
One persons description of sway is different than another's.
For example, I consider "sway" to be the uncontrollable swaying that happens sometimes form a bad setup that gets worse and worse until you put tension between the truck and trailer and stretch it back straight.
Others may consider the minor back n forth of a trailer that has a tail that like to wag the dog a little bit, to be unacceptable. I consider this normal as long as it corrects itself.

[blt2ski]

Dr Steve,
If you don't feel an 8trailer can make my 12k empty 26k loaded max legal weight, and not go off the road because of violent sway, you're wrong! Yes a lighter truck, shorter WB than its 188", will go off the road, flip sideways sooner. You're still pulling an unsafe, illegal trailer from laws in my state at least. If you move more than 12" side to side, an LEO can pull you over, ticket you, RED TAG!!!!! You! You now can not move your rig until you fix the sway issue, or put the trailer on a low boy, car hauler or equal. This ticket carries as much punch as speeding etc.
Being over weight on the other hand, is not a moving violation! Better to be over weight, than get a moving violation due to sway!
I personally would not pull this trailer with a dual rear axle truck! Trailer is unsafe at any speed!

Mary

[drsteve]

2edgesword wrote:
I'm also wondering if that 600 WD hitch is too light for the load. If the loaded trailer weights 7500 lbs then you've got a 750 lbs (10%) to 1125 lbs (15%) tongue weight. The 600 WD hitch may not be stiff enough to give you adequate sway control.

It is definitely too light. I would go to a 1000-1200 lb bar.

[troubledwaters]

I think his point was to fix the sway problem, not to drive a big enough truck so you can stay on the road while your trailer is swinging violently side to side behind you taking out passing cars and guardrails. Like he said, it's a known problem, fix the problem, and a bigger truck doesn't fix the problem.

[drsteve]

blt2ski wrote:
I would not pull said trailer with.My now sold dually crew cab, OR my class 6 26K gvw dump truck. Why, trailer is unsafe. Probably not enough hitch weight, tongue too high vs level to slightly down.
EVERY trailer that has swayed on me, was too light in hitch, and or too high on the tongue. All started in mid to upper 50 mph range.
Seen tandem dual trailers sway behind tandem dual trucks, had an 8k trailer behind my dump truck sway.......A bigger truck WILL NOT solve the OPs issue!!!!! Any one who thinks so, is wrong. It might help, it will not fix the underlying issue to cause the trailer to sway!!!

Marty

All true... but the 8K trailer is not likely to yank your dump truck into the median when it starts acting up.

[2edgesword]

I'm also wondering if that 600 WD hitch is too light for the load. If the loaded trailer weights 7500 lbs then you've got a 750 lbs (10%) to 1125 lbs (15%) tongue weight. The 600 WD hitch may not be stiff enough to give you adequate sway control.

[blt2ski]

I would not pull said trailer with.My now sold dually crew cab, OR my class 6 26K gvw dump truck. Why, trailer is unsafe. Probably not enough hitch weight, tongue too high vs level to slightly down.
EVERY trailer that has swayed on me, was too light in hitch, and or too high on the tongue. All started in mid to upper 50 mph range.
Seen tandem dual trailers sway behind tandem dual trucks, had an 8k trailer behind my dump truck sway.......A bigger truck WILL NOT solve the OPs issue!!!!! Any one who thinks so, is wrong. It might help, it will not fix the underlying issue to cause the trailer to sway!!!

Marty

[dirtyhandz]

IMHO, a half ton truck just isnt the rite tool for the job of towing a 30 foot trailer. 3/4 or 1 ton is what is needed. E Range tires, heavier suspension, bigger braking systems, beefier frames, all things things make for a more pleasant and safe towing tool. A 1/2 ton truck and 30 foot trailer even with all the WD hitches and other towing doo dad's will almost always result in a tail wagging the dog situation. And towing a fifth wheel is night and day to a TT. Fiver is on rails!
No sway or wind issues.

[Maury82]

ReneeG wrote:
For years we towed several length of trailers safely with a anti-sway bar and weight distributing hitch with our F250 short bed PU. The trailers varied from 27 to 29 feet. Then we purchased a 32' TT and boy did we have sway. It was scary. After checking everything out and not finding issues, we purchased a Hensley Arrow and it was like night and day. Even the semi's didn't cause sway when they passed. We went from white knuckle to relaxed. As you can see by our signature, we now have a FW and we have the same towing experience as that Hensley Arrow. Stable and firm. We were even able to trade in our Arrow for the TrailerSaver hitch.

I have the Blue OX 1,500 now, but eventually I want to get the HA before next season.

[ReneeG]

For years we towed several length of trailers safely with a anti-sway bar and weight distributing hitch with our F250 short bed PU. The trailers varied from 27 to 29 feet. Then we purchased a 32' TT and boy did we have sway. It was scary. After checking everything out and not finding issues, we purchased a Hensley Arrow and it was like night and day. Even the semi's didn't cause sway when they passed. We went from white knuckle to relaxed. As you can see by our signature, we now have a FW and we have the same towing experience as that Hensley Arrow. Stable and firm. We were even able to trade in our Arrow for the TrailerSaver hitch.