Towing Question

[WSCY]

I have made the decision to upgrade my WDH to a BlueOx 1500 TW and 15K gross weight towing. I am not in a position to replace my 2019 Tundra that is less than year old. We will see how much it helps.

[sourdough]

I have no experience with the Blue Ox but I've read some good comments about it and, from your description of your original hitch, you needed an upgrade.

You are experiencing the typical issues from using a 1/2 ton truck with a larger trailer. The hitch will help but always bear in mind that the 1/2 ton is meant primarily as a comfortable grocery getter and "light" hauler of some 2x4s, plywood, washing machine etc. Not a lot of weight strapped on the back of the frame that subjects the truck to all kinds of pushes, pulls, shoves and twists. The primary purpose listed above is why they come with light duty springs, shocks, tires, ring and pinon, axles, u joints etc. etc.

Replacing the WDH/sway is a start but researching your vehicle I didn't see any option for a tire upgrade; they are all P rated tires (passenger). That in and of itself will allow the push/pull because the softer sidewalls flex and allow the truck to "slide" left and right when subjected to the push/pull of trucks, wind etc. They need to be LTs. Springs are softer so they will allow the same thing. It doesn't make a lot of sense to try to replace the springs on a new truck but I would put in a set of air bags. It won't increase the payload but it will "stiffen" the movement of the body/axle and minimize just one more weak spot. The shocks are "soft" as well so going to the grocery store is "comfortable" - not stiff to minimize body roll and sway. Replace them with a heavy duty shock; I use/used Bilsteins.

BTW, I did all of the above on my last 1 year old 1/2 ton and it helped. If a different truck is out of the question then I would recommend all of the above and hopefully it can make the towing experience more bearable. Ultimately the cure for me was an HD truck....and it has been a night and day towing difference. In your case, your trailer is lighter and shorter than mine so the above mods might make enough improvement to live with.

[hondapro87]

I think the op is feeling the bow wave effect when the semis pass, IMHO you will never get rid of it completely.
I would suggest a Hensley hitch to help if you cannot go to a larger truck.

[rczapla]

Tow hitch sway bar may not be enough. Soft suspension on your truck may be an issue. Air pressure on both your trailer and your TV. The rest of the forum seems to have reamed you pretty good about weights...so nuff said. I tow an Outback 335CG with a 1/2 ton 2010 F150 2WD crew cab (set up for towing). Used the same TV to tow a Keystone Springdale 266LR for the past 6 years. My money would be on the sway bar set up and weight distribution.

[teacherman]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I have no experience with the Blue Ox but I've read some good comments about it and, from your description of your original hitch, you needed an upgrade.

You are experiencing the typical issues from using a 1/2 ton truck with a larger trailer. The hitch will help but always bear in mind that the 1/2 ton is meant primarily as a comfortable grocery getter and "light" hauler of some 2x4s, plywood, washing machine etc. Not a lot of weight strapped on the back of the frame that subjects the truck to all kinds of pushes, pulls, shoves and twists. The primary purpose listed above is why they come with light duty springs, shocks, tires, ring and pinon, axles, u joints etc. etc.

Replacing the WDH/sway is a start but researching your vehicle I didn't see any option for a tire upgrade; they are all P rated tires (passenger). That in and of itself will allow the push/pull because the softer sidewalls flex and allow the truck to "slide" left and right when subjected to the push/pull of trucks, wind etc. They need to be LTs. Springs are softer so they will allow the same thing. It doesn't make a lot of sense to try to replace the springs on a new truck but I would put in a set of air bags. It won't increase the payload but it will "stiffen" the movement of the body/axle and minimize just one more weak spot. The shocks are "soft" as well so going to the grocery store is "comfortable" - not stiff to minimize body roll and sway. Replace them with a heavy duty shock; I use/used Bilsteins.

BTW, I did all of the above on my last 1 year old 1/2 ton and it helped. If a different truck is out of the question then I would recommend all of the above and hopefully it can make the towing experience more bearable. Ultimately the cure for me was an HD truck....and it has been a night and day towing difference. In your case, your trailer is lighter and shorter than mine so the above mods might make enough improvement to live with.

Originally Posted by rczapla

Tow hitch sway bar may not be enough. Soft suspension on your truck may be an issue. Air pressure on both your trailer and your TV. The rest of the forum seems to have reamed you pretty good about weights...so nuff said. I tow an Outback 335CG with a 1/2 ton 2010 F150 2WD crew cab (set up for towing). Used the same TV to tow a Keystone Springdale 266LR for the past 6 years. My money would be on the sway bar set up and weight distribution.

These ideas make a lot of sense. I'm personally a fan of heavy Chevys, but many people like the Tundra. Seems towing on soft springs and P tires is risky (do they make a 10 ply rated for that wheel size?). I recall putting a pair of Monroe air shocks on my 1983 C20 (bigger drums, 1 ton undercarriage), and it got so stiff I had to let all the air out to drive around town without Prep H. That truck could haul 5k# of gravel smooth as silk. Nothing like a stout set of springs...
If the toyo has leafs, I'd see about adding one, that's not too pricey a fix.

[bbells]

I have a tundra and have no unusual problems. Same speeds. Trucks will cause sway with any vehicle. Suggestions. Re setup your weight distribution and sway bars. If your dealer did it it is probably wrong. Check the trailer wheel alignment. Mine was screwy from the start and caused what felt like swaying. Remember your truck has built in sway control. You could be feeling that.

[n1282x]

I have towed bumper hitch trailers for many years in the symptoms that you are describing are completely normal. I even towed a 32 foot bumper pull with a 1 ton dually and it did the same thing so I do not personally believe it has anything to do with being outmatched. Your tundra is probably a better truck than a Detroit half ton. I would advise you to keep a look out in your mirrors for semis and just be ready for them and anticipate as they pass.

[CaptnJohn]

Borrow an Equalizer 5 point with 1000# bars. That may fix the problem if you have LT and not P tires. If not the 1st 3 letters answered your question. A TOY is not a truck for work.

[WDPatterson]

This is an aerodynamic thing, not a weight thing. You're encountering the "air-wall" that is being created by that semi you're passing. It creates a current of air which pushes you away, up front, but causes a low-pressure (vacuum) rearward. Your trailure is being "sucked" toward the semi-trailer.

You may want to steer farther to the left, when passing. Anticipate the air-wall, and correct for it.

Otherwise, a bigger truck may be necessary.

Do you have a distribution hitch??

[BadmanRick]

I have a 2017 Platinum Tundra 4X4 crew max. It has the full tow package which includes built in anti sway control. It works very well. Yes I also get pushed around by the idiot semis doing 80 plus mph. So do all the rest of the RVERS out there. Nothing new. A better WD hitch MAY HELP OR IT MAY NOT. i always drive looking in the mirrors to see what’s passing me and prepare for the worst. I have driven semis busses and other trucks and all have sway issues. Don’t blame the tundra it’s a great truck. Remember you are pulling a 30 foot sail behind you. The wind will blow it all over the place. Just be proactive with with your driving.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by BadmanRick

.... Remember you are pulling a 30 foot sail behind you. The wind will blow it all over the place. Just be proactive with with your driving.

If you owned a 30' sailboat, using a 5 pound plastic "mushroom anchor" would "blow your boat around" when compared to a 40 pound Danforth anchor with the appropriate chain lead. While it's not "the same thing" (no anchors involved) the concept is very similar: A 30' sail (flat wall RV) is going to push/pull a small "anchor" (light weight tow vehicle) more than a large "anchor" (heavy weight tow vehicle).

There's a reason the auto manufacturers use flatbed trailers and steel ingots for weight when testing "tow capacity/tow performance"... It's to prevent the "anchor from letting the boat float away".... Or to be more precise, it's to prevent the RV size trailer from causing steering/control problems during the test.....

[falcondan95705]

From your measurements you are 1200 over your capacity.. we never feel a push even in 70mph winds..we are using a dually however.

[LCrabtree]

You got a lot of responses about vehicle weights, but I didn't see anyone answer the basic question; instead everyone has advice about weights ...


We experience the same phenomenon with our 19' TT. Here is what is happening. As we pull the trailer we also pull a bunch of air with us, much more that the pickup alone. This pushes a cushion of air in front of the trailer which slips down both sides and increases the relative air pressure in the front and on both sides. A big rig does the exact same thing. When a big rig passes on my left side, as the rig comes even with my setup, the two cushions of air sort of meld into one cushion in the front, with one on the right side of my setup and one of the left side of the big rig, so higher relative air pressure in those areas; however, the space between the two no longer has higher relative air pressure, so the higher relative air pressure on the right side of my rig tends to push us to the left. The same thing is happening to the big rig, except that because of its mass the effect is dramatically reduced. Test the theory ... one big rig will cause a noticeable effect on my setup, but the very next big rig causes virtually no effect - because the two different big rigs are aerodynamically different, pushing different amounts of air cushions. also the larger the mass of your setup and the more aerodynamic your setup, the less you are likely to notice this effect.

[markjamestx]

I am pulling a 31 FT Bullet Premier with a Tundra Crew Max, yes it is typical but I stopping mine altogether by switching to a Fastway G2 10K Trunion WDH. No sway at all even with a blowout. I do have Airlift air bags and sway bars on the truck.

UPDATE: Just in case any one the experts out there comes into this post and says I am over weight, they would be wrong. My truck is a 4X4 with full tow package and Toyota's biggest engine (386 HP/410 # Torque with 3:73's) It's rated at 10,600/15,800#, the trailer is 8800# with cargo and on the scales the gross weight is 14,900#. No problem, have pulled over 20,000 miles in two years with no issues at all. In case you don't know, the Tundra has a 3/4 Ton chassis, but 1/2 Ton suspension (5 bolts). The TT and the Truck have 10 ply Grade E tires.

[crTundra]

Originally Posted by markjamestx

I am pulling a 31 FT Bullet Premier with a Tundra Crew Max, yes it is typical but I stopping mine altogether by switching to a Fastway G2 10K Trunion WDH. No sway at all even with a blowout. I do have Airlift air bags and sway bars on the truck.

UPDATE: Just in case any one the experts out there comes into this post and says I am over weight, they would be wrong. My truck is a 4X4 with full tow package and Toyota's biggest engine (386 HP/410 # Torque with 3:73's) It's rated at 10,600/15,800#, the trailer is 8800# with cargo and on the scales the gross weight is 14,900#. No problem, have pulled over 20,000 miles in two years with no issues at all. In case you don't know, the Tundra has a 3/4 Ton chassis, but 1/2 Ton suspension (5 bolts). The TT and the Truck have 10 ply Grade E tires.

First let me say that I have a 2011 Tundra Double Cab with the 5.7 and I tow a 2017 Keystone 2810bh (your truck should have the 4:30 rear end too). I love my Tundra but they just don't have the payload rating. I've towed a couple travel trailers over the years and it hasn't let me down from Colorado to California. It's pulled great with load range E tires and Equalizer WDH hitch. Now that I'm shopping for a bigger truck I've discovered the max payload I can find for a Crewmax is around 1200 pounds depending on the trim. That gets eaten up very quickly with trailer hitch weight, stuff in the truck, topper, etc. Yes, it can tow up to 10,800 pounds but it's typically the payload that comes into play when Tundras are "overweight".

[notanlines]

I believe it is a Chinese idiom that reads "There's none so deaf as those who will not hear." It is hard to believe that one's new truck won't exactly perform up to the expectations and promises of the advertising on television. Some will buy into the facts and some will buy the truck because it is a very, very shiny blue. (Or ruby red in our case )

[crTundra]

I'll say that switching to load range E tires made the biggest difference on my Tundra when it came to the big rig push effect. I think those in combination with the Equalizer WDH properly configured is the magic ticket.