Trailer Sway

[workmytractor]

I use a big tex 60CH car hauler to pull my Kubota MX5100 doing odd jobs around my area. My problem is I can't seem to get over 55mph before the thing starts swaying side to side. I was curious if I upgraded the tires to a higher load rating if it would help with the swaying problems? Have any on you guys experienced anything like that?

 

[Duffster]

Not enough tongue weight

To light of tralier

What are you pulling it with?

 

[dynasim]

Back it on. It looks as if the weight is right over the axle.

Chris

 

[MikeD74T]

Agreed, not enough tongue weight. Move it ahead 6-8", should be enough to make a difference. MikeD74T

 

[AKfish]

Agreed, not enough tongue weight. Move it ahead 6-8", should be enough to make a difference. MikeD74T

What he said... Looks like the rear axle's got more weight from the "squish" on the tires.

I had to re-center my JD110 TLB; 2-times, on I-5 just outside of Seattle... when it started to "wander" at around 55-60mph! Great fun in the middle of Sunday afternoon - everybody goin' home - traffic!!

Could only gently tweak the trailer brakes in order to avoid a possible "Jackknife" as I was slowing to bring it back under control.

AKfish

 

[Mace Canute]

Tongue weight is VERY important but tire pressure is important also. With that much weight on the trailer, having the tires at maximum pressure helps reduce side sway by a significant amount. Another thing to check is the load rating of the trailer tires.

 

[MikeD74T]

Tongue weight is VERY important but tire pressure is important also. With that much weight on the trailer, having the tires at maximum pressure helps reduce side sway by a significant amount. Another thing to check is the load rating of the trailer tires.

Thus the reason to shift the load forward. Tongue weight is weight off the trailer tires onto the tow vehicle tires.
BTW As AKfish pointed out - use your trailer brakes manually to stop sway before applying the trucks brakes. Getting sideways with your brakes locked ain't that much fun. MikeD74T

 

[workmytractor]

Sounds like a few good ideas you guys have brought to the table. I will try backing the tractor on and see how it looks. I really can't pull it forward too much due to the FEL. Also, I have been looking into getting some higher load rating tires. They are pretty hard to find around here for some reason. All of the tire dealers say they have to order em. I guess changing trailer tires is not big business.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

What's the trailer gvw? It looks like the 7k version, what's the tractor wieght?
Did you check tire pressure's on all 4 tires? Like the other suggested try redistributing the load. Are you running a weight distrubing hitch and brake controller? If you get into a sway situation again they say to lightly apply the trailer brakes only while accelerating. I know it feels counter intuitive to speed up but I've actually tried it an it works.

Matt

 

[workmytractor]

Not enough tongue weight

To light of tralier

What are you pulling it with?

I am afraid it may be to light weight of a trailer. It is only rated for 5875#s of actual weight it can haul. I think this is mainly due to the load rating of the tires. It has two 3500# axles with one being a brake axle.

I am pulling it with a F250 Power Stroke diesel with a flatbed set up...which brings another problem to the table. The flatbed was mounted too close to the wheels and I only have about 3-4 inches of clearance between the tires and flat-bed.

 

[radioman]

Your tractor is less then 4klbs so you have nearly 2k of working room for more weight. I agree you need to try to back on first and get the heavier weight towards the front. Also just judging from the first pic, I am not sure if it a optical illusion or what but the back is much lower then the front. Is that the same with the tractor off ? Perhaps your hitch is a tad too high in front causing some weight to transfer to the back axle? The front and back of the trailer should be nearly level with tractor off. when loading, you should be pretty level too. If you have exhausted these checks, then adding WD bars will help alot with the swaying feel but its not to eliminate the swaying. It just put more weight on the front of the truck from trailer to balance better. Adding a sway bar will definitely help but I believe you can make several tweaks of the way you load and adjusting the trailer levelness will help alot in short/long run.

 

[Smokin Diesel]

I am afraid it may be to light weight of a trailer. It is only rated for 5875#s of actual weight it can haul.

I have that same trailer. Keep in mind, that 5875# limit is the cargo+trailer. I don't remember the exact # off hand, but I think it's good for 4100# of payload or so. You've gotta be really close to that.

Nonetheless, an overweight trailer will only blow tires and wear the running gear faster. Like the others have said, sway is from having the weight too far back.

 

[Duffster]

Backing it on may work but might be to heavy on the tongue then.

 

[RWolf]

When I load a trailer with any cargo one rule I use is when I can back off to the side and the trailer and vehicle sit level traveling seems to be alot easier. One thing can happen is if the tongue is to high when brakes are applied the trailer will try and lift the back end of the truck. If the tongue is to low it will try and push down on the backend which in some cases will make your frontend raise which again you lose braking power.

I've had the experience with a load that was too far back of the axles. Unfortunately I couldn't rearrange the load as it was round bales. I almost lost the whole load/truck/trailer as it got real squirrely on me. A friend was pulling another load of hay behind me and told me that at one point he say the FRONT end of my truck. Lady luck was with me that day.

 

[taborekle]

When I load a trailer with any cargo one rule I use is when I can back off to the side and the trailer and vehicle sit level traveling seems to be alot easier. One thing can happen is if the tongue is to high when brakes are applied the trailer will try and lift the back end of the truck. If the tongue is to low it will try and push down on the backend which in some cases will make your frontend raise which again you lose braking power.

I've had the experience with a load that was too far back of the axles. Unfortunately I couldn't rearrange the load as it was round bales. I almost lost the whole load/truck/trailer as it got real squirrely on me. A friend was pulling another load of hay behind me and told me that at one point he say the FRONT end of my truck. Lady luck was with me that day.

I do a lot more RVing, (towing a camper), then I do towing my flatbed trailer and tractor, but in the RVing world, the primary tool for dealing with sway is a weight distribution system. You're weight is getting up there to the point where it might be better to invest in one. Simply shifting more and more of the weight onto the hitch has problems too, as you can easily exceed the hitch rating of the hitch. To much weight on the rear axle can also induce sway by lifting the front wheels, leading to loss of traction for the wheels that do the steering and help the vehicle track straight.

If you were to go with a WDH, you would have to be very consistent in how the load was parked on the trailer, as WDH's are tuned to the load and the tongue weight.

In the RV world, between 12% to 15% of the trailer weight should be on the hitch, if you're already there and it hasn't helped, then the next thing to look at is a WDH.

IMHO

Larry

 

[tractorsanmore]

Since your truck has a flat bed on it , does it have a gooseneck hookup , if it does I would go buy a gooseneck trailer , longer of course ....end of problems .

 

[Duffster]

I really can't pull it forward too much due to the FEL.

You easily pull tha tractor forward a good 1' to 1.5' by resting the bucket on the tongue.

That is how I haul mine.

 

[AndyMA]

Almost always when I haul I center the tractor rear wheel between the trailer tires. This puts most of the tractor weight on the 2 axles where it belongs. That picture shows the tractor way too far back. I don't think backing it on will work as the weight on the tongue will be way too high. Simple physics, my dear Watson...

Andy

 

[RickB]

Almost always when I haul I center the tractor rear wheel between the trailer tires. This puts most of the tractor weight on the 2 axles where it belongs. That picture shows the tractor way too far back. I don't think backing it on will work as the weight on the tongue will be way too high. Simple physics, my dear Watson...

Andy

Exactly correct. He doesn't need a heavier trailer so much as he needs a longer trailer so as to put the load where it needs to be. This is the perfect answer to all the posts from guys who measure their tractor and want to jam it on a trailer 6 inches (or less) longer.

My humble opinion is that weight distributing hitches are a crutch for those that can't or won't load their trailer with the proper percentage of tongue weight.

 

[flusher]

Since your truck has a flat bed on it , does it have a gooseneck hookup , if it does I would go buy a gooseneck trailer , longer of course ....end of problems .

Amen.