Excessive Sway

kodiak krusin · 07-14-2014, 10:46 PM

I took my camper on its first trip a couple weeks ago and noticed some sway when on the highway. I have the reece anti sway bar and load bars. I thought m issue was my big mud tires so I bought a set of factory take off wheels and tires with e- load goodyear tires. I went out this past weekend and the sway was so much worse. I was running 70psi in the truck tires and maxed at 65 on the TT. I am totally confused on why this is pulling so bad. Any ideas would be appreciated.

**wahoonc** · 07-14-2014, 11:34 PM

Did you reset the hitch when you changed the tire size? Is the hitch set up properly to begin with? The clowns at the place we bought our camper DID NOT set ours up correctly. I redid everything when I got home because they wanted to argue with me about the setup.

Aaron

kodiak krusin · 07-15-2014, 01:10 AM

I didn't reset my hitch. There wasn't much change between the 2 sets and I have air bags so I just aired them up and was setting level. I think the hitch is set up correctly, I will take a pic when I hook up this weekend if need be. the only thing I was wondering is if the anti sway bar can wear out? I got it from the guy I bought the TT from and it isn't new, don't know how old.

HornedToad · 07-15-2014, 01:24 AM

I had a Reese WD hitch with anti sway cams and when I went from an F150 2WD to an F250 4WD w/20 inch tires the trailer rode nose high and had a lot of sway. I adjusted the height of the ball to get the trailer level and got rid of the sway, in fact I found the best ride was with the trailer slightly nose down. When I traded my 26BH for a 32BHDS, I had to add air bags to get the truck level.

hddecker · 07-15-2014, 01:43 AM

You need to weigh your rig with it loaded and all the passengers, dogs, etc on board.

Ideally you want the same weight distribution ratio on your axles that you have when you're not pulling.

You can go too far on your weight distribution, transfer too much weight onto your front axle and the rear can become squirely.

When your towing on the Interstate do you feel every expansion crack in the seat of your pants. If you do you probably have your spring bars cinched too tight.

How is you steering? Rams are notorious for the steering box play, I don't know if they have resolved that or not. I installed a steering box stabilizer in my '07 3500 Ram and was amazed at how much difference it made in reducing the amount of steering input needed.

kodiak krusin · 07-15-2014, 02:16 AM

I have been wanting to weigh the whole set up. I don't think I have too much tension, I hook it up with my hand and don't even use a helper bar. My truck doesn't have a steering box, its rack and pinion. I feel every car and truck that passes. It pushes the camper and then transfers it to the truck. I see that some others are pulling this camper with 1/2 ton trucks and I wonder if this is normal. Thanks for the replys so far, have some things to look at.

birdlady · 07-15-2014, 02:59 AM

We pull our Kodiak 281RLGS with our F150, air bags installed and we don't get any sway. The truck and rig are pretty level. We sure get lots of compliments on our rig and truck. When we stop for doggie walks, gas or to just stretch our legs people have complimented us on the set up. Looks normal to me. The trailer looks really, really long when it is hooked up. When it sits in the RV area next to our home, it doesn't look that long. It is an illusion!

hddecker · 07-15-2014, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kodiak krusin

I have been wanting to weigh the whole set up. I don't think I have too much tension, I hook it up with my hand and don't even use a helper bar. My truck doesn't have a steering box, its rack and pinion. I feel every car and truck that passes. It pushes the camper and then transfers it to the truck. I see that some others are pulling this camper with 1/2 ton trucks and I wonder if this is normal. Thanks for the replys so far, have some things to look at.

Yes, I forgot that the 1500 has rack and pinion.

If your hooking the spring bars up by hand, it sounds like you not getting enough weight distribution then. Either that or your superhuman.

Until you weigh your set up and adjust the spring bars and adjust how your rig is packed if you have to, your shooting blind. Your owners manual should have a pretty detailed section on the towing setup. Once you get it setup and your happy with it, then you just pack and go, unless you make so significant changes to how your packing.

I just noticed in your orIginal post you say you have "reece anti sway bar and load bars", is that a friction sway control or the dual cam sway control. If it's friction than you may need to adjust the amount of friction.

kodiak krusin · 07-17-2014, 12:11 AM

I don't know if this is the correct way but the guy I bought it from told me to get the hitch just barley sitting on the ball then hook up the spring bars. He told me that's why you can do it without a helper bar. I will try one more link up this weekend and see and stop at my flying j on the way out to get a weight. It is a friction set up, I have the adjustment screw all the way in (tight). That's why I was asking if they will wear out. Thanks birdlady, that was one of the answers I was looking for. And thanks hddecker, I will let yall know what I figure out. I need to get something figured out with it.

kodiak krusin · 07-17-2014, 12:18 AM

I also have seen people talking about replacing the D load tires with E load on the camper. IS that a big difference maker? Maybe being able to get more air pressure in the camper will help???

hddecker · 07-17-2014, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kodiak krusin

I don't know if this is the correct way but the guy I bought it from told me to get the hitch just barley sitting on the ball then hook up the spring bars. He told me that's why you can do it without a helper bar. I will try one more link up this weekend and see and stop at my flying j on the way out to get a weight. It is a friction set up, I have the adjustment screw all the way in (tight). That's why I was asking if they will wear out. Thanks birdlady, that was one of the answers I was looking for. And thanks hddecker, I will let yall know what I figure out. I need to get something figured out with it.

I wonder if something got lost in the translation.

Once you figure out the weights and get the balance right, you will know which link you need to hitch. Then when your hooking up, you hitch your spring bars before you lower the jack, it makes it easier but I still needed the handle.

I didn't have the friction with my old Resse, but I believe that the fiction pad is replaceable.

hddecker · 07-17-2014, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kodiak krusin

I also have seen people talking about replacing the D load tires with E load on the camper. IS that a big difference maker? Maybe being able to get more air pressure in the camper will help???

I doubt going up in load range is going to help your sway issues that much, but more tire is never a bad thing. From my experience going from a E Load Range to a G made a difference in tire wear.

Much of that good be that my replacements are a better quality tire.

kodiak krusin · 07-24-2014, 12:34 AM

Well good news. I did some adjusting on the hitch and headed out last Friday and it was like pulling a whole different camper. I am very pleased with it now and don't think I will mess with anything else unless I see that it has changed over time for some reason. Thank yall for all the responses, its nice to have another "set of eyes". I still didn't weigh but want to before the next trip.

mictin2 · 07-24-2014, 01:41 AM

I am currently using a weight distribution set that was given to me by a friend, along with the same friction sway bar you are using. The friction anti sway bars do not work very well, even new. The best set up is the anti sway cam system. Before we bought our camper we researched many hitch options and spoke with as many TT campers that we could, the same was true with almost all the suggestions we got. We didn't buy the cam system only due to getting a free hitch. It can be tough to troubleshoot, there are a lot of factors that will cause these problems. The vehicle wheel alignment, the suspension, etc. Trick is to make small changes one at a time starting with the easiest. I to have been told that the trailer will handle better if it has a slight nose down position when in tow. When I started out I too was having sway issues, I tightened up the load chains 1 link and adjusted the hitch height to give the trailer the slight nose down, that took care of my issues. Good luck!

hddecker · 07-24-2014, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kodiak krusin

Well good news. I did some adjusting on the hitch and headed out last Friday and it was like pulling a whole different camper. I am very pleased with it now and don't think I will mess with anything else unless I see that it has changed over time for some reason. Thank yall for all the responses, its nice to have another "set of eyes". I still didn't weigh but want to before the next trip.

Glad to hear things are better.

kodiak krusin · 08-27-2014, 02:04 AM

Got another update. Talked the wife into letting me get a new truck. 2014 Ram 2500 crew cab short bed 4x4 6.4 Hemi 4.10 gears I haven't got to tow yet but will be headed out this weekend and ready to see how she does.

hddecker · 08-27-2014, 02:29 AM

Nice looking truck.

That would be my choice if I was in the market for a new truck,

ducmons · 08-27-2014, 07:01 PM

Congrats on the new truck!

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