Do v-nose enclosed trailers induce sway?

[gsbrockman]

When hitched to the pickup, what is the distance from the ground to the front part of the trailer, and what is the distance from the ground to the rear part of the trailer, ie is trailer level when hitched to the truck?

 

[NIsaacs]

When hitched to the pickup, what is the distance from the ground to the front part of the trailer, and what is the distance from the ground to the rear part of the trailer, ie is trailer level when hitched to the truck?

Less than an inch.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I guess I will state the obvious......it’s a FORD.

 

[NIsaacs]

I guess I will state the obvious......it’s a FORD.

And a gasser too

 

[AEdelheit]

Man if thats overloaded tongue weight with the whole 1.5-2" of suspension compression causing trailer sway 99% of 1/2-1 Ton trucks would be upside down in a ditch by now.

 

[JR]

And a gasser too

Godzilla? What is his opinion of it?

 

[BigPapa]

Just my $0.02, I've never had heavy tongue weight cause sway, but I have had light, and especially negative, tongue weight cause sway.

I had a buddy that asked me to haul a truck for him on a car hauler. I don't remember why, but we had to back it on. It was actually lifting the back of the hitch slightly, probably around 25-30 pounds of lift. It was CRAZY swaying. It wasn't very far, we took side roads and couldn't hardly run over 30mph.

I'd like to see a pic of the truck without the trailer.

 

[AEdelheit]

Just my $0.02, I've never had heavy tongue weight cause sway, but I have had light, and especially negative, tongue weight cause sway.

I had a buddy that asked me to haul a truck for him on a car hauler. I don't remember why, but we had to back it on. It was actually lifting the back of the hitch slightly, probably around 25-30 pounds of lift. It was CRAZY swaying. It wasn't very far, we took side roads and couldn't hardly run over 30mph.

I'd like to se a pic of the truck without the trailer.

Same here, I have had to tow some very tongue heavy loads with no issues so long as the truck tires are up to it, the OPs pic doesn't look very squatted in the rear at all especially for having a reverse level, cant see how that would cause the issues described. Makes me wonder if it was just light on the tongue afterall.

 

[Killer223]

i've had to much tongue weight cause sway. moved the car back 2" and all is well. first time I moved car back 4" and sway was bad. that's how i found the magical 2".

 

[NIsaacs]

Godzilla? What is his opinion of it?

Yes, 7.3, he likes it, says it has good power. He is waiting for a blower to be released. He wanted a regular cab but leather was not an option, so he had to go super cab. I think a hotrod is in his plans.

I asked him for a side view picture of the empty truck.

This is the truck he towed the trailer with 2 years ago, same road and load. He said the truck was solid but that the trailer was funky. Note the tires on that thing, super single SRW on the front. The tires are huge with a rear width of 8' 9", over width It is also his paint job. He can't leave anything alone, has to modify everthing he owns and is not loyal to it, sells everyone. He has built tons of trucks, mostly 70's Fords.

 

[BigPapa]

So, the truck in the first post has basically the same stance empty?

 

[AEdelheit]

i've had to much tongue weight cause sway. moved the car back 2" and all is well. first time I moved car back 4" and sway was bad. that's how i found the magical 2".

I feel like there had to be some underlying issues if a trailer is that sensitive to weight distribution that 2" caused issues.

 

[CBari]

I have had trailers that swayed and if hitch height is right and weight is right, it has to be mechanical in the trailer. If it is mechanical and as bad as you claim, there should be some odd tire wear on it somewhere. It might just be a tire that belt is separating.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Towed a F100 backwards on a trailer once tire/wheels were too wide to fit between the fenders Never again as I couldn't go over 35 without the trailer swaying all over the road.

 

[AH64ID]

Too much tongue weight can cause poor vehicle handling, but the trailer should tow like a dream!

Look at how semi-trailers are towed. 50% tongue weight based on trailer axle placement, or more based on loading practices. They don’t sway, just like 5th wheels don’t sway with 15-25% pin weight.

 

[slowmover]

Too much tongue weight can cause poor vehicle handling, but the trailer should tow like a dream!

Look at how semi-trailers are towed. 50% tongue weight based on trailer axle placement, or more based on loading practices. They don’t sway, just like 5th wheels don’t sway with 15-25% pin weight.

Sway (oscillation) is a function of speed. Go fast enough and anything will sway.

Wind Speed is the thing. Higher the quartering headwind, the worse the problem gets while on-highway. The rear of the trailer lifts as a function of sail area.

Oscillation is always present. GN or conventional hitch makes no difference. It’s the rate of increase which differs according to influences.

An empty open deck and a 5’er RV are NOT comparable, as starters. COG, sail area, etc.

Tongue Weight is only a placeholder number. Going down the road it varies constantly as it’s the END OF A LEVER.

How well that force (mass) is distributed across the tow vehicle is the game.

The only advantage of a GN/5’er is the hitch ball location on or ahead of the TV Drive Axle. Loads the Steer Axle to the same scaled weight as when unhitched (same day, same trip).

If the discussion is of camper trailers, the 5’er is the worse choice for road stability versus the best conventionals. COG too high, too great a sail area, etc.

The opposing opinion is based on the failure of the 97% to set WD Hitch rigging such that the TV Steer Axle is the same scaled weight as when unhitched And compounded by poor choice of TV (live axle 4WD pickups).

The best TT is more stable than the TV much of the time: TV choice and piss-poor WDH rigging.

Trailer aero plus suspension (Torflex or MOR/ryde) plus antilock disc are better predictors of towing stability than by TV choice. The weak link is the driver. What’s over in a few seconds is usually (finally) caused by overcorrection at the wheel. (4WD = near non-existent feedback).

The only TT that won’t sway is one using a Hensley-patent hitch. (Replicates hitch ball on axle center).

Suspension compliance of BOTH vehicles is highly important. TT TW % + 50/50 FF/RR on TV is a guideline to start.

10-15% on conventional with trailer dead level measured at doorway.

20-25% on 5’er, also level in same manner.

— Do the work to ACHIEVE trailer dead-level once correctly hitched.

Dead level is about resisting side-sway maximally, but even more so about brake effectiveness (as front trailer axle does most of the work in a hard stop; rear brakes MUST be at work to increase time-to-failure on the front set). Nose-down trailer is ASKING for trouble.

.

 

[BigPapa]

 

[slowmover]

As to big trucks, a 50/50 split on Drives & Tandems is an “ideal” not always (sometimes rarely) met.

The load I just delivered had me at 78,060 after a diesel fill up . 11,940 on the Steer (kingpin location starts to load the Steer Axle; 12k legal max), and the Tandems adjusted so that the Drive Axles wouldn’t ever fall as low as the Tandems as the 1,400-lbs of fuel depleted.

This was a typical 41k outbound load of one product evenly distributed thru the 53’ reefer.

My inbound load (backhaul) will be up to 44k (price agreement and subject to the receivers actual order), and no guarantee of either pallet-weight consistency or placement to ensure best distribution.

I may be exceedingly heavier on Drives versus Tandems or vice-versa (to 34k pet set) to keep within legal limits. Not at all conducive to best handling or steering. Uneven braking. Etc.

Thetes a reason it’s a job, and that experience matters.

ANTILOCK trailer brakes have been a requirement since 1997. In that quarter-century some of you reading this are alive and healthy because 18-wheelers rarely if ever jackknife as once was common. (All bets are off in ice & snow; heavy rain).

The same control should be on any trailer owned. Locked tires slide faster on liquid rubber. The winds one was (sorta) successfully resisting are NOW able to punch that trailer sideways (over).

A combined vehicle rig is stable only under mild throttle.

.

 

[NIsaacs]

My son said this load was a piece of cake. I asked him why he backed the Mustang on and he said to clear the doors with the trailer fenders.

 

[Timd32]

My son said this load was a piece of cake. I asked him why he backed the Mustang on and he said to clear the doors with the trailer fenders.

View attachment 131922

My lift gate hanging off the back of my truck would take that bumper cover off on a tight turn for that set up. I lose alot of clearance to the trailer with my lift gate. I love it saves my back many times. But it hits my spare tire mounted on my trailer tounge if not careful.