sway control w/ EQUAL-I-ZER 4-POINT SWAY CONTROL

[Little_Dinker]

Need some insight from you veteran RV'ers. My name is Timothy
I purchased a 2021 Silver Lake East to West 27KNS. It is 30ft long and weighs about 6,000lbs once I am loaded up to hit the road. I pull my RV with a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 Lone Star edition with the tow package. I purchased a Equal-i-zer 4-point sway control and had Camping World install it.
My concern is that when I am on the highway going about 60mph to 65 mph the "Big Rigs" seem to pull me in when they pass by me (going in the same direction). If I pass a Big Rig going in opposite direction and they are going at a high rate of speed I too can feel them pushing me around.
The other day the winds where about 30mph gusts and I was on an overpass and it caused my RV to sway for a second and I could feel it. Is that something I will just have to live with and the sway control is doing its job the best it can OR should I have my sway control looked at again for possible adjustments?
Watching videos on youtube people say that the equal-i-zer sway control work great.... so am I over reacting and should experience some kind of sway or do I just have too small of a truck for a 30ft RV? ***ATTACHED IS PHOTO FOR TRUCK AND RV**** Please share your thoughts as I want to feel more confident on traveling.
-td-

[njfishing]

What you’re experiencing is pretty normal IMO. About the only way to eliminate sway almost completely would be to purchase a much more expensive hitch like a ProPride.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Little_Dinker

Need some insight from you veteran RV'ers. My name is Timothy
I purchased a 2021 Silver Lake East to West 27KNS. It is 30ft long and weighs about 6,000lbs once I am loaded up to hit the road. I pull my RV with a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 Lone Star edition with the tow package. I purchased a Equal-i-zer 4-point sway control and had Camping World install it.
My concern is that when I am on the highway going about 60mph to 65 mph the "Big Rigs" seem to pull me in when they pass by me (going in the same direction). If I pass a Big Rig going in opposite direction and they are going at a high rate of speed I too can feel them pushing me around.
The other day the winds where about 30mph gusts and I was on an overpass and it caused my RV to sway for a second and I could feel it. Is that something I will just have to live with and the sway control is doing its job the best it can OR should I have my sway control looked at again for possible adjustments?
Watching videos on youtube people say that the equal-i-zer sway control work great.... so am I over reacting and should experience some kind of sway or do I just have too small of a truck for a 30ft RV? ***ATTACHED IS PHOTO FOR TRUCK AND RV**** Please share your thoughts as I want to feel more confident on traveling.
-td-

You need to confirm that the Equal-i-zer was properly setup, especially since CW did it.
There are tons of videos on the internet about installing the Equal-i-zer.

[lbrjet]

Make sure your socket bolts are torqued to the specs in the manual. The trucks are pushing you around which is not sway. A heavier truck would help with that. If your socket bolts are loose you will not have much sway control. The bars should be hard to move. This is where the sway control comes from, the friction in the hitch head from the sockets.

[ItsThe2ofUs]

As Dan says get it checked out. Better yet, download the manual and do it your self. You will learn a lot and be able to tune the hitch to your particular towing set up. In addition , Equilizer has a help line that will spend as much time as you need to help you understand how it works and why it is set up that way.

EQ-Owners-Manual_2016-06 (1).pdf

My experience with CW and that same hitch is what i am speaking from; the hitch setup was WACKO. And in my case it was critical ; I am towing a bit more than your weight but with a Tacoma; after a proper set up I am dead level end to end and all axel and other weight limits as well with in spec. Not the case when I left CW.

It is hard to say from the PIC but TV looks close to level but trailer is nose high.
Just to make a quick check; TV and trailer loaded for the road ; unhitch , level the trailer (NOT by bubble but measure the front and rear X-member dist to the asphalt; use the jack to make them equal ) back the truck to near the coupler , measure grnd to top of ball and the grnd to top of coupler. top of ball should be 0 to +1 inch above top of coupler socket.

[RandK-M]

Good advice from Ibjet on the socket bolts, they need to be torqued to the manual specs. However, those sockets are only half - 2 points of the 4 point sway control. The other 2 points are the friction on other end of the bars on the L-brackets on the trailer frame. That's where good setup comes in. The number of washers in the hitch change the angle and increase or decrease the amount of weight distribution. If the Equalizer set up wasn't done correctly, the bars may not be tight enough and have less friction. Camping world also likely set it up with an empty trailer which can make a difference.

The best thing would be to use the Equalizer manual to check the setup using measurements on the front and rear wheel wells. Although the feeling of being pulled in by passing big rigs is pretty normal, at least to a degree and something that takes getting used to. Your speed can make a difference also. I've found that slower speed decreases it some along with wind induced movement.

Ray

[ysidive]

Originally Posted by Little_Dinker

Need some insight from you veteran RV'ers. My name is Timothy
I purchased a 2021 Silver Lake East to West 27KNS. It is 30ft long and weighs about 6,000lbs once I am loaded up to hit the road. I pull my RV with a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 Lone Star edition with the tow package. I purchased a Equal-i-zer 4-point sway control and had Camping World install it.
My concern is that when I am on the highway going about 60mph to 65 mph the "Big Rigs" seem to pull me in when they pass by me (going in the same direction). If I pass a Big Rig going in opposite direction and they are going at a high rate of speed I too can feel them pushing me around.
The other day the winds where about 30mph gusts and I was on an overpass and it caused my RV to sway for a second and I could feel it. Is that something I will just have to live with and the sway control is doing its job the best it can OR should I have my sway control looked at again for possible adjustments?
Watching videos on youtube people say that the equal-i-zer sway control work great.... so am I over reacting and should experience some kind of sway or do I just have too small of a truck for a 30ft RV? ***ATTACHED IS PHOTO FOR TRUCK AND RV**** Please share your thoughts as I want to feel more confident on traveling.
-td-

This not simply normal... Check all your settings for the hitch and double check the adjustments... I had a similar situation and I made adjustments and it got much better, but I was still not completely assured that I had it right. I called equalizzer and explained the situation... They gave me a recomended adjustment and they were spot on... I now feel much more secure.... Calll Equalizer direct, they will try to help ;you.... If y;ou cannot do it yourself maybe they can recommend someone who can get it right...

[ItsThe2ofUs]

Originally Posted by ItsThe2ofUs

I am towing a bit more than your weight but with a Tacoma; after a proper set up I am dead level end to end and all axel and other weigh above top of coupler socket.

REALLY !! I meant to say Half the weight.
I wish the tacoma could do 6 grand.

Roger

[bikendan]

A newbie should never trust the dealer to setup the WDH correctly.

[Little_Dinker]

Thank you for the multiple replys. I gather from "yall" that I should not trust the dealership, read the owners manual, find a flat spot to set this up on my own, and use the customer help line. You are right, I need to learn to do it my self and be more keen on the set up of it. I want to optimize my sway control.
Again I appreciate the input and will put your suggestions to work.
Timothy D.
*lil_Dinker*

[moose074]

My dealer “ set up” my equalizer as well. I was new didn’t know any better. Had my trailer for 3 hours truck for 20 minutes. It didn’t matter on the first truck ad it was Ram 2500 CTD. My just over 9k loaded for trip trailer at 35’10 inches swayed but truck never felt it. When I switch a Tundra then an F 150 I did the adjustment on the hitch took me about 45 minutes to hour first time about 30 minutes third time. I re adjusted after the first day of towing with the Tundra in the campground. Both 1/2 tons rode level. Looking at your pick I say you have too much weight on the rear still. My 1500 has more tire clearance in rear than what I see in yours. The equalizer worked great for me never any sway that I felt. Even going over the Pat Tillman bridge during high wind advisory. The wind sock was stiff as a board and my knuckles white as could be but fortunately everything worked as it should and I was nervous over nothing.

[ItsThe2ofUs]

After tuning my equalizer i pull smooth and steady.

About the only thing that causes me a bit of sway is being passed by the 2500 HD with a 6" lift , 38's on 20" wheels with a 4" offset pulling a 35 foot toy hauler doing 85+ on I-15. Its not uncommon.
The sway is caused by me doing a bit of move to the right reflex action.

Roger

[brannon]

What moose said. I tow a 29 ft 6k with an F150. I need at least 700lbs tongue weight and level or slightly low in the front to tow well.

[Jcrow9]

All the previous about proper setup of the hitch is pure trailering gold.

Pulling a 30' trailer (is that actual LOA or living space?) with a half-ton truck can be a bit dodgy in windy conditions or when the big rigs whiz by, simply because the trailer weighs similar to the truck and the trailer has a lot of sail area. My first hardside was a 26' LOA TT and I was pulling it with an F-150 super crew (i.e. pretty similar to your rig). Things got sporty whenever I drove in gusty winds.

New TT is 36' LOA, new rig is F-250 crewcab diesel, which weighs at least another ton, and it is night and day different.

[GFD47]

Equalizer provides great sway control IMHO. I pulled a 28' 7,000# trailer with an F-150 until a few months ago and sway was not a problem...not true when the dealer installed the Equalizer...but after following the instructions and setting it up myself the sway was essentially gone.
The free ends of the bars have to be carrying enough load to provide good friction at the L-brackets, and the key there is multiple trial measurements of the front and rear fender-to-ground heights with different numbers of angle-adjustment washers at the hitch head. The lower the front fenders (within recommended limits) the higher the load on the free ends of the bars.

[awellis3]

Originally Posted by Little_Dinker

My concern is that when I am on the highway going about 60mph to 65 mph the "Big Rigs" seem to pull me in when they pass by me (going in the same direction). If I pass a Big Rig going in opposite direction and they are going at a high rate of speed I too can feel them pushing me around.

That isn't "trailer sway" in the truest sense of the term. If you pay close attention the next time you are in those situations and NOT towing, I bet your truck is affected by itself. Mine is. Those vortexes created by the big rigs can cause the most well balanced tow rigs to react.

[TXmerlin]

I have a 2012 Ram 1500 with the same equalizer and experience very little if any sway or movement when big rigs pass. TT is a 34 foot Freedom express weighing in at around 6700 lbs. I agree with all the above setup responses, but definitely take a look at tires both on the trailer and your Ram. I have load range E's on truck and trailer and air bags to make me feel better. If you have a lot of flex in your tire sidewalls it may contribute to the sway.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by Little_Dinker

My concern is that when I am on the highway going about 60mph to 65 mph the "Big Rigs" seem to pull me in when they pass by me (going in the same direction).

The "suck push" you feel is totally normal, as the bow wave of the truck hits the rear of the trailer pushing it towards the shoulder the front pivots toward the passing truck giving you that suck feeling. Doesn't need to be a semi some of the worst for me are box trucks.

Safe travels

[ItsThe2ofUs]

Another thing to consider with the Equalizer is that when setting up, the closer to parallel the spring bars and the TT hitch frame members are the better off you are.

So, getting the bars as parallel (by moving the perch up or down a hole) as possible with in the set up parameters is a course adjustment. Then play with the angle of the head to fine tune by adding or subtracting washers.

Roger

[Fork in the road]

It appears to me that your trailer is not riding level. It does not appear that your hitch was installed properly. I would take it to a reputable place and have it dialed in.