251RKS sway

[swj]

My 2107 251RKS sway problem: I have a2018 F150 3.5L turbos, max tow pkg, 20 inch wheels, tow rating 12,000 lbs, Fastway 10,000, sway control/ weight distribution hitch, Forest River Surveyor 251RKS (6000lbs dry) water tanks empty, got a lot of sway today. Truck pulls great, sway is a problem.... someone said fill fresh water tanks to offset rear kitchen to put an extra weight on ball??? Have any 251RKS owners had this sway issue?? Need to find a fix for the sway. Comments?

[DustyRoads]

Add some water to the fresh water tank. It will help balance the load from the heavy kitchen area.

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by swj

My 2107 251RKS sway problem: I have a2018 F150 3.5L turbos, max tow pkg, 20 inch wheels, tow rating 12,000 lbs, Fastway 10,000, sway control/ weight distribution hitch, Forest River Surveyor 251RKS (6000lbs dry) water tanks empty, got a lot of sway today......

So, we have all these specs, yet we don't know crucial facts yet:
What's the payload of your truck? (yellow sticker in driver door jamb)
Is the trailer loaded with anything?
Propane tanks full and battery(ies) on the tongue?

WHO SET THE WDH UP?
Was a truck scale used?

Originally Posted by swj

......Truck pulls great, sway is a problem.... someone said fill fresh water tanks to offset rear kitchen to put an extra weight on ball???.....

Whoever that "someone" is, doesn't understand how trailers are balanced from the factory or how a WDH works. That "someone" is giving you false information to MASK the problem as opposed to remedy it.

A trailer generally has a tongue weight between 10-15%. Just because it has a kitchen in the rear does not mean it's rear heavy. Placement of the axles and other things in the trailer will naturally make the trailer's tongue weight come in at 10-15%.

If the hitch is set correctly, the sway will go away whether you have 0 or 46 gallons of fresh water on board.

Originally Posted by swj

...... Have any 251RKS owners had this sway issue?? Need to find a fix for the sway. Comments?

It's not a model specific issue. My guess is that it's a heavy trailer and the WDH is set up too light. To properly adjust it, you really need to look at the WDH owners manual and then verify your adjustments by passing over a truck scale.

Set up properly, the WDH will help keep the truck planted to the ground and the trailer tracking straight behind the truck.

In closing, my trailer is nearly identical in length and weight to yours. We towed 4k+ miles over 2 years and only once had a "sway" issue (the 30mph side winds were affecting every car on the road that day). I did, initially set up the WDH using a scale and knew that my truck's axles (especially the front) had enough weight on them. The ending reality was that with our 3rd kiddo on the way, the truck was maxed out and a 3/4 ton was more appropriate for that size trailer.

[swj]

payload 1732lbs, 2 20lbs propane tanks and battery,
does this help?

[SailorSam20500]

I have what seems to be a very similar truck which is pure stock. My trailer actual weight is ~ 7,000lbs. FW tank is ahead of the back bumper, full, partial, empty makes zero difference on my trailer.
I use a Propride hitch. From day 1, I haven't had a sway issue.
I suspect that you'd have a hard time finding anyone with a Propride or Hensley hitch asking for help with sway issues.

YMMV.

[merlinhomeauto]

IMO you WD hitch is taking to much weight off the ball. My 251RKS towed great behind the wife's 1500 but I could never get it the WD to work on my 2500 (it towed better without).

[bikendan]

You should have gotten the E2's big brother, the 4 point Equal-i-zer WDH.

[debit]

I have a 251rks and have not yet found that I need to install my WDH. I tow with a Ram 2500, - 8 foot bed. I have never experienced any sway.
..............
Ram2500 diesel, 4x4. / FR251rks

[debit]

attached is a year 2016 picture of the then new Surveyor 251rks, and my Ram 2500.
...............
Ram2500 / FR Surveyor 251rks

[mawilson]

I'm in the "WDH isn't set up properly" camp. My trailer is lighter but, my truck is not a max tow. I have an E4. The only sway issue I've had, like clarkbre, was with a significant cross wind.

[DK-in-SC]

We are picking up our new 251RKS next week. I opted for the 4 point Equal-i-zer WDH, and will hit the CAT scales if the dealer doesn’t get it dialed in correctly.

[swj]

the RV Dealer is assigning another tech to redo(3 attempt)
the Fastway 2 hitch, fingers crossed. Whats perplexing is
Fastway hitch is the only hitch the RV Dealer sells... will update
later this week

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by swj

the RV Dealer is assigning another tech to redo(3 attempt)
the Fastway 2 hitch, fingers crossed. Whats perplexing is
Fastway hitch is the only hitch the RV Dealer sells... will update
later this week

It really shouldn't be that hard with a tape measure and a person that knows how to read it.

1. Measure the TV's front wheel arch height without anything hooked up.
2. Attach the trailer without WD bars connected and remeasure the front height of the TV's front wheel arch.
3. Attach the WD bars and the height TV's front wheel arch height should be 1/2 way between measurement 1 and 2 or closer to 1.

Find out why the dealer can't get it right and insist on the dealer measure the weights on the CAT scale.

[swj]

Dealer set up the Fastway 2 hitch and it works! No sway and no bounce from rear end of truck. You have to follow the owners manual, fill out page 15 and page 20, we did it and it works. I called Fastway customer service and they help us dial in hitch. Adding 2 additional washers leveled the trailer, and back to original front fender measurement, plus 1/4 of an inch and went from minimum weight distribution to maximum weight distribution the hitch provides. Night and day difference when hitch is dialed in!! Thanks to all.

[clarkbre]

Glad you got it figured out. Safe towing is happy towing!