Troubleshooting Sway on Trailer that Starts at 65 MPH

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Question:

Hello, I do appreciate the answer from expert yesterday. In review I needed to describe the issue with instability as porpoising in dips and unstable steering feeling.Very slight side to side trailer sway but sway is not the primary concern. Camper trailer is Aliner pop up 1500 lbs dry and 2000 lbs loaded. TW is less than 350 lbs depending on load.Put 150 lbs of sand bags in the rear with empty water tank in winter. Also to balance out the combined weigh of bike and rack at 100 lbs on the tongue. Truck is 4WD Chevy Colorado 2017 and the 2016 trailer has less than 10,000 miles so worn suspension is not the problem. Truck rated max 500lbs tw and 7000 lbs tow capacity. The trailer tongue is constructed of 3x2 inch material.Which WD hitch system would you recommend for light weight trailer. Need as much ground clearance as possible for getting into remote camping sites on unmaintained forest service roads in southwest. thanks,

asked by: Tony R

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

If you are getting persistent sway at 65 mph a weight distribution system will not be the correct solution. You most likely either have not enough tongue weight or a worn out suspension component that is causing the sway. Does it seem to be any different when you take out the sand bag? Is there any combination that allows the trailer to tow better like with or without water, or with or without the sandbags. Is the trailer sitting level when loaded? Sometime a nose high trailer will have issues like what you described as well.

Check out the suspension of the trailer though as well to see if there's anything worn out that could be causing the sway. Look for excessive play of the components where they all attach to each other or other obvious signs of wear and movement.

expert reply by: Jameson C

1

Tony R.

10/15/2019

Hello, I do appreciate the answer from expert yesterday. In review I needed to describe the issue with instability as porpoising in dips and unstable steering feeling.Very slight side to side trailer sway but sway is not the primary concern. Camper trailer is Aliner pop up 1500 lbs dry and 2000 lbs loaded. TW is less than 350 lbs depending on load.Put 150 lbs of sand bags in the rear with empty water tank in winter. Also to balance out the combined weigh of bike and rack at 100 lbs on the tongue. Truck is 4WD Chevy Colorado 2017 and the 2016 trailer has less than 10,000 miles so worn suspension is not the problem. Truck rated max 500lbs tw and 7000 lbs tow capacity. The trailer tongue is constructed of 3x2 inch material.Which WD hitch system would you recommend for light weight trailer. Need as much ground clearance as possible for getting into remote camping sites on unmaintained forest service roads in southwest. thanks,

Jameson C.

10/15/2019

I see what you mean now, and yes a weight distribution system will help with the sag and porpoising you are experiencing when towing so let's get you setup with one. Since ground clearance is a concern for you the best style of bars is the trunnion bar systems as they provide the most clearance, but to pick out the best system you need to base it off of the loaded tongue weight of the setup. Now the loaded tongue weight also includes the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle. But assuming you have 350 lbs of tongue weight like you mentioned the best system is going to be the Equal-i-zer part # EQ37060ET which has a tongue weight range of 200-600 lbs and due to how well it performs and how durable it is it's the best option for you. Many consider the Equal-i-zer systems to be the best so this I know you'll be really happy with this kit. Also it has the best ground clearance due to how close it holds the spring bars to the truck frame. You will also need a thin walled socket # ALL643216 to install the included hitch ball but with just these two part numbers you'd be set! I attached a couple review videos for you to check out as well.

Answer 1

Hello John, thanks for reaching out. We do carry parts for the Equalizer weight distribution hitches, and we actually have exactly the part you are looking for. What you will need is the Inner Link Plate #EQ90-02-5210 and outer link plate…

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Answer 2

I recommend selecting one of our Equal-i-zer weight distribution hitches. Equal-i-zer has earned the reputation of being one of the best systems available with their excellent quality and durability to last. You will need to select one of the hitch…

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Answer 3

You will need the Curt Custom Wiring Adapter #C51458 for your 2023 Ram 1500. This will allow you to connect your Hayes Engage Trailer Brake Controller #HA81760 to the factory connector under the dash.

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Answer 4

Welcome back Don! The Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System w/ 4-Point Sway Control item #EQ37120ET is exactly what I would recommend using. This is a solid reliable system and the built in sway control will make a noticeable improvement in ride…

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Answer 5

Welcome back Belinda! The Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch w Sway Control - 4" Drop/Rise - 16K GTW, 1.6K TW #AN33VR may work for towing your Grand Design Imagine XLS23LDE with your F-250. However, when we tested it a while back, we didn't…

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Answer 6

Hey Steve, thanks for reaching out. The Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System #EQ37120ET fits trailer frames up to 6" tall, so your 5" frame height is no problem. The only issue is the 3" width of your frame since the included bracket…

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Answer 7

Welcome back Jim! The 1,000 lbs Tongue Weight Scale item #BTBRV004 is going to be the correct Big Truck Big RV scale for your 4,000ish lbs 2025 Casita 17' Spirit Deluxe trailer. You could also go with the item #BTBRV99FR which is the same 1,000…

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Answer 8

Hi Chandler! I see you already placed an order, but I still wanted to get you an answer to your question. The Equal-i-zer Weight Dist Shank - 12" Long - 7" Rise, 3" Drop - 600 to 1,400 lbs TW #EQ90-02-4100 is for a 2" hitch. The…

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Answer 9

There sure is K.C.. For a shorter weight distribution shank that fits a 2-1/2" hitch, I recommend the Equal-i-zer item #EQ90-02-4700. This shank measures 12" long x 9-1/2" tall. It provides up to a 3" drop and has a 16,000 lbs…

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Answer 10

There's a couple key differences between the Equal-I-Zer Weight Distribution systems #EQ37121ET and #EQ37100ET that you referenced. The biggest being that the tongue weight range is different. The part #EQ37100ET has a range of 600-1,000 lbs and…

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Answer 11

Hey Richard, thanks for the information! Your EQ-356 measures 6-1/8" wide by 2-1/2" tall so the Dexter E-Z Flex Equalizer Kit item #K71-654-00 is going to be a bit taller at 5-5/8". It'll work, however you may see a slight addition…

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Answer 12

Since tongue weight is approximately 10 to 15% of the trailer's fully loaded and ready to tow weight, let's start out with the premise that your Imagine 2500 RL has a tongue weight between 800 and 1100 lbs. In that case, I can highly…

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Troubleshooting Sway on Trailer that Starts at 65 MPH

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