Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-20-2019, 04:54 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
trailerdude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 264
2104s wants to sway

So I very carefully set up my WDH so the trailer is level and truck is level. It's a Curt hitch with add on single side friction sway. The bars are 600 lb so I do think they are too light. The tow rig is a 2018 Armada 8500 lb tow rating, 850 lb tongue weight rating. It looks perfect but it wants to sway and makes driving not real fun.
I got the Haul Gauge app and ran the numbers today (pretty slick app) truck is 6000, trailer is 6000 tongue weight 875, that's 14.5% . With the WDH hooked up the tongue drops to 425, the markers for setting WDH in the app show it's very close to ideal front to back.
I wonder if heavier bars would make any difference. Another question: Not sure how tight to do the friction sway, do you crank it pretty tight?
__________________
2020 Rockwood 2104s towed by 2018 Nissan Armada. Curt WDH with sway, portable 150 watt solar, Home made window evaporative cooler
trailerdude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2019, 05:13 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,288
Quote:
Originally Posted by trailerdude View Post
So I very carefully set up my WDH so the trailer is level and truck is level. It's a Curt hitch with add on single side friction sway. The bars are 600 lb so I do think they are too light. The tow rig is a 2018 Armada 8500 lb tow rating, 850 lb tongue weight rating. It looks perfect but it wants to sway and makes driving not real fun.
I got the Haul Gauge app and ran the numbers today (pretty slick app) truck is 6000, trailer is 6000 tongue weight 875, that's 14.5% . With the WDH hooked up the tongue drops to 425, the markers for setting WDH in the app show it's very close to ideal front to back.
I wonder if heavier bars would make any difference. Another question: Not sure how tight to do the friction sway, do you crank it pretty tight?

What about tire pressures on the Armada? Very similar to my Titan.

Check to see if your tires are XL's and have a max inflation pressure of 41-44 lbs. Whichever it is, inflate them to max. Ride will be harsh when not towing but if you tow just using the door post tire pressures it could be the cause of your sway problem. If you want to keep some semblance of a comfortable ride start by inflating rear tires only to their max.

Don't worry about your 4WD because the rear tires will be more heavily loaded and the rolling radius will probably be the same as the front's with less pressure and load. Also, chances are you aren't engaging the 4WD anyway and if you do it will be only on slippery surfaces where everything equalizes anyway.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)

"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"

2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change)
TitanMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2019, 09:50 PM   #3
MarcKc
 
Lyrd44's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 56
Quote:
Originally Posted by trailerdude View Post
So I very carefully set up my WDH so the trailer is level and truck is level. It's a Curt hitch with add on single side friction sway. The bars are 600 lb so I do think they are too light. The tow rig is a 2018 Armada 8500 lb tow rating, 850 lb tongue weight rating. It looks perfect but it wants to sway and makes driving not real fun.
I got the Haul Gauge app and ran the numbers today (pretty slick app) truck is 6000, trailer is 6000 tongue weight 875, that's 14.5% . With the WDH hooked up the tongue drops to 425, the markers for setting WDH in the app show it's very close to ideal front to back.
I wonder if heavier bars would make any difference. Another question: Not sure how tight to do the friction sway, do you crank it pretty tight?
In 30mph cross winds? As tight as you can crank it. That's WHY its adjustable. Seriously though, start about half way tight. If you still get sway after a few miles stop and crank it a bit tighter. Do this until the sway goes away or you are full tight. If you still sway you are off somewhere else. Just remember with the sway bar on you can't turn very sharp and DO NOT BACK UP. If you want to be absolutely sure you got the problem licked invest in a Hensley hitch, they dont just dampen sway they eliminate it.
Lyrd44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 01:56 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 1,004
I've got the same model trailer (2017), but my truck is longer and heavier (though you might have a higher rear wheel weight) and I don't notice any sway. I've only towed it 6 times, a couple hours each time, mixed interstate/local driving so not mega amounts of experience.

Do you have independent rear suspension? I hear thats not as good for towing. And the fix is very expensive (new truck or solid axle swap).

I'd start with the tire pressure as suggested above. Also check the trailer. Mine came from the factory @ 35psi. I bumped it up to 45 and noticed better towing. You might have P rate passenger tires (not sure what XL's are). When its time for new ones see if you can get LT "C" range tires pumped up to 50 PSI. Mine are "E" set to 70+ psi. That would probably be a rough ride for you.

Can you add a second sway control to the hitch? I've seen some that you can. My WD hitch has the bars with built in 2 point sway control. It probably wouldn't hurt. Not sure if/how much it would help.

I don't know if they make Timbrens or the such (replaces bump stop as a helper spring) or if they would help with sway. Seems most people get them to level off the ride, or stop the pogo/bucking when you hit expansion joints.

My question to you: How did you get your trailer up to 6000lbs? Full fresh tank? I've never weighed mine (The web says ~4800 for the previous year. I think mine was listed ~4500). It seems that you would have to be putting in 1200+lbs of stuff to push it over 6K. For now we travel light (minimal tools, now corn hole games, no extra couches, etc...) so I can imagine I've put more than 500lbs in the trailer. At least I don't think I carry that much stuff back and forth each trip.

Good luck.
Jim M.
__________________
2020 Flagstaff Super Lite 26RBWS
Former: 2017 Rockwood MiniLite 2104S
2015 Silverado 2500HD 6.0L Gas
jimmarako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 04:58 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,288
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmarako View Post
I've got the same model trailer (2017), but my truck is longer and heavier (though you might have a higher rear wheel weight) and I don't notice any sway. I've only towed it 6 times, a couple hours each time, mixed interstate/local driving so not mega amounts of experience.

Do you have independent rear suspension? I hear thats not as good for towing. And the fix is very expensive (new truck or solid axle swap).

I'd start with the tire pressure as suggested above. Also check the trailer. Mine came from the factory @ 35psi. I bumped it up to 45 and noticed better towing. You might have P rate passenger tires (not sure what XL's are). When its time for new ones see if you can get LT "C" range tires pumped up to 50 PSI. Mine are "E" set to 70+ psi. That would probably be a rough ride for you.

Can you add a second sway control to the hitch? I've seen some that you can. My WD hitch has the bars with built in 2 point sway control. It probably wouldn't hurt. Not sure if/how much it would help.

I don't know if they make Timbrens or the such (replaces bump stop as a helper spring) or if they would help with sway. Seems most people get them to level off the ride, or stop the pogo/bucking when you hit expansion joints.

My question to you: How did you get your trailer up to 6000lbs? Full fresh tank? I've never weighed mine (The web says ~4800 for the previous year. I think mine was listed ~4500). It seems that you would have to be putting in 1200+lbs of stuff to push it over 6K. For now we travel light (minimal tools, now corn hole games, no extra couches, etc...) so I can imagine I've put more than 500lbs in the trailer. At least I don't think I carry that much stuff back and forth each trip.

Good luck.
Jim M.
"XL" stands for "Extra Load" but really means the tire can be inflated to higher pressure when necessary for occasions like sway while towing. Used on 1/2 tons and larger SUV's that share similar chassis.

As for swapping in a solid axle on an Armada? Not impossible but extremely, repeat, extremely, expensive. OP would be money ahead to trade for a Titan and probably be cheaper.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)

"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"

2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change)
TitanMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 05:40 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
SeaDog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: x
Posts: 12,423
Tighten the friction sway device tight not just a little tight but tight. Remove when you get to camp and need to make sharp turns.
__________________
Retired Navy
Jake my sidekick (yellow Lab) 10/04 - 05/20
2017 RAM 2500 CC 4X4 Cummins Diesel
2016 Flagstaff 26 FKWS
AF&AM & El Korah Shrine of Idaho
SeaDog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 07:37 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
trailerdude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 264
Thanks so much for the advice, my tires are at 39 but they can go 50 so I'll try cranking it up. Also will tighten the sway bar more . I think I was to conservative on that.
I was surprised at the weights too. Some bilstien shocks might help too.
__________________
2020 Rockwood 2104s towed by 2018 Nissan Armada. Curt WDH with sway, portable 150 watt solar, Home made window evaporative cooler
trailerdude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 08:31 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Littlehouse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Ontario
Posts: 131
Also check what tires are on the Armada. If they are P tires instead of Lt, you’ll get a squirrelly ride.
__________________
SSM, Ontario.
Littlehouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 04:49 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: California
Posts: 179
Smile

When I bought my first trailer (Sprinter249rks) dealer said no problem with one sway control. I put the second one on anyway. No sway. Tighten to snug, then adjust if necessary.
__________________
Chuck& Shar
2018 2715VS
ncebeemer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 06:21 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,288
Quote:
Originally Posted by Littlehouse View Post
Also check what tires are on the Armada. If they are P tires instead of Lt, you’ll get a squirrelly ride.
But if they are "P-Metetric" , they can also be XL rated.

Quote:
When talking about tires, XL really means extra load. These tires can use higher air pressure to support more weight than a standard tire of the same size. If you want to see whether your current tires are standard or extra load, you can check the service description on the tire's sidewall.
https://blog.tirerack.com/blog/bens-...s-xl-stand-for

Most P-Metric tires are rates as SL but as said before, some larger SUV's and Half Ton Pickups are fitted with XL tires.

If XL, inflate to sidewall maximum pressure and most likely sway will mostly, if not all, go away. My Titan is equipped with XL tires and I run them at 40 psi. My 25' MicroLite can even be towed with out a "sway bar" with no sway issues.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)

"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"

2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change)
TitanMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 06:52 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Bluepill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 1,645
FWIW, I tow a Coachmen 192 RBS with my Acura MDX.



4800 pound trailer with a 5000 lb. capacity for the MDX. Even with a properly set-up Blue Ox WDH and proper tongue weight and tire pressures, it is prone to instability in cross winds above about 15 MPH.

I believe that the problem is primarily the independent rear suspension (like your Armada). It's great for a soother ride, but a solid rear axle is superior for bumper tow applications based on my experience. We survived a 7500 mile trip last Fall, but the high winds in the West made it a tiring and sometimes white-knuckle affair. Try the suggestions already made, but you may end up having to live with some amount of sway.

When the wind sock looks like this, I drive 55 MPH!

__________________
2019 Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS
2015 T12RBST Flagstaff Hardside

Disclaimer: The actual value of my "Two Cents" of advice varies just like a bitcoin.
Bluepill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 08:02 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 1,004
Quote:
I believe that the problem is primarily the independent rear suspension (like your Armada). It's great for a soother ride, but a solid rear axle is superior for bumper tow applications based on my experience.
See, I told you to go for the solid axle swap. So what if it cost $10K+ dollars. That will be one unique Armada.

Jim M.
__________________
2020 Flagstaff Super Lite 26RBWS
Former: 2017 Rockwood MiniLite 2104S
2015 Silverado 2500HD 6.0L Gas
jimmarako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 07:44 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
SailorSam20500's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 5,037
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmarako View Post
See, I told you to go for the solid axle swap. So what if it cost $10K+ dollars. That will be one unique Armada.

Jim M.

Or as Lyrd44 suggested, get a Propride (my preference) of Hensley hitch for under $3000. They really do work.
Plus you can move the hitch to another (bigger?) trailer or TV. Granted many folks will say this is overkill for a lightweight trailer. But I can pull my 7k lb trailer with my stock F150 (with p rated tires) with no white knuckle issues even in 30 MPH winds. Semi's affect me the same as if I don't have a trailer behind me.
__________________
Al
I am starting to think, that I will never be old enough--------to know better.
Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, Russian Novelist
S.E. Mich. Flagstaff 26FKWS / 2022 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost SCrew Propride
SailorSam20500 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2019, 06:49 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
trailerdude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 264
I was surprised to find no aftermarket shocks for the AmadArmada, I thought it would share Titan parts but I guess not.
__________________
2020 Rockwood 2104s towed by 2018 Nissan Armada. Curt WDH with sway, portable 150 watt solar, Home made window evaporative cooler
trailerdude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2019, 11:55 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 1,004
I wonder if its a Nissan thing. Looking for shocks for my 2011 Versa and all I could find were no name chinese, or a couple of over priced KYB types. My wife's 2008 Tahoe: AC delco, Blisten, Monroe, Gabriel, every store brand,.....
__________________
2020 Flagstaff Super Lite 26RBWS
Former: 2017 Rockwood MiniLite 2104S
2015 Silverado 2500HD 6.0L Gas
jimmarako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2019, 03:46 PM   #16
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by trailerdude View Post
So I very carefully set up my WDH so the trailer is level and truck is level. It's a Curt hitch with add on single side friction sway. The bars are 600 lb so I do think they are too light. The tow rig is a 2018 Armada 8500 lb tow rating, 850 lb tongue weight rating. It looks perfect but it wants to sway and makes driving not real fun.
I got the Haul Gauge app and ran the numbers today (pretty slick app) truck is 6000, trailer is 6000 tongue weight 875, that's 14.5% . With the WDH hooked up the tongue drops to 425, the markers for setting WDH in the app show it's very close to ideal front to back.
I wonder if heavier bars would make any difference. Another question: Not sure how tight to do the friction sway, do you crank it pretty tight?
2104s also, bought with Equalizer system, tow with F-150. So relaxing to tow I fell asleep at the wheel all across Nebraska once.
LorenzoP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2019, 10:54 PM   #17
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 67
I pull our 17 2104s with a 11Avalanche 2wd with wdh and 1 sway control and I never have problems with sway . I just make sure I have both hands on the steering wheel when a 18 wheeler passes due to the turbulence that they cause.
Malojeer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2019, 11:47 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
trailerdude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 264
I increased the tire pressure to 45 in the back and 40 in front, also tightened up the sway bar. It seems to be towing much better now. Also not towing with any thing in the gray or black tanks makes a big difference.
__________________
2020 Rockwood 2104s towed by 2018 Nissan Armada. Curt WDH with sway, portable 150 watt solar, Home made window evaporative cooler
trailerdude is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
210, sway

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:24 AM.