Sway and WD Recommendations for a Pop-up RV

Okay so let me preface this a little. I'm new to this forum and I tried to find a previous thread relating to the subject and while many come close, I couldn't find one that talks about my particular setup. I apologize if this is been asked and answered many times before and I missed it.

So this sound kind of weird since most setups don't really worry much about pop-up rvs when it comes to sway control and WDH, at least not anymore than a small loaded utility trailer. My travel trailer in particular is a 26' pop-up with a large extended front rack for carrying ATVs or other toys. This one in particular can fit two normal sized quads side by side as well as already having a rather large pop-up cabin. The UVW of the trailer is 3,300 lbs (rounded up for simplicity), and with an ATV and normal load I'm looking at a 4,300-4,500 lbs trailer for towing. The absolute max I can see myself towing would probably be about 5,000 lbs if I towing both mine and my dad's ATV up to camp with our stuff. This particular trailer however does not have anything installed for sway control or a WDH, which from my understanding is common with trailer like this.

Now here's what I do know. My truck is a 2016 TRD Sport (V6 standard) with the tow package, and I do have a brake controller installed. The trailer handles fine as is when towing, the truck pushes and stops it just fine, and this is highway and backroad in western PA driving. My plans for this is to tow a few times over the summer maybe 2-3 hours in western PA and neighboring states. Hilly terrain, but not really mountainous, nothing like out west. The trailer is dual axel with electric brakes. I am comfortable towing a trailer this weight in this area, I've towed a heavy boat before over to central PA that weighed between 4000-4500 lbs before. This wasn't smart of me at the time for multiple reasons I understand now, but it is what it is so moving forward and all. The manual recommends anything over 2000 lbs use a sway bar and over 5000 lbs use a WDH.

I'm looking to reduce the risk and best handle the weight and balance of the trailer since it can potentially have a lot of weight located close to the tongue. I'm probably going to opt for a sway bar regardless but fully loaded with two quads this thing can get close to 5,000 lbs. I still need to load it and measure the tongue weight, but does anyone have any experience with a setup like this and would you have any recommendation for this?

Sorry for the wall of text. This picture is for context. Not mine, but same model.

 

Hi,

Nice trailer! Popups have an advantage because the wind loading should be less. WDH will serve you well when you have a couple of ATV's on that rig. I am curious what other will say about towing without ATV's loaded on it as the hitch might be light. Do you have the owners manual?

Take it to the weight station so you know for sure what you are pulling.

NH

Edit. yes look up weight tongue weight with bathroom scale, there are some good tutorials online.

 

Didn't think about a weigh station... It does handle fine unloaded, but from the numbers on the sticker yeah it is light on the hitch.. It seams like it's meant to have cargo up front. I plan on measuring the tongue weight tomorrow, just need the snow to melt first.

I don't have the original manual. I found a manual online, but it's not for a specific model. Very general language like "turn on the water pump" instead of explaining where the switch is located.

EDIT: Took it to a weigh station this morning and weighed the tongue a few times. I basically know now that the dry weight is about 3,450, the unloaded tongue weight is 310, and with the ATV is 660 to 680. I want to buy a tongue scale to know for sure, but I think I'm going to need a WDH no matter what and some sandbags in the back of the trailer.

 

Found this project for a tongue scale

http://www.hildstrom.com/projects/2011/07/tonguescale/index.html