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Old 04-05-2019, 08:11 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by retcsm View Post
Hello Fellow RVers,
I have an issue and looking for some help. I have a 2019 Catalina Trail Blazer 29THS Toy Hauler. I pull it with a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi 4x4. We've had this TT for almost 2 months and taken it out 4 times. twice with my HD 2011 Road Glide Ultra, and twice garage was empty. The MC weights about 980 lbs.

We are very happy so far except for trailer swaying. I am white knuckling on all highways. I have followed many U-Tubes on setting up my hitch. I have the difference from empty to full load to 1/4 inch. The hitch is rated at 14,000 and tongue weight to 1,400. I don't drive over 65 and mainly stay at 60.

What can I do to reduce the sway.
I have the same trailer. I have a 1500 Sierra Crew 4x2 with max tow pkg. Payload sticker is 1960#. I have not weighed the tongue yet, but manufacturer stated 1230#. I have towed 4 times also. Twice with my 900# bike and twice with garage close to empty. It definitely tows better for me with the bike in the back (less tongue weight). My dealer setup a Husky Centerline HD 1400/14,000 WDH with my bike in the trailer and it tows very well. I believe the fresh water tank is partially under the garage, rear of axles so that would most likely not add much weight to the tongue. I doubt you are "tail heavy" as some have speculated. If the 29THS was, then putting a 1000# in the garage would make it worse. I have had zero swaying approaching white knuckling. Try tightening the WDH one more notch and return the front of truck to original and see if that helps. You have less payload than me and a different hitch. Adjusting or replacing the WDH is a lot cheaper than adding payload (2500 series)
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Old 04-05-2019, 09:14 PM   #22
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Over payload? Factory hitch weight plus 13% of the load weigh plus all folks, extra options, the dog, cooler. Fuel, the hitch weight, anything in the bed. I guess you at #2100 or more. Find out for yourself. Cat scales are everywhere. Weigh just the truck fully loaded.

Long trailer. The trailer they towed to test was 20’ long, 7’ wide and 36” high with aerodynamic fairings, not a 10’ x12’ x36’ box.

Light truck. Mass makes a difference. Bigger tires are better.

Maybe a $3,000 hitch might help. I have doubts. More payload too.

A high wind perpendicular to the truck at 70 mph might Be scary. Passing tractors on a two lane highway. When that happens the truck sort of shimmies.

Any sway is not ok. It is going to be a white nuckle type trip.

A 3/4 ton diesel is underrated. A half ton is not.

I,hope I am wrong.
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Old 04-06-2019, 07:26 AM   #23
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Weigh your trailer and measure tongue weight with and without the MC. Without those 2 numbers, everything is a guess at this point.

I would invest in a Sherline scale.
https://smile.amazon.com/Sherline-LM...s%2C203&sr=8-3
What he said ^...get a scale.

A toyhauler is an entirely different animal and each one is unique. The large cargo capacity combined with where you place the load in reference to the axles on the trailer can make a huge difference in how it feels. The very high dry tongue weight on this unit was most certainly engineered this way because your trailer has all of the garage aft of the rear axles, this will make it more difficult to balance. I think the manufacturers are doing this to make the trailers look better to 1/2 ton owners and its not a great idea to add weight behind the rear axles...the greater the distance from the axles the more that weight will pivot, applying side force to the tongue...which affects the truck negatively. (I've seen from 950 to 1500lbs on the tongue of my toyhauler and some of my garage is above the axles). As suggested moving or adding weight to the front of the trailer will likely help how it tows with the exception of not having enough truck to handle the added tongue weight. The tires on the rear of your truck while possibly up to the rating may be adding to the problem by allowing side flex.

Do you have the four corner air suspension?...without it the Ram is pretty soft in the rear with its coil setup which will not help. A good friend at work added higher rated coil springs, a stiffer sway bar and better shocks to his Ram because he didn't like the wobble...his trailer is not even close to the weight of yours.

Anyway, you have your work cut out for you trying to force this to work and my personal experience tells me longish trailers and tongue weights above 1000lbs are much better handled by HD trucks (3/4 and up). You talked about getting another truck and I think this would be best...make sure you open the door while shopping and inspect the payload capacity as some 3/4 tons (diesels) won't have much better payload numbers than your truck.

Good luck.
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Old 04-06-2019, 08:07 AM   #24
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I you don't have a one ton dually diesel, you can't tow a Radio Flyer wagon safely.
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Old 04-06-2019, 08:09 AM   #25
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Just spoke to my dealer about my 29ths. He reports he has sold 2 other units this month and both customers echoed my feeling. This particular unit tows better with the weight in the garage. Most likely engineered with that in mind.

Using the manufacturers weights, I know, not exact, this trailer is carrying 17% of it's weight on the tongue. By most accounts that is above the suggested percentage. Move weight off the front of the axels and it will tow better. In my case, 1000 pounds in the garage seems to really smooth things out.
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Old 04-06-2019, 08:39 AM   #26
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Originally Posted by alb2tpa View Post
Just spoke to my dealer about my 29ths. He reports he has sold 2 other units this month and both customers echoed my feeling. This particular unit tows better with the weight in the garage. Most likely engineered with that in mind.

Using the manufacturers weights, I know, not exact, this trailer is carrying 17% of it's weight on the tongue. By most accounts that is above the suggested percentage. Move weight off the front of the axels and it will tow better. In my case, 1000 pounds in the garage seems to really smooth things out.
I wouldn't be inclined to believe much of anything from an RV dealer...In my shopping experience of every dealer within reach of me, I found one person that had a clue.


It's possible that being near the limits of weight for the 1/2 ton tow vehicle that the high tongue weight is inducing some issues softening the rear of the truck (forcing it to wiggle) but there is no escaping physics...If loading the garage takes weight off of the tongue of that 36 foot trailer, that is putting this unit much closer to 10% tongue weight when loaded. Not the direction to aim for decreasing sway...and the adding of weight (1000) behind the trailer axles with less weight on the tongue is just begging for a nasty pendulum effect.
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Old 04-06-2019, 08:51 AM   #27
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Sounds like a need for for either a Hensley or a pro-pride, either of these two hitches will not control sway, they totally eliminate sway.
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Old 04-06-2019, 11:33 AM   #28
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I suggest you find a local shop that specializes in trailer hitches and ask them what they think.

I did a Google search...looks like a couple places in Pensacola (not UHaul).

https://www.yellowpages.com/search-m...h-installation
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Old 04-16-2019, 02:29 PM   #29
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I have a similar truck sort of, (2014 Ram 1500) and tow a 26TH Trailblazer. Has 1000 lbs of tongue weight and I don't have your problem (except the usual pull-in and push-out of passing semi's and high side winds). I think your tongue weight is too high. I have 500 lbs to play with and you have none. I sympathize with you because adding heaving toys does nothing to lighten my tongue weight and I think it's because of tandem axles vs a single axle with more distinct pivot point.

Alb2tpa points out that adding rear weight helps you guys` model TH. Max tongue weight for my truck is 1500 lbs. Your setup is WAY over max tongue weight.

I only get sway if I go 70 mph. So, I need a 2500HD. ...and so do you.
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Old 04-16-2019, 02:43 PM   #30
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I fill fresh water tank pulls better than when empty even with or without my tryke in it. and thats pulling with a 3/4 ton truck
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Old 04-16-2019, 03:28 PM   #31
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I have a similar truck sort of, (2014 Ram 1500) and tow a 26TH Trailblazer. Has 1000 lbs of tongue weight and I don't have your problem (except the usual pull-in and push-out of passing semi's and high side winds). I think your tongue weight is too high. I have 500 lbs to play with and you have none. I sympathize with you because adding heaving toys does nothing to lighten my tongue weight and I think it's because of tandem axles vs a single axle with more distinct pivot point.

Alb2tpa points out that adding rear weight helps you guys` model TH. Max tongue weight for my truck is 1500 lbs. Your setup is WAY over max tongue weight.

I only get sway if I go 70 mph. So, I need a 2500HD. ...and so do you.
Thanks for the response. The only point you made that seems incorrect to me is, "adding weight rear of the axles does nothing to reduce tongue weight." I stupidly forgot to hook my 2300 # cargo trailer up to my TV. It made my 300# tongue weight go to zero as it went 3 feet up in the air with the trike starting to load. Extreme example I know, but it proved tongue weight changes. Also saw a Shureline tongue weight scale video. Guy had a video camera on the scale as he and his 3 buddies went into the rear of the trailer. Tongue weight dropped with each guy entering and moved rearward. I will be hauling with the bike in the rear as well as every extra item I can easily put back there.
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Old 04-18-2019, 10:00 AM   #32
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rear weight

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Originally Posted by alb2tpa View Post
Thanks for the response. The only point you made that seems incorrect to me is, "adding weight rear of the axles does nothing to reduce tongue weight." I stupidly forgot to hook my 2300 # cargo trailer up to my TV. It made my 300# tongue weight go to zero as it went 3 feet up in the air with the trike starting to load. Extreme example I know, but it proved tongue weight changes. Also saw a Shureline tongue weight scale video. Guy had a video camera on the scale as he and his 3 buddies went into the rear of the trailer. Tongue weight dropped with each guy entering and moved rearward. I will be hauling with the bike in the rear as well as every extra item I can easily put back there.
Undoubtedly physics proves you are right, but with the 26TH I can load a 750 lb ATV or a golf cart without the TV hitched up and my TH doesn't flinch. The 26TH doesn't have much length from the rear wheels to the ramp door. Plus when I load a toy in the hauler, the front wheels are over the back axle of the tandem axles. The front wheels are up to the sink (leaving a little rear space to protect the patio screen in case the load jostles rearward).

FYI, I love that TH, just wish I could tow a boat behind it.
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Old 07-01-2019, 03:02 PM   #33
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Hello Fellow RVers,
I have an issue and looking for some help. I have a 2019 Catalina Trail Blazer 29THS Toy Hauler. I pull it with a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi 4x4. We've had this TT for almost 2 months and taken it out 4 times. twice with my HD 2011 Road Glide Ultra, and twice garage was empty. The MC weights about 980 lbs.

We are very happy so far except for trailer swaying. I am white knuckling on all highways. I have followed many U-Tubes on setting up my hitch. I have the difference from empty to full load to 1/4 inch. The hitch is rated at 14,000 and tongue weight to 1,400. I don't drive over 65 and mainly stay at 60.

What can I do to reduce the sway.
I have the same trailer. Just came from the scales 7/1/19. Truck and trailer were loaded with 95% of the weight we will be carrying on a 10 week trip. My motorcycle in the garage and 200 pounds misc in there too (1000#). The numbers were surprising. Namely the tongue weight. Coachmen says dry tongue is 1220#. The scales said I was at 920# tongue. Did the three step weighing and used the cat scale utility program at Towing Planner - towing capability calculators That is only 10.5% tongue weight. So, either Coachmen is wrong on the weight, or this trailer's garage weight reduces the tongue by 30%, which is more than many have noted on other trailers. Reason I am sharing this is if you have too much weight in the garage, your trailer may actually be too light on the hitch. Take the time to load truck and trailer up and find a local scale.
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Old 04-19-2023, 10:53 AM   #34
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I know this is an older thread, and some have moved on from the 29THS, but what was the final consensus. My wife and I are looking at this model, to be towed with a 3/4 ton. Is there a significant difference towing with a toy vs without? Our intent is mostly to tow without, but will use it with a toy at some point.
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