Trailer sway

[gordon]

If you added a weight equalizing hitch that would help the too much tounge weight problem. You could also add a friction sway at the same time. Here is a link to reese products--- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.reeseprod.com/>http://www.reeseprod.com/</A>--- more info there than a little bit.

You NEVER want to tow with a light tounge! It's an accident waiting to happen.

Gordon

 

[gordon]

Well said as always Bird! That is what I was trying to get across in my post as well. But yours sounds a heck of alot easier to understand./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Gordon

 

[Scott_in_WVA]

The more I think about it and the more I read the posts.I think the bottom line is I have outgrown my trailer and should start looking at a 20' trailer where I would have ample room and be able to park my tractor centered over the wheels and still have room for my implements.With everything I haul it is just getting to crowded.

 

[njrqs]

<font color=blue>You NEVER want to tow with a light tounge! It's an accident waiting to happen</font color=blue>

Yep you see it all the time here. Trailers tipping over and can can bet they were tail loaded and on a vehicle too small.

Once that tail starts wagging it's all over red rover ....................(Unless you have manual trailer brakes but again, that is treating the symptoms not the disease )

Cheers

 

[Inspector507]

Ummmm........buy a TRUCK.......just teasing/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Scott,

Iv'e had similar excessive sway experiences to yours with my 8x16 enclosed trailer and my brother's 6x10 trailer. I was moving back to NC from NJ in the fall of 1999, and I purchased the 8x16 trailer to save some money on the move. I made round trips every other weekend with a load on the return trip. I got a lot of towing experience (550 miles each way)with loads that varied in both weight and weight distribution. With one of my heavies loads, I had a near miss with disaster on I-81. My Surbuban suddenly and without warning began swaying with increased amplitude! I managed to save the situation by applying the electric trailer brakes only. That increased the swaying frequency but decreased the sway amplitude and finally stopping it. Scared the heck out of me! I'm sure a better load distribution would have helped, but after that harrowing experience, I wanted a sure fix! For me the most secure fix was getting a load levelling hitch including a sway damper. Total cost was about $350 3 years ago and is the best $350 I've ever spent! I found it totally eliminated any tendency to sway.

I hope this is helpful.

 

[Rowski]

/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif....Are you sure that was a TRUCK??......... just kidding/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif.

 

[JackIL]

Scott,
I agree with your conclusion that you need a longer trailer.

On the other hand you may or may not need to "center" the tractor over trailer wheels. The whole idea is that the center of gravity of the combined weight of the trailer and its load should be a little in front of the center of the wheel pattern of the trailer wheels. This puts some down force on the hitch ball and as others have noted it should typically be around 10 - 15% of the total weight of the trailer and its load. You could actually weigh the tongue weight on a platform scale, but in practice what you do is to look at the hitch ball as you are driving the tractor onto the trailer. As you are partially loaded, the hitch will be trying to pick the back of your truck up. Continuing forward with the tractor you will eventually see the tongue start to move downward. Once it is starting down it is a trial and error process to determine just how far to go. The trailer will be stable in towing as long as there is a downward force on the tongue. However, if you get too much down force the front of your truck will become light creating another steering and stability problem. This calls for installation of an "equalizing hitch" prior to loading the trailer.

It consists of two bars under tension between the truck and the trailer on either side of the ball. The pretensioning in the bars creates a torque that tries to raise the back of the truck and the front of the trailer when the load is not on the trailer. Then when you drive the load onto the trailer and increase the downforce on the hitch ball, the pre-torque in the opposite direction works to keep the trailer and the truck chassis as level as it can. One of the most common suppliers of this type of hitch is a company named Reese, and many people refer to the generic equalizing hitch by calling it a "Reese Hitch."

My trailer is 18 feet long and has tandem axles. I could not possibly tow it loaded with my tractor and equipment without having the equalizer hitch installed. Depending on what implements and attachments are being hauled with the tractor, the final position of the tractor itself relative to the center of the trailer wheel pattern will vary in order to get enough tongue weight.

 

[jtn]

Detach the mower and lift it into the bed of your truck with your FEL. I used to do this with a 5' Woods R105 and a full-size long bed truck. The only drawback is one side of the mower will rest on the wheel well inside the bed but it will also add balast to the truck.

I currently have a TC45D with FEL and a Land Pride 6' cutter. To fit this on my trailer, which is 16', I back up on the trailer until the cutter tail wheel is practically on my rear bumper. Then I raise the ramps and rest the FEL on the ramp supports. I may emphasize that this is by no means the best solution and is for SHORT DISTANCE only. If I were moving my tractor/mower any real distance I would need to get a 24' fifth wheel trailer.

JT

 

[vongiese]

Scott - you've heard it here - weight forward will eliminate your sway.
mike WVU '84