Looks like I'll be picking up the new trailer on Fri. (Jayco Jay Flight 26RKS) and was looking at some of the so-called "no sway" hitches like the PullRite, Hensley, ProPride etc. Expensive ($2500!!) but I'm a little twitchy about towing after The Incident and want the best. I was wondering what you are using with your rig and if you looked at these types of units.
See if your RV dealer will work with you. You could try to go for a package deal, but chances are, they'd just tack the thing on and make money on it. See if they'll order one and give it to you at their cost as part of the package. They love to make money off of the aftermarket stuff ... but if you're buying a trailer from them, you should have some leverage.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Not trying to hijack this question to the Buckster but I did want to just comment that after 2200 miles on the road that there are a LOT more of these big RVs on the road and you see all manners of vehicles mated up with them, ranging from duallies to mid sized pickups. One thing in common is that they all seemed to get moved around a lot by wind from passing vehicles.
BKB
Heck our Rv gets blown around Every time a semi-truck passed us. Scared the crap out of me.
Thump, It's not the price I'm waffling about, it's what particular brand to consider. When you get into it, there are a BUNCH of manufacturers with different models of weight distributing/anti-sway hitches and according to them, theirs is the best (of course). I've studied this ad nauseum and I still don't know which way to go. As well, each dealer will carry a specific brand and that's what they will include in the price negotiation. May not be the one that I want.
Barry, it's actually scarey seeing the rigs that some people tow with light weight trucks and suv's. Accidents waiting to happen. I towed our old trailer for 6 years without a problem until I hit the perfect storm of factors (heavily loaded trailer, downhill run, left turn, very gusty/windy and uneven road surface) that set of an unrecoverable sway condition which happens more quickly and is more violent than you can imagine. Very easily could have died and/or killed other people.
Anyway, I want to do every thing possible to make sure this does not happen again so am willing to spend whatever it takes to be safe. After all my research, I still don't know which hitch to buy.
johnboy
I ain't Bucky either (Thank Godd) but is sounds like you're getting the same model I bought two years ago. 256RKS
I tow mine with a Ford Expedition EL that came with a heavy duty towing package and anti sway program.
They still recommended that my hitch be a weight distribution type, they sold me this one.
http://www.reesehitches.com/products...200_lbs_,66022
Very steady tow at 65mph, don't feel comfortable going much faster.
Good luck, one thing to remember, with this type of hitch if the unit tips over, so will the tow vehicle.
Last edited by jb; 08-19-2014 at 02:02 PM.
The older I get, the better I was. I also forget my password and have to have Len reset it for me
Jb we had one of those on our trailer, carrying a lathe, mill, tools etc, that we towed from Florida to Washington.
We put brakes on it to, so if we did have trouble on the mountain passes, from the weight pushing the F-150 truck, we could brake from the cab.
That hitch worked great.
Just remember to unload it when you aren't towing.
Oh and I could load it myself.
jb, Yes, a very similar unit indeed. Length, weight etc quite close. How do you like it? Has Jayco been good to you?
I've always used a wd hitch but they don't do much at all to prevent, stop or at least reduce the dreaded sway problem. You know, "sway" sounds like a minor issue and most of the time it is until it results in your trailer sliding down the road on its side while pushing your truck everywhichway. I was VERY lucky that our trusty GMC stayed upright during it all.
Some hitches are designed (supposedly) to counteract or eliminate the sway situation like this one: http://hensleymfg.com/
or the ProPride, which is very similar
http://www.propridehitch.com/product...ol-Hitch-.html
This one also says it will eliminate sway:
http://www.pullrite.com/products/pul...d-pullrite-10k
I think I will get the standard type wd hitch from the rv dealer and look into upgrading to one of the above before I take any long trips.
Oh yeah, what is an "anti sway program"? Sounds interesting.
Last edited by johnboy; 08-19-2014 at 02:36 PM.
Yeah Johnboy, I didn't expect the dealer to carry the particular brand you decide on. What I'm saying is, if you know what you want, they should be able to buy it at a wholesale price. What I'm suggesting is, see if they'll order it and give it to you at THEIR cost as a "thanks for buying from us" bonus.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
I should have said it came with an anti-sway bar, not program.
We've been very happy with our Jayco, they seem well built and nice quality.
This is only our second summer with it, but so far no complaints.
I think the fact we keep it stored in our pole barn year around helps.
The older I get, the better I was. I also forget my password and have to have Len reset it for me
A fifth-wheel eliminates the need for a sway bar...just saying.
You know in a certain way it makes total sense that a couple of yankees would need to ask a southern boy a question about trailer houses.
BKB
Good point Jim. I'll talk to them about that.
Bwana, yup, had a 5'er and loved it. Not possible for it to "sway". Sold it when we moved to the coast. Still a possibility if I'm not comfortable towing this new unit.
BBP, I ain't no yankee.
Anybody north of Blue Ball, MO is a Yankee. Just sayin'.
ProPride is what I'd get if get another bumper pull. Yeah, expensive. But zero sway. Hensley is about the same type. You need to go the website and watch the multiple videos on how to hook up, and make sure you're comfortable with that. But there is NO sway.
I have a Husky with a Sway Bar. It helps. What makes the most difference is the tires. Most new trailers come with cheapo bias ply tires. You need radials. I need radials. I just can't see paying money for four Maxxis radials on a trailer 15 months old. But before long I will have to. That will eliminate most of the porpoising and such I feel. I did wrench the sway bar WAY down last trip and it was way, way better, including porpoising. It'll take new tires to fix that.
My next one is going to be a 5er........just can't see anything else being what I want.
But if you want NO SWAY, period, ever.......get a Hensley or ProPride. Here's my question on those, though.........who installs it? If I was going to get a new one, I'd call the dealer and say "I'm thinking of buying your trailer, but I don't want that pissy ant little WDH you're selling. I want a Hensley. Will you install it and guarantee it?"..........and see what he says. THEN, I'd call the folks on the ProPride or Hensley website and talk real time to them. Yeah it may be a dollar a minute for you to call, but hey, it's Canadian dollars, so.........
That's my best advice on your question.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Bucky, tx, you pretty much said what I'm thinking. ProPride seems to be an updated version of the Hensley and gets top reviews on any rv website I've looked at. They can be a bit of a pain to hook up but I'm retired - got lots of time. I just never want to experience that out of control feeling ever again and if a few more $$ will resolve that then what the hell. I'm going to talk to the rv dealer about this as you suggest cause I really don't want to install it myself.
You know, I never gave much thought to the tires on the rv being a contributor to the problem but it does make sense, now that I think about it. Trailer tires generally have soft sidewalls to allow you to pivot the unit without scrubbing. Just watch someone pulling in to a tight spot and see how much they flex. Gotta be a squirm problem there. Going to check on that. Might also look at shocks for the trailer.
We'll see how this goes. I might have to give up my canopy and get another 5'er if this don't work for me. Maybe a whole new truck!
ST tires are what comes on them.
LT tires are better. But getting them in the sizes most trailers take, isn't always possible. Check out the Maxxis, they also make good ATV tires. But get RADIALS. Heck, maybe the dealer will upgrade???
New Truck?? Geez, dude. IT'S TIME FOR A NEW TRUCK FOR YOU!!! Get the Diesel Duramax and never look back again.
You can go out, but it takes a stud muffin to go out in style.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
I'll admit it's been a long, LONG time since I was in the tire business, but youse dufes are talking about fighting sway. I'm sure times have changed drastically and I may be living in the stone age, but from my knowledge of tire construction, a radial is the LAST thing I'd want on a trailer. In fact, back in the day, NO radial was recommended for trailers. The old designation for trailer tires was "ST" I believe ... do they still use that? There's a big difference between an automotive tire and a trailer tire. The ST's had compounds to keep the tire from drying out from non-use (parked) whereas, automotive tires are designed to excrete these compounds as you drive (park for an extended period and an automotive tire will dry out and crack). That said, I'm assuming they do make radials for trailers now, BUT ... from "my" knowledge of radial tire design, a trailer would have a lot more sway than if it were equipped with bias-ply tires. The sidewalls on a radial are designed to flex ... that's why they run lower tire pressures and if you look at one (under load) from the front/rear, the sidewalls bulge out and the tire appears to be under-inflated.
Again, I'm sure times have changed and I'm light years behind the times, but the way a radial is constructed, I just can't see how a radial would be superior to a bias-ply as far as "sway" is concerned. Better wear, better mileage ... yes ... but you guys' main concern here seems to be sway.
You won't hurt my feelings if you call me a dinosaur ... I was in the tire business many, many years ago ... so I really AM a dinosaur. BUT ... I still know the physics of radial tire design vs. bias-ply (or at least I USED to).
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Just did a quick search on rv trailer tires and it appears that there are a LOT of radial ST tires out there. More shit to think about! I'm getting a headache.
As I said, there are few LT tires in the sizes Travel Trailers use. But my TT is wearing on the inside and outside treads and it porpoises (not sways). Tire dealer said "Fix is simple. Get good radials". I didn't say they fixed sway.
Even most of the new Travel Trailer Brochures on the top end trailers say "Radial Tires are the industry standard for the last 20 years".
Sway is fixed with the right kind of hitch. ST tires have different sidewalls that flex more. LT sidewalls don't flex but pull straight, better.
It's a compromise of sorts.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Well, what is scaring the bejeebers out'ta Johnboy is SWAY. Why run an elebenty-bazillion $$$ hitch system to fight sway, then bollt on a set of radials? A radial will be more susceptible to sway than a bias-ply IMHO.
Again, I'm admitting I'm a dinosaur ... but I DO understand the different design aspects.
I should probably just butt out 'cause I've been away from this stuff way too long to make intelligent suggestions. The best thing for me to do would prolly be to shut up and do some studying. I may actually learn something.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Tires wearing on the inside and outside treads usually means under inflation don't it? Are you running close to max on tire pressure? By "porpoising" (that word always looks like it's spelled wrong to me) I guess you mean bouncing vertically? Weight distribution maybe? Too light tongue weight? Yeah, 5th wheels are way easier!
5th wheels are the tits ... but you no longer have a pick'em up truck.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Why not?
And I understand about ST...........I said you will probably get ST tires for a trailer. But there are proponents of LT tires. I shouldn't have brought that up. Never mind.
as for Radials, here's an excerpt from a site discussing trailer tires. Note the last sentence. I got an Entry Level Trailer (and sorry John, but a Jayco is also a lower level, lower cost trailer), and they scrimped everywhere, including tires:
http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-h...-a-tire-guide/
Bias-ply or Radial?
Bias-ply tires are designed with cords that are oriented at about 60 degrees from the direction of travel and are layered to crisscross over each other. This design makes bias-ply tires more rugged, which is a good fit for some rougher terrain and some off-roading. The cord pattern creates a greater resistance to sidewall punctures.
Radial tires feature plies that run perpendicular to the direction of travel. Radial tires deliver a smooth ride, better tread wear and retain less heat, which also extends tire life.
Since bias-ply and radial tires have dramatically different construction and handling characteristics, you should never mix the two types of tires. Always choose one or the other for your trailer. Bias-ply tires are rarely found on new trailers these days.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Here's some more, Dinosaur! I RHYME!
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/tid/26621604
So, and ST Radial probably sorta compromises and solves both the sidewall flex AND the towing issue.
The biggest issue (to me) is LOAD RANGE. D, E........good. Load Range C on a 6,000 lb trailer??? Nope.
Load Range
Bias vs. Radial
ST vs. LT
then there is the discussion about shocks!!!
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
And here's a discussion (among dozens) on the Owner's Group Forum that I belong to. Worth reading.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ons-22843.html
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Ok, I'm reading it ... but don't "understand" it. If you're going for longer wear and smoother ride ... as I mentioned above, the radial is king.
Here's what I DO NOT understand though. It says you seldom find bias-plies on trailers these days. Why? Because they ride smoother and wear longer? NOBODY addresses "sway" ... which is what this post is all about.
From your article above: Bias-ply tires are designed with cords that are oriented at about 60 degrees from the direction of travel and are layered to crisscross over each other. This design makes bias-ply tires more rugged, which is a good fit for some rougher terrain and some off-roading. The cord pattern creates a greater resistance to sidewall punctures.
Note MY highlight. Why is it less susceptible to sidewall punctures? I'll tell you why ... the sidewalls are MUCH stronger which equates to less flex. That's why they ride rougher. Sidewalls on a radial are very thin normally and that's why they ride smoother ... they flex a LOT. Now, if you throw a bunch of side force on your trailer (wind for example), do you want a tire with a stiff side wall that will not flex from side to side ... or do you want a radial that flexes like a bowl of jello when a side force is applied? It ends up acting like a rubber band ... it flexes to the left, it springs back to the right, it springs back to the left ... that's what I call "sway". We can talk rolling resistance, heat build-up or tire wear all day ... a radial is far superior. It also rides smoother because of the flex built into the sidewall ... the tires act like springs to a certain extent. If you want to talk about sidewall flex, a bias-ply is far superior.
From your same article above: This design makes bias-ply tires more rugged, which is a good fit for some rougher terrain and some off-roading. The cord pattern creates a greater resistance to sidewall punctures.
Why? Because they are thicker, stiffer ... which translates to less side-to-side sway. I'm not sure why camper manufacturers are touting radials for their smoother ride ... who rides in the trailer when being towed? Maybe it won't bounce your dishes around as much. (?)
I'm not really arguing (did I say that?) ... I'm just trying to understand. I know how bias-ply and radial tires are constructed and I see no way in Hell a radial would be less susceptible to sway ... and that's what this whole discussion is about. (isn't it?)
As for your LT tire suggestion ... see my explanation of trailer tires vs. automotive tires ... that's why you do not want to run LT tires on a trailer ... unless you're hauling it all the time and it never sits for long periods.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
I just read that last link Bucky. Here's an excerpt regarding the superiority of radials. I agree with all points except one ... number 6 ... it looks like he did a cut & paste from a tire ad. I'd like someone to explain how a radial will have less sway than a bias-ply. Maybe something has changed ... I'd like to know what that is. These forums don't really tell me much ... it's a bunch of guys (like us) expressing their opinions ... I'd like to hear from a tire EXPERT who is NOT hawking his own company's tire. An unbiased scientific opinion so to speak. I'd really like to learn something here that is not heresy.
1) Softer, smoother, quieter ride
2) Improved fuel economy
3) Flat, wider footprint for better tire wear
4) Runs cooler than a bias ply, minimizing risk of a blowout on the highway
5) Longer tire life
6) Better tracking – Improved sway control
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
LOL!! GH at it's best! I start a thread asking about hitches and we wind up in a big "discussion" about tires. That's why I love this place - just a bunch a dufes shooting the bull.
OK, so now I've got to worry about hitches, tires and pieces falling off my cheap trailer. I'm going to have a cocktail or two and get mellow if you know what I mean. ;D
Actually ... I thought the thread was about eliminating sway ... I think that's what it all boils down to doesn't it?
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
John asked about no sway hitches. I gave him what I thought of that. THEN I added some additional things that I, in my worthless opinion, thought he should also be considering.
Not going to argue. I just told what little I know about trailering, and what tire dealers have told me. I don't know anything more. Y'all go at it.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
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