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Old 07-12-2016, 05:10 PM   #41
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My TV auto levels (not actually sure if it's bags or air shocks..haven't looked). I can also say from personal experience that it does affect hitch settings. To dial mine in, I had to hook it up and let the compressor lift the back end and then remeasure and make adjustments. With air bags, I'd hook it up and air it up to the desired level, then readjust from there.
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Old 07-12-2016, 05:32 PM   #42
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Originally Posted by GeeTee View Post
Youroo, if i let anymore air out the TV to make the TT level im going to sacrifice something else somewhere. The Truck will no longer be level.

Perhaps i should have the tow hitch lowered to compensate for the air suspension lifting the truck backside up? I dont know. But so you`re saying its as simple as my setup not being level and nothing to do with the bikes on the back perhaps agitating the sway or perhaps even the stock tires on the TT?
Haven't read all the posts . don't need to your to high in the front of TT for one . not enough TW . and i would run the tires at max PSI sonce you can't get a good reading once driven i would check again in the am . level TV is no as important as a level TT . plus you need a bigger TV
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Old 07-12-2016, 05:40 PM   #43
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Move bicycles to the front of the trailer. (or bed of the truck)
Level the trailer (or slightly nose down) at tow loads.
Probably all you need.

Except since I am the weight police so I would really advise a larger truck.
Still need to weight the tongue properly.
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Old 07-13-2016, 04:11 PM   #44
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Sway Control??

I didn't read all 5 pages (did skim through) and while there was a lot of talk about leveling/load balancing the trailer, I didn't see anything about sway control. I saw the friction plate mounts on the WDH but are they being used?

I had a Dodge 1500 when we first got our 28DBUD and it swayed like crazy with our WDH. I added a Reese Dual Cam sway control and it made a MAJOR difference. Passing trucks and wind no longer affected just the trailer, the truck and camper moved together.

I have since moved a (much) heavier truck and that made a great deal of improvement as well. With the Dual Cam set-up and F-350, I wouldn't hesitate to go anywhere
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Old 07-14-2016, 02:37 PM   #45
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Just my $.02 as well... What is the levels of your tanks? With a big old trailer comes (sometimes) bigger tanks... If they are somewhat filled they slosh and that is another several hundreds lbs goign from side to side and resonating with your already loosey goosey travels.
I checked before i left town and my tanks were empty. Its a brand new TT so i was kinda hoping there was nothing in there but tested to confirm anyhows!
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Old 07-14-2016, 02:44 PM   #46
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It is tough to come up with a solution over the internet.. Like my tank levels comment, the other thing I found is the better the WDH the happier one will be.. When running at / close or dare I say over weights the cheap WDH just did not please me. I started with a cheap ($200 maybe) curt set up that looks similar (not saying it is) WDH. It was loose and the friction sway controllers just never impressed me. I switch to a much better (IMO) setup with integrated sway control.
You could very well be right - the WDH i got from my old RV, that RV was 10yrs old already so the tech i guess too might be old. I have been looking at the newer WDH with integrated sway control too - some of those products look really great!! Im going to try and get mysetup correct as other have stated, measuring the TV, setting up the WDH so that the TT runs level is my top priority right now. I also want to get to a point where as others have mentioned that i can simply pump the bags prior to hitching, hitch the RV and know that my settings are going to be correct. I`ll get there, just need to mess around with the variables a little.
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Old 07-15-2016, 09:06 AM   #47
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I didn't read all 5 pages (did skim through) and while there was a lot of talk about leveling/load balancing the trailer, I didn't see anything about sway control. I saw the friction plate mounts on the WDH but are they being used?

I had a Dodge 1500 when we first got our 28DBUD and it swayed like crazy with our WDH. I added a Reese Dual Cam sway control and it made a MAJOR difference. Passing trucks and wind no longer affected just the trailer, the truck and camper moved together.

I have since moved a (much) heavier truck and that made a great deal of improvement as well. With the Dual Cam set-up and F-350, I wouldn't hesitate to go anywhere
I have 2 x Sway Control Bars on my TT and tried tightening them as much as they would go, to the point where they groan and squeel alot at lower speeds specially while turning. Actually wondered if i wasn't tightening them too much. It is the Husky product, so i`m not sure how well that product really works but i know for a fact that it makes a difference, for the better.
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Old 07-15-2016, 09:48 AM   #48
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Move the bikes from the back of the trailer to the bed of the truck.
I suspect your problems will go away.
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Old 07-15-2016, 10:06 AM   #49
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44 psi in TV tires also indicates they are 'P' tires; get you a good set of at least 6 ply 'LT' tire, that will make a big difference too
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Old 07-15-2016, 10:09 AM   #50
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I have the same TV and a similar sized trailer with WDH. I turned off the Sway Control on the TV because it was working against the WDH. Much better now in X-winds. You do not need a bigger TV. I usually carry only 20-30 pounds of air in the air bags. You need to air up the TT and TV to max PSI and readjust the WDH so the trailer is traveling level. Rear TV should be 1-2' lower than front. Measure at the bottom of fenders. Make sure that 10-15% of the trailer GW is on the hitch.

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Old 07-15-2016, 12:33 PM   #51
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Originally Posted by GeeTee View Post
I have 2 x Sway Control Bars on my TT and tried tightening them as much as they would go, to the point where they groan and squeel alot at lower speeds specially while turning. Actually wondered if i wasn't tightening them too much. It is the Husky product, so i`m not sure how well that product really works but i know for a fact that it makes a difference, for the better.
I've never used Friction Plate sway control but my neighbor does and he doesn't have good things to say about them. If you're not looking to upgrade your TV, I would advise you to look at sway control devices that prevent/deter sway rather than slow it down. The Reese Dual Cam worked for me or you can look at ProPride/Hensley type hitches - those REALLY make a difference towing.
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Old 07-15-2016, 05:29 PM   #52
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Get some weight on the hitch from what I see. Trailer should never be higher in front like yours.


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Old 07-16-2016, 11:05 PM   #53
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Think you've got good advice on getting the nose down, tongue weight, and other hitch adjustments. I'd bet those along with backing it down a few mph will take the scary out. The difference moving the bikes made was diagnostic of not enough tongue weight. As you bring the TT nose down you will pick up some tongue weight.

FWIW, Ford electronic anti sway seems good to prevent disasters but doesn't do much, if anything, for lesser calamities. Please also note that unlike Chevrolet Ford does not put a rear sway bar in the F150. Adding a sway bar (Hellwig 7705) to the truck made all the difference in the world with my slightly smaller TT. It now tows about like it did with my old Chevrolet, and when not towing it handles a lot better. It's a twofer. Dunno if/how air bags substitute for that.

Oh, and the aluminum block Ecoboost V6 and aluminum hood make the front end enough lighter that it's always a little squirrelier than a truck with a big old cast iron V8. After you solve the big problem it would be interesting to see what setting the WDH to add a hundred lbs to the front end would do for handling. I sure like the way the Ecoboost pulls. Great torque over a wide range.

Please let us know how you come out.
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Old 07-17-2016, 06:01 AM   #54
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Have pulled all type of trailers in my time. Most are longer and heaver than yours

When we used to travel all over with snowmobile trailers (4 & 6 place) and with different trucks we would park on a level lot. Then adjust hitch so the nose of trailer was 2" lower in the front.

This may not be politically correct but it worked for us for year.

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Old 07-17-2016, 06:20 AM   #55
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https://hensleymfg.com

This is the answer to all your towing problems!
I had one for nearly twenty years, moving it to each new trailer. I change to a fifth wheel lately and am using Hensley's BD3 air ride hitch, I was able to trade in the old one for about what I had paid for it back then, so for twenty years we used the safest hitch for basically free.
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Old 07-17-2016, 06:32 AM   #56
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Hey Guys

Purchased a 28DBUD a couple of weeks ago - TV is a 2014 F150 Ecoboost. I have had the Firestone Ride Rite air helpers installed to assist with the up and down bouncing, it keeps the TV and TT nice and level while going through dips and over bridges. I have a WDH installed and i have installed 2 Husky Sway Control Bars, read that a TT over 24' needs to have two, one isnt sufficient. And having had a swaying TT before i didnt want to go down that road again.

I distributed the weight of the items packed into the TT pretty evenly, less in the rear, not as much infront but more or less evenly in the axle area. I have done a rough estimate i am def not of the cargo cap of the TT either. The TT also has 180lb of bicycles hitched to the back of it.

The bed of the truck probably has about 300lb of tools, tables, chairs etc in it, plus 350lb of passengers.

Now, when there is absolutely no wind it tows OK except for when passing trucks, driving at 65-70mph. However, this ideal scenario only lasted about 100 miles. Wind started blowing a little (15mph or so) and traffic got heavier. I could in some instances almost not control the sway of the TT, so much so that the wife, said she wanted to get out the truck lol - admittedly, it did get pretty bad. I had a serious fishtail, even when cars werent passing me.

I stopped, checked all the tire pressures and dropped the ride rite psi from 60 (i always drove it like this) to 40 - it seemed to help a little. The TT was also running a little more level now. 200 miles later when the wind became more steady and what seemed like every single sedan made me sway uncontrollably. Stopped the TV, released psi in ride rite to 30 - almost perfectly even/level. I took the bikes off the back of the TT and chucked them into the back of the truck - best improvement yet.

Checked tire pressures as the TT tires seemed a little flat - 44psi on the money - these tires are stock on the TT - 6 ply if i remember correctly. Some Japanese make. I towed 1200 miles in two days - it was a long drive to say the least.

Oh yes, my sway control bars are as tight as they can go - when turning into gas station or slow corners they grunt and creek a whole bunch, so i think they are tight enough.

Ive seen others guys pass me with 1/2 tonns and they dont even have WDH or sway control bars and seem to be doing fine - am i missing something here? I need to try and get this fixed, cant drive home like this i`ll age 20 years easily.

Attached is what the TV and TT look like hitched and loaded.
First, I'll admit up front that I only read the first page of responses so I may be beating a dead horse here.
Second, congratulations on your new camper.
Third, I also tow with airbags, so may be able to shed a little light here.
The first thing you need to do is find a nice level place to work.
Know also that a light tongue is conducive to sway, so load as evenly as you can, but ensure the majority of the load is close to the axles with bias toward the tongue.
Completely deflate the airbags, then measure the rear bumper height from the ground. Add enough air to lift the rear bumper one to one and a half inches.
Ensure the trailer is nice and level, then measure the distance from the top of the coupler to the ground. Adjust the hitch so that the top of the ball is the same height from the ground.
Now attach your bars. Adjust the angle of the hitch head so that the tips of the bars are about six inches from the ground.
Measure the height of the front bumper from the ground, then attach the TT to the hitch.
Measure the height of the front bumper from the ground again and note any increase in height. If anything, it'll likely be less than an inch.
Set the weight distribution bars to bring the front back down to level and lift the tongue back to the original height (level). If the bars are not parallel to the tongue, or have too much tension on them, adjust the angle of the hitch head to bring the tips of the bars up a bit.
This should get you set level all across with the weight properly distributed. However, you really need to weigh your rig at a CAT scale (or similar) with everything loaded for camping (including passengers, WD bars, and bicycles). Get the truck weight, then truck and camper without bars attached (lay them in the bed of the truck), then truck and camper with WD bars attached. Ideally, you want your tongue weight to be right at 13% of the trailer weight, but 10 to 15% is a good range.
The thing with airbags is they are intended to provide extra support for the rear of the truck to overcome sag. But if you attach a load and then set your weight distribution system, then add air to the bags to level the rear up, you are negating the weight distributing system. If you don't want the rear of the truck to sag under load (who wants a saggy rear?) you have to adjust it beforehand in anticipation of how much sag the load is going to induce, then distribute the weight of that load to the front of the truck and the axles of the trailer.
Lastly, are you sure the trailer tires should be inflated to 44 psi? I haven't seen it all, by any means, but most tires of this size are at least 50 psi.
Good luck!
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Old 07-17-2016, 06:33 AM   #57
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Attachment 114312

https://hensleymfg.com

This is the answer to all your towing problems!
I had one for nearly twenty years, moving it to each new trailer. I change to a fifth wheel lately and am using Hensley's BD3 air ride hitch, I was able to trade in the old one for about what I had paid for it back then, so for twenty years we used the safest hitch for basically free.
Donald, are/can you say that a TT that is loaded "Improperly" that being" 0 to Very Little TW" and Heavy on the Rear would Tow "Just Fine" with a Hensley? Youroo!! PS what Rally are you at Now?
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Old 07-17-2016, 07:11 AM   #58
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Donald, are/can you say that a TT that is loaded "Improperly" that being" 0 to Very Little TW" and Heavy on the Rear would Tow "Just Fine" with a Hensley? Youroo!! PS what Rally are you at Now?
To answer your question I'd have to admit to doing that and the answer is YES I have towed with the Hensley with the nose high ( early mistake, put the shank in upside down). Never really had a weight problem loading, just pack it all in.
I'm at a "rally re-hab treatment centre" will be ok to go to Goshen though.
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Old 07-17-2016, 07:21 AM   #59
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Hope the "Rehab" goes well! So with the" Hen" owners don't even care what the TW is? Youroo!!
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Old 07-17-2016, 08:57 AM   #60
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In the scope of WD systems, not counting pro pride/Hensley types, they all the the same thing. They use bars to distribute the tongue weight.

Some have various friction points to aid in sway control.

And contrary to the dual-cam hype and marketing, there no "stop it before it starts -vs - after". They are all using friction in one fashion or another to control sway.

Having said all of that, although the WD systems with sway control are nice, nothing beats a good old anti-sway bar. It brings to the table more friction than any WD system can on its own.

Proper trailer loading and WD setup should be done first though.


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