Utility trailer sways when pulling
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Utility trailer sways when pulling
I’ve got a 14’ enclosed trailer that I work out of. Unfortunately, the load isn’t balanced very well due to the equipment mounted in it and how it has to be laid out. Since it’s a bit unbalanced, it has a tendency to sway side to side when around the 60mph range. Will a sway bar hitch setup help with this issue?
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Basically there are two pieces of heavy equipment bolted down to the floor. One piece weighs in around 1400# and and it’s mounted about 4’ from the front of the trailer, and the other piece weighs around 900 pounds and it’s mounted closer to the back door. The result is it’s a tad too nose heavy causing the unbalace. Unfortunately, the equipment cannot be moved because it has to be arranged this way to operate.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,050
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From: Media PA
Typically a high tongue weight wont cause trailer sway, more often it's too low of a tongue weight that brings on the sway.
Is this trailer overloaded? You mentioned 2500lbs of cargo in those two machines, is there more additional weight involved? What is the GVWR of the trailer? 14' could be either single or dual axle.
When you are hitched up and ready to travel is the trailer frame level? Having the tongue too high will make sway more likely.
Is this trailer overloaded? You mentioned 2500lbs of cargo in those two machines, is there more additional weight involved? What is the GVWR of the trailer? 14' could be either single or dual axle.
When you are hitched up and ready to travel is the trailer frame level? Having the tongue too high will make sway more likely.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,787
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From: Northern Illinois
hmmmmm no clue sorry.
I was guessing it would be tongue light and was going to say add some weights if needed.
I was guessing it would be tongue light and was going to say add some weights if needed.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
In my experience, most cargo trailers pull well without any weight distribution hitch with sway control. If it was me, I would start looking for other issues. Bent axles, misaligned axles, bent frame, mismatched tires, etc. If all that checks out then go with a WDH with sway control. Pick up a name brand one on Craig's List for a lot less than new.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Seattle area
I recommend buying a tongue weight scale to properly diagnose. It usually is too light of a tongue weight to cause sway.
Something like this:
If in fact the tongue weight is too heavy, add a WDH with built in sway control and it should both level out your ride and prevent the sway.
Something like this (though there are many to choose from): Etrailer
EDIT - looks like I posted a 5000lb scale. Probably would do better with a 2klb scale.
Something like this:
If in fact the tongue weight is too heavy, add a WDH with built in sway control and it should both level out your ride and prevent the sway.
Something like this (though there are many to choose from): Etrailer
EDIT - looks like I posted a 5000lb scale. Probably would do better with a 2klb scale.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,182
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
Never seen too much tongue weight cause sway. Too little will almost always cause sway. My guess is that the equipment locations and weight, plus whatever else you have in it, doesn't result in as much tongue weight as you have thought.
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Sorry for the delayed response. This trailer is only a year old, I purchased it new. There are no issues with the trailer as far as anything bent ir mismatched tires. The trailer has two 7500# axles.
The trailer pulled perfectly until I had to add the extra piece if equipment and had to move everything inside around to make room. There is other equipment in the trailer but it doesn’t anount to much weight. I’m assuming it’s tongue heavy considering the heaviest weight is forward of the axles towards the tongue, and the 1000# weight is directly over the two axles. Then there is 300# behind the axles towards the back of the trailer but closer to the axles than the back door.
The trailer pulled perfectly until I had to add the extra piece if equipment and had to move everything inside around to make room. There is other equipment in the trailer but it doesn’t anount to much weight. I’m assuming it’s tongue heavy considering the heaviest weight is forward of the axles towards the tongue, and the 1000# weight is directly over the two axles. Then there is 300# behind the axles towards the back of the trailer but closer to the axles than the back door.