Towing HELP!!!

Hey guys,
I just picked up my new 2014 Rockwood Roo 21ss last Thursday and took it out over the weekend. The problem I had was while towing it felt like the camper was pushing the truck side to side like it was swaying a little. I have a e2 weight distribution hitch and air bags in the rear. The truck handled the trailer just fine power wise but I knew it was back there as it kind of pushed and pulled. I was just wondering from people who tow campers bigger than mine how it felt doing so. The camper is 4450lbs dry so my guess is 5300 loaded with a dry hitch weight of 580lbs so prob. right at or just over 650 loaded with propane, battery and anything in the front. My truck is a double cab 4x4 with towing package, 885s with bilstein shocks all around and firestone airbags upfront. My guess is that the wheel base may be to short and the campers weight is about the same as the truck. Do I need a 1/2 ton??? Try moving the weight distribution a little, though it was set up at the dealer and the front fender measurements are close when loaded and unloaded? Thanks for the help!!!

 

Might have too much tongue weight. You should also make sure that when you are fully loaded thatyou ae slightly tongue down. Also try airing your tires to about 38lbs or so. I pull a jayco 23b (4000 unloaded) and i also know its there. I spent the $$ and got an equalizer hitch witch made a world of difference oover the dealer provided ez- lift.

 

You don't mention whether the trailer has its own brakes, if it does, then start by looking at the load distribution in the trailer and whether the trailer is tracking true (aligned properly). If you don't have trailer brakes then get some, this wont help much in the swaying or pushing but it will help in other ways.

When you get ready to tow the trailer, especially after it sits for a while, you may get some wobble due to the tires having flat spots. Some people will take the tires off during storage to stay away from the problem.

A good way to keep weight off the trailer is to wait to fill tanks, fridge, and all liquids until you get close to your destination, 50 miles would suffice.

 

I've pulled my travel trailer with three toyota trucks, '89, '97, '08. Loading the trailer correctly, proper tow hitch and a friction sway control device were the answers.

 

If you don't have a friction sway control bar get one. Even WalMart sells them.

 

Thanks all for the comments. I do have trailer brakes with a tekonsha brake controller and an e-2 trunion style weight distribution hitch w/built in sway control made by equalizer. The trailer was loaded pretty equally other than firewood and such in the bed of the truck. I do not carry any water and empty everything before traveling. Any other comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

How much pressure did you have in the air bags? Combined with the WD hitch, you shouldn't need more than 30-35 psi, if even that much.

What are you running for tires? Type / size and load/ply rating please. What pressures?

You are pushing the practical limits of the taco's towing abilities IMHO, but you should be able to make it work safely once you get the bugs worked out. You will always feel the trailer behind you though, and carefull driving is in order, especially in crosswinds.

 

I had 50psi in the airbags as the truck is lifted w/885 and I use the air bags to lift/level the truck out. Usually have about 40psi. I am running 265/75/16 Good year wrangler, max 50psi, load range C. I had 40psi in the bags when the hitch was installed on my truck when I picked up the camper.

 

Did you mean tires where you wrote bags (bolded)? Sounds about right if so.

If you did mean bags, you should set the air bag pressure before setting up your W/D hitch, as adding pressure after will change the weight distribution to the front axle. If you can get your truck on a scale, weigh it (front and rear axles individually) without the trailer, then again with the trailer. That would give you a clear picture of how much tongue weight you have, and how much is being distrubuted to the front axle.

 

Could the lift be part of the problem? Being the frame is farther from the axles allowing the trailer more leverage on the suspension and tires. Duratracs having a deep blockie tread and the 75 aspect ratio contributing to a little more side to side motion?

I'm towing a 24' Hilo just a little lighter than yours with a WD Reese anti-sway, Prerunner with stock suspension an 265/65R-17 Wrangler Silent Armor's and it pulls and handles fine

 

too much sway = not enough togue weight. i tow my lawn equipment on the highway and i have to make sure i move the heavy lawn mower foreward as much as possible to stop the sway. if i dont i feel like i could lose control when a semi passes me. around town i dont bother because im going so much slower but i can tell i need more weight in the tongue.

i have a stock '13 tacoma dclb

 

I have used my truck (4 cylinder, 5 speed, ACLB) with aftermarket hitch and wiring to pull a 4x8 utility trailer (gross weight rated at 2950 lbs) when it was well loaded with wood, and another time overloaded with topsoil. i have also pulled my horse trailer around (2600 lbs empty, about 4000 with my horse, never tried it with 2 horses), and I have handled just fine.

my truck is stock height, so the trailers aren't being tipped backwards so much. if you have the truck and trailer on flat ground and the tongue of your trailer is going uphill toward the truck, you need a bigger drop to your hitch. like somebody else said earlier, your tongue should be slightly downhill going toward the truck. as Frogging says, not enough tongue weight. ideally, a trailer should be loaded with a 60/40 split in weight ratio, 60% being forward of the axle, 40% behind. having too much in the rear will tend to pick up the tongue and make it easier to lose control while driving.

if your trailer starts swaying while driving, do not hit the brakes. you can let off the gas, stay on the gas, or lay it down harder, but get the trailer under control before you slow down. if you try to slow down while the trailer is swaying, it will push your truck to one side, and most people will over correct on counter steering, so the trailer will then push the other side, and it gets worse with every turn. watch this video to see it happen.