Trailer sway

[1Littlediesel]

Can’t figure it out. Traded my 2018 Rebel 5.7 Hemi 4 corner air suspension for new 2021 Bighorn 2x4 3.0 Turbo Diesel standard suspension for better fuel mileage. I’ve been pulling a 26ft. travel trailer for 3 years and thousands of miles. Towed straight as an arrow no trailer sway at all. Love the new Diesel engine and the way it pulls but…. The trailer sway is totally out of control and frightening. IDK what to do.

 

[crash68]

Find a semi truck CAT scale and weigh the truck and trailer fully loaded like your headed out camping. Then drop the trailer and weigh just the truck. With those numbers you can determine act trailer tongue weight percentage and see how much weight the WDH is replacing on the front axle.
With the WDH set up correctly you want to replace any lost front axle weight and the rear axle to be heavier than the front.
A WDH adjustment should be checked any time the load or the hitch height has changed.
Also has the trailer axle bearings been serviced lately and the trailer brakes inspected?
Someone on another forum swears that the active air dam on the front of the Ram trucks was causing their trailer to sway, doesn't seem logical. Trailer sway is usually caused by how the weight is distributed within the trailer or a mechanical issue.

 

[1Littlediesel]

We’ll I will check that as soon as I get a chance. I wish I had a base line from the last truck but I never had a need to check it because everything was good. I have seen the post you referred to and I agree it doesn’t seem logical. I have ordered air bags but they are on back order. As soon as I get them I will check my weight’s.

 

[dhay13]

Adding to what was said, and I'm not that familiar with the EcoDiesel but isn't that engine quite a bit heavier than the Hemi? If so then you axle % have changed. Get it scaled and see where you are at

 

[Randy Grant]

If you went from Ram to another Ram, the difference may be in the tires and suspension. Heavier sidewall tires and a Hellweg cured mine.

 

[crash68]

I'm not that familiar with the EcoDiesel but isn't that engine quite a bit heavier than the Hemi?

Depending on the truck cab/body configuration There's maybe a 100-150 lbs difference of the front axle base weight. The EcoDiesel isn't as overly heavy like the Cummins is in the HD trucks.

 

[jejb]

Do you have a WDH on it? If not, that'd be the place to start. Get one with sway control built in and take the time (or pay someone) to dial it in.

 

[runamuck]

the tow vehicles are very similar so I'm guessing the problem is all in the set-up.

 

[1Littlediesel]

Do you have a WDH on it? If not, that'd be the place to start. Get one with sway control built in and take the time (or pay someone) to dial it in.

If you went from Ram to another Ram, the difference may be in the tires and suspension. Heavier sidewall tires and a Hellweg cured mine.

The Bighorn did come with light duty tires so I replaced them with the same ones that came on the Rebel. Toyo open country AT 3 E rated 80lb. tires.

 

[1Littlediesel]

Do you have a WDH on it? If not, that'd be the place to start. Get one with sway control built in and take the time (or pay someone) to dial it in.

I’m running the same WDH as I had. I’ve ordered Air Lift 5000 bags and going to install as soon as I get them. On back order like everything else lately.

 

[jejb]

I’m running the same WDH as I had. I’ve ordered Air Lift 5000 bags and going to install as soon as I get them. On back order like everything else lately.

You didn't mention a WDH in your post, so figured I'd ask. Does it have built in sway control? Did you set it up for the new truck? Air bags or not, you need to do that. And I'd do it ASAP, before the out of control sway becomes an accident.

 

[tron67j]

Others have identified the path to the solution. Before you go adding more variables like the bags, figure out what your weights are and get your hitch set up with your sway bar balanced properly. I'm not sure why you have mentioned bags a couple times, are you adding them to solve your issue? They will have no positive impact to your situation. If anything, they would just mask a problem.

 

[Daily Driver44]

Ultimately pay attention to how you load any trailer. you want the "heavy " part of the load over the trailer axle(s) centered. That is as long as your not surpassing your toung weight which I doubt but anyway. If that becomes an issue then transfer some of the weight to inside the cab of the truck.
The idea is to equal out the weight as much as possible.
Travel trailers are also known for needing a "Load Distribution Hitch". Just having the hitch can help with the weight and most also accept a "Sway" control shock that can be added.
Do your homework for this. Its easier than what it sounds.

 

[Podcast]

I've had the opposite situation. I had 2 Laramie's, one standard and one with the off road package. The "standard" suspension was the worst for towing my 26 foot camper followed next by the off road suspension. The off road suspension was stiffer and for whatever reason did not sway quite as much. I use the Tru Trac WDH with built in sway. It certainly helps. However I still didn't feel comfortable over 60mph. I bought a limited last fall and towed only twice with it. It was night and day difference with the air ride and it was not because of the load it was because of the sway control. The last trip I took was 3 hours and I comfortably drive 70mph the whole way in a cross wind not a bit of sway. I really cannot say why this is but I can say it factual. Possibly the level feature? I wouldn't think so since the numbers are all the same, hitch height, fender to ground, axle weights etc. All I can say is it does not sway like my other trucks did without the air suspension.

 

[jejb]

Daily Driver44 woke up an older post here, but I agree getting sway control with a WDH hitch is important. The owners manual for my WDH hitch with build in sway control says to switch off any built in anti-sway while towing with it. I assume because the two systems might fight each other?

 

[Fake-Account27]

Got to be the WDH setup, maybe it needs to be tightened up. Start with watching some youtube videos on your exact WDH and set it up from scratch again.

 

[Travelin Ram]

Another one post one day wonder.



I expect he never weighed the truck or adjusted the WDH. All he wanted was someone to affirm his decision to install airbags.

 

[quickster2]

The truth about weight distribution and trailers...proven!

#caravantowing #trailersway #trailersnaking #trailerweightsEver wondered what the effect of different weights in different places is on a caravan or other tr...

www.youtube.com

Check this video out. Very informative.