2024 ram 2500 Uncontrollable Trailer Sway

[nlambert182]

I don't know about an actual weigh station, but many truck stops have CAT scales. Yes, you can use those and yes, they do charge. I think it's something like $14 the first trip and $7 for each one after on the same day. That may vary by location.

 

[nlambert182]

This is why I argue about chassis sag in the rear, and am anti airbag as a correction. If loaded heavy in the tongue and you have springs, airbags, or hell solid steel bars in the rear of the truck it is removing the same amount of weight from the front axle. Only 4 ways to remedy this 1: longer wheel base 2: counter weight in front of front bumper 3: weight distributing hitch 4: load the trailer correctly.

The OPS truck has airbags only on the rear. No coils/leafs.

That said, it should still function the exact same way. I'm interested to see what he finds out (if he ever posts here again). I don't think we'll ever know the answer though, because it appears that after getting the same answer on two sites that points to driver error, the OP vanished.

 

[Jigs-n-Fixtures]

WeighSafe hitch, with the integrated tongue weight scale is a big help.

I bought their "TrueTow" weight distribution hitch, and extra hardware to use it with all three of my trailers. One of the better $1000 I've spent on truck and towing related things. It makes a real difference in how things I'm towing feel behind the truck. With the accompanying phone app, you enter the information on the axle locations of the truck and trailer relative to the hitch, and weight of the trailer, and it gives you haow much preload to add to the distribution bars. On my light utillity trailer, it still tells me how much tongue weight there is. Quick simple and effective once you have your trailer set up in the database. I usually make a guess on the trailer load weight, and the drop by the free public scales to double check before I hit the highway.

Only disadvantage to teh free scales, is that they are actually the DOTs inspection sttion scales. And if you drop in while they are there doing random inspections, you will get inspected. I got caught with my tractor improperly secured. But t wasn't a busy day, and the two inspectors were nice enough, to walk me through how to chain it to their satisfaction. And, I happened to have a couple of extra chains and binders in the tongue box, so we could do it how they wanted it.

I live in Salmon, Idaho. There is no way out of town which does not involve going over mountain passes and twisty roads.

 

[tjfdesmo]

I don't remember seeing that the truck was lifted in the original post. If so, whose lift, by what method, and by how much? Are the link arms longer? Does it maintain factory geometry? Sorry, but most lifts are a hackers nightmare for a truck that is actually being used for truck things.

If you don't scale the truck with and without the load you are only guessing. Period. I scale frequently, and keep the weight tickets for my standard setups in my console.

 

[CaptOchs]

Wow that's scary. I would say there are so many variables that come into play, you might need to take the rig in somewhere. For example, my last rig was a 2003 Expedition / 18' Springdale 32ft (7000lbs) camper. I bought the trailer, and they moved my WDH. It towed horribly. I got bad sway which restricted me to about 55 mph. Just driving around curves on a highway seemed precarious, so I took it back. They took it for a test drive. but they weighted it and realigned the WDH. It towed phenomenal after that. So out of all of this advice, the one you should follow is take it to a trailer or RV dealer that can look into sway concerns. They should take it for a test drive and give you recommendations.

 

[crash68]

This is why I argue about chassis sag in the rear, and am anti airbag as a correction.

If airbags are used correctly in conjunction with a WDH, then they're not a problem. The airbags need to be used as helper spring to firm up the rear end and then adjust the WDH to correct the front axle weight load. You can "fine tune" how the rear of the truck sits, even with a WDH a truck doesn't always level out.

WeighSafe hitch, with the integrated tongue weight scale is a big help.

It will tell you what the weight on the tongue is but with an active leveling rear air suspension, it can still over-leverage the front axle. If you haven't watch the video linked earlier in this thread, it showcases how air bags and WDH effect the axle loads of the truck. A WeightSafe hitch is nice to know the tongue weight but it only tells part of the story, need to know the axle weights also.

 

[nlambert182]

Wow that's scary. I would say there are so many variables that come into play, you might need to take the rig in somewhere. For example, my last rig was a 2003 Expedition / 18' Springdale 32ft (7000lbs) camper. I bought the trailer, and they moved my WDH. It towed horribly. I got bad sway which restricted me to about 55 mph. Just driving around curves on a highway seemed precarious, so I took it back. They took it for a test drive. but they weighted it and realigned the WDH. It towed phenomenal after that. So out of all of this advice, the one you should follow is take it to a trailer or RV dealer that can look into sway concerns. They should take it for a test drive and give you recommendations.

I wouldn't rely on an RV dealer to properly set a WDH. It's best to take the time and learn how to do it yourself.

You'd be surprised at how many RV techs are ignorant to how a WDH functions and will set it improperly.

 

[BaileyBoyz]

Just curious and I did not see this info yet. Do have the factory trailer brake controller? If so what were the settings you programmed it to?

 

[Dean2]

Just curious and I did not see this info yet. Do have the factory trailer brake controller? If so what were the settings you programmed it to?

For the tenth time, the trailer has friggin surge brakes. At least read the thread before posting.

 

[CaptOchs]

I wouldn't rely on an RV dealer to properly set a WDH. It's best to take the time and learn how to do it yourself.

You'd be surprised at how many RV techs are ignorant to how a WDH functions and will set it improperly.

Sort of agree. The first guy didn't obviously dial it in right. I had to take it back. The second guy dialed in solid.

 

[LouM]

Interesting find I've been thinking and looking at going to a 2500 from my 1500, part of the reason was trailer towing capacity.
I was amazed when I found this for a 2500 with the diesel;

• Trailering
• Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 500
• Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 5000
• Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 3213
• Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 12850
• Maximum Trailering Capacity (lbs): 20000
• Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 2000
• Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 20000
  
  So the OP was definity exceeding both of the plain bumper hitch ratings!!!!!
  Even the 5th wheel rating comes in under the weight distributing hitch values, I was quite surprised.

 

[crash68]

You'd be surprised at how many RV techs are ignorant to how a WDH functions and will set it improperly.

Sort of agree. The first guy didn't obviously dial it in right. I had to take it back. The second guy dialed in solid.

Unless the truck and trailer is loaded fully ready to hit the road, then a RV tech can't set a WDH correctly. The adjustments are dependent on the amount of weight loaded on each axle.

 

[crash68]

• Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 500
• Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 5000

This is the rating for a hitch ball on the rear bumper, not the Class V (2.5 inch) receiver.

 

[Jmull]

Thanks for your reply, but from my experience, and I'm seeing from others, this new 4-link suspension, and particularly with the stock air suspension does cause sway.
I also get sway pulling my little dump trailer that I have pulled literally a hundred plus times with never a hint of sway, regardless of load.
I really wish I had discovered this issue before buying the truck, but....

Sorry for your crash.
I agree that you overlooked something. I towed a 13,000 lb trailer from Oregon to Maine with no issues….

 

[nlambert182]

Interesting find I've been thinking and looking at going to a 2500 from my 1500, part of the reason was trailer towing capacity.
I was amazed when I found this for a 2500 with the diesel;

• Trailering
• Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 500
• Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 5000
• Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 3213
• Fifth Wheel Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 12850
• Maximum Trailering Capacity (lbs): 20000
• Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. (lbs): 2000
• Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. (lbs): 20000
  
  So the OP was definity exceeding both of the plain bumper hitch ratings!!!!!
  Even the 5th wheel rating comes in under the weight distributing hitch values, I was quite surprised.

I would suggest ignoring most of that.

It is entirely trailer/truck trim level dependent. You hook a 12.8k fifth wheel behind a diesel 2500 and you're almost certain to overload the truck. The pin weight alone will be in the neighborhood of 2,500 lbs, which far exceeds most diesel 2500 payload ratings. Most diesel 2500s have a payload rating in the 1,200 - 1,800 lb range.

The ONLY way you could ever hope to get close to towing a 20k trailer is a gooseneck flatbed where you can shift the weight back. Even then you won't likely get to 20k before either going over payload and/or exceeding the rear axle rating. For an RV... forget about it completely. The weight is static and you'll overload your rear axle long before 20k lbs.


The class V hitch is rated for much more than 500 lbs as well. Most have a 1,200 lb hitch rating.

 

[Leo_J]

I own a 2023 2500 (Cummins, w/o air bag suspension) that I use to tow my stump grinding trailer and equipment. At the beginning of this year, I also added a track loader to my business. So, I had a 4800 pound trailer which was new to me. Plus 5000 pounds of stump grinder and track loader. Add another 500 pounds of incidentals, and my loaded trailer is north of 10,000 pounds. Not a lot of weight as trailers go, but still over 5 ton.

Knowing that tongue weight was critical to proper loading, I did not want to guess where my equipment had to sit. So I brought a WEIGH SAFE hitch. The version of the hitch I purchased has a hydraulic scale in it that reads out the tongue weight. I quickly discovered that I have a 12 inch sweet spot where my equipment has to set in order to have the 10-15% tongue weight. Forward or backward of that 12 inch range, I can really tell the difference. See the attached photos with this post.

You mentioned "hydraulic brakes", by that, I assume you are talking about "surge brakes". A surge brake system activates when the towing vehicle slows down and causes the trailer tongue to compress activating the trailer brakes. If I correctly interpreted "hydraulic brakes" from your post, you had your hands full when the trailer began to sway. Any braking with the truck only aggravated the sway. With electric brakes you could have clamped on the trailer brakes but not your truck brakes to bring the sway under control.

I'll be watching to hear what you find out.

 

[Raymond1821]

Tongue weight is very critical, especially on heavy loads, and should be 10 to 15% of the weight you are towing. You may think you have enough tongue weight but the only way to be sure is to have tongue weight scale. I recently towed a 4000 pound load with 2024 Ram 1500 with trailer tow package and air leveling, which is rated by manufacture to tow 12,000 lbs. The trailer would sway at certain speeds. Come to find out the tongue weigh was way light. I now own a tongue weigh scale. I towed a lot of trailers from 20,000 lbs to very light so I guest experience is not every thing.

 

[ppine]

Be very careful with weight distribution. Use a scale to weigh the hitch weight on your truck. Too light causes a lot of sway. Too heavy is hard on your truck. Then check the obvious like tire pressure, alignment, etc.

Add sway control. Check your brakes. The most likely cause of catastrophic handling is too little hitch weight.

 

[LouM]

I would suggest ignoring most of that.

It is entirely trailer/truck trim level dependent. You hook a 12.8k fifth wheel behind a diesel 2500 and you're almost certain to overload the truck. The pin weight alone will be in the neighborhood of 2,500 lbs, which far exceeds most diesel 2500 payload ratings. Most diesel 2500s have a payload rating in the 1,200 - 1,800 lb range.

The ONLY way you could ever hope to get close to towing a 20k trailer is a gooseneck flatbed where you can shift the weight back. Even then you won't likely get to 20k before either going over payload and/or exceeding the rear axle rating. For an RV... forget about it completely. The weight is static and you'll overload your rear axle long before 20k lbs.


The class V hitch is rated for much more than 500 lbs as well. Most have a 1,200 lb hitch rating.

That could be, I find it almost impossible to find actual ratings for tongue or gooseneck ratings on any of the RAM web sights.
The only things listed are axle GVW's, truck GVW's and supposed max trailer GVW ratings.
Such as this for my 2019 1500,
5.7L V8 HEMI w/ MDS 8HP75 8 Speed 3.92 truck gvwr 7,100 payload 1,780, base weight 5,318, front weight 3,165, rear weight 2,153, gross axle rating front 3,900, gross rear axle rating 4,100, Combined GCVW 17,000, trailer weight rating 11,240.
No where's do I see any tongue weight rating on the hitch or truck or online, must be they are afraid to publish that.

 

[LouM]

This is the rating for a hitch ball on the rear bumper, not the Class V (2.5 inch) receiver.

I haven't even seen a true bumper tow plate on a RAM pickup in years both my 2015 and 2019 had the class 4 receivers.
And no provision for a ball to actually mount in the bumper.

Which I have found is this info and I have heard and I thought I saw a 1200 pound tongue rating for class 4's some place.
A quick look found this, so the OP's truck should have had the class 5 but most states have mandated "electric" brakes for any trailer over 5000 pounds and on all axles for several years.
Myself I always like the surge brakes as they worked with any vehicle untill you had to back up a hill then some were a royal pain to "lock" out

Class 4: 10,000 lbs. GTW capacity and 1,000 lbs. TW.

Class 5: Over 10,000 lbs. GTW.

Class 5 hitches are a bit different from other hitch class ratings, as this class is not officially recognized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This means that the information on how much the hitch can safely tow should be verified by the manufacturer.

It’s important to remember that your towing equipment is only as strong as the part with the lowest class rating. If you have a class 3 hitch and a class 2 drawbar, you’ll only be rated to tow up to 3,500 lbs. Make sure that you know the class ratings of all of your equipment before you tow any trailer.