Reduce sway

[dhargray]

Hi, I have a Forest River 320 BH 37 Foot long using 2017 F150 and a Blueox system. I still feel sway when windy. Should I add a Blue Ox brake pad anti sway friction bar ?

[doc73]

When do you feel sway? Just driving, getting passed by a semi, high winds?

[upflying]

Do you have the weights on your setup?

[B and B]

Change to LT tires and that will make a huge difference.

[pilotpip]

That's way too much trailer for a half ton unless you have an HDPP. Even then, I'd want a 3/4 ton.

I'm towing what's in my signature. Same basic truck, but my trailer is more than 10 feet shorter. Driving today in a 20mph crosswind I felt it. I felt semis pushing me as they passed me. But I stayed under control and comfortable.

Your trailer is going to have roughly 800 square feet of surface sitting at the end of a very long lever arm pushing you all over the place, and your camper probably weighs several thousand pounds more than my 6500 pound camper. I'll get bashed for being weight police, but that's fine.

What are the specs of your truck? What is your max gross vehicle weight, and the payload on the yellow sticker in your door jamb?

What is your specific model trailer? Forest river makes a ton of trailer brands but none that are specifically "forest river". What's the max gross of the trailer if you haven't had it weighed? How do you have the load distributed through the trailer? Do you have the hitch adjusted properly? That's where I'd start and I have a feeling the truck will be overloaded by a large margin.

Are you using any sort of sway control now?

Do you have P rated tires? LT would be the first upgrade I do if your truck is capable.

[dhargray]

Originally Posted by B and B

Change to LT tires and that will make a huge difference.

What tires would you recommend for 20 inch rims ?

[dhargray]

Originally Posted by doc73

When do you feel sway? Just driving, getting passed by a semi, high winds?

Hi, what tires would you recommend for 20 inch rims?

[rsdata]

I have these tires on my '14 RAM 1500

Michelin LTX Defender M/S

Costco currently on sale, lifetime free rotation and balance and road hazard insurance too

after 40,000 miles I love them, quiet and sure footed in the rain...

[dhargray]

Originally Posted by pilotpip

That's way too much trailer for a half ton unless you have an HDPP. Even then, I'd want a 3/4 ton.

I'm towing what's in my signature. Same basic truck, but my trailer is more than 10 feet shorter. Driving today in a 20mph crosswind I felt it. I felt semis pushing me as they passed me. But I stayed under control and comfortable.

Your trailer is going to have roughly 800 square feet of surface sitting at the end of a very long lever arm pushing you all over the place, and your camper probably weighs several thousand pounds more than my 6500 pound camper. I'll get bashed for being weight police, but that's fine.

What are the specs of your truck? What is your max gross vehicle weight, and the payload on the yellow sticker in your door jamb?

What is your specific model trailer? Forest river makes a ton of trailer brands but none that are specifically "forest river". What's the max gross of the trailer if you haven't had it weighed? How do you have the load distributed through the trailer? Do you have the hitch adjusted properly? That's where I'd start and I have a feeling the truck will be overloaded by a large margin.

Are you using any sort of sway control now?

Do you have P rated tires? LT would be the first upgrade I do if your truck is capable.

I have a Feedom Express Ultralite 320BHDS 2018 year model

[B and B]

Originally Posted by dhargray

What tires would you recommend for 20 inch rims ?

https://www.michelin.ca/en/ltx-a-t-2.html

LTX A/T2

Have had these on 3 Trucks. Great towing tires, even use in snow and ice in Canada!

I run these on my F 350 and tow 18,000 lbs

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by dhargray

Hi, I have a Forest River 320 BH 37 Foot long using 2017 F150 and a Blueox system. I still feel sway when windy. Should I add a Blue Ox brake pad anti sway friction bar ?

37 foot unit... F-150.... windy... you feel sway... yes you will feel sway.

you can try every do dad that you want to stop 'sway', but it will only mask what you 'think' you have.

You end up with a false confidence of safety.

You will end up (and are right now) being a hazard to yourself, your family and everyone else and thing around you.

Slow down, before you or someone else regrets it.

[Chuck_S]

Fishtailing (the real term) is primarily improper weight and balance. Not enough weight on the ball (or pin). 10%-15% is required and I tend toward 15%. Until you know the weights you're guessing.

If you want to spend your life driving on LT (truck) tires just for those few times you tow the trailer go for it but P-radials filled to maximum sidewall pressure will have much less squirm and can run normal pressures when not towing. A little experimentation with pressures will show what's needed (I run about 5 psi over normal in the rear when towing). But weight and balance remains critical.

-- Chuck

[RACarvalho]

For a such long camper, my first take would be a Hensley hitch.
If not:

1 - Measure the truck front distance to the floor and make sure the front of the truck is at the same distance when the WD is engaged .
2 - Have Sway control that is capable to handle the mass.
3 - Make sure the camper is traveling level.
4 - AirTab Vortex generators eliminate the semis push when they are passing....

[rsdata]

LT rated tires have more sidewall plys ( maybe only a higher rating) which makes a stiffer sidewall much less prone to sidewall flex which contributes to sway in a trailer.

Heavier tongue weights help also, but P tire sidewall flex with a heavy tongue weight will induce sway in the rear of the truck.

ALSO upping a load range on the trailer tire will also stiffen the trailer sidewalls which will also reduce sway in the trailer...

When I replaced china bomb Westlake C range with D range Endurance tires tracking and sway on my trailer noticeably improved. Comparing the carcasses of both tires impressed me that Endurance tires are much heavier construction with much stiffer sidewalls.

[Four22]

LT Tires are a must. The micheline LTX M/S tires are what I ran with a 37 footer and a 150.

Make sure your hitch is set right too. that makes a WORLD of difference

with the hitch set right it towed very nicely but wind pushes ANY 37 foot rig around.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

You will end up (and are right now) being a hazard to yourself, your family and everyone else and thing around you.

Annnnnnddddd here we go.

[upflying]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Annnnnnddddd here we go.

And the OP has avoided my question about the weights of his set up, maybe he doesn't want to know. And yes I know, I am pushing mine as well.

[B and B]

[Four22]

Originally Posted by upflying

And the OP has avoided my question about the weights of his set up, maybe he doesn't want to know. And yes I know, I am pushing mine as well.

and its people that "push" their soap box opinion that ruin the purpose of forums.

PLEASE don't turn this into RV.net where you cant ask a question about anything without getting beat up by the weight police.

[dhargray]

Originally Posted by B and B

Change to LT tires and that will make a huge difference.

I have the choice of the following tires to go the LT

Good Year 285-55-r20 adventure. Or

Convert to

Good Year 275-65-r18 LT TYPE

What would you suggest?