Normal - Expected Sway?

[BULLWARKS]

Told my dealer today tha when I hit 68 - 70mph my trailer starts to sway. She told me ALL trailers sway a some speed and that I will need to go slower or faster than that speed.<br /><br />Is this correct?<br /><br />Boat - Crestliner 1850 Sportfish<br />Trailer - Loadrite Bunk w/Disks

 

[JB]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Not correct.<br /><br />Check tongue weight (should be 7-10% of total trailer weight) and wheel alignment.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[4poco]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

my trailer did the same thing with new tires.<br />after about 700 miles it no longer sways at 70 or 75 mph. but i feel comfy at 65..............

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Are ST tires rated for 70 mph?

 

[rwidman]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Originally posted by BULWARKS:<br /> Told my dealer today tha when I hit 68 - 70mph my trailer starts to sway. She told me ALL trailers sway a some speed and that I will need to go slower or faster than that speed.<br /><br />Is this correct?<br /><br />Boat - Crestliner 1850 Sportfish<br />Trailer - Loadrite Bunk w/Disks

Make sure your tongue weight is within specs, make sure the trailer is level when connected to the tow vehicle, make sure your trailer is fitted with trailer (ST) tires and that they are inflated to the maximum pressure marked on the sidewalls. If this doesn't help, slow down. 68 mph is pretty fast to be towing a boat trailer, especially if you don't have a lot of experience.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Originally posted by rwidman:<br />

Originally posted by BULWARKS:<br /> Told my dealer today tha when I hit 68 - 70mph my trailer starts to sway. She told me ALL trailers sway a some speed and that I will need to go slower or faster than that speed.<br /><br />Is this correct?<br /><br />Boat - Crestliner 1850 Sportfish<br />Trailer - Loadrite Bunk w/Disks

Make sure your tongue weight is within specs, make sure the trailer is level when connected to the tow vehicle, make sure your trailer is fitted with trailer (ST) tires and that they are inflated to the maximum pressure marked on the sidewalls. If this doesn't help, slow down. 68 mph is pretty fast to be towing a boat trailer, especially if you don't have a lot of experience.

BTW: When it starts to sway, do not hit the brake pedal! Let off the gas and slow down gradually.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Many will think I'm a big dummy for doing this and admitting it, but I often tow at 70 to 75 mph on the interstate...and I've been known to touch 85 to 90 in a short passing spurt. I tow 2 different boats in summer, occasional travel trailers, and snowmobile trailers of all sizes in the winter, some dual axle, some single, ranging from 1,000 to about 6,000 lbs.<br /><br />30 years later...I've NEVER had a trailer even think about going into a sway. I absolutely cringe when I see one doing it on the highway.<br /><br />And, I might add just for entertainment purposes, Carlisles have NEVER failed me and by pure chance they're on several of my trailers.<br /><br />And of course now I need to knock on wood because I know I'm probably on borrowed time...<br /><br />So to answer your question, NO...any type of sway is not normal at any speed. Something is wrong as others have already said. Most likely with your weight distribution or possibly your wheelbase.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

He doesn't have enough weight on the trailer tongue. Think about it. The tow vehicle is traveling in front of the trailer now picture the chang in the wind drag. When the tow vehicle reaches a certain speed it forces the rear of the boat down. The-fore changing the center point of gravity. Less weight on the tongue and more on the rear. There is where your sway comes in.<br /> I am like craze is. I tow and have towed just about everything. I won't tolerate any sway. My nerves couldn't stand it.<br /> I have found that I had rather have the tongue pointed a little downward on a boat trailer then to have it pointed up or level.<br />Do you happen to know your boat and trailer weight?

 

[QC]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

I am with both the crazy one and bubba. Depending on the conditions I tow fast too. Across the desert, no traffic. Got to. My trailers have always stayed straight. High speed, low speed, shouldn't sway. Maybe a little wiggle when I pass a truck, but that's aerodynamics too, and I don't think you can eliminate that.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

you can to quietcat. You can add a anti sway friction bar.<br />Works wonders with heaver boats.

 

[QC]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Originally posted by bubbakat:<br /> you can to quietcat. You can add a anti sway friction bar.<br />Works wonders with heaver boats.

Gotcha.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Trailering fast is fine.<br /><br />It's stopping fast that causes all the problems.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Many states have a 55 mph limit on vehicles with trailers. Some are 60 or 65. Towing faster than that is just looking for trouble. Any tire failure, trailer or vehicle can put the unexperienced right in the ditch or worse. <br /><br />Try to do a panic stop from 65 or 70 with a trailer. HA! You might as well be dragging your feet.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

The best I will do is about 72-73. Trailers should not sway. I would love to try bubba anti-sway friction system but I checked into them a couple of years ago and I think they were really expensive. I just put a new set of titan trailer tires on the tandum trailer and it tightened things up really nicely. When I lived in California I got the only speeding ticket I ever got for going 65 in a 65 zone. (55 mph with a trailer) Got it on a sunday morning coming back from lake shasta to Sacto. That was in like 1999 or 2000. Still irk'ed about that one. I was told by the cop that it was his reason for being out on the road that day to enforce the trailer limit.<br /><br />I am very experienced trailering all kinds of things but anything over about 73 with the 25ft'r just stresses me out and ruins my day. I get the old kung fu grip on the wheel. I wore away the leather on my bronco's steering wheel. I would take my time and try to stay at least close to the posted speed limits.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Pointer94 You can get that anti sway system from campers world now for just a little over a hundred bucks.<br />I come in contact with a lot of big towers around here and run upon a good deal every once in awhile on this system. If you want I can look for you one.<br />I can tell you this if you once use one you will ask yourself how in the world did I get along without it.<br /> friction anti sway bar

 

[tomatolord]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

there should be no sway at all.<br /><br />Need proof? Look at the other trailers going down the road and see if they are swaying, they are not, they ride straight and true behind the vehicles<br /><br />I would go to another dealer if you cannot figure it out on your own, that dealer just wants you to leave and not check out what the problem is.<br /><br />Anti sway bars are one option if all the other ones dont pan out.<br /><br />You dont have that big a boat, or that unique a configuration that you cannot solve the problem<br /><br />As far as speed is concerned 70 in around the washington dc area is considered the geezer lane!<br /><br />So there are times you do need to go that fast if just to pass someone.

 

[txswinner]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

NOOOOO, should not sway, tongue wt. is critical. Too much is as bad as too little. Too much and you lose contact with front tires.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Don't look like he even came back and looked at this.<br />OH well

 

[reddog349]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Try to see if you can move your boat a little foward on the trailer .To far back will cause a bad sway.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Normal - Expected Sway?

Bubbakat,<br /><br />Yea I would be interested even though I don't suffer from sway just the knowledge that a system is in place is worth the price of that unit. Is that suitable for a 6000lb rig? I looked for specifications but it was a little vague. <br /><br />The system I saw was what they called a double cam system. And if memory serves me it was like 800-1000 dollars. Your recommondation looks great!<br /><br />Pointer..