Limiting wind sway?

[NDIrishLacrosse]

Hello,

I am new to the camper/RV/towing world. Bought my first, a 2021 Imagine 2400BH, this September and was able to take it on 3 trips with the family before winterizing it today. I am towing the 2400BH with a 2018 F-150 Super Crew Lariat with Max Towing and an Equalizer E4 WD hitch. Weight is all good on the tow vehicle and trailer and the hitch is properly installed. Truck is level before and after hitch is hooked up and the Ford dashboard is showing no lift. I travel with all the extra weight in the pass thru cabinet in front or middle (food in kitchen cabinets) and nothing added to behind the rear axle.

Two of my trips have been around 100 miles one way... both trips out, the truck has towed fine and there's been no sway issues even with trucks passing. On both return trips, there has been wind and its caused significant sway. Today, the winds were a constant 15 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the highway (eastern Missouri, so its not exactly flat but highways between towns have not much but trees to break the wind up).

I have no experience towing before purchasing this trailer. Is there any way to limit the impact of wind on trailer sway, or is it just one of those things by having a tall camper? Would a bigger truck help at all with the wind? Would rather not make the investment in a new truck unless it would significantly limit sway with the wind, since I am having no issues on calm days.

Any help is appreciated!

[sande005]

You'll get a lot of "buy a new truck" guys chiming in. But, in more or less order of cost, try first:

1. Reading about how to, and going to, a truck scale. Simply has to be done to validate the reality of your numbers, and to verify any changes you might make.
True sway is only due to too light on the tongue. Wind (or truck) pushes are not really sway, although they can be causes in initiating true sway - back-and-forth oscillation. Get your tongue weight above 12%, better to be 12.5-15%. Check this, and fix if needed, no matter what else.
2. Ford generally recommends restoring 50% of the weight lost on the steer wheels when towing. Many of us have found that going back to almost 100% can greatly improve things. Again, truck weights rather than fender height is a much better means of determining what is lost/regained. Adjust your WD hitch bars to change this.
3. Go to max sidewall pressure on your current truck tires.
4. Change up to load range E tires, and go to max (80 lbs) pressure on them when towing. Shop for ones with the greatest sidewall stiffness.
5. Spend the big $$ and buy a ProPride hitch.

I had to do all 5. Yes, I still know it is windy out, but on the last 4,500 mile trip, where cross winds gusted to 35+ on some days, I was still steering one handed.....

[NDIrishLacrosse]

Good advice. Getting to the CAT scales while loaded up is on my to-do list. Was going to do that on the way home today, with the family in it, but I detoured off the highway to get away from the wind. By the time I was at home, I needed a break!

Are the E tires for the truck, trailer, or both (excuse my ignorance)? My truck tires are still the manufacturers (20,000 miles on them now) so it isn't outside the realm of a possibility for me to look at newer, stiffer truck tires. The F-150 has 275/65R18 Michelin's. The 2400BH still has the Westlake's.

Any thought to traveling with fresh water in the tank to increase weight around the axle?

You aren't the first person to mention a Pro Pride. What's the approximate cost and will it really be the be-all-end-all everyone claims?

[sande005]

Tires are for the truck. Essentially beefier to allow higher pressures, so they can resist side loads better, such as the trailer wanting to wiggle the truck sideways when the wind hits it. I'm still running my original Westlakes (~12,000 miles), and all I do for them is make sure they are at max sidewall pressure.
Back when I was fighting my issue (different model trailer than yours) of too little tongue weight, I tried running with full water - of course, make sure yours is ahead of the trailer wheels, or it won't make a difference. While it does do some, it depends on how far forward it is. For me, it got me from 11% to 11.5% I got it to 12.5%, and the sway is gone. But then, I was getting sway even on very calm days, not just wind/truck pushes. If you really do need tongue weight, think about adding an extra battery, bigger propane tanks, or an over the hitch bike rack. While tongue weight should be checked, it likely will be just fine. It is on most trailers. And going more won't do alot for the wind push only problem. We just want to make sure you don't have two things going on at once.

ProPride is about $2,500 (yikes!). It does add a lot of weight to the front. Yes, it is the be-all-end-all. I did have a day with direct 35 mph cross wind in Illinois that made me slow down from my usual 68-70 to 60-65, as the gusts still pushed me a bit. And the big rigs passing at 75-80 (!) did make me notice. But even the wife commented that it changed her from "We have to sell this beast" to "It tows as well, or a little better, than the old 5th wheel".

[Ynot4me2]

You got really good advise from @sandy005 .
I have no experience with the propride but have read lots of good comments. For us on our f150 it's just to heavy. We are already borderline on payload and the price tag is really high. We dont really have the same truck as you or rig but with our setup, we are really at the limits of our TV. Hit the Cat Scale when loaded for camping familly and all and go from there. Maybe a new TV will be required and will make a big difference. Also, on our last trip, we experience really high wind gust for 2 weeks. I realised that 30mph gust was pretty my max when highway driving with a 1/2 ton. Is it doable, yes. Is it enjoyable, no. I think someone on here mentioned that even GD recommends not to drive in over 35mph gust.

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[NDIrishLacrosse]

Tires are for the truck. Essentially beefier to allow higher pressures, so they can resist side loads better, such as the trailer wanting to wiggle the truck sideways when the wind hits it. I'm still running my original Westlakes (~12,000 miles), and all I do for them is make sure they are at max sidewall pressure.
Back when I was fighting my issue (different model trailer than yours) of too little tongue weight, I tried running with full water - of course, make sure yours is ahead of the trailer wheels, or it won't make a difference. While it does do some, it depends on how far forward it is. For me, it got me from 11% to 11.5% I got it to 12.5%, and the sway is gone. But then, I was getting sway even on very calm days, not just wind/truck pushes. If you really do need tongue weight, think about adding an extra battery, bigger propane tanks, or an over the hitch bike rack. While tongue weight should be checked, it likely will be just fine. It is on most trailers. And going more won't do alot for the wind push only problem. We just want to make sure you don't have two things going on at once.

ProPride is about $2,500 (yikes!). It does add a lot of weight to the front. Yes, it is the be-all-end-all. I did have a day with direct 35 mph cross wind in Illinois that made me slow down from my usual 68-70 to 60-65, as the gusts still pushed me a bit. And the big rigs passing at 75-80 (!) did make me notice. But even the wife commented that it changed her from "We have to sell this beast" to "It tows as well, or a little better, than the old 5th wheel".

Great explanations, thank you. Sounds like a trip to the scales is in order followed by more than likely a Pro Pride purchase. Going 65 with 35 mph crosswinds would be amazing....

[NDIrishLacrosse]

You got really good advise from @sandy005 .
I have no experience with the propride but have read lots of good comments. For us on our f150 it's just to heavy. We are already borderline on payload and the price tag is really high. We dont really have the same truck as you or rig but with our setup, we are really at the limits of our TV. Hit the Cat Scale when loaded for camping familly and all and go from there. Maybe a new TV will be required and will make a big difference. Also, on our last trip, we experience really high wind gust for 2 weeks. I realised that 30mph gust was pretty my max when highway driving with a 1/2 ton. Is it doable, yes. Is it enjoyable, no. I think someone on here mentioned that even GD recommends not to drive in over 35mph gust.

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Thanks for the reply. I’m certainly thinking that my limit is near there at this point. The question is, is it normal for all vehicles or will a bigger truck or upgraded hitch limit the sway from the wind?

[Calbar]

Thanks for the reply. I’m certainly thinking that my limit is near there at this point. The question is, is it normal for all vehicles or will a bigger truck or upgraded hitch limit the sway from the wind?

I went from a Tundra to a RAM 3500 with the Cummins. Worst case of wind I ever had in the Tundra pushed me a bit over into the next lane. That was some really high winds. Not sure exactly what speed but it was nasty. The RAM is more stable but in high crosss winds I can still feel some push from the trailer. Not sway but push in both cases. A bigger heavier truck will make a difference but when you have 340 sq-ft of sail hanging off the back of a truck in high winds you will get some push. Even watching the semis when I was getting pushed they were too.

JMHO.

Rob

[geotex1]

When the tail is long, it wags the dog...

You will definitely get plenty of guys here that will recommend more truck... It's akin to the favorite American phrase "there's no replacement for displacement." Meaning here, just as in that phrase, it takes a lot of bolt-ons to get a similar level of performance with less. Plenty of us have been there, and we often try to save folks the learning experience. Heck, I'd wager I'm in the upper 5% of folks here with the numbers of various trailers and tow vehicles I have had as I don't just tow campers.

Anyhow, you've gotten some great advice. Focus on making sure the E4 is really set up and transferring as it needs be - fender wheel measurements are barely able to get it in the ballpark with modern trucks. Yes, I speak from experience as I've towed with that hitch on several different trailers and 5 different tow vehicles. One thing that wasn't mentioned, scale up when packed for a trip and on the way out and then compare what you have on the way home from one when supplies are depleted, maybe tanks that were full are not empty and vice-versa, maybe you cram everything into one spot when packing in a rush but then sort it at home, etc.

Good luck!

[NDIrishLacrosse]

I went from a Tundra to a RAM 3500 with the Cummins. Worst case of wind I ever had in the Tundra pushed me a bit over into the next lane. That was some really high winds. Not sure exactly what speed but it was nasty. The RAM is more stable but in high crosss winds I can still feel some push from the trailer. Not sway but push in both cases. A bigger heavier truck will make a difference but when you have 340 sq-ft of sail hanging off the back of a truck in high winds you will get some push. Even watching the semis when I was getting pushed they were too.

JMHO.

Rob

Rob,

My question/thoughts exactly. I would hate to upgrade a truck to find a minimal improvement in what others may say "well, you can't expect to travel with 30 mph gusts and not white knuckle it." So many people seem to always point to the 3/4 or 1 ton fix... with this not being just a payload issue, I wonder if it will even be an improvement when simple physics say a TT will always get knocked around by the wind?