Vibration while Towing Cargo Trailer

[Shelpdogg]

Hello everyone....I just picked up a new 6x12 cargo trailer on Saturday and brought it home. Going to use it to travel around and bring my FJR1300 with me to ride wherever I go.
On the way home, I was about 30 miles in and started to feel a fairly significant vibration around 70mph. Up to that point, everything was smooth with no issues. I had to slow down below 60mph and it was still pretty bad so I exited the interstate and took back roads to my house. Anything above 50mph and it shakes pretty bad. Almost like what an unbalanced wheel would feel like at that speed..
Got home, I torqued the lugs on the new trailer as instructed and checked my air pressures on both truck and trailer.
Still no change.....I took it to storage to park it and did the same thing on the way there.

Unhooked the truck and drove home....no vibration.

The trailer only weighs 2250 dry. I could swear it was the truck giving the vibration, but I don't know. Taking the trailer back this week to have them check it.
Anyone else have this type of issue? Could it be the Drive Shaft out of balance at that angle or under load?
It's not like the trailer is super heavy and it pulls it easily.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

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[Grumpaw]

If the Ranger had no problems at any speed while empty, but vibration occurs when trailer is hooked up.....
Look for a problem with the truck's hitch, maybe being not tightened/torqued properly, of out of "plum" with the truck.
Also look to the trailer and if the axle's are "plum". Not unkonwn for a dual axle trailer's axle's to be uneven or even the springs to be the cause. Any problem with the trailer will be transmitted to the truck.
Additionally, from your photo, it seems the trailer is riding high at the front/hitch....maybe try lowering the hitch to lower the front of the trailer....put more weight on hitch.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I’ve heard that tire pressure on tandem axle trailers needs to be consistent across all four tires - maybe it’s that? Steve would know more about how that might play out.

@Grumpaw - your thoughts?

 

[Grumpaw]

I’ve heard that tire pressure on tandem axle trailers needs to be consistent across all four tires - maybe it’s that? Steve would know more about how that might play out.

@Grumpaw - your thoughts?

Thought about that, but he stated he checked wheel lugs and pressure....
Could very possibly be a bad tire on the trailer...out of round.....that would definitely set up a vibration that would be transmitted to the truck.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Thought about that, but he stated he checked wheel lugs and pressure....
Could very possibly be a bad tire on the trailer...out of round.....that would definitely set up a vibration that would be transmitted to the truck.

Thanks Steve - better go find my readers and start over. ? ?‍

 

[Tom_C]

May also want to get a drop hitch bar so the trailer isn't tipped up in the front... maybe load the trailer as normally towed before measuring for the amount of drop you need.

ETA: Oh, Grumpaw already said that.

 

[Grumpaw]

May also want to get a drop hitch bar so the trailer isn't tipped up in the front... maybe load the trailer as normally towed before measuring for the amount of drop you need.

ETA: Oh, Grumpaw already said that.

I mentioned that, but normally a "light front" with not enough weight on the truck hitch will set up a sway problem, not vibration.
I'm leaning toward something not properly set up or loose on the trailer, out of round trailer tire/s or out of balance trailer tire/s....that's the first item I would have the trailer dealer check.....tires out of round, out of balance, or bent/out of round wheel.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I mentioned that, but normally a "light front" with not enough weight on the truck hitch will set up a sway problem, not vibration.
I'm leaning toward something not properly set up or loose on the trailer, out of round trailer tire/s or out of balance trailer tire/s....that's the first item I would have the trailer dealer check.....tires out of round, out of balance, or bent/out of round wheel.

 

[Shelpdogg]

Thanks Grumpaw...it's a new 6" drop hitch and it's at the bottom setting. It looks more level when I'm not parked in the grass. I was thinking the axles too, which is why I'm taking it back to them to check. Possibly something wasn't tightened from the factory? They will look it over.
I haven't added the weight of the motorcycle yet either, so that might help with more weight on the front.

Thanks Duke....the tires were at 40 psi when I got home. I set them all at 45, but they were still warm. I think 50 is the max for these.

 

[Frenchy]

I would be looking at both the Trailer and the hitch. Why? Well since you have a stock Tremor I can see the nose of the trailer up. This generally makes the trailer sway and vibrate all over the place. Also I say it's a good idea to make sure the tires on the trailer are balanced. Many are not and they need to be. It's still a rotational force on the road and if it is not balanced it will cause problems

 

[airline tech]

I would look to see if there is any weights on the trailer wheels, might give a clue to the cause.

 

[subquark]

While the things @Grumpaw mentioned are the likely culprits (I do have a trailer-towing altar for Steve in my closet). This is a fun video showing tongue weight and load issues:



And here's a fun Dutch one showing load in the trailer and vehicle:

 

[ranger 2020]

Jack up trailer side to side and check the tires very carefully. I bought a new trailer myself a few years ago and it shook my truck a bit on the way home. 1st trip with a ton of pellets & it got worse. I don't use the trailer all that much so I didn't worry too much about it. About 5 years later I had a long trip coming up with toll road speeds and plenty of weight involved so I bit the bullet and installed new tires on it. What a difference. The shake that the trailer had from day 1 was completely gone. Ended up bringing home 1 1/2 tons of pellets @ 70/75 mph. No vibrations at all.

 

[Matt 57]

If the Ranger had no problems at any speed while empty, but vibration occurs when trailer is hooked up.....
Look for a problem with the truck's hitch, maybe being not tightened/torqued properly, of out of "plum" with the truck.
Also look to the trailer and if the axle's are "plum". Not unkonwn for a dual axle trailer's axle's to be uneven or even the springs to be the cause. Any problem with the trailer will be transmitted to the truck.
Additionally, from your photo, it seems the trailer is riding high at the front/hitch....maybe try lowering the hitch to lower the front of the trailer....put more weight on hitch.

Hello everyone....I just picked up a new 6x12 cargo trailer on Saturday and brought it home. Going to use it to travel around and bring my FJR1300 with me to ride wherever I go.
On the way home, I was about 30 miles in and started to feel a fairly significant vibration around 70mph. Up to that point, everything was smooth with no issues. I had to slow down below 60mph and it was still pretty bad so I exited the interstate and took back roads to my house. Anything above 50mph and it shakes pretty bad. Almost like what an unbalanced wheel would feel like at that speed..
Got home, I torqued the lugs on the new trailer as instructed and checked my air pressures on both truck and trailer.
Still no change.....I took it to storage to park it and did the same thing on the way there.

Unhooked the truck and drove home....no vibration.

The trailer only weighs 2250 dry. I could swear it was the truck giving the vibration, but I don't know. Taking the trailer back this week to have them check it.
Anyone else have this type of issue? Could it be the Drive Shaft out of balance at that angle or under load?
It's not like the trailer is super heavy and it pulls it easily.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

check trailer tires ,for out of round, have them balanced, many trailers come with cheap tires.

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