Dan_K

I'm not really sure what I need, or what each one does so I'll explain what happend.

I have a 3500 srw 4x4 cummins.
I tow a 25' enclosed v-nose snowmobile trailer 27' with tounge, 7k# gvw, but probably weigh 4500-5500# as it's not fully loaded.

This trailer tows fine locally, and on short trips, but I do head up to MT, ID, WY during the winter which sometimes net me 2k+ miles. My problem is, when I'm out on the open hiway and I jump into the passing lane to pass a semi truck, I've experienced the trailer sway back and fourth. This doesn't always happen, but it is sporadic and I have to prepare myself everytime I pass a truck. The trailer has clips welded onto the tounge (installed at the factory) which I just found out yesterday are for a WD hitch.
What does the WD hitch do? The truck doesn't even squat with this trailer, and I've loaded the sleds in different locations to try and find the sweetspot, but that does nothing.
Give me some insight,
thanks,
Dan

Springer

You need a sway control system of some sort whether its just a friction bar or the Reese Dual cam sway control type. I have had both on my 30 ft TT and my 24 ft Car trailer and the Dual cam is by far the superior set up. Dont need to unhook it when backing and makes the TT and the truck seem like one unit .

A weight distributing hitch works by distributing the weight evenly to the axles of the truck. this site will give some very usefull info http://www.mrtruck.net/wdh.htm

hubmonkey

I have the friction type and kinda wish I had gotten a Reese Dual cam for the specific reason Springer stated. You don't have to get out and take it off to back the trailer and in tight turn situations.

Here is another site with some good tips on hitches and towing tips...

http://www.rvtowingtips.com/hitches.htm

EDIT: for horrible typing.

Hub

ptgarcia

I run the 1200 lb Reese Straight-Line Trunnion Bar System to pull my 10,000 lb GVWR travel trailer. It is a weight distribution and sway control system and works really well. You would probably want the 1000 lb bars.

staarma

I have this exact setup for my toy hauler. Once you get the right load set you can't tell it's even back there. Best I've owned hands down. Be careful as you can get the backend of the truck a little loose with the wrong setting. Don't ask me how I know.

GAmes

With a trailer that light you shouldn't need a W/D set-up. My opinion is your tongue weight is less than 10% of the total weight. That will cause sway almost every time. If you are only experiencing slight sway when you encounter the bow wave off a semi (either passing or being passed) get used to it. That is the biggest downside of bumper pull trailers and srw pick-ups. A sway bar will help, but not eliminate it.

PupleDiesel

A WD system is just what it says - weight distribution. This distributes the trailer tongue weight over all axles and if properly adjusted makes for a level ride. Sway control will help with what you are having problems with. Don't ignore it or get used to it, just enough sway can cause loss of control. I could tell of people pulling trailers that lost truck and trailer, some walked away, some were covered and transported away. Friction or cam is your choice, but cam is nicer because you don't have to remove it to "park" the trailer.

Dan_K

I'm not talking about a little sway, its white knuckle, let off the accelerator and hope it settles down instead of cause an accident.
I moved the load foward; over the axles; behind the axles; one in front of the other, and it doesn't change (except behind the axle is a no no). I do alot of backing up so it looks like I need the cam setup.
Thanks for the info,
DK

ptgarcia

Dan,

When the trailer starts swaying, don't decelerate, just reach over and manually apply the trailer brakes. That will snap the trailer back into line.

Good luck!

GAmes

That isn't the impression I got from your first post. If you are getting "white knuckle" sway, with the weight properly distributed, but only occasionally, then something is loose or the axles are not inline. I pull a lot of different bumper pull trailers of all types. I get a nudge from passing trucks, the worst if the wind is from my left and the trailer is long. At no time am I white knuckled. It is just an annoyance that requires a slight steering correction. Until you find the cause, even a sway control won't fix your problem.

falstaff

I sure like the Eqaulizer WD/Sway control hitch. Works great and you do NOT have to disconnect the anti-sway control to back up the trailer like the Reese and others. Plus its cheaper, I paid 299.00 (free shipping, no tax) from rvwholesalers.com

ptgarcia

You don't have to disconnect with the Reese. I never do.

Machinos

My setup was the "round bar" kind, where the bars slide up into cylindrical pockets in the special hitch. Also had the little mini-ball for the sway control, which is GREAT. I screwed up one of my WD brackets when I accidentally backed up into a gigantic hole at a truck stop (along with my bumper) so I did a lot of driving without the WD. Sway still wasn't a problem with the sway controller on there, but it definitely rode better and just "felt" better with the WD hooked up.

I put over-leaf air bags on my truck because the WD really didn't help much with the rear ride height of the truck (this is just a half ton), but like I said it helped a lot for the general feel and handling. And the sway control is just awesome.

surfram

I run a 1000/10000 equalizer hitch. It combines weight distribution and anti-sway in one easy to setup package. I have towed approx. 2,000 miles this year and the equalizer has worked perfectly.
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/

TrueBlueInBak

The ONLY reason why I have the WD hitch is for sway control, which seems to work very well on my setup. I have the 1000# EZ Ride with my Weekend Warrior Superlite trailer that has a gross of 8000#. The truck can more than handle the trailer with or without the WD hitch, but I was mostly concerned about sway, which is a problem going down Interstate 8 out to the desert from San Diego. The pass almost always has winds in excess of 35 mph which blows my trailer around like a fart in a hurricane. The sway is a HUGE help!!