Camper Towing

[woodypond]

Question, I am towing this camper it weights dry at 2,500 lbs and is a single axle, loaded about 3,000 lbs. When towing I am getting some side to side movement from the wind and big trucks passing, I have towed trailers with other trucks in my life without any problems, but they have been dual axle. Do you that tow use a weight distribution and anti sway hitch? Thanks for you input.
Update, Thanks again for the input, I increased the tire pressure to 42 lbs for two trips since I wrote this in March. First trip was about a 100 miles one way had very little wind , but plenty of semis on the interstate and sway was reduced considerably, second trip was about 50 miles one way wind was 20 to 30 mph gusts, still very little sway even on the interstate, about 20 miles. Of course I still get moved around by the semis, but less. Next I have a friction sway control that I will use on longer trips if needed.

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[ctechbob]

Even with an anti-sway you're still going to feel wind from time to time. That trailer is light enough that you really shouldn't need one, but if you wanted to, it will cut down on it slightly. You could also try to load the front of the trailer a little more and that could tame it down.

People confuse real trailer 'sway' with the forces of wind. They're not the same. If the trailer goes back to tracking straight and true when it is disturbed, you don't have sway. If you're driving along and it starts wagging all on its own, then yes, you have sway.

At the end of the day, you're pulling something behind you that is acted on by the wind, that energy has to go somewhere. There are things you can do to mitigate it, but you'll still feel it from time to time. Provided everything is set up properly, it isn't a dangerous thing to deal with and can serve to keep you on your toes.

--Edit--

Tire pressure in the truck will have an effect as well. Try going up a few PSI when you're towing and see if you like that difference.

If you still have the stock shocks on the truck, a set of rears (or preferably all 4) will also make a marked improvement.

 

[Nellieg]

Having towed a small tab (same manufacturer before they split), sway was worse when the tongue was lighter - I had loaded canopy weights rear of the axle. Eventually added a second battery on tongue and worried less on weight distribution. But a sway bar will help some. Keep your speed to 60mph will also help.

 

[Forever Blue]

I find that the Ranger by itself is moved by the wind, I don’t find it as stable as the F150 so imagine that the trailer makes it even worse.

 

[Deleted User 61245811]

Tough to tell from your photo for sure, but it looks like the front of your trailer is a little higher than the rear. A little more drop in your hitch might make it level or slightly lower in the front, which will help as well.

 

[Grumpaw]

A side shot of your rig would help, but if the trailer/truck set up is level or the trailer is "front high", even a few inches, then adding some weight to the front/lowering the front a bit might help. I looked at the spec's for the trailer, and it only has a tongue weight of around 250 empty, and maybe 300-325 or so loaded, depending on how you load it. If your just towing with a drop hitch for now, try lowering the hitch ball so trailer front/tongue sits lower....may require a longer shank to drop the ball.
A weight dist. hitch may help, but there aren't too many WD hitches for that light a tongue weight. If you do go with one, don't get one that is too stiff as it will cause more problems by not allowing the unit to "flex"....too heavy bars will limit travel.
A bar set up around 350 lbs would be/should be more than adequate..
Floor plan shows the wet bath and kitchen area up front so thats adding most of the weight where it's needed...the front.

 

[Old Red Replacement]

One that little a WDH should be unnecessary? Ours is 20 ft, 4500 lb and high wind profile, wind is felt with Blue Ox Sway Pro 750 lb spring bars I think you can get lighter 500 lb ones. The hitch is now +$200 the $625 we paid 7/20. Good luck . Look at there videos & website.Single axles tow less stable and ore sensitive to tires and loaded weight.

 

[Grumpaw]

One that little a WDH should be unnecessary? Ours is 20 ft, 4500 lb and high wind profile, wind is felt with Blue Ox Sway Pro 750 lb spring bars I think you can get lighter 500 lb ones. The hitch is now +$200 the $625 we paid 7/20. Good luck . Look at there videos & website.Single axles tow less stable and ore sensitive to tires and loaded weight.

I tend to agree....WD hitch, if the trailer is set up right, shouldn't be necessary.
First to try, as posted, is lower the front...longer shank to lower ball, put a bit of weight up front via "stuff", and make sure tires are inflated to sidewall rating.
A WD set up is always an option if further stability is needed, but wouldn't spend the $$$ for it until trying the simple stuff first.

 

[Jimmy07]

Being new to towing a few years back, I learned a lot from this forum. Adding a second battery to increase the tongue weight helped a lot. I have a Fastway E2 WDH, but it is too stiff (I think) and bounces the trailer and truck too much. Thinking about going to an Andersen WDH hitch.

 

[Big Blue]

First of all I agree with everything @Grumpaw has said get you trailer setup properly. Level or slightly lower in front. Tongue weight needed to be 10-15% of trailer weight. And, tire pressures. The need to for a WDH is questionable at that weight but with the Rangers short wheel base it can be helpful especially if it has built in sway control.

I pull a similar trailer with mine. a slightly heavier RPOD. I have a Husky Center Line TS hitch with 400-600 # bars and 4 point sway control. I have pulled this rig from the midwest to SOCAL with no issues. Yes you feel the wind and big trucks, but the rig moves sideways as a unit and not flexing in the middle. @Grumpaw is correct in not getting to stiff of bars you need to have some vertical flex or you can take too much weight off the rear axle. Getting it all setup can take some time but makes towing much more confortable and safe.

 

[JimG_AZ]

I find that the Ranger by itself is moved by the wind, I don’t find it as stable as the F150 so imagine that the trailer makes it even worse.

I have not noticed this with my Ranger and I do not recall others complaining about this. What tires do you have on your truck? Is there a lift or leveling kit? Last, what tire pressure are you running. I could see an issue like this if your tires are overinflated. Overinflation would lead to less tread making contact with the road.

 

[Forever Blue]

I have not noticed this with my Ranger and I do not recall others complaining about this. What tires do you have on your truck? Is there a lift or leveling kit? Last, what tire pressure are you running. I could see an issue like this if your tires are overinflated. Overinflation would lead to less tread making contact with the road.

Thanks JimG_Az, suspension has not been altered and the original spec tires are on the truck. It interesting that you ask about my tire inflator, they are overinflated as I thought that would make the sidewalls stiffer and take out sway. I hadn’t contacr area of the thread on the road. I will lower the pressure back spec. I appreciate your thought on this.

 

[JimG_AZ]

Thanks JimG_Az, suspension has not been altered and the original spec tires are on the truck. It interesting that you ask about my tire inflator, they are overinflated as I thought that would make the sidewalls stiffer and take out sway. I hadn’t contacr area of the thread on the road. I will lower the pressure back spec. I appreciate your thought on this.

Google "Tire chalk test" and it will show you a cheap and easy way to tell if your tires are over, under or properly inflated. With your current level of tire inflation, the chalk test would also give you a visual of how much tread is contacting the pavement.

 

[Forever Blue]

Good idea, I will, i will also lower the pressures, that’ll make ride better as well. Thanks again

 

[woodypond]

Even with an anti-sway you're still going to feel wind from time to time. That trailer is light enough that you really shouldn't need one, but if you wanted to, it will cut down on it slightly. You could also try to load the front of the trailer a little more and that could tame it down.

People confuse real trailer 'sway' with the forces of wind. They're not the same. If the trailer goes back to tracking straight and true when it is disturbed, you don't have sway. If you're driving along and it starts wagging all on its own, then yes, you have sway.

At the end of the day, you're pulling something behind you that is acted on by the wind, that energy has to go somewhere. There are things you can do to mitigate it, but you'll still feel it from time to time. Provided everything is set up properly, it isn't a dangerous thing to deal with and can serve to keep you on your toes.

--Edit--

Tire pressure in the truck will have an effect as well. Try going up a few PSI when you're towing and see if you like that difference.

If you still have the stock shocks on the truck, a set of rears (or preferably all 4) will also make a marked improvement.

A side shot of your rig would help, but if the trailer/truck set up is level or the trailer is "front high", even a few inches, then adding some weight to the front/lowering the front a bit might help. I looked at the spec's for the trailer, and it only has a tongue weight of around 250 empty, and maybe 300-325 or so loaded, depending on how you load it. If your just towing with a drop hitch for now, try lowering the hitch ball so trailer front/tongue sits lower....may require a longer shank to drop the ball.
A weight dist. hitch may help, but there aren't too many WD hitches for that light a tongue weight. If you do go with one, don't get one that is too stiff as it will cause more problems by not allowing the unit to "flex"....too heavy bars will limit travel.
A bar set up around 350 lbs would be/should be more than adequate..
Floor plan shows the wet bath and kitchen area up front so thats adding most of the weight where it's needed...the front.

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