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30' Serra sway problem

Joeflexromine
Explorer
Explorer
Ok I bought my travel trailer 3 years ago it's a 2010 Serra 30' with 2 slideouts in the rear both slides are across from each other adding what I would say " a lot of extra weight in the back of the camper. I can't go over 55 or 60 on the high way Bc of the sway. How do I make this better. I bought it at a tv place they set up my hitch and load levers. I pull it with a 2500 dodge hemi. I was thinking of filling up the fresh water tank which is in the front of the camper to help add weight to the front of the camper. Any thoughts thank you
Joe
6 REPLIES 6

APT
Explorer
Explorer
We can guess all day long but $15 at a CAT scale (3 passes) will tell you how much TW you have and how well the WDH is adjusted.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R
2x 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV (Gray and Black Twins)

Ron3rd
Explorer III
Explorer III
Assuming your WD hitch is set up correctly, it may be that you have too much weight to the rear of the trailer, a bad idea. First, verify your hitch is correct and move weight to the front and see how it does.
2016 6.7 CTD 2500 BIG HORN MEGA CAB
2013 Forest River 3001W Windjammer
Equilizer Hitch
Honda EU2000

"I have this plan to live forever; so far my plan is working"

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
Yep, first thing to do is get it weighed! can`t do anything else until that happens. weigh it 3 times fully loaded for a trip (truck and trailer). truck and trailer w/WD hooked up, then with the WD disconnected, and finally truck alone.
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

Joeflexromine
Explorer
Explorer
Thank you I'll start looking into that stuff

jasoncw
Explorer
Explorer
If the dealer set up your hitch, it is probably not set properly. As mentioned, you may be tongue light. Another possible cause of the sway is how level the trailer pulls. If it is nose high, it will induce sway more easily. It should tow level or slightly nose down.

I would start by reading the owner's manual on your hitch, and set it up according to their instructions (with the trailer loaded up). Once you do that, head to the scale and have it weighed (truck by itself and with the trailer hooked up). That way you will know the tongue weight.
2016 Jayco Eagle 324BHTS
2005 Ford Excursion 6.8L 4.56's, V/C Springs, PP 3P, P3

Past:
2011 Keystone Bullet Premier 31BHPR
2009 Forest River Flagstaff 830RBSS

wmoses
Explorer
Explorer
Joeflexromine wrote:
Ok I bought my travel trailer 3 years ago it's a 2010 Serra 30' with 2 slideouts in the rear both slides are across from each other adding what I would say " a lot of extra weight in the back of the camper. I can't go over 55 or 60 on the high way Bc of the sway. How do I make this better. I bought it at a tv place they set up my hitch and load levers. I pull it with a 2500 dodge hemi. I was thinking of filling up the fresh water tank which is in the front of the camper to help add weight to the front of the camper. Any thoughts thank you
Joe

Joe - Welcome to the forum.

From the sounds of it, your trailer is not balanced properly and there is too light of a load at the hitch. The only way that you can know this is to take it to a truck scale and get it weighed. The trailer needs to be loaded as if you were going camping before weighing. If you don't carry water then don't fill the water tank, but fill the propane tanks.

The total trailer weight is the sum of the weight on the axles and the weight on the tongue jack. The axles should be on one scale and the tongue jack on the other scale. The weight on the jack should be at least 10% (more is better up to 15% or so) of the total weight sum. When you achieve that, and if your anti-sway hitch arrangement is properly sized and setup, you should not have sway problems. If you don't have the right balance then it does not really matter what anti-sway setup you have, you will likely have sway.

I too have 2 opposite slides at the rear living area of my trailer but it is properly balanced so I have no sway issues.
Regards,
Wayne
2014 Flagstaff Super Lite 27RLWS Emerald Ed. | Equal-i-zer 1200/12,000 4-point WDH
2010 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 5.3L 6-speed auto | K&N Filter | Hypertech Max Energy tune | Prodigy P3
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