You need to hook up to the new truck and load the trailer. Take it to a CAT scale and have it weighed. This problem may be as simple as a washer to tilt the hitchball forward to move weight.

When you move from one truck to another you need to setup the hitch for the new truck. You can't just assume it is right or even close. Here is some good info... http://www.rvtowingtips.com/hitch-setup.htm

Hub

 

I don't know much about the anti-sway devices, but he did mention that he "tightened the friction thing a couple MORE turns" when hooking up to the Dodge. Is there some other adjustment he needs to look into?

I would find it hard to believe that wheel base is the issue. He's going from a CC long bed dually Ford to a dually Mega Cab Dodge. I would guess that the difference in wheel base between these two is only a few inches, maybe a foot at most. That little of a difference between them is negligible when you already have such a long wheel base on them both.

As far as the hitch, I know there has been a lot of debate, but I'm not impressed with the factory Dodge hitches. It puts all of the weight on the very end of the frame and doesn't distribute it across a couple of feet like other hitches. It would not surprise me at all if this is contributing to your problem.

If you have a friend with a trailer, my suggestion would be to borrow it and see how it handles behind both the Ford and Dodge. This may help you pinpoint where your problem is. If that trailer handles well behind the Ford and not the Dodge, focus on the truck. If it handles well behind both, it may be your trailer causing the problem.

*****

 

When I mention hitch I am refering to his Ball and mount that goes into the receiver of the truck. Most weight distribution hitches have two adjustments to them. #1 is the up and down height of the shank which raises or lowers the ball. Then there is a adjustment that tilts the ball forward and back. If you turn your hitch over you can see there is a bolt that has washers and this makes the ball tilt forward to make weight triangulate towards the middle of the vehicle. You can add washers to it to make the ball tilt more towards the truck.

Sway controllers are just additional and minimize the oscalation from starting and creating sway. Essencially two kinds of sway controllers, friction and cam. The friction kinds are inexpensive and use a clamping force on a flat steel bar (these are usually lined with Brake Pad material) to keep the oscalation down. The cam style are usually prefered by people who tow alot. Reese makes a dual cam sway control system that is supposed to be the bomb but at 250+ for this is is not affordable for everyone. I don't own one because they cost too much.

Reguardless of what you do ALL tag trailers will sway at some point, some worse than others but ALL will sway.

Also you can control sway in how fast you drive. My toy hauler loves to be pulled between 65-68 mph, when I pull it faster it wags more and you are just fighting the wind resistance at that point. I have just gotten used to being passed on the Oklahoma turnpikes, which are 75 mph speed limit.

Hub

 

stezlaki - You've explained it well, in my opinion. I have a 24 foot enclosed car hauler (4,130# empty). I've towed it empty, fully loaded, mildly loaded, and overloaded. I have yet to put any kind of sway device on it. It doesn't have the slightest indication of sway at any speed up to 85 mph. My truck is a 2500 with a 155 inch wheel base (from memory), and you have a 160.5 inch wheelbase.

You have a long enough wheelbase that you shouldn't have this issue (IMHO) regardless of the hitch reciever design (attachment to the frame) or the distance from the rear axle to the ball (that's a moment arm that contributes to sway).

My initial guess is this. Ball height. Regardless of the fact that you say the two trucks have a similar ball height, each truck is going to react differently to a given high ball height. Meaning, if both trucks were running 25 inch ball height, the Ford may deal with it better than the Dodge. You've mentioned you've checked this, but I recommend you do the following.

Attach your trailer and measure to the top of the ball. I realize it will be covered by the hitch, but eyeballing it will be close enough for now. I think with the trailer hooked to the truck, the top of the ball should be about 19.5" off the ground. 19.5 inches will vary trailer to trailer, but I think trailer manufacturers target that height. Put a bubble level on the frame of the trailer (at the tongue maybe?) and verify that its pretty close to level.

Check that and let us know.

Other than that, I would guess truck tires next. I've never run Generals, and I forget if you said your truck is a dually. But the Michelin LTX's on a SRW were great for me. I'm now running Bridgestone Dueller AT Revo's (LR E) and they are great also.

If you're running a SRW with General's, that could be the issue, sidewall flex. But I have no experience with them ... they may be excellent tires.

- JyRO

 

Exactly my opinion also.........

All these guys talking about tires, axles, friction bars, etc are just bunch of self educated wanna-be haulers.

I have towed almost every kind of "TAG" trailer imaginable, and in my opinion, your trailer should track very very straight with that short of a length and that low of a weight, without a sway bar attachment.

DO check your BALL HEIGHTH!

Even if it is 1 inch too high, you are dragging that trailer and not towing it!!! Which will cause an unbearable sway at higher speeds.

Go find the lowest possible hitch there is available and drive to your hearts desire with no worrys.

 

Well, I think y'all are right. The Ford is going to a new home tomorrow so I went out tonight and measured some stuff. Unfortunately measurements were done in my sandy driveway and not on pavement or concrete, so not quite exact, but gave me a better idea. There is about a 2" difference in ball heights with no trailer (Dodge higher). The Ford "squats" less than the Dodge w/tongue weight of trailer (about 1.5" vs. 2"). SO...........the Ford ends up at about 1.5" lower than the Dodge, which, I guess, would at least somewhat explain the difference in towing. Evidently my eyeballs are crooked because I thought that the trailer was level with both, but evidently not.

The interesting thing is that the trailer is (as best I could tell in my uneven sandy driveway........have I mentioned that I hate sand? ) closest to level behind the Dodge. In other words, the hitch on the Ford was a little lower than level which would add more tongue weight as compared to the Dodge, even though the Ford had less "squat."

So, I think that probably answers the question as to why the sway exists with the Dodge and not the Ford, but now, what do I do about it? IF the Yamaha Rhino (~1100#) that we took on the last trip and loaded in front of the axles didn't add enough tongue weight to eliminate the sway at the current tow height, I don't think weight arrangement is going to solve things. It would appear that if I got a 2" lower drop ball mount for the Dodge that I would be in the neighborhood of the tow height that the Ford was at which may eliminate the sway issue. The thing about that option that I'm not sure if I like is that the front axle of the trailer will be taking a lot more of the weight than the rear and make tire problems etc. more of a potential issue. Or, do I just need to get one of the fancy weight distributing anti sway type hitches and keep the current (nearly level.......slightly nose low) ball height?

What would y'all do? Brisco, you say to get the lowest hitch available.........don't you worry about the extra weight placed on the front axle/tires?

Thanks everybody for your input!

 

stezlaki - I'm sure I'm not the most experienced tower on here. I'm probably in the top 10% though. But out of 111k miles on my truck, I would bet that more than half of it was with a trailer in tow. That doesn't take into account the other vehicles I've either owned or towed with.

You've done good to take a tape measure to your trucks, but your thought process is a bit of a tangent off mine. Let me explain.

First of all, I personally think if you were to get the empty ball height of the 2 trucks to be the same (a two inch drop on the Dodge?) that still may not fix the problem. The problem as I see it, is the relationship between the Dodge and trailer. The most important things here are what you've touched on. Weight distribution on the axles of the trailer, and ball height.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive about weight distribution because I have towed overloaded in my trailer a few times when I shouldn't have (won't do it again ... the axle alignment shop was too expensive ). I think the thing that saved me from scattering my trailer and contents over the interstate was that I considered loading the trailer evenly when loading it up, and putting as much weight on the truck as I felt safe to do. I digress.

I do not recommend that you compare the ball heights of the two trucks. Put your trailer on your Dodge, measure to the top of the ball, and tell us what that is. Put a level on the tongue (or maybe the floor of the trailer) with the trailer hooked to the truck, and tell us if you're anywhere near level.

I'm guessing you're towing front high more than you think. And that there are two issues coming from that. 1) The Ford dealt with the sway (and you didn't notice it) better than the Dodge. 2) The trailer is VERY sensitive to being towed front high. Lastly, I tow a little front high, mainly only with an empty trailer though, but my trailer doesn't have any sway issue. Axle geometry mean everything though. Perhaps your trailer has some toe issues. Do the tires wear even?

I just got through taking a Porsche 912 (a very small car, ~2,700 lbs) out to KC from AL. I could've towed at 100 mph and never had a sway issue. I always park a car where it is about 1 wheel diameter forward of evenly spaced over the axles. I've never had a problem like this.

Sorry for the long post. But I still think you should measure the height with the trailer loaded. If you did, sorry, I didn't understand your reply clearly.

- JyRO

 

I agree, JYRO - that's what I'm thinking.

Try to tow as level as possible, better slightly tongue/arch high than not. Lean towards more tongue weight than not.

I've towed many miles with a variety of vehicles (even at 90+ MPH for many miles breaking in the new Cummins - not saying that was OK ), and never had sway issues unless the load was back-heavy.

Also, I've found a rear sway bar to be a big help while towing.

 

Oh yeah, I just remembered. One time I hauled a reel type mower from Columbus, OH to Huntsville, AL. The most narrow part of it was the rear end, so I backed it into my trailer and I could only get the front tires (the bigger of the tires, like a zero turn mower) just to the wheel wells.

The majority of the weight was at the rear of the wheels wells, basically centered just aft of the axles. I did have some sway due to lack of tongue weight, but only when approaching 70 mph. So I ran 65 mph. That's the only time I had a sway issue.

 

Yeah because who needs to know about how to tow safe?

They way the tailer is loaded has no effect on the way it tows?, is this what you are saying? If you are going to take this advice, make sure you are insured to the hilt also because when you kill someone you will be sued.

This is an internet discussion forum and you should take this post with a grain of salt. Heck you should take my posts with a grain of salt as well but at least I offered some good information about setting up your weight distribution hitch for the new truck.

Hub

 

Hub, I do not disagree with you. I think the tires, axles, friction bars, etc. are important. But from my experience, I think the tow height and weight distribution are more influential to his problem. I have yet to hook to the biggest bumper pull trailer and need sway control. Maybe I've just been lucky to hook to good towing trailers. Dunno.

I also feel that with the size, weight, and length of my truck's wheelbase, I do not need weight distribution. If I ever did, I'd go get an MDT, because that would have to be one mammoth trailer. A long wheelbase not only helps you track straight and true while tractor trailers are passing you (for example), but also reduces the amount of weight taken off the front wheels with bumper pull trailers. I'm mighty glad I got a long bed. The point is, I've never needed sway control ... coupled with I've never had a sway problem, so I don't think a sway control device or friction bars would fix the root cause of the problem ... in this case. Axles, his should be as good or better than mine. Tires ... maybe. But start with tow height.

- JyRO

 

And I somewhat agree with you. If you read my earlier post I recommended that you start from scratch in setting up your hitch and trailer and not assume everything is the same from truck brand to another. The biggest thing is that people assume that the tag on a trailer stating it's weight is accurate. It is not.

Best thing for you to do IMO is load and weigh it. Am I saying that you need weight distribution and sway control? You won't know until you weight it. @ 7500lbs you tounge weight should be 10-15% of that weight so that is 750+ lbs on the ball.

I also agree with other people in this thread, though I do not post it cause it is just a waste for me to make a post saying I agree, when they said look at the ball height. I offered you a good website to look at if you decide to go to weight distribution and sway control. Let the Nay sayers say what they want about weight distribution and sway control but they sell tons of these things every year for a reason, because they work.

Hub

 

But shouldn't those be things you install & use after the other issues that cause sway have been addressed?

 

Ed Zachary! That would be my opinion also.

 

I am new to this forum, and just bought an 06 quad cab 2500 diesel, long bed. dry without towing, I noticed that the ride is a LOT mushier than my old Ford. going from the drive ontot he highway, the rear end waddles,a nd slops quite a bit more. The Ford is just stiffer. the Ford also has an anti sway bar on the rear axle, stock.
One thing I did not notice in the above posts is any discussion of a weight equalizing hitch. When I tighten up about 3 links on the chains, the whole system, truck and trailer both solidify. The ride improves vastly. the hitch moves some of the weight from the hitch (way back behind the rear truck axle) up to the front axle. Everything is level. truck, hitch, trailer tongue, trailer floor, equal stance on both trailer axles.

I have an anti sway device on the tongue, too, but some guys use two.
If I have to I will install an antisway bar on the truck.
The ball is fixed to ride level after tightening the bars/chains.
BTW, I bought the new truck because I have 148K miles on the Ford 3/4 gas 351. Way over half is with the trailer, a 30 foot Avion. It also not our first rig, so I have pulled a lot of miles on all kinds of roads, good and bad.
I didn't think I could pull to Mexico for the winter with that truck, so got a new rig.