Dealing with bow wave

[stationaryfullt]

I'm having issues with the bow wave from passing trucks. I have a Jayco 328RLS towed by a 1991 Chevy Suburban. I'm using a Reese Strait-Line WDH with 1500 pound bars. The front axle is about 100 pounds lighter than the unhitched weight, though I intend to fix that by adjusting the hitch a little.

I typically drive around 55mph on the interstate, and when the 18-wheelers fly by at 70, I get blown to the side a little. It's bad enough for me to be on-edge when towing, but I also don't have thousands of miles towing my camper under my belt yet.

I believe my bow wave issues may be partially due to the steering on my Suburban. The older 80s bodystyle Chevy trucks (for which my 91 shares bodystyles with) have very easy steering. The steering on these old trucks is so easy, that you can easily dry-steer from lock to lock with your pinky finger. Coincidentally, it's VERY easy to steer when the truck is moving. The entire steering/suspension assembly including steering box, tie rods, adjusters, ball joints, etc has been recently replaced and aligned, so they're all in good condition. I think the ease of steering is allowing me to be more easily blown around on the highway. Is this possible, and if so, would adding a steering stabilizer (shock for steering) improve the bow wave issues? How else other than watching the rear view mirror like a hawk and bracing for it can I help reduce the bow wave from passing trucks?

Thanks in advance. I'd really love to be more at ease when towing my home.

[kep5niner]

lbrjet wrote:
Your trailer weighs 9400 and your truck weighs 6000. You are going to get pushed around no matter what.

^^^ What he said.

[hawkeye-08]

Nothing wrong with going 55 on interstate.

My opinion,
1) make sure your tongue weight is enough
2) make sure your trailer is level or slightly nose down when all hooked up
3) make sure your hitch is setup optimally (as you know, probably need to get that 180# back on front axle).

[LarryJM]

Desert Captain wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

stationaryfulltimer wrote:
I'm having issues with the bow wave from passing trucks. I have a Jayco 328RLS towed by a 1991 Chevy Suburban. I'm using a Reese Strait-Line WDH with 1500 pound bars. The front axle is about 100 pounds lighter than the unhitched weight, though I intend to fix that by adjusting the hitch a little.

I typically drive around 55mph on the interstate, and when the 18-wheelers fly by at 70, I get blown to the side a little. It's bad enough for me to be on-edge when towing, but I also don't have thousands of miles towing my camper under my belt yet.

I believe my bow wave issues may be partially due to the steering on my Suburban. The older 80s bodystyle Chevy trucks (for which my 91 shares bodystyles with) have very easy steering. The steering on these old trucks is so easy, that you can easily dry-steer from lock to lock with your pinky finger. Coincidentally, it's VERY easy to steer when the truck is moving. The entire steering/suspension assembly including steering box, tie rods, adjusters, ball joints, etc has been recently replaced and aligned, so they're all in good condition. I think the ease of steering is allowing me to be more easily blown around on the highway. Is this possible, and if so, would adding a steering stabilizer (shock for steering) improve the bow wave issues? How else other than watching the rear view mirror like a hawk and bracing for it can I help reduce the bow wave from passing trucks?

Thanks in advance. I'd really love to be more at ease when towing my home.

The part I bolded IS your main problem.

There is TOO MUCH difference in speed between you and the passing vehicle.

Honestly If you are truly and only going 55 on an Interstate road with posted 65+ speeds YOU ARE ON A "SUICIDE MISSION"..

I would recommend that if you don't feel "comfortable" towing at at least NEAR the speed limit ( say 60 MPH if posted at 65 MPH) then perhaps you should look for smaller lower speed limit roads.

Driving too slow is just as bad as excessive speeding since now you become an slow moving object in the way of others WANTING to go faster.

No matter how much you tinker with WD, hitch or even your vehicle suspension you will still feel the effect.

There are two things that you can do which will drastically reduce the effect..

#1, SPEED UP SOME as the passing vehicle approaches your trailer, doing so MINIMIZES the "difference" between your pressure wave and the passing vehicle pressure wave.

#2, MOVE OVER AWAY from the passing vehicles lane without going off the road (IE don't "hug" the CENTER LINE of the road), doing so puts SPACE between your pressure wave and the passing vehicles pressure wave. DISTANCE between vehicles reduces the effect of each others pressure wave, result is both vehicles will feel LESS pressure wave..

Doing BOTH of the above most likely will pretty much eliminate the effect you are feeling.

Congratulations on giving the worst advice EVER!!! :S

The OP is pulling a 35' TT with a half ton SUV and you think his only problem is going too slow??? The laws in a number of states, California comes to mind, require that vehicles towing NOT exceed 55. You have the nerve to shout at him that driving 55 constitutes a suicide
mission and then tell him to get off of the road because "you" think he should not be there. :R What color is the sun on your planet? :h

Yes, common sense and physics dictate that not hugging the centerline will help but not nearly as much as getting enough truck. More speed in an unstable rig is not the answer.

:R

Thank you for saying what I was thinking as I was picking my jaw up from the floor after reading the post you have quoted. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with driving 55 on even a 75mph interstate as long as you stay in the right lane except for passing even slower moving vehicles.

I do agree the bow wave effect can be further mitigated by hugging the right side of the right lane and I drive there normally when the shoulder is wide enough so it just gives me a little "EXTRA" room for vehicles overtaking me and is a little less stressful in maintaining a very strick position within my lane of travel.

Larry

[Lantley]

PacNWChris wrote:
Although it's not for everyone because of the price, I can echo what I've seen others writing about an anti-sway hitch like the ProPride. We've got a single-rear wheel, short bed F350 towing a reltively rear-heavy 35' trailer.

The hitch performs amazingly. We've honestly NEVER felt any movement from big rigs passing us either in our direction of traffic, or against it. Even the movement that is caused by strong winds is minimal. I don't believe that there's any such thing as 100% elimination of sway/movement - after all, a strong enough wind can move anything around. But a good hitch can go a LONG way in making the tow much more relaxing.

Exactly, Despite what others may believe, you do not have to accept or live with the bow wave effect.
A premium hitch can and will eliminate the bow wave!

[PacNWChris]

Although it's not for everyone because of the price, I can echo what I've seen others writing about an anti-sway hitch like the ProPride. We've got a single-rear wheel, short bed F350 towing a reltively rear-heavy 35' trailer.

The hitch performs amazingly. We've honestly NEVER felt any movement from big rigs passing us either in our direction of traffic, or against it. Even the movement that is caused by strong winds is minimal. I don't believe that there's any such thing as 100% elimination of sway/movement - after all, a strong enough wind can move anything around. But a good hitch can go a LONG way in making the tow much more relaxing.

[jamnw]

nomad297 wrote:

CampingN.C. wrote:
some trucks will push/pull me more than others. I actually get it worse from Uhaul style trucks than full size tractor trailers.

Same here. Although I am not swaying, I usually can tell when a large truck is passing me. Sometimes I feel nothing when a tractor-trailer passes me, but I can always feel a smaller box truck, and sometimes the feeling is different with a box truck -- I will sometimes feel two "tugs". When I feel a tractor-trailer, all I feel is one long tug.

Bruce

X2

I've got an F250 with a 28ft TT. I've noticed that loading makes a difference. If my FW tank is empty I really feel the push/pull. Tank is between my axles.
Too much stuff in the rear of TT and I notice more push/pull

Some passing vehicles, trucks or autos are worse than others. As said the Uhaul type trucks get me good and I hate to see a big huge square-faced dump truck style come by.
Some semi trucks don't affect me at all.
I drive 55-65.

I try to stay in the right lane as much as possible. I absolutely avoid the cruising in the middle lane. Got caught between a big line of semi trucks on both sides. It scared the stuffings out of me.

I think what you're getting is normal and some can be reduced by trying different loading set up. Move more to front of TT.

Personally can't afford a Hensley Arrow hitch, so I'm stuck trying different combinations. I've pretty much got mine figured out but I still get caught by surprise by a big truck on occasion.

[CampingN_C_]

I think some are getting too caught up in HIS speed. If he's doing the posted speed limit or even more doesn't mean he won't get passed by a truck going faster. I don't tow faster than 60-65 but I've been passed buy trucks going 80.
The larger difference in speed results in a larger push/pull affect.
I think we would all agree that the OP speeding up is not a solution. Personally I don't think there is one.

[Terryallan]

Yes the speed difference can make it worse, however 60 in no better. BUT 55 on the interstate is not a bad thing. Well over the minimum. A driver would have to be blind not to see a 10 foot high white lit up wall a mile of them, and make the correct moves to pass it.
Also. School busses routinely run 55 on the interstate. Its all they can do. Truck slow down to under 55 on long hills.

Any one that runs into a BIG white moving wall. Does NOT need to be on the road in the first place.

[nomad297]

CampingN.C. wrote:
some trucks will push/pull me more than others. I actually get it worse from Uhaul style trucks than full size tractor trailers.

Same here. Although I am not swaying, I usually can tell when a large truck is passing me. Sometimes I feel nothing when a tractor-trailer passes me, but I can always feel a smaller box truck, and sometimes the feeling is different with a box truck -- I will sometimes feel two "tugs". When I feel a tractor-trailer, all I feel is one long tug.

Bruce

[lbrjet]

Your trailer weighs 9400 and your truck weighs 6000. You are going to get pushed around no matter what.

[CampingN_C_]

I think some setups will do it more than others, some trucks will push/pull me more than others. I actually get it worse from Uhaul style trucks than full size tractor trailers. It's mother nature and I don't think there's much to fix it. It's not sway, it pulls my whole setup in as one. I'm not disputing the Hensley guys at all, I just don't understand how it's a hitch issue.
I still go back to the speed differences being a larger factor with the OP, not saying he should speed up, but with a 15-20 mph difference he's going to feel something, regardless of truck, trailer, hitch setup. Pull over on the shoulder of the interstate and see what a Honda Civic feels like going 75mph right beside you.

[texasclarks]

The worst thing you can do is speed up.

Looking at your numbers the hitch is pretty close, but might use a little more to get some of that 180# off the steer axles transferred to the trailer and rear wheels.

The best thing you can do is get a "heftier" TV. I understand that you have upgraded a great number of components from a 1/2 Ton to a 3/4-1T platform but the frame and drivetrain are still 1/2T (this includes the steering components). A steering stabilizer may help, but what would really help with a TT that weights more 9300# is a vehicle that is designed from the frame up to pull almost 5-tons.

All other "fixes" are just temporary bandaids for the real issue - not enough TV. You are experiencing the white-knuckle driving associated with too much TT for your TV.

And please, please...DO NOT SPEED UP as your solution. For the sake of you and all those on the road with you.

[Camper_G]

hddecker wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

stationaryfulltimer wrote:
I'm having issues with the bow wave from passing trucks. I have a Jayco 328RLS towed by a 1991 Chevy Suburban. I'm using a Reese Strait-Line WDH with 1500 pound bars. The front axle is about 100 pounds lighter than the unhitched weight, though I intend to fix that by adjusting the hitch a little.

I typically drive around 55mph on the interstate, and when the 18-wheelers fly by at 70, I get blown to the side a little. It's bad enough for me to be on-edge when towing, but I also don't have thousands of miles towing my camper under my belt yet.

I believe my bow wave issues may be partially due to the steering on my Suburban. The older 80s bodystyle Chevy trucks (for which my 91 shares bodystyles with) have very easy steering. The steering on these old trucks is so easy, that you can easily dry-steer from lock to lock with your pinky finger. Coincidentally, it's VERY easy to steer when the truck is moving. The entire steering/suspension assembly including steering box, tie rods, adjusters, ball joints, etc has been recently replaced and aligned, so they're all in good condition. I think the ease of steering is allowing me to be more easily blown around on the highway. Is this possible, and if so, would adding a steering stabilizer (shock for steering) improve the bow wave issues? How else other than watching the rear view mirror like a hawk and bracing for it can I help reduce the bow wave from passing trucks?

Thanks in advance. I'd really love to be more at ease when towing my home.

The part I bolded IS your main problem.

There is TOO MUCH difference in speed between you and the passing vehicle.

Honestly If you are truly and only going 55 on an Interstate road with posted 65+ speeds YOU ARE ON A "SUICIDE MISSION"..

I would recommend that if you don't feel "comfortable" towing at at least NEAR the speed limit ( say 60 MPH if posted at 65 MPH) then perhaps you should look for smaller lower speed limit roads.

Driving too slow is just as bad as excessive speeding since now you become an slow moving object in the way of others WANTING to go faster.

No matter how much you tinker with WD, hitch or even your vehicle suspension you will still feel the effect.

There are two things that you can do which will drastically reduce the effect..

#1, SPEED UP SOME as the passing vehicle approaches your trailer, doing so MINIMIZES the "difference" between your pressure wave and the passing vehicle pressure wave.

#2, MOVE OVER AWAY from the passing vehicles lane without going off the road (IE don't "hug" the CENTER LINE of the road), doing so puts SPACE between your pressure wave and the passing vehicles pressure wave. DISTANCE between vehicles reduces the effect of each others pressure wave, result is both vehicles will feel LESS pressure wave..

Doing BOTH of the above most likely will pretty much eliminate the effect you are feeling.

Congratulations on giving the worst advice EVER!!! :S

The OP is pulling a 35' TT with a half ton SUV and you think his only problem is going too slow??? The laws in a number of states, California comes to mind, require that vehicles towing NOT exceed 55. You have the nerve to shout at him that driving 55 constitutes a suicide
mission and then tell him to get off of the road because "you" think he should not be there. :R What color is the sun on your planet? :h

Yes, common sense and physics dictate that not hugging the centerline will help but not nearly as much as getting enough truck. More speed in an unstable rig is not the answer.

:R

X2 what Captain says.

Dumb, dumb, dumb comment. Maybe he'd be better off towing at 80 MPH right, NOT.
That's why the right lane is for travel and the left lane for passing. The OP has just as much right to be on an interstate as you do, as long as he is maintaining the minimum posted speed, which can be as low as 35MPH in some places.

If you don't have a steering stabilizer get one, it will help., you might even consider one of the twin systems. Getting a bit more weight to the front will help also.

Also check the if steering box may needs adjusting, even though you have replaced it, it could need to be tightened up some.

I have to add my agreement to the last 2 posts in this quote. Horrible advice to speed up. That will only increase your chances of losing control and give you less time to react to emergency situations. As stated prior, most trailer tires are speed rated to 65mph. Exceed that for a long enough time and one may blow out. I had a pop up tire let go on me once when doing 65-70 on the highway. Not a fun experience. I learned a lesson the hard way. Never again regardless of what type of tire I run

I tow at 55-60 without issues...but my 00' X is very heavy for a short wheel base 1/2 ton suv and my trailer is 10+' shorter than yours. I bet heavier than your suburban....but I've never checked. Get your hitch adjusted properly and ensure the rig is level or just slightly nose low when hitched.

beyond that you have a very long tt on a half ton burb....regardless of your upgrades. As you tow it more I suspect it will bother you less and less. Good luck

[Huntindog]

When I first started towing a TT.. I had/have a 73 Blazer and the TT was a 78 prowler 27'. It was a handful. No internet back then, so info wasn't easily available. I did several hitch upgrades, and got it to be just OK... By my then standards. Going faster when on good roads did make a noticeable improvement of the semi bow wave push. But ultimately a bigger truck took care of it for me.

I suspect that the OP is finding out that a 1/2 ton is a 1/2 ton no matter how many upgrades you throw at it.
I am not sure of the differences in Suburbans of that era, but suspect that there are frame and axle differences that just make the entire TV more stable. Items that are not really upgradeable.

So though it definantly seems counter intuitive, going faster will probably help, but may not be the needed fix.