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Old 10-10-2011, 03:27 PM   #1
richf28
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Red face Towing problem

Bought a 2010 hornet 28rls in the spring. I have fought this this from day we bought it. Problem is when weather conditions are perfect you don't know your towing it. If there is even as much as a 5-10 mph breeze, I have my hands full handling this thing above 45 mph. I went from an avalance to a new 2011 f150 with towing capacity of 11,300 lbs. Been to 5 rv dealers and a trailer dealer. All in agreement that tow vehicle and dual cam is all correct. New Lt tires, and airbags. Just traveled 1800 miles this week. Day one was a dream. Day two and three were nightmares when the weather changed. I followed many other units during my trip and never saw other units swaying like I get. I am open to suggestions. Is this trailer designed to be more a permanent setup than towed? I never see them on the road but lots in campgrounds as permanents.
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Old 10-10-2011, 06:01 PM   #2
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You have alot of trailer back there, per Keystone Web site the new Hornet 28rls max gross wgt 9720lbs, with a empty hitch or tongue wgt of 920lbs. Depending how you load the trailer and how much you load the hitch can increase. I don't know exactly which engine etc you have, you say max tow 11300lbs. Ford shows a max tongue or hitch wgt of 1130lbs they also state you need a wgt distribution hitch (which you have), require also the heavy duty payload package and the max trailer tow package. I think that you are close to max on everything this would cause the swaying motion also your trailer is most likely around 32ft overall length. That's alot of windage bcak there. Maybe you can check into adding an additional sway friction control bar. Reese has them, adds extra control. Maybe the hitch is two small for the trailer also.
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Old 10-11-2011, 05:19 AM   #3
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I did take the unit to the Cat scales and weighed it and the truck while loaded. Bought a tongue weight scale and Weighed it at 1100 lbs. I have one friction style sway device too that I use. And 1200 lb bars. I have taken tire and hub temps during stops and everything is pretty much uniform on all four tires. Just can't control it with any type of wind.
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Old 10-11-2011, 05:41 AM   #4
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Your right at the max for your truck. If you have a tongue wgt of 1100lbs your max is 1130lbs, plus you have alot of trailer back there. We bought a new tow behind years ago which was larger than the old one, the truck was a 2500HD which could do the job. How ever I tried to use the old hitch it couldn't do the job. I moved up to different hitch. In your case I belive that the trailer is to much for the truck, I know that dosen't sound good. Maybe you can call Reese or Equalizer tech support and talk to them. Does your truck have all the required tow packages?
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Old 10-11-2011, 06:02 AM   #5
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Go to this site and go into rv forums, sign up and look for the forum that has towing questions. Post this problem there, you will get a ton of replys. I just don't have enough info to give you. There are also guy's with the same truck and maybe can give you some idea.
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Old 10-11-2011, 06:06 AM   #6
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A couple of thoughts Rich, as your TT is similar in size & weight to mine. Using the dual cam sway bar system SHOULD keep any sway well in control, so your problem lies elsewhere. My first thought is that tongue weight. The Keystone specs for your Hornet tongue is 920 lbs, so anything in the back of your pickup that is behind the rear axle and anything stored forward in the trailer could greatly increase the T weight & exceed the max. My second thought, is your WD hitch set up correctly & are the cams functioning as they should? Finally, your total weight is at the maximum which puts alot of strain on the suspension of a half ton truck, so correct packing & even distribution of your "stuff" is an absolute must. When on the road, my wife is not one to pack light so I always travel with empty tanks (all three) & load my truck bed forward of the rear axle. I use a Reese WD with two friction bars (just added the second one) and have not had any major sway problems. I hope you get it worked out as white nuckle driving is not fun>
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Old 10-11-2011, 10:46 AM   #7
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I too was having the same problem with my F150 EB Max Tow until I added a second friction plate and drained the fresh water tank. The tank is in the rear and it was like the tail wagging the dog sometimes. Side winds and 18 wheeler rig's were the worse. I wouldn't think that you would have as much problem with the dual cam system though. I don't have the cam's. I have a 12,000 lb bars and now two friction plates.
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:23 AM   #8
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Rich, I know the feeling all so well. I have a 2000 Ford Excursion, and I tow a 2012 35' Sprinter trailer.

Now I just got back from a 10 day vacation traveling in the hills and mountains of Georgia and Northern Alabama. I ran into rain and strong winds, hundreds of Semi tractors and Buses.

I did not have white knuckles one time! It was a relaxing tow. Not one time did the 35' trailer sway.

I tow with a Hensley Arrow hitch. Yes, they are not cheap, but you purchase a factory refurbished one for about $1800.

No matter how low you keep the hitch, they will buy it back from you when you no longer need it. A new hitch has a 100% lifetime guarantee.

I highly recommend it if you want to get rid of white knuckle towing.
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Old 10-11-2011, 01:06 PM   #9
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I agree with others that this may be too much trailer for the truck. I had the same issues towing a 31' TT with my 3/4 Silverado. It didn't matter how I adjusted the Reese DC, or dispersed weight in the trailer. I finally got so tired of white knuckling when towing, I bought a 5th wheel. Problem solved.
I hope you can get it right though. A step up in truck for that much trailer may be in the cards for you.
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Old 10-11-2011, 08:26 PM   #10
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I agree. Too much trailer for a 1/2 ton truck.

I'm skeptical about some of the ratings they are giving the newer 1/2 ton trucks. They seem to be rating more towards power and braking (which is important) and forgetting that the trailer being towed will be twice as heavy as the tow vehicle. Which is not a good combination.

How is your truck equipped? 2 or 4wd, gears, engine, cab layout?

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Old 10-12-2011, 01:50 AM   #11
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I have the extended tow package which includes 3:73 gears. I have all the power I'll ever need. I have like I said with help from dealers checked everything everything that's been mentioned, which I appreciate from you all. Like I said under good conditions you wouldn't know you were towing but let a slight breeze begin and you'd think you were towing in a hurricane. Anybody else think a Hensley hitch would help?
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Old 10-12-2011, 04:14 AM   #12
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richf28

You said in your second or third post that you'd taken your truck/trailer to a CAT scale but you never posted the actual weights you are dealing with. Could you post them as well as the tongue weight? That might help with some of the discussion. Also, please let us know the status of your tanks when you weighed the rig: Fuel, water,waste: were they full, empty or ?
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Old 10-12-2011, 05:10 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richf28 View Post
I have the extended tow package which includes 3:73 gears. I have all the power I'll ever need. I have like I said with help from dealers checked everything everything that's been mentioned, which I appreciate from you all. Like I said under good conditions you wouldn't know you were towing but let a slight breeze begin and you'd think you were towing in a hurricane. Anybody else think a Hensley hitch would help?
The Hensley Arrow hitch will without a doubt solve the sway problem. I did alot of research on it when I was going to try & pull my Laredo with a GMC Yukon. But I opted to buy a new truck. Like was stated earlier, Hensley will sell a reconditioned one for under $2k & buy it back when you no longer need it. Hensley will send you a DVD of its product & how it works if requested. That investment is alot cheeper than a new truck!
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Old 10-12-2011, 10:20 AM   #14
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Quick question... Did your Ford come with the trailer sway control they advertise on TV. I was wondering if something could be wrong with it?
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Old 10-12-2011, 05:31 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richf28 View Post
I have the extended tow package which includes 3:73 gears. I have all the power I'll ever need. I have like I said with help from dealers checked everything everything that's been mentioned, which I appreciate from you all. Like I said under good conditions you wouldn't know you were towing but let a slight breeze begin and you'd think you were towing in a hurricane. Anybody else think a Hensley hitch would help?
It's not about power. It is that your trailer weighs nearly twice what your truck does. In perfect conditions, it pulls fine. But as you have found, get any crosswind or draft from passing vehicles and the trailer attempts to steer the tow vehicle because of the weight difference.

A WD setup might help you, but I really believe your truck is overmatched.
Try the hitch, and if it doesn't fix it, you should be able to use it for another truck.

My sister has a 33' pull trailer that weighs about 9K lbs that she pulls with a 1/2 ton Dodge. To follow them while towing it is a scary sight when the trailer starts whipping around. I recently had a chance to pull it with my pickup and had absolutely NO issues with it without the weight distribution setup.

Jason
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Old 10-12-2011, 07:04 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jq1031 View Post
The Hensley Arrow hitch will without a doubt solve the sway problem. I did alot of research on it when I was going to try & pull my Laredo with a GMC Yukon. But I opted to buy a new truck. Like was stated earlier, Hensley will sell a reconditioned one for under $2k & buy it back when you no longer need it. Hensley will send you a DVD of its product & how it works if requested. That investment is alot cheeper than a new truck!
Rich, this is nothing to mess around with! Either buy a bigger TV or go with a Hensley Arrow or suffer what I experienced because I took it too the edge: http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3021

Remember it is not only your equipment you put at risk, it is also your family.

If you are not going to buy a new truck, then do the Hensley Arrow. I love mine, and it works perfectly!
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Old 10-13-2011, 05:49 AM   #17
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Rich, I would call Hensley and talk to one of there tech people. Tell them the problem and have all your wgts handy and type of truck trailer etc. Before you spend the money on this hitch that may or may not do the job you need to find out for yourself. I'm sure they have people that can work with you on this problem.
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Old 10-13-2011, 11:11 AM   #18
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The trailer, loaded, and the tanks are all empty weighs in at 7660. The tongue weight is about 1100 using a tongue scale. I never travel with anything in the tanks.
How ironic. I-75 is the route I just came down to eustis Florida on.
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Old 10-14-2011, 12:50 PM   #19
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Let me know how you solve your problem and I'll follow your lead. Towed mine today and the second friction plate doesn't seem to have completely solved my problem. A 10 - 15 mph cross wind was messing with me.
I would like to try a HA to see if that is the answer before I run out and buy one. I have been told by more than one person that my wheelbase (146") is too short for this 35' trailer. I'll try Timbren as well.
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Old 10-14-2011, 01:01 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by Txoutback View Post
Let me know how you solve your problem and I'll follow your lead. Towed mine today and the second friction plate doesn't seem to have completely solved my problem. A 10 - 15 mph cross wind was messing with me.
I would like to try a HA to see if that is the answer before I run out and buy one. I have been told by more than one person that my wheelbase (146") is too short for this 35' trailer. I'll try Timbren as well.
Not meaning to brag, but I had stiff crosswinds towing my 35 foot sprinter, and did not feel my trailer. Not one time did it sway with that Hensley Arrow hitch.
Even when large buses or semi-tractor passed me by did I feel anything.

No more white knuckles for me! Thank God!
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