Towing Help at freeway speeds - new owner

[speakes]

I recently bought a new truck and travel trailer. According to the truck dealer and RV dealer both were within the specs for each other.

2014 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 (6500 lb Towing 650 Tongue)
2014 Kodiak Express 288BHSL (4783 Unloaded 523 Hitch 6500 Max)
EZ-Lift Weight Distributing hitch system with Sway Bar

The issue I'm having is that when I reach Freeway speeds there is play in the trailer. Seems to sway some and makes for some white knuckle driving when at speeds 50+. I never go over 55-60 but still it's quite unnerving. I've been very carfeul not to put more than about 500-600 lbs pf cargo in the trailer too so my total weight isn't above about 5500 lbs which is 1000 lbs under the trucks towing capacity.

The RV dealer didn't adjust the hitch properly so I had that done and it's slightly better but still is an issue and dips slightly at the hitch. I'm thinking of adding airbags to help with this. The other thought is to add an additional sway bar control to the other side of the hitch.

After these two things the only other thought is to go to a better hitch where it makes it act more like a fifth wheel as one but then I'm out of options if nothing makes it better. I don't think it's a weight distribution problem.

This is my first travel trailer so would love others thoughts to help me understand if this is common? One person said it's expected due to the smaller pickup size and length of the trailer (28'4").

Maybe I need to just buy a smaller trailer or go buy a larger truck for this trailer size.

Thanks!
Andrew


2014 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 (6500 lb Towing 650 Tongue)
2014 Kodiak 255BHSL (4783 Unloaded 523 Hitch 6500 Max)
EZ-Lift Weight Distributing hitch system with Sway Bar

[jaycocreek]

gmw photos wrote:
As for payload numbers of a "real 1/2 ton", one needs to be careful in shopping there too. I was at the Ford store today looking at a car for grand-daughter, and since I was there, I looked at some new F150's. One very nice crewcab ecoboost platinum had a door jamb sticker payload of only 1170 pounds or thereabouts. So one needs to shop carefully and know what all the packages and equipment options do to payload. If that's important in a guys mind.

The very same goes for 3/4 and 1 ton rated trucks. There not all the same. I have quoted numbers way lower for both than a well equipped F-150.

[Gale_Hawkins]

Terryallan was just trying to make the point carrying our homes with us is not without handling issues. It seems like unless the TV or MH chassis is not over sized by 50%+ there are going to be handling issues. Band aids help but only to a point. As RV'ing becomes more European like due to many reasons it may help some but we see them trying to tow at 12' travel trailer with a car with an 800 cc engine. 🙂

[Terryallan]

Gale Hawkins wrote:
I am glad we have a MH because they come with perfect weight and power balance. 🙂

Really :? then why do we read every day about MHs wandering all over the road, and being vastly under powered.
sorry if You were joking

[Gale_Hawkins]

Ideal seems to have 150% of the ideal tow vehicle power and weight. 🙂

I agree that the sales people make their money closing deals and not from giving technical specs. 😞

[crcr]

Your trailer is too long and too heavy for your truck, it's that simple. If you want to keep that trailer, I would suggest before you spend more money on a different hitch, air bags (NOT a solution for your problem), etc, you back the bus up and re-think your whole rig. IMHO, if you keep that trailer, eventually you will trade for a full size truck with more capacity. Towing that trailer with that truck is NEVER going to be a pleasant experience.

I see you live in Phoenix, as do we. We regularly tow our TT to the Mogollon Rim, 7700', from our home at about 1100', in 2.5 hours or less. And if you are going to the Flagstaff area, the numbers change in elevation are similar. Those are fairly serious and consistent grades, and you very well know the temperatures here in the summer.

I tow a trailer the same length as yours but slightly heavier with a 3/4 ton diesel, and it is a very comfortable tow. I would never tow that much trailer with that Taco. Taco's are great trucks, but you are asking way too much of it. As others have said, NEVER pay much of any attention to what a sales bloke says. They will tell you whatever you want to hear to make the sale.

Good luck!

[Gale_Hawkins]

I am glad we have a MH because they come with perfect weight and power balance. 🙂

[Passin_Thru]

Well, you need a Reese Dual Cam hitch. google it. Will take the sway out. Then go weigh all axles and reset the hitch until you have it where the axles are pretty close, your drive axle can be 450 lbs higher than the others. Very simple solution. Last sell the other hitch on EBAY.

[fla-gypsy]

You have too much trailer and while you may improve the set up through better WD hitches and adjusting tongue weight it is never going to be a pleasant experience IMO

[mxranger]

Speakes,

I had a Tacoma 4.0L DC 4X4 and dragged around a FW Obit 24BHS (6,350GVWR), once I had the WD hitch set-up properly, very little to no sway.
Over the scales fully loaded, 3 lbs over GVWR (11,100lbs) :)!
That little truck was a super tower given it's size, motor and tranny are as good as my F150.

[lenr]

To the OP—
I feel so sorry for you. It’s so hard to have all this rain on your excitement. We just jumped in on our first trailer with no knowledge at all, but were lucky with no huge problems.
I suspect that the biggest problem is wheelbase length of your truck. There used to be a rule of thumb that wheelbase in inches divided by 5 is the maximum trailer length in feet that you should tow. You’re a few feet over that with a Tacoma. However, a lot of folks stretch rules of thumb and weight ratings while doing just fine. We probably stretched our first trailer/truck combination with no problems or white knuckles. RV.NET can help you get your rig set up right.
You really do need the real weights, so go to a semi-truck scale--CAT scale is a popular supplier. Yes, they are intimidating. Just pick up the phone and tell them that you are an RV. If they want a truck number, tell them #1—you’re number 1 aren’t you? They may want a company—tell them private hauler. As others have said, it is really important to have 13 - 15% tongue weight, and then have the weight distribution set up properly.
We need to distinguish what you are feeling on the road. If the truck moves to the side and requires a steering wheel correction, that is normal. Every time that a car or truck passes it will cause a movement with need for correction. If it swings back and forth requiring back and forth steering wheel corrections, that is dangerous and may go out of control causing a collision. A properly set up trailer with adequate tow vehicle will not sway which is the back and forth problem. While we were probably over the ratings on our first truck and trailer, I never felt out of control because we were well set up, but not by the dealer.
Hitches: fundamentally if it is a weight distributing hitch, it will spread the ball weight out to the front truck axle and back to the trailer through torque action. One brand isn’t going to be much different than another. You want your front truck axle close to the same hitched and unhitched for best steering as long as the back of the truck isn’t squatting too much. You may have to put more distribution on if there is too much squat. Secondly, you will have something in the hitch resisting sway—usually some kind of friction device. One brand isn’t going to be much different than another, but some may be easier to use. An alternative that some think is better is the Reese dual cam which uses the spring action of the weight distribution to resist sway through force. The last hitch choice is the Hensley which results in the fifth wheel like forces. Hensley works well, but is expensive. Before I spent that amount of money on a hitch, I would put it into a heavier truck instead.

[B_O__Plenty]

What would ever make you think that someone at CW could give you good advice?? Airbags are NEVER a good solution for not enough truck. They are made to level the truck, nothing more. When towing with a load distributing hitch, they are supposed to level the truck..Are you sure the hitch is set-up properly?

B.O.

[dodge_guy]

Once you get the hitch weight dialed in, I believe you will be happy with the performance of your setup. You won`t need another type of hitch (unless that is what you want).

[sh410]

Cat Scales in Phoenix

[gmw_photos]

As for payload numbers of a "real 1/2 ton", one needs to be careful in shopping there too. I was at the Ford store today looking at a car for grand-daughter, and since I was there, I looked at some new F150's. One very nice crewcab ecoboost platinum had a door jamb sticker payload of only 1170 pounds or thereabouts. So one needs to shop carefully and know what all the packages and equipment options do to payload. If that's important in a guys mind.