Towing setup questions - Page 2

jack65 · 08-05-2021, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

Just take your time. Note which direction of the steering wheel makes the trailer go in what direction. Many use the bottom of the wheel so when you turn it a particular direction the back of the trailer goes that way as well, ie; hand on the bottom of the wheel and turn to L (your hand would rotate upward on the wheel), the back of your trailer is going to go to the L as well. If your hands are on the top of the wheel it is opposite. Put yourself past the entry to the selected "slot" and a ways out from it. It will take a bit for the trailer to start to turn into it. With a trailer that short once it starts it's liable to go quick. A longer one just seems to lumber along forever. Good Luck.

I felt like a fool a couple times with other campers watching.

If I remember I was turning the steering wheel too much, whereas if I turned the steering wheel a little bit, it turned in easier and I had better control. Is that what you do? I've tried both, the top and bottom steering, forgot what I liked best. I need to go RV camping more to get this stuff down. Tent camping was so simple but harder on my back and knees as I'm 69 now in three weeks.

**flybouy** · 08-05-2021, 02:07 PM

Don't feel ashamed. EVERYONE started out at some point. Don’t let anyone rush you and don't be afraid or too embarassed to get out and look. Many videos on line and practice is the key.

**sourdough** · 08-05-2021, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack65

I felt like a fool a couple times with other campers watching.

If I remember I was turning the steering wheel too much, whereas if I turned the steering wheel a little bit, it turned in easier and I had better control. Is that what you do? I've tried both, the top and bottom steering, forgot what I liked best. I need to go RV camping more to get this stuff down. Tent camping was so simple but harder on my back and knees as I'm 69 now in three weeks.

Practice is the key. When you get enough practice and camping under your belt it will go much smoother. I like a little longer trailer as short ones really go quick and sharp once they get turning. I can drop a 37' trailer into a slot MUCH easier than I can a 10-12' trailer. My deck boat was 24' and with trailer about 27' which seemed about perfect for me. Rented a short Uhaul box trailer and tried to navigate it into our narrow parking lot at our mountain house and thought I would have a come apart trying to get it in there.

With the above in mind what you mentioned about turning too much could very well be the case, it doesn't take much to get a short trailer turning so sharp it wants to jackknife behind you. Let us know how it goes.

jack65 · 08-05-2021, 02:37 PM

It's going to be Saturday morning before I do the test run and practice. If I do it now, too many people out as rush hour is starting and too much traffic in Walmarts parking lot. I may end up going out in the country somewhere to practice.

**JRTJH** · 08-05-2021, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack65

It's going to be Saturday morning before I do the test run and practice. If I do it now, too many people out as rush hour is starting and too much traffic in Walmarts parking lot. I may end up going out in the country somewhere to practice.

On Saturdays, most school and church parking lots are empty. Take a look around your community and see what's available other than "shopping center parking lots"...

jack65 · 08-05-2021, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

On Saturdays, most school and church parking lots are empty. Take a look around your community and see what's available other than "shopping center parking lots"...

Great I idea! Walmart has a big lot, but too many people driving around.
I know just the Church to go to... the one my wife and I go to.

**sourdough** · 08-05-2021, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack65

Great I idea! Walmart has a big lot, but too many people driving around.
I know just the Church to go to... the one my wife and I go to.

Jack that's a good idea and beats the heck out of the activity at a Walmart lot. Our church lot down the way is big and open nearly all the time with the exception of services.

curtiscapk · 08-06-2021, 05:29 AM

Jack,

My hideout is a little bigger than yours.(never thought I'd say that with a 177)

We use the exact same sway control with no WDH. It works perfectly. Definitely loosen the sway bar to back in.

johnnybadger · 08-06-2021, 05:56 AM

When it comes to backing up, I am still an apprentice. Buried somewhere in my posts on this site is a fairly long string of coaching that I received from many of the most experienced people on this site. After studying all their suggestions, there were two points that made my results go from “poor” to “tolerable”. First, go slow and take my time. Second, don’t over-steer my turns. Once I focused on these two points, my results became much better. Still not perfect, but now I don’t have my neighbors breaking out their lounge chairs, popcorn, and beverages to watch the show

!

dutchmensport · 08-06-2021, 07:58 AM

Just for clarity.... Yes, I was referring to the friction sway bar as shown in the photo. I used one all the time on 2 different travel trailers (24 foot and 31 foot), and switched to a 4 point Equal-i-zer WD hitch when we got the 35 footer. I never had sway, but then, I always towed with 3500 dualy trucks too. But I always had it connected.

If you have it, use it. It doesn't hurt anything to use it. You may "think" it doesn't do anything, but if you ever do hit a sway situation and you did not use it when you have it anyway ... you'll think twice the next time!

I had a serious sway problem once with my pop-up camper and almost flipped the pop-up over. Um.... I'm a believer!

ftrupe · 08-06-2021, 05:36 PM

I have an equalizer hitch and have a similar issue removing the bars. So I raise the jack and the back of the truck and the bars become loose.

jack65 · 08-06-2021, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnybadger

When it comes to backing up, I am still an apprentice. Buried somewhere in my posts on this site is a fairly long string of coaching that I received from many of the most experienced people on this site. After studying all their suggestions, there were two points that made my results go from “poor” to “tolerable”. First, go slow and take my time. Second, don’t over-steer my turns. Once I focused on these two points, my results became much better. Still not perfect, but now I don’t have my neighbors breaking out their lounge chairs, popcorn, and beverages to watch the show

!

LOL

That was funny, the last sentence! I know the feeling as I had campers entertained the first time at the lake and yes they were in lawn chairs drinking beer.

I had a two cars waiting on me on the loop road too.

I almost sold the trailer to go back to tent camping...

LHaven · 08-07-2021, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack65

Dumb question... what is TV? the vehicle?

Tow vehicle.
It gets tricky when people are talking about upgrading their television.

JDDilly · 08-07-2021, 07:56 AM

My Father-in-law loved watching people back into camp sites or the boat landing. It was always his entertainment when we were camping.

lcarver02 · 08-12-2021, 09:06 AM

I have had a few 20 to 26 foot trailers, and do have similar issues at times. Before taking the stabilizer bars loose (off) from the Weight Distributing Hitch I simply put the Trailer Tongue Jack down and begin to lift the trailer or allow the jack to take some weight (stress) off the hitch ball and the stabilizer (weight equalizing) bars). You can reduce the weight distribution bar load from 2-300 pounds per bar to about 10-30 pounds per bar. The lifting can be seen at the truck rear bumper and it is about three inches. This will take most of the stress from the bars and typically they can be removed much easier. This will take some practice and feel. I think it works best to have someone help you and let you know when the bars are "unloaded" from the weight transfer. Usually on mine it is the point where the trailer tongue starts up off the ball. Typically I unlatch the hitch ball lock, set the wheel locks or chocks and do all the things to get ready to raise your trailer hitch off your truck ball. I do know that this can become more difficult if you are on an uneven surface and your trailer or truck are not level. Do your best to get the truck and trailer as level as possible. On a related note, when you attach the bars the same method applies and can make it much easier.

Mainer · 08-12-2021, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcarver02

I have had a few 20 to 26 foot trailers, and do have similar issues at times. Before taking the stabilizer bars loose (off) from the Weight Distributing Hitch I simply put the Trailer Tongue Jack down and begin to lift the trailer or allow the jack to take some weight (stress) off the hitch ball and the stabilizer (weight equalizing) bars). You can reduce the weight distribution bar load from 2-300 pounds per bar to about 10-30 pounds per bar. The lifting can be seen at the truck rear bumper and it is about three inches. This will take most of the stress from the bars and typically they can be removed much easier. This will take some practice and feel. I think it works best to have someone help you and let you know when the bars are "unloaded" from the weight transfer. Usually on mine it is the point where the trailer tongue starts up off the ball. Typically I unlatch the hitch ball lock, set the wheel locks or chocks and do all the things to get ready to raise your trailer hitch off your truck ball. I do know that this can become more difficult if you are on an uneven surface and your trailer or truck are not level. Do your best to get the truck and trailer as level as possible. On a related note, when you attach the bars the same method applies and can make it much easier.

Better to NOT unlatch the Hitch Ball Lock before the bars are loose or you will be raising the back of the TV with the bars instead of the ball when uncoupling.

Process is: Drop hitch on ball, latch hitch, insert bars into ball mount, raise hitch till hooking bars is easy, do safety chains - breakaway cable - lights, raise tongue jack, pull chocks, test lights, start to move, test brakes.

Jack65,
From your photo: You might want to readjust your bars so they are more level by removing a spacer or two in order to have better clearance.

To the Experts,
One thing I have never understood is why the equalizer bars need to be removed for backing. If they are low enough to drag, that's a problem going forward also. Been using WD hitches since '75 and done a H... of a lot of backing with them without a problem. Also don't see how friction pads could ever stop a sway, that's what proper weight on the TV does.

**flybouy** · 08-12-2021, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mainer

Better to NOT unlatch the Hitch Ball Lock before the bars are loose or you will be raising the back of the TV with the bars instead of the ball when uncoupling.

Process is: Drop hitch on ball, latch hitch, insert bars into ball mount, raise hitch till hooking bars is easy, do safety chains - breakaway cable - lights, raise tongue jack, pull chocks, test lights, start to move, test brakes.

Jack65,
From your photo: You might want to readjust your bars so they are more level by removing a spacer or two in order to have better clearance.

To the Experts,
One thing I have never understood is why the equalizer bars need to be removed for backing. If they are low enough to drag, that's a problem going forward also. Been using WD hitches since '75 and done a H... of a lot of backing with them without a problem. Also don't see how friction pads could ever stop a sway, that's what proper weight on the TV does.

The equalizers do not need to be removed for backing. If you use a friction style sway bar it must be removed because when backing into a space it can easily "run out of travel" jamb and bend the friction bar or even bend the trailer frame.

**sourdough** · 08-12-2021, 04:07 PM

https://www.campingworld.com/sway-co...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

See above. When the turn compresses the friction bar to the "balls" on each end it is fully compressed. Turn further and the friction bar bends, the frame bends or both.

**JRTJH** · 08-12-2021, 05:26 PM

Along the same lines as using the jack to reduce tension on the WD bars: The same thing happens if you have air bags on the tow vehicle, hitch and properly adjust your WD system... Should you get in the tow vehicle and add/bleed air from the air bags, you'll change the tow vehicle height, thus changing the hitch ball height and the tension on the WD bars.... So, if you "add some air to get the headlights back on the pavement" you're also adjusting the WD bar tension, removing weight from the front axle on the tow vehicle.

LenH · 08-13-2021, 02:57 AM

I purchased the same WDH for our old 26 ft trailer and carried a golf cart in the GMC 2500HD truck bed. It worked well and no squat. I also use the same sway control. I now have a Passport GT 351BH and use all of the same with golf cart in truck. Everything works great. The sway control works if you tighten it before hitting the open road. It squeaks and creaks like crazy and heads turn at the gas stations.
With your truck, you don't need the WDH, but continue using the sway control.

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