big trailer towing stability

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

gtex1970

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Posts
62
Reaction score
62
Location
texas
Ram Year
2022
Engine
3.0 EcoDiesel
i've got a Jayco 294 model travel trailer. It pushes the GVWR weight limit on my 2015 Ram1500 crew cab 4x4 EcoDiesel. but the weight doesn't seem to be the biggest concern. acceleration is decent and braking seems adequate. but the big trailer is like hauling a sailboat with the sails up! when we roll down the highway, passing vehicles can make the trailer then the truck wiggle a bit. i can probably get used to it, but it makes my anxiety suffering wife want to jump out of the truck. she literally switched to the other vehicle in our group recently because she could not stand it!

has anybody added airbags and/or a larger sway bar with noticeable improvement?
 

Rampant

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Posts
1,895
Reaction score
1,834
Location
NJ
Ram Year
2016
Engine
392 Hemi
i've got a Jayco 294 model travel trailer. It pushes the GVWR weight limit on my 2015 Ram1500 crew cab 4x4 EcoDiesel. but the weight doesn't seem to be the biggest concern. acceleration is decent and braking seems adequate. but the big trailer is like hauling a sailboat with the sails up! when we roll down the highway, passing vehicles can make the trailer then the truck wiggle a bit. i can probably get used to it, but it makes my anxiety suffering wife want to jump out of the truck. she literally switched to the other vehicle in our group recently because she could not stand it!

has anybody added airbags and/or a larger sway bar with noticeable improvement?
You need a 3/4 ton truck. No airbag or anti-swaybar will make a 1/2 ton handle a load like that better. I resisted it for years, going from truck to truck to SUV. Finally, I went with a 2500 and have never looked back. It's a completely different towing experience.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
gtex1970

gtex1970

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Posts
62
Reaction score
62
Location
texas
Ram Year
2022
Engine
3.0 EcoDiesel
What do you mean by wiggle, fish tail ?


not so much fishtail. just an un-nerving "floating" feeling. truck doesn't really change in the lane position. it's hard to describe the feeling. and it's probably common to towing a load this size. i'm just wondering if i can tame it a bit for my wife's sanity :)

i know the rear supsension is a bit soft on these trucks. rides like a cadillac unloaded, but might be a bit soft for this kind of load.

i run a load distributing hitch with a friction anti-sway bar on the hitch.
 

69GWC

Power Wagon
Joined
Oct 1, 2015
Posts
5,387
Reaction score
6,949
Location
Spring hill, Kansas
Ram Year
2022 Power Wagon
Engine
6.4 Hemi, 8sp
What tires are you running, my stock tires squirm around under the truck something fierce with a heavy load, if you still have the P rated tires I would guess this is part of it.

Sure air bags would help like you said these trucks have to light weight of coils on the back for any real work.
 
OP
OP
gtex1970

gtex1970

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Posts
62
Reaction score
62
Location
texas
Ram Year
2022
Engine
3.0 EcoDiesel
What tires are you running, my stock tires squirm around under the truck something fierce with a heavy load, if you still have the P rated tires I would guess this is part of it.

Sure air bags would help like you said these trucks have to light weight of coils on the back for any real work.

stock wranglers- which i'm not too impressed with anyway. they sent me hydro-planing off the toll road at about 70mph recently. high pucker factor incident! sounds like these tires don't do so well after 20,000 miles
 

69GWC

Power Wagon
Joined
Oct 1, 2015
Posts
5,387
Reaction score
6,949
Location
Spring hill, Kansas
Ram Year
2022 Power Wagon
Engine
6.4 Hemi, 8sp
Thats what mine are they flat suck. I would suggest going to a 8 or 10ply tire.
Iam stepping up to a 8ply here pretty soon should fix my squirming issues.
 

Kev12

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2017
Posts
105
Reaction score
35
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Had that wiggle passing(or being passed) 18 wheelers and bigger vehicles on the interstate in my Tundra, don't know if there is a fix for that if that is what you are experiencing. I just bought a 2500 a few weeks ago and my 1st towing experience was pleasant, couldn't tell I had a travel trailer behind me. Haven't hit the interstate towing yet to know if that wiggle is still there
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Better tires-
Weight distribution hitch with anti sway-
Unfortunately you are behind the curve already due to the trailer length and weight. As previoauly stated the only real way you are going to feel more planted is with a 3/4 ton truck or a smaller trailer. As you said ur truck pulls the load just fine - but it's on the edge of " white knuckles" and a stressful experience. If your wife was worried enough to switch vehicles - then you should already have her vote to move to a 3/4 ton platform. The 3/4 ton prices are on par with the half ton prices. This was a big factor for me when I went to a 3/4 ton.. " why buy a half ton when a 3/4 ton cost is relativly the same" Best of luck - let us know what c hanged you make and how they work out. IMO - trade it for a 3/4 ton- 6.4 Hemi or a Cumins.
 

NewBlackDak

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Posts
1,083
Reaction score
654
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4L
Higher rated tires will probably help some. If it's time for new tires anyway, it's worth a shot to start there. You could also try some heavier duty springs or airbags, but I feel like both are "lipstick on a pig" for half tons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,631
Reaction score
2,269
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Tires and bags would help but are nothing compared to a 2500. The suspension and brakes are just so much stronger. The problem is you can't have a soft ride AND capable towing from a single suspension. 1500 truck have to appeal to the grocery getting crowd since that's what 90% of them are used for.
 

spoon059

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Posts
496
Reaction score
343
Location
Just north of Washington DC
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.7 CTD
I don't know your weights, hopefully you do. If not, get your truck and trailer weighed and determine if you are within your ratings. If you are over your ratings, I would strongly encourage you to consider a heavier truck or a lighter trailer. If you are at or below your ratings, read on.

Get some E rated tires with stiffer sidewalls. P rated tires on the half tons have softer sidewalls and will flex and "sway" more.

What type of weight distribution hitch and anti-sway system do you have? Make sure it is properly set up. Consider an upgrade there.

Add more tongue weight if you have room to add it. More tongue weight can help reduce sway.

I'm not familiar with the stock swaybar on the 1500's, but an upgraded rear swaybar on your truck could help "tighten up" the rear end.

Airbags or Timbrens can help stiffen up the rear suspension. They won't increase your rear axle rating, but they can make it less soft feeling when towing, which will help keep your tail planted.

Good luck, make a smart decision for the safety of your family... not a dumb decision for the short term financial aspects. Going on vacation should be fun, not stressful.
 

BlkZrx

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
444
Reaction score
376
Location
northeast IN
Ram Year
2016 2500 SLT Std. cab
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Tail waggin' the dog. When tow vehicle weighs considerably less then the trailer the trailer inputs from sidewinds and maneuvers are magnified.

Sent from my LG-K540 using Tapatalk
 

ColdCase

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
Posts
672
Reaction score
210
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7
i've got a Jayco 294 model travel trailer. It pushes the GVWR weight limit on my 2015 Ram1500 crew cab 4x4 EcoDiesel. but the weight doesn't seem to be the biggest concern. acceleration is decent and braking seems adequate. but the big trailer is like hauling a sailboat with the sails up! when we roll down the highway, passing vehicles can make the trailer then the truck wiggle a bit. i can probably get used to it, but it makes my anxiety suffering wife want to jump out of the truck. she literally switched to the other vehicle in our group recently because she could not stand it!

has anybody added airbags and/or a larger sway bar with noticeable improvement?

Did you say you have an anti sway device as part of the hitch? if so tighten it up more (disconnect it when backing). If not, add one. That will tame the trailer more than anything else, and perhaps enough for you. Otherwise E rated tires and bags and proper loading helps. But as others have said, you may need to go to a 2500 for a permanent fix. Thats a 36 foot trailer after all.

For rec towing, the weight is rarely the issue, the issue usually is the towing stability in the wind and turbulence.
 

crash68

ACME product engineer
Staff member
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Posts
10,699
Reaction score
16,705
Ram Year
2015
Engine
3.0 EcoDiesel
I just love the ******** payload police on this forum that the answer for towing anything bigger than a wave runner is a 2500 and all fifth wheel trailers need a dually. It's an 8300 lbs GVWR trailer, his truck is well within towing capacity for that load.

I'm guessing just needs run the truck and trailer over the scales a few times to get the WDH set right and a good set of airbags, TLC or Timber Grove(both no-cut installation). Load Range E or D tires would also make a big improvement on the wiggle.
 

mowin

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Posts
462
Reaction score
152
Location
upstate ny
Ram Year
2017 3500 SRW
Engine
6.4 hemi
And I love the ******** ones who say your fine.
Yes he may be within towing limits, but what about payload? Towing a 8k piece of equipment is A LOT different than towing a TT. That TT is too long and too much of a sail for his 1500. Will the 10 ply tires help, maybe, but it doesn't change the #'s.

I'd bet if he had that combo weighed, he'd be way over on payload.
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Pay load police?? I think most of the responses on here have been realistic in helping him with his issue- and what you advised him to do has already been suggested more than once- someone getting out of that vehicle because they feel unsafe is a pretty big statement.
 
Last edited:

Rampant

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Posts
1,895
Reaction score
1,834
Location
NJ
Ram Year
2016
Engine
392 Hemi
I just love the ******** payload police on this forum that the answer for towing anything bigger than a wave runner is a 2500 and all fifth wheel trailers need a dually. It's an 8300 lbs GVWR trailer, his truck is well within towing capacity for that load.

I'm guessing just needs run the truck and trailer over the scales a few times to get the WDH set right and a good set of airbags, TLC or Timber Grove(both no-cut installation). Load Range E or D tires would also make a big improvement on the wiggle.


You must be a real-life psychic. How do you know how his truck is configured and what his towing capacity is? The only data I saw was that he had a 2015 eco crew 4x4. The MOST towing capacity possible with only having that amount of info would be 8,760 lbs. That's a Tradesman with 3.92 gears and 5'7" bed. If he's got the optioned-out Limited with the 6'4" bed either 3.92 or 3.55 gears, his max is 7,160 lbs. The GCWR for anything other than the Tradesman is 13,750 and the truck weighs 5,600 lbs at least. You do the math.

Chances are, he's somewhere between those two max figures. Even if he has THE BEST towing pkg available with the ecodiesel, he's within LESS THAN 1% of his truck's max towing capability with the trailer loaded down but nothing in the truck... and you say "his truck is well within towing capacity for that load"?? Don't forget the 750 lbs of tongue weight counts toward the max payload of 1100ish lbs. A passenger weight of 300lbs is included in the towing weight. Add in a few other camping necessities and you're above max on the truck's payload AND towing capability.

What do you think would happen if he were over his rated max capacity (which is very reasonable to assume he is at this point) and caused an accident which hurt or killed someone as a result? Are you going to be there in court beside him spewing your vast knowledge of towing physics? I hope so, because his insurance company sure won't be. Before you give uneducated advice, you should burn a few calories researching the facts. It's not only ignorant, it's outright dangerous. Yes, the truck will do it, but not safely. So would any pickup on the road today. The bottom line is, I do not care what you do to that truck, it was not built to tow that kind of weight SAFELY. Period. Dot.
 

Farmer Fran

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Posts
1,507
Reaction score
1,294
Location
Earth
Ram Year
2020 Limited Loaded - Sold
Your truck should easily be able to handle that trailer. My guess is you are not properly set up.
 

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,631
Reaction score
2,269
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
I just love the ******** payload police on this forum that the answer for towing anything bigger than a wave runner is a 2500 and all fifth wheel trailers need a dually. It's an 8300 lbs GVWR trailer, his truck is well within towing capacity for that load.

I love how every name calling keyboard cowboy is a half ton defender until they own a 2500. Sure, you can band-aid the wrong tool for a job to make it "work". Even within the ratings. When was the last time you turned your TV up to volume level 98 with foam stuffed over the speakers to cut down the distortion and you were happy with it?

OP is here looking for band aids and those of us that have gone that route and know better are offering advice. Sorry, if it doesn't fit with your thought process...... just a different approach. I guess that makes me "********."
 
Top