Travel Trailer Towed By 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 Bounces Uncontrollably

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Question:

Ive been camping with RVs for close to thirty years, and Ive never experienced trailer bounce like this in the past. We were sold a Equalizer Weight Distribution System and had this professionally installed. We started out towing this RV Coachmen Freedom Express 259FKDS with a 2020 Chevy Colorado, and decided it was unsafe due to the bouncing / swaying of the trailer that led to loss of vehicle control at times. We decided to move up to a 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Custom with a total towing capacity of 9300 lbs. The distribution was checked again and found to be within specification set by the manufacture. Im still experiencing trailer bounce and swaying when going over 55 MPH even with the bigger truck. Swapping vehicle was a big improvement over the smaller pickup truck, but there is still noticeable issue here. Both the manufacture, and the installation crew of the weight distribution system have suggested to move stored items around in the RV. The problem is there is not really anything to move around. The entire kitchen and the majority of the storage is in the front of the trailer, so Im not sure if this is adding to the problem, and we really dont have a lot of weight in this trailer. Any suggestion that could alleviate the bouncing / swaying of the RV so I can at least go over 50 MPH? Do I need a different distribution system, something added to the truck, or to the trailer? Thanks

asked by: Dave C

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

I spoke at length with my Equal-i-zer representative regarding what you have going on.

We came up with a few possibilities, some or a combination of several will likely be helpful in eliminating the bounce.

I believe the rear suspension of your truck is the likely root cause of the issue that you're experiencing. Years ago, 1/2 ton trucks had a standard leaf spring suspension. Good for towing, not so good for a nice ride quality. Back then, not everybody and their brother drove a truck like they do now. However, due to customer demand/complaint/comments, the decision was make to make the suspension of 1/2 ton trucks more 'car like'. This is great for comfort and ride quality, but not so good for towing trailers with heavier tongue weights like your Freedom Express which has a TW between 700-800 lbs.

I'd also revisit how the weight distribution system is set up. Typically when setting up you'll measure the front wheel well height of the vehicle without the trailer hitched up to arrive at a 'starting point'. Then the trailer is hitched up, and the wheel well height is measured again. The system is adjusted, trying to get the front wheel well height back to the 'starting point'. According to my Equal-i-zer rep, removing a washer or decreasing the weight distribution provided by a small amount can help with the bouncing you experience. Also, when you determined the tongue weight rating of the system you needed, was the weight of gear stowed behind the axle in the truck bed taken into account? That weight should be considered tongue weight. When the tongue weight was determined, was the travel trailer loaded up as you'd typically have it when traveling?

Now let's discuss the trailer's tongue weight. I agree, in a travel trailer there's not much latitude for moving things around, but if you're traveling with empty or nearly empty water or propane tanks, your tongue weight might be lower than you realize.

I believe upgrading the stock shock absorbers on the rear of the truck would be the necessary starting point.
We don't carry shocks for passenger vehicles, so I don't have a specific recommendation but going with a quality shock from Bilstein, Rancho or Fox would improve the towing performance of your truck. I'd recommend doing a Google Search on 'Best towing shocks for 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500' and doing some research. Don't just look at manufacturer sites or magazine or blogs, check out forum discussions as well. Forums are where you can hear actual user reviews and opinions, which you'll likely find the most helpful.

Please let us know how it works out!

expert reply by: Mike L

1

Travel Trailer Towed By 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 Bounces Uncontrollably

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