Blown around and sucked in

[howellma]

i pull a 31" tt with a 2017 F150 Ecoboost with Max tow package. I got pushed around a lot going to DW. Added a 2nd sway device but last trip we had really high winds all weekend. Got a 5hr drive planned next weekend to car show in Tupelo ms, looking to see some improvement, if not then i may be looking at changing hitches, i have the chain type wdh.

[amblt]

Originally Posted by UT_Grandpa

Wind is s blowing? Slow down. Wind pressure is given by the equation P = 0.00256 x V2, where V is the speed of the wind in miles per hour (mph). The unit for wind pressure is pounds per square foot (psf). For example, if the wind speed is 70 mph, the wind pressure is 0.00256 x 70 squared = 12.5 psf. The wind pressure at 50 MPH is 6.4 psf or about half that at 70 MPH.

On two lane roads I rarely tow in excess of 60 MPH and when I see an oncoming semi I increase the distance between us to decrease the hit coming from the front of the truck. As soon as the truck passes the vacuum off the rear of the truck will want to suck you towards the center line. Make any steering corrections very gentle or you could start a wicked sway with the push and pull effect.

West of my city lie the Bonneville Salt Flats and semis tip over out there when they get crosswinds of 40-60 MPH. If they are unloaded or lightly loaded they are better off exiting the freeway or hiding under a road overpass.

WDH really work but if you react by turning the wheel, they want to keep moving in that direction rather than straighten out. I had a flight instructor one time that watched my really fight to maintain a constant altitude in a small plane with up and down drafts. After a while he said the generally the ups and downs balance themselves out so just maintain a constant pressure on the yoke and life will be much better. I think the same rule could allpy to hauling a TT.

Thanks for the math- I figured the difference would not be linear.
I've been towing smaller TTs for years,- max 23', no more than 4000 lbs. I'm about to pick up a new (to us) unit, 32' and about 6300 dry. It will be dry, but I'm ready with a 10,000 lbs Curt hitch and my truck is rated at 7800 max. It will be a learning experience, I'm sure, but I'm looking forward to it. I will be more alert than ever for the crosswind possibility.
The other math I do know is: aerodynamic drag increases as the square of the velocity. Without any crosswind component to affect safety, I am always conscious of the effect of drag on my fuel economy. I can't see the benefit of cruising at a higher speed to save just a few minutes in a day's travel.

Cheers to all.

[goduc]

Originally Posted by howellma

i pull a 31" tt with a 2017 F150 Ecoboost with Max tow package. I got pushed around a lot going to DW. Added a 2nd sway device but last trip we had really high winds all weekend. Got a 5hr drive planned next weekend to car show in Tupelo ms, looking to see some improvement, if not then i may be looking at changing hitches, i have the chain type wdh.

Two friction plate sway devices are advised per MFG on TT's over 26'.
JMO but any of the WDH with built in sway control are better than those friction plates. Blue Ox or Equa Lizer are two of the better ones. Reese has a couple good ones as well.

[bcmcdonald]

We came across NM earlier this week. 3/4 ton HD towing a 21' Fleetwood. The wind was blowing moderately and pretty much every semi that passed pulled us in a little. Then one semi passed and actually pushed us to the right. As it passed on by, I noticed the airtabs up one side and down the other. I also noticed that there were none over the top as the mfg recommends. No biggie, just interesting.

[m2kamp]

With a 250/2500+ truck the effects of traffic/wind are greatly reduced compared to a 1/2 ton pulling the same trailer with the same hitch. The HD truck will always feel like it is in complete control.

Not to say you can't pull a big trailer with a 1/2 ton safely, just less comfortably and everyone's comfort level is different.

[lmiller63304]

m2kamp ... a Propride (or Hensley) hitch greatly helps us keep our trailer under control (no sway from traffic/wind) when pulling a 2018 Forest River Surveyor 33KRLOK with a 2017 Silverado 1500 with max towing and 6.2L V8.

[robbiels7]

Originally Posted by lmiller63304

m2kamp ... a Propride (or Hensley) hitch greatly helps us keep our trailer under control (no sway from traffic/wind) when pulling a 2018 Forest River Surveyor 33KRLOK with a 2017 Silverado 1500 with max towing and 6.2L V8.

I have heard those hitches are worth every penny. And lots of pennies at that.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by lmiller63304

m2kamp ... a Propride (or Hensley) hitch greatly helps us keep our trailer under control (no sway from traffic/wind) when pulling a 2018 Forest River Surveyor 33KRLOK with a 2017 Silverado 1500 with max towing and 6.2L V8.

That is the way to go if you want to tow a long TT but you don't want to own/drive a working truck and proves that it's the hitch set up that has the greatest influence in this equation.
Hensley or Propride eliminates the possibility of sway using geometry but they don't eliminate the forces of nature that CAUSE the swing.
Those forces are still there and the 1/2 ton pick up suspension have to deal with it and it does.
Increasing the stiffness of the suspension, increasing the weight of the towing vehicle and increasing the the wheel base by using a 3/4 - 1 ton pick up to tow less than 10000 GVWR are indirect ways to address the problem.
I towed a 6000lbs trailer with an SUV that weights 4500lbs and have a 111in wheel base for 12K miles and I didn't have a single sway event - never - because the WD was properly set up.

[Brewhedd]

Yep, new drw tow vehicle that is an upgrade from a 1500 made a lot of difference. Still use the Equalizer, there is no and I mean no sway. Plus ready for a 5th wheel in 2019.

[howellma]

Originally Posted by goduc

Two friction plate sway devices are advised per MFG on TT's over 26'.
JMO but any of the WDH with built in sway control are better than those friction plates. Blue Ox or Equa Lizer are two of the better ones. Reese has a couple good ones as well.

I have airlift air bags ordered, starting there, before I swap to the more expensive equalizer, hard to get that thru the budget un noticed!

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by m2kamp

With a 250/2500+ truck the effects of traffic/wind are greatly reduced compared to a 1/2 ton pulling the same trailer with the same hitch. The HD truck will always feel like it is in complete control.

Not necessarily. At a rest stop last year I was talking to a guy pulling a 30 footer with a 3/4 ton. He had an Equalizer on his rig and was complaining that he was having a rough time. In my case, I knew the wind was there but my complaint was about gas mileage.

On my way back from Florida a month ago, on the stretch going into Lexington KY, the wind was bad enough that it partially opened my front steps (I now bungee them). Yes, the wind was very noticeable, the trailer stayed dead straight behind the truck.

So I am VERY happy with my ProPride. And I'll mention that my 145" WB truck is pure stock, P rated tires, etc.

YMMV

[goduc]

Originally Posted by howellma

I have airlift air bags ordered, starting there, before I swap to the more expensive equalizer, hard to get that thru the budget un noticed!

Bags don't transfer weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBZu...ature=youtu.be

[howellma]

Originally Posted by goduc

Bags don't transfer weight.

I want worried about the weight, more the sag of the truck, and sway two step process to keep the cost under the radar

[robbiels7]

Not to long ago I was looking on line at extra heavy duty leaf springs and they were realy not that bad or a price. I was pricing 3500 short bed springs at 189.00 per side.