Truck front end “swim”

[Toppans]

Hi everyone, not sure if I have a problem or not. We changed out our hitch to an Andersen WD hitch. We have made two short trips, one an hour away and another two hours away. With everything hitched up and ready to go the truck is level and the camper is just about level, maybe a little nose high. My problem is the truck feels different when on the road than our old WD hitch with the heavy bars. The front of the truck seems light, like it sways or swims. I don’t have control issues but it doesn’t feel right. I have the truck and trailer loaded the same way as we did with the old hitch, but do I have the trailer loaded wrong for this hitch? Do I need to move more weight to the front or back of the camper? We have a 2018 24WS Roo and towing with a 2016 Silverado 1500 tow rated at 9200 pounds. Thanks for your input and help!!

[HangDiver]

There are other forum members smarter than I about your issue. But a couple things that seem obvious to me:

1) A trailer that is nose high may not have enough weight on the hitch. Personally I like a trailer that is perfectly level or a tiny bit nose low;

2) You said your truck is level, but a better solution would be to have the front of the truck at the same height with and without the trailer hooked up. That is, the WD hitch is connected properly if the front fender height is nearly the same, with or without the trailer attached.

My .02

[dblr]

Sounds like not enough weight to the front wheels you might need to readjust to find the spot that works best for you.

[Chuck_S]

You've distributed any weight from the rear to the front axle.

Ya gotta measure the truck's height unloaded and then with the trailer connected. Easy at the wheel wells, just get a yard stick. Both suspensions must compress. I'm betting your front is not lower when connected which means you've taken weight off it.

"Level" is meaningless. You need to bring the truck back to what it was unloaded which is seldom "level."

You can replace the rear shocks with steel struts (OK, rubber thingies in the springs) and the rear end will stay "level" and not accomplish a thing regarding proper weight distribution.

Trailer frame should be level or slightly down at the front. Up at the front will unload the truck rear axle (and brakes) in hard stopping events.

-- Chuck

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by Toppans

Hi everyone, not sure if I have a problem or not. We changed out our hitch to an Andersen WD hitch. We have made two short trips, one an hour away and another two hours away. With everything hitched up and ready to go the truck is level and the camper is just about level, maybe a little nose high. My problem is the truck feels different when on the road than our old WD hitch with the heavy bars. The front of the truck seems light, like it sways or swims. I don’t have control issues but it doesn’t feel right. I have the truck and trailer loaded the same way as we did with the old hitch, but do I have the trailer loaded wrong for this hitch? Do I need to move more weight to the front or back of the camper? We have a 2018 24WS Roo and towing with a 2016 Silverado 1500 tow rated at 9200 pounds. Thanks for your input and help!!

Why the switch to the Andersen ?? If I may ask.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Without numbers from a scale....you have no clue where or how the weight is being distributed.

[Oaklevel]

Personally I doubt that the way the trailer loaded is the problem. I have never had to worry about a camper, my box trailer yes.

But without knowing more I think the way the WDH set up is the issue.

I would take the rig to a CAT scale weigh it with and without the WD set up and with the truck solo and see what is going on. Be sure to use all 3 scale pads.

Good Luck.!!

[cmac7203]

I have an Andersen. TV Ram 2500, TT 8500 LB. no problem leveling. OTHER issue is returning enough weight back to front axle. The sweet spot for Andersen is 7-8 threads showing AND 1/4” or so bulge on bushing. You MAY need to take up a link on the chain to ensure BOTH conditions are met. That should return most or all of the weight back to front axle. Another person on here runs with 9 threads when he goes heavy.

[Chuck_S]

Without numbers from a scale....you have no clue where or how the weight is being distributed.

Sure you do.

The springs will compress/decompress as weight is transferred to/from them. Again, if the front suspension does not compress no weight is being added. And, of course, of the front suspension de-loads you took weight from it. A $2 Walmart yard stick will provide the relative answers.

-- Chuck

[jkoenig24]

I'm sorry I don't have a solution for you but DO continue to listen to what your truck is "telling" you and also to the seat of your pants re the ride.

[SeaDog]

The nose up or down position on the trailer is addressed by adjusting the ball height of your hitch as compared to the trailer coupler height with the trailer level. Most WDHs want the ball to be about 2" higher (unloaded) to the coupler height.

The light feeling in the truck may be caused by not transferring enough weight to the front axle. As has been said measure the height of the front wheel well unloaded and then adjust your hitch arms to bring the front back to that same level or close.

[myredracer]

Your TT has a GVWR of almost 7K lbs. TW could be around 800 lbs or more. I have heard many state that the Anderson WDH doesn't work all that well above 600 lbs. Seems like a heavy TT for 24' long.

Best thing to do is go to a scale with truck & trailer fully loaded for camping including a full tank of fuel and figure out how much weight is actually being transferred back onto the steer axle. Based on what you describe and my own experience, it sounds like the there isn't enough weight being transferred.

It *might* just be that you would be better off with a WDH that has spring bars along with a friction sway bar. Integral sway control would be even better too. Could be too little TW. What tires on the truck? If P type, you want LT ones. What pressure in the TV tires?

[rlh1957]

The truck should not feel light or squirrely. How do you know that it was installed and setup right??
I mean really are these guys all trained and experienced enough to know every hitch, every time vehicle and rig that will be pulled?
I would search out from Anderson who is authorized installer in your area that they certified to install and setup rigs.
Something isn't set up right. Sometimes you need WDH and airbags to get it level.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Toppans

Hi everyone, not sure if I have a problem or not. We changed out our hitch to an Andersen WD hitch. We have made two short trips, one an hour away and another two hours away. With everything hitched up and ready to go the truck is level and the camper is just about level, maybe a little nose high. My problem is the truck feels different when on the road than our old WD hitch with the heavy bars. The front of the truck seems light, like it sways or swims. I don’t have control issues but it doesn’t feel right. I have the truck and trailer loaded the same way as we did with the old hitch, but do I have the trailer loaded wrong for this hitch? Do I need to move more weight to the front or back of the camper? We have a 2018 24WS Roo and towing with a 2016 Silverado 1500 tow rated at 9200 pounds. Thanks for your input and help!!

A few things...

Your truck (which I think is identical to the 2017 version -if not this doesn't necessarily apply) was tested under SAE J2807 for understeer and trailer sway. Your truck was given a weight carrying receiver rating of 800..no wdh (wdh is required with a trailer above 7k) and weight distributing rating of 1250. Which means there was no adverse handling with a tongue weight of 800lbs with no wdh.

Now, before some folks get their undies all twisted, I'm not suggesting you tow without a wdh. Whether or not it tested fine at 800lbs on the tongue without a wdh not everything can be accounted for in the world and your trailer is near the limit. What this means is that 800lbs on the tongue did not cause any handling issue during testing so even without a wdh it should not be squirming. I'm not of the camp that you are light on the front axle. If you have a long wheelbase truck 800lbs on the tongue is only going to remove about 300lbs on the steering axle with no wdh.

It worked with the old hitch. Your vehicle passed SAE J2807 with 800lbs tongue weight without a wdh. Anything else change? If nothing else is different but the hitch that would point a white hot spotlight on the hitch setup. I don't like the tongue high part in your post (that would be the first thing I would correct...Was the last hitch (which actually worked) tongue high?