Bouncing and swaying on the highway

[NH_Bulldog]

John, in post #15 the OP stated that he carried 700 pounds of extra weight in the truck (2 generators, paddleboards, etc). Now he is somehow down to 400 pounds of extra weight without removing anything. This is a troubling case of denial of the facts.

[Billyk]

I am 220 wife is 130 generators are 73 lbs each and paddle boards are 30 lbs a piece 560 ??

[NH_Bulldog]

What does the cap weigh?

[Alpine Custom Upgrade]

My helper has a newer dodge 1/2 ton with coil springs on the rear axle and pulls about a 26' "1/2 ton towable" camper. He said the camper and truck are almost dangerous due to handling problems, bouncing and sway. He installed a WDH with a sway bar brake. He said that the sway got worse so he partially unloaded the WDH bars and the sway improved. He has only had it at 45 mph because of the ill handing that I tell him is because his truck is not enough to pull the camper. Of course, JMHO!

[wiredgeorge]

Billy, you seem to be dodging the payload question several have asked of you. WHAT IS THE PAYLOAD PLACARD in your door frame state you truck's payload to be? The folks who asked are highly experienced campers and you did come asking for help. Without the requisite information you can provide there is little chance of helping you.

[Billyk]

Here is the sticker Aldo ArE told me camper shell is 130 lb

[Billyk]

Here is what you asked for the ARE top is 130 lbs

[Billyk]

1500 hundred pound is good I carry easy less

[NH_Bulldog]

Billy, that 1500 lb capacity does NOT include anything that did not come installed from the factory; things like mudflaps, bedliner, floor mats, window shades, seat covers, etc. In addition to those items, the following all need to be deducted from the 1,500 lb. capacity: the weight of the cap, the weight of the upgraded tires, the weight of the WDH, the tongue weight of the camper, plus your estimated 500-700 lbs. of additional cargo.

No one is trying to beat you up about this, but facts are facts: you ARE overloaded with your current set-up as it is now (probably by 350-400 lbs. or more). Oddly enough, your camper probably has more cargo weight carrying capacity than your truck.

130 lbs bed cap
50 lbs tire weight increase
25 lbs air bag kit
100 lbs WDH
925 lbs tongue weight
500 lbs added weight generators paddle boards, people.
225 lbs safety margin
1975 lbs total weight

1500 lb capacity minus 1975 weight = 475 lbs OVER safe cargo capacity

Food for thought.

[Alpine Custom Upgrade]

Odd how I see a post from someone who is crying about the sway and porpoise of their truck and camper. They try and try to explain why their combo SHOULD be ok. It is so obvious that the truck and trailer combo is NOT ok. I do not know why they have to even ask. If the truck and trailer rides so bad that they consider moving 50 pounds to the rear or left side or on the roof, the easy and absolute final answer is not to fine tune the WDH or air bag pressure or how much toilet paper they carry under the back seat of the truck. The answer is GET A BIGGER AND MORE CAPABLE TRUCK! Everyone of the posted issues goes away. If the poster can not afford a more capable truck then I would suggest to drive REALLY slow.

[wegone]

Guys, isn't his tongue weight at minimum, eating up half of his payload before he even gets into the truck, puts gas in it, etc?

[Billyk]

Expert Reply:
Since you have an Equal-I-zer Weight Distribution System but are experiencing this movement, I first recommend double checking the set-up of your system. If the weight distribution system is not properly compensating for the heavy tongue weight of the trailer, the result will be the bounce you are describing. It sounds like your ride quality will benefit from increasing the tension of your weight distribution system.

Tension can be increased in 2 different ways. One way to increase the tension of the system is to raise the L-brackets for the spring-bar arms. Raising these brackets will draw the arms up higher toward the trailer frame, and will increase tension by forcing more of the tongue weight toward the vehicle.

Another way to increase tension is the adjust the angle of the weight distribution head. As the angle of the system's head is tilted downward, the tension will increase as it becomes harder to lift the spring bar arms into the L-brackets.

Either one of these adjustments, or a combination of the two, will help you perfect your ride while towing your trailer. I've attached a review video of the Equal-I-zer # EQ37100ET weight distribution system for you, as well as the installation instructions to help you in adjusting the system to find the perfect ride.

If your truck and trailer are already perfectly level with the setup of your weight distribution system, adjusting the system may not yield positive results. If you are towing level and still experiencing this bounce, a suspension enhancement system like the Custom Helper Springs Kit # SSR-307-47 is the way to go. A jounce-style system like the # SSR-307-47 will help alleviate some of the extra strain the camper is placing on the vehicle's suspension. This system will work well with the weight distribution system to help take some strain off of the rear axle while allowing the weight distribution to level the towing setup.

expert reply by: Victoria B
ASK THE EXPERTS A QUESTION >>

[sourdough]

The above from Equalizer is in the owners manual, paper or online. The mention by Victoria of adding overload springs or "jounce" systems is irrelevant. You need to get your weights in order. Email Victoria and ask her if she, and Equalizer, recommend the overload springs or jounce system to correct a severely overloaded truck..... They won't. You need to honestly and legitimately determine your weights - a scale will do that. If not you need to "guesstimate" using max numbers provided vs guessing that everything is super light.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Do you now have an Equalizer? You initially said you have a Curt system.

[markcee]

Adjusting the WDH will do nothing to help an overweight situation, nor will adding more weight (the suspension enhancements) 'Victoria' mentions.

The shortest 2010 HORNET is the 26RBS. It is 30' long and has a GVWR of 9,485 lbs (dry weight 6,352+cargo capacity of 3,133). I don't know where you are coming up with the 4,500 lb. figure.

• With a GVWR of 9,485 lbs, your tongue weight alone is 1200 lbs.
• Your cap is another 100+ lbs
• Generators and paddleboards 200+ lbs.
• Hitch itself - 100 lbs.
• You and the wife - 400 lbs.
• Miscellaneous gear/upgraded (heavier) tires - 100 lbs.

This adds up to 2,100 lbs of payload, against your truck's 1,545 lb. capacity, overloading your truck by an estimated 555 lbs.

[NH_Bulldog]

Okay, I am SERIOUSLY done with this thread. First the OP has a Curt WDH then it turned into a Husky with round bars, now he is posting “expert” advice from a “representative” from Equal-i-zer explaining how to set up his Curt, errrrr, Husky? round bar WDH, or is it an Equal-i-zer with square bars? The stated weight of all the gear and extras has been dropping since the start of the post too. The OP is NOT looking for a solution to his problem, he is desperately searching for someone, anyone, to validate that he is within the capabilities of his truck, which he is not, will not, and cannot ever be.

My BS meter is pegged right about now…..

I am out.

[JRTJH]

The following warning box is located at the bottom of page 1 and page 2 of the SUMOSPRINGS installation guide. Since there are only 2 pages to the document, it is, in reality, on EVERY PAGE of the document:

Every journey has to have a starting point. This one is no exception. As Danny posted, it's time to define the starting point. The OP needs to go to a truck scale, weigh his rig both his truck alone, then with the trailer hitched and the WD bars set, then a third time with the trailer hitched and the WD bars "dangling" with the tension released.

With that information, he can make some EDUCATED decisions rather than "internet guesses".... One is reasonable, the other is a total waste of time. You can decide which is which.

Here's that warning. I circled the weight statements in yellow to make them easier to find:

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

The OP is NOT looking for a solution to his problem, he is desperately searching for someone, anyone, to validate that he is within the capabilities of his truck, which he is not, will not, and cannot ever be.

BillyK,
It seems all of the advice in the world will not help you.
You are hell bent on using the combination you have.
Even though that information has proven your truck is overloaded.

The "Expert" advice you posted does not pertain to YOUR truck-trailer combination. It was just a general statement without the facts of your exact situation.

[jasin1]

had a guy that i worked with years ago that came to where i was working to ask “ how should i do this” ..
i stopped what i was doing and went to look… “id do this and this and that”…he would then proceed to tell me how he was gonna do it and why his idea was better….id say WHY THE F&$# DID YOU WASTE MY TIME IF YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR MIND MADE UP !

The op is picking and choosing what he hears and splicing it together like a ransom note in his reply’s …Good Luck Billy…you were given good advice and it’s up to you what you do with it.

[notanlines]

Let’s get real here! This ^^^^^thread is the real reason we all hang out here. Do y’all think that Danny, Flybouy, John and Chuckster spend their time daily to better our RV’ing experience? Hell no!! THIS thread is the one we will talk about months from now. At least I admit it. Y’all only come here to see what in hell else can be said that will boggle the mind. I heartily welcome the OP to our little corner of the ‘net.