Sway

Marshmadness · 08-13-2020, 06:55 PM

Towing travel trailer with Yukon Denali. Trailer is 29' Passport with one slide
Weighs around 7k I have equalizer bars the RV dealer set up the hitch at purchase. At around 65 Mph I can really feel the trailer sway. I also need to keep my tanks empty when towing, as I feel it helps. I have checked all the obvious things like tire pressure. But can't seem to drive very comfortably without it swaying and have to stay around 60. I see trailers going past me with no problem. anyone have any suggestions, fairly new to travel trailers,

**sourdough** · 08-13-2020, 07:16 PM

Unless you have addressed them you have multiple issues, some unsafe.

A 29' trailer on the back of a Yukon Denali is just a very bad idea. The Yukon was not designed for that....it's made for a few sacks of groceries.

You need to provide 1) weights off the driver door for payload and gawr front and rear. Year and model of trailer...not 29'. That is in and of itself enough to say the Yukon isn't up to the task but additional info can help us help you. Sway is, and will be, inherent when the tail is wagging the dog as you are experiencing. It can be uncomfortable or deadly.

Please provide the above info along with type of hitch. We can, and will, help. Might not be what you want to hear but our only objective is your safety and happy travels.

koda57 · 08-13-2020, 07:44 PM

I wouldn't assume that your hitch was set up correctly. My last trailer was 28 feet and towed behind a 3/4 Chevrolet. They set up my Equal-i-zer sway control hitch.When I towed it home it also swayed. Set it up correctly and that corrected my problem. I would go to the manufacture of the hitch's web site for the set up procedure, and verify it was done correctly. I see a lot of 1/2 ton short wheel bases vehicles towing long trailers, some sway and some don't.

**sourdough** · 08-13-2020, 08:16 PM

The issue will go beyond hitch setup. It will go back to trailer weight, tongue weight. After that a Yukon usually has a limited receiver. What is that max? 500lbs? Payload? GAWR? Op needs to know a lot more than that they have sway; the cause has to be identified.

**flybouy** · 08-14-2020, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshmadness

Towing travel trailer with Yukon Denali. Trailer is 29' Passport with one slide
Weighs around 7k I have equalizer bars the RV dealer set up the hitch at purchase. At around 65 Mph I can really feel the trailer sway. I also need to keep my tanks empty when towing, as I feel it helps. I have checked all the obvious things like tire pressure. But can't seem to drive very comfortably without it swaying and have to stay around 60. I see trailers going past me with no problem. anyone have any suggestions, fairly new to travel trailers,

Next time, note what's pulling those trailers. As has been stated numbers don't lie. It can be a harsh reality to find out that you have been mislead by salesman and sales brochures (note the common word there -sales). With a light, short wheel base vehicle with a frame only capable of towing a pop up you WILL have sway. There is no "fix" for the condition other than a more appropriate tow vehicle to trailer ratio.

Yes, having a good, properly set up hitch can HELP but it won't CURE it.

dutchmensport · 08-14-2020, 04:55 AM

I agree with the other posters above. It's a harsh reality, but the tow vehicle is under par.

**flybouy** · 08-14-2020, 05:29 AM

Just this week we were camping in PA. An older couple (I think they were 2 yrs older than us

) ) were walking and stopped to chat when they looked at our dog. The gentleman asked me if I had issues with sway. He said they were having issues since "upgrading to a larger trailer". Yup.

I told him maybe I could help. They were just around the corner from us. We walked to their site and as soon as I saw the Tahoe in front of the 30' Jayco I knew what the issue was. We looked at the weights and the hitch setup. I told them that a good 4 point wdh with sway control would reduce the sway but never eliminate it. We reviewed the numbers and I could see he was disappointed. His DW chimed in with a I told you so".

I explained that it happens more often than not. He said he noticed all the "large trucks" in the campground. I told him that if he asked, I'd bet that the majority of them went thru exactly what they were experiencing before they ended up with a larger truck.

Personally, my theory is the commercials showing the "towing prowess" of whatever truck or SUV is aimed at not only selling that vehicle but also the future sale of the truck that's next size up. Brilliant !

**JRTJH** · 08-14-2020, 05:45 AM

The "general rule" for wheelbase to trailer length is:

110" wheelbase provides adequate length for a 20' trailer

Add 1 foot of trailer length for each 4 inches of wheelbase above the 110"

114"=21'
118"=22'
122"=23'
126"=24'
130"=25'
134"=26'

The Yukon Denali wheelbase is 120.9" providing for a 22'6"' trailer capacity

The Yukon XL Denali wheelbase is 134.1" providing for a 26' trailer.

Attempting to tow a longer trailer (especially a XLite or UltraLite model) will cause increased sway. To "prove that point" imagine a 8x16" balloon hanging on a string attached to the ceiling sitting next to a 8x16" cement block hanging next to it... Turn on the ceiling fan and see the graphic results of what wind will do to a "light weight trailer" behind a "short wheelbase vehicle".....

There is a member who towed with a vehicle similar to yours, upgraded his hitch to a "premium anti-sway hitch" (ProPride I think) with good results, but realized the added weight of the hitch made his payload/vehicle weight even more critical. He eventually bought a 3/4 ton truck and all his towing issues "faded away"....

skids · 08-14-2020, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

A 29' trailer on the back of a Yukon Denali is just a very bad idea. The Yukon was not designed for that....it's made for a few sacks of groceries.

LOL! That is just a little bit of satire.

MarkEHansen · 08-14-2020, 01:38 PM

I went through the same thing. I had a 2019 Yukon Denali which I purchased new. Then found that it was not up to pulling my current trailer (which is smaller than yours), so I had to trade it in on the current truck - at a considerable loss $-wise

With regard to the trailer weight, it sounds like you are using the dry weight figure - which is what the salesmen want to use, but it doesn't apply here. You need to use the GVW of the trailer, which I suspect will be quite a bit more than your quoted figure.

As for running with the tanks empty, this can back-fire on you. If the trailer is too tail heavy, not only can it sway, the sway can get out of control and destroy the entire rig (trailer and tow vehicle) with predictable consequences to passengers and cargo. There are a lot of youtube videos showing such results. They are eye-opening.

I can't express how tough of a pill this was for us to swallow, but we feel much better now, and safer too - but at least I have that "been there, done that" badge

Marshmadness · 08-14-2020, 05:37 PM

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. Getting another vehicle is not an option. I am going to see if there are some adjustments I can make to hitch setup.

**sourdough** · 08-14-2020, 05:51 PM

What hitch do you have? If not one of the best ones you're wasting your time. We have a member who started out with a vehicle similar to yours and I believe his solution was either a ProPride or Hensley hitch. They are very expensive, heavy but they work. Other than that you need to work on some other mods.

I might add that RVing is an expensive hobby.

Marshmadness · 08-14-2020, 06:03 PM

The hitch I have is an E2 round bar. I will look into a Hensley. Thanks!

**sourdough** · 08-14-2020, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshmadness

The hitch I have is an E2 round bar. I will look into a Hensley. Thanks!

You need heavy duty tires, not the grocery getter, passenger tires. LT tires. You need to replace your shocks; not OEM; I would go with Bilstein. Maybe an aftermarket Hellwig sway bar in the back.

You bit off more than the SUV can chew. A propride or hensley, maybe 2k will help but it will never eliminate the reality that your vehicle is not meant for that much trailer nor that you are putting your family and others in danger.

The E2 is an entry level hitch; it should never be on your setup.

Brantlyj · 08-14-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

You need heavy duty tires, not the grocery getter, passenger tires. LT tires. You need to replace your shocks; not OEM; I would go with Bilstein. Maybe an aftermarket Hellwig sway bar in the back.

You bit off more than the SUV can chew. A propride or hensley, maybe 2k will help but it will never eliminate the reality that your vehicle is not meant for that much trailer nor that you are putting your family and others in danger.

The E2 is an entry level hitch; it should never be on your setup.

Depending on the owe vs. worth of the suv it might end up being cheaper to upgrade to a proper truck than doing everything you mention.

**sourdough** · 08-14-2020, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brantlyj

Depending on the owe vs. worth of the suv it might end up being cheaper to upgrade to a proper truck than doing everything you mention.

And you're are exactly right.

skids · 08-15-2020, 05:22 AM

I think the E2 round bar hitch is fine for my needs but your trailer is heavier than mine. What did you say, 7000 dry weight? I believe that the E2 is rated at either 600 or 1000 lbs tongue load. Remember that at least 12% of the trailer load should be tongue load (without weight distribution by hitch). If you have propane, batteries, and some junk in the passthrough, and possibly some water, you will be very close to the E2 hitch rated maximum, assuming you have the 1000lb WDH. Also, your receiver has a rating...mine is rated at 1050lbs I think. There are many tricky constraints for rated loads and it can be difficult to determine which one is the critical factor.

MarkEHansen · 08-15-2020, 05:25 AM

Some limits are expected to be hit first, like tow vehicle payload, but all the limits should/must be complied with.

**flybouy** · 08-15-2020, 05:55 AM

The "lowest limit" for ALL factoring components is the "limiting factor". You can have a WDH rated for 1,000 lbs tongue weight and 10,000 lb trailer hut if the hitch under the vehicle is rated at 500 lb hitch weight 5,000 lb trailer than that's your limiting factor.

It's the weakest link in the chain that controls the maximum weight.

dutchmensport · 08-15-2020, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

The "lowest limit" for ALL factoring components is the "limiting factor". You can have a WDH rated for 1,000 lbs tongue weight and 10,000 lb trailer hut if the hitch under the vehicle is rated at 500 lb hitch weight 5,000 lb trailer than that's your limiting factor.

It's the weakest link in the chain that controls the maximum weight.

Agree 100%

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