Trailer push, pull

I used to tow a 5600 lb 26' trailer with my 1996 Roadmaster Wagon. The wagon has a medium amount of wheelbase and a huge rear overhang which is probably worst case for controlling the trailer. As with many people, when I first bought this trailer, I had little knowledge about sway control. Growing up I camped but we either had a 16' trailer or a 24' fith wheel so push/pull was not something I knew much about.

I started with the hitch the trailer came with (8 years old, bought used) which was a Reese/DrawTite chain W/D hitch, trunion style, with a single friction bar. Back road and 2 lane highway test runs where the trailer was not fully loaded felt great. Our first camping trip was to a destination nearly 3 hours away and I had white knuckles within 1 mile on the interstate. I pulled off and tightened the friction bar up quite a bit. That made it bearable and I wasn't really getting pushed around, but the friction bar was so tight it would continually try to lock me in a slightly crooked position. Negotiating turns was fine, but going down a straight stretch on the interstate had me drifting back and forth slowly and constantly correcting.

Before the next trip I researched a lot and bought a Reese Dual Cam sway control and that took care of about 90% of the problem. A couple of years later I tried different tires as well. I started with after market rims with 245/60R17 Michelin Energy LX4 tires. Later I switched to 235/65VR17 Bridgestone Dueler HP Sport summer performance tires. That pretty much finished off any issues I had. I really didn't ever feel the push pull after that unless both I and the semi were hugging the line close to each other. I would still occasionally be bothered by cross winds however, but not trucks.

I would say my now bigger and heavier trailer with the 2500 Suburban is equal or better. Driving with the trailer is very comfortable. Cross winds are not much of a bother either unless really bad. Even a single car with no trailer can feel cross winds if they are blowing hard enough.

I like it, I planned on getting the R6 but the tech at the dealership recommended this one more. The R3 uses a simple drum brake type friction collar to eliminate sway. I've only pulled with it once but it worked very well. I moved to a 2' longer and 2000lb heavier trailer than I had, never wiggled. No squat and no bounce, my wife said the truck rode so much betterr. Pulled better than my old setup. But it's hard to compare with my old hitch, it was an older eaz-lift chain type hitch. I think a couple 2x4's and some duct tape was better than that hitch. I make my first fully loaded trip this weekend, I'll let you know how it worked when I get back.

jwc99 wrote:
Only thing I really noticed going to a heavier trailer had to due more with the larger trailers increased surface area. I didn't have a sway issue, I have a Recurve R3 hitch. The increased surface area is more prone to a cross wind than my smaller trailer was. The push/pull from passing trucks is the same when it happens. I tow with a 1500, my friend has a 2500 and says he does not experience any push/pull. His trailer is bigger and heavier than mine. I guess the added truck weight and heavier suspension helps with the push. He said he does feel the occasional cross wind.

A little off-topic: How do you like that Recurve? Would you recommend it? I've been interested in it, but haven't decided to pull the trigger just yet.

Only thing I really noticed going to a heavier trailer had to due more with the larger trailers increased surface area. I didn't have a sway issue, I have a Recurve R3 hitch. The increased surface area is more prone to a cross wind than my smaller trailer was. The push/pull from passing trucks is the same when it happens. I tow with a 1500, my friend has a 2500 and says he does not experience any push/pull. His trailer is bigger and heavier than mine. I guess the added truck weight and heavier suspension helps with the push. He said he does feel the occasional cross wind.

I haven't experienced any push/pull or the sensation of my truck being pushed to the side by passing 18 wheelers.

I presume it's do to the Equal-l-zer hitch. The trailer is really solid behind my pickup.

Another reason to run with traffic. You won't get passed by semis.

I have some experience in this arena going from a 5000 lb trailer (in-laws) to a 8400 lb trailer with a "half" ton. Short answer: No, a heavier trailer does not help with the push-pull from semis for my "half" ton. Cross winds have quite an effect on my rig, though my experience with those are in Eastern Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge. They push the big rigs around too.

That said, I'm not swaying. Just getting pushed a little. Hitch is an EAZ Lift 1400 lb bars and 2 friction sway bars, though I think my lack of sway is more due to the heavy tongue weight of a toy hauler.

dodge guy wrote:

mkirsch wrote:

cdlaine wrote:
We eliminated the push pull of the bow wave of the big rigs blowing by with a Hensley Hitch. Spendy, massively over engineered, learning curve for "hook-up".... all those negatives aside, the Hensley erased the trailer "Push-pull" completely. Yes, completely.

Because those hitches pretty much makes the connection between the trailer and the truck RIGID when traveling in a straight line.

You'll still get the push/pull just no sway! A hitch will not make any truck/trailer combo immune to the laws of physics (bow wave). It'll move when you get passed by a semi, but the combo will move as one.

Yep. it is nature. You can't stop it, and even the big trucks, and buses feel it when they pass each other. Thing is. It should not be enough to scare you. That is where the hitch adjustment comes in.

mkirsch wrote:

cdlaine wrote:
We eliminated the push pull of the bow wave of the big rigs blowing by with a Hensley Hitch. Spendy, massively over engineered, learning curve for "hook-up".... all those negatives aside, the Hensley erased the trailer "Push-pull" completely. Yes, completely.

Because those hitches pretty much makes the connection between the trailer and the truck RIGID when traveling in a straight line.

You'll still get the push/pull just no sway! A hitch will not make any truck/trailer combo immune to the laws of physics (bow wave). It'll move when you get passed by a semi, but the combo will move as one.

I went from a Jeep Commander and a 26' TT to a Silverado and a 32' TT with the same Blue Ox SwayPro, and the difference is night and day. I would literally be panicked every time a semi passed me and wind up white-knuckling the steering wheel. By the time I got to my destination, I would have been happier to have been home. It was VERY unpleasant.

With the new TT and TV, I barely notice it anymore.

If increased TT length yields additional vulnerability to push/pull bow wave action, then in my experience a better TV more than counteracts it. I can't say if it is weight or wheelbase - I suspect the latter - but it's worlds better.