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Old 08-19-2014, 12:19 AM   #1
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New Noise - WD Hitch or Rear End?

Came home from a trip tonight with my 1986 29' Soverign, 2012 Yukon XL 1500 and original Reese WD hitch. The trailer was moderatly loaded and set up exactly as I always do it (bar tension). Part way home I pulled in for gas and I had this LARGE continuous noise as I turned the truck at low speed. It was sort of a grumble rumble type noise which I have never experienced after thousands of miles. First I thought it to be lubrication where the trunnion bars mount into the head. After greasing and readjusting the chains the noise remained. I loosened the friction sway bar and no difference. As soon as the TV & trailer headed straight the noise disappeared (at 5 to 80 mph). Once I got it into my neighborhood I took off the sway and trunnion bars and the noise went away.

Has anyone experienced this? I'm still not ruling out my TV rear axle but for now I'm assuming the Reese hitch. Any recommendations to isolate the problem?

Scott
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Old 08-19-2014, 05:03 AM   #2
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When did you last inspect wheel bearings? I would personally be all over that ASAP.
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Old 08-19-2014, 07:17 AM   #3
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"New" noises are not a good sign. I'd take it to a professional ASAP. There are too many variables, this kind of thing cannot be properly diagnosed on the forum.
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Old 08-19-2014, 08:39 AM   #4
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Sounds like you have started narrowing it down.

You said that removing the WD bars and the friction bar eliminated the noise. So that seems to indicate that it either one of those devices are causing the noise, or some force they are putting on the hitch during turning (e.g. forces on the trailer ball coupling or forces on a broken frame member).

Start with a careful visual inspection of the trailer frame and coupling near the hitch, and the TV hitch and frame near the hitch

I am not familiar with your model hitch but from your description am assuming you have WD bars in trunnions with chain hookups, and a separate friction bar for antisway.

So, why not first put them back on separately and drive it?

1) another test drive with neither on to verify there is no noise from the TV or trailer

if the noise is there, skip to #5

2) Friction bar with no WD

if still no noise

3) WD bars with no friction bar

if neither of those on alone cause the noise..

4) both together..... and if the noise is still there

5) lubricate the trailer hitch ball.

if the noise is still there, it will get trickier. Maybe some mechanical interference. Hopefully someone else has seen this already.
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Old 08-19-2014, 08:49 AM   #5
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NO hitch could not make a Continues Noise while rolling

Have someone walk next to the trailer and determine which wheel the noise is coming from. If it is in one of the wheels I would jack that wheel up and test for end play in the bearings. While the trailer is jacked up spin the wheel in question. if it is a scraping noise there may be loose brake parts in the drum. If the noise is a grinding noise the bearing has failed. Also you can test the bearing end play. You should feel a Slight Movement when rocking the wheel while holding it at the top and bottom. If there is NO Movement or Excessive Movement the bearing has failed. You do not want to move the trailer if that is the case. Additional travel may damage the spindle. remove the wheel, and brake drum and inspect.

If the bearing test seams OK remove the wheel and brake drum and inspect the brake parts for a broken spring or anything loose that would cause a noise against the drum.
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Old 08-19-2014, 09:05 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HowieE View Post
NO hitch could not make a Continues Noise while rolling
I guess I misunderstood the OP. I thought he wrote that it is continuous while turning, and went away when driving straight. And that it stopped completely when the WD/sway bar was removed.

If that is the case, I guess the hitch could be putting some excessive force on a defective TV or trailer wheel bearing that only shows up when turning with WD bars. I just would not start there.
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Old 08-19-2014, 09:14 AM   #7
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WayWard

You are correct.I should have read further.

I would still do a walk beside to determine where the noise is coming from.

The Reese system will make a snapping noise as the bars come off the saddles. But that noise will only last as long as there is a continues change in the angle between the TV and trailer. Once the turning radius is set there should not be any noise.
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Old 08-19-2014, 09:21 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HowieE View Post
The Reese system will make a snapping noise as the bars come off the saddles. But that noise will only last as long as there is a continues change in the angle between the TV and trailer. Once the turning radius is set there should not be any noise.
Yes. I have those Reese dual cam bars. I have to crank them up a lot on my F150 and as you say, if the turn is constant the noise stops and then starts again as the vehicle straightens back out.

But it sounds like Harrysheets has the chain attached bar with a separate friction bar. Your point about noises during a constant turn radius would also apply to a bad friction bar.
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:33 AM   #9
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I recently dealt with a noise from the front wheel that was more pronounced in left hand turns. It ended up being the right front wheel bearing. When I turned left, it put more stress on the right bearing, resulting in the noise. Caught it in time, no bearing failure.
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:50 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrysheets View Post
Came home from a trip tonight with my 1986 29' Soverign, 2012 Yukon XL 1500 and original Reese WD hitch. The trailer was moderatly loaded and set up exactly as I always do it (bar tension). Part way home I pulled in for gas and I had this LARGE continuous noise as I turned the truck at low speed. It was sort of a grumble rumble type noise which I have never experienced after thousands of miles. First I thought it to be lubrication where the trunnion bars mount into the head. After greasing and readjusting the chains the noise remained. I loosened the friction sway bar and no difference. As soon as the TV & trailer headed straight the noise disappeared (at 5 to 80 mph). Once I got it into my neighborhood I took off the sway and trunnion bars and the noise went away.

Has anyone experienced this? I'm still not ruling out my TV rear axle but for now I'm assuming the Reese hitch. Any recommendations to isolate the problem?

Scott
Does this truck have pos tration ?
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Old 08-19-2014, 04:00 PM   #11
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GM doesn't use positraction. Plus he said it went away when WD and sway control removed. Rear end problem wouldn't go away.
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Old 08-19-2014, 04:16 PM   #12
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I know that Knunut lost the rear end on their Avalanche on a trip last year. According to them, the repair shop said it was a common failure on GM trucks. You might PM them to see what the symptoms were.
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Old 08-19-2014, 10:33 PM   #13
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Wow, I'm impressed on such a great response. Few more details.
My Reese WD hitch is an old 55080 (or 87) weld type ball mount as per the original 1983 documents. The Reese sway bar control looks just like the EAZ-Lift model however says Reese on it. The hitch is original except the Minneapolis AS dealer replaced the forged hitch bar when they set it up with my TV about 15 months ago. The newer Yukon/Suburbans have the hitch sitting much higher. My trailer still runs a little hitch high going down the road. This hitch does not have the dual cam sway control. It uses the trunnion bar & chain set up.

Until yesterday this has been flawless. Up and down mountain passes with at least 5000 miles set up identically (plus or minus 500 lbs) on the same 2 year old 2012 TV.

I will start off going step by step as identified by Wayward. Possibly trying different bar tension settings as well. I will try a few more miles without SB and WD hitch. I will walk next to the rig in the turns to see if I can identify the location of the noise. I will take it back on the road this weekend.

Scott
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Old 08-20-2014, 05:52 AM   #14
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I had add on sway control that did this if it was adjusted too tightly. Back it off.
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Old 08-20-2014, 06:28 AM   #15
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The noise may not show when gear is cool. You really should check the run ing gear... If unsure, please get someone to check....
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Old 08-20-2014, 06:41 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjohnn View Post
Does this truck have pos tration ?
That is a possiblity too. His truck is pretty new but when the positraction started going out in my old chevy it would pop at fairly random times - always on a turn.
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Old 08-20-2014, 07:31 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrysheets View Post
Wow, I'm impressed on such a great response. Few more details.
My Reese WD hitch is an old 55080 (or 87) weld type ball mount as per the original 1983 documents. The Reese sway bar control looks just like the EAZ-Lift model however says Reese on it. The hitch is original except the Minneapolis AS dealer replaced the forged hitch bar when they set it up with my TV about 15 months ago. The newer Yukon/Suburbans have the hitch sitting much higher. My trailer still runs a little hitch high going down the road. This hitch does not have the dual cam sway control. It uses the trunnion bar & chain set up.
Scott
Scott

What you have described here is only a Weight Distributing hitch. The hitch with only bars and without cams and trailing arms has no sway control function.

Additional the older Reese hitch heads that were not tile adjustable have a very limited arange of adjustments and over time the trunnion cups ware reducing that range even more.

As for riding tongue high that says the head either is set too high in the shank or the shank does not have enough range to lower the head enough.
When an Airstream is riding tongue high it has a heaver tongue weight because of the type of axle used.

If a dealer set you up with this way find another dealer.
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Old 08-20-2014, 08:05 AM   #18
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That dealer set up my new trailer and hitch. I readjusted it myself before leaving their parking lot to level the trailer.
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Old 08-21-2014, 04:05 PM   #19
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Thanks again for the support!

HowieE - Your right it is just a weight distribution hitch but it has added on the side a friction bar mechanism from Reese called "Reese Friction Sway Control"

Also thanks for the tip on the head. I have one more hole position to which I could lower the head. I will measure the incline and to see if this helps.

Scott
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