The unofficial pp users guide...

[SteveSueMac]

I'm at a loss. I think there are way too many variables in your setup for me to understand the problem other than to say - you definitely have at least one - if not several - in your setup!

Personally, I'd call Sean and get a consult right away and I'd take the advice to call Andy Thompson at CanAm as well. I don't understand some of his towing philosophy but he and his family must be doing something right with the thousands of rigs they've set up over the years. Yours has lots of chewy weirdness in it - I'd bet someone like him would love to figure that out. Good luck!

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I'm really shocked to read that a few people actually had sway with hitches that "Eliminate Sway." How is that possible?

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I'm really shocked to read that a few people actually had sway with hitches that "Eliminate Sway." How is that possible?

Don't believe it is....I'm suspicious of the lift kit and tires for perceived sway.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I'm really shocked to read that a few people actually had sway with hitches that "Eliminate Sway." How is that possible?

Are you asking a question? It's hard not to infer you're making a statement.

[rmkrum]

Tall truck, off-road tires, soft suspension, any of that can cause sway.

Remember that the Hensley design locks the trailer in line with the tow vehicle by changing the sway forces to be forward of the hitch ball. If the TV suspension is not stiff enough to absorb the forces laterally, the whole thing will wobble.


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Are you asking a question? It's hard not to infer you're making a statement.

Great mechanical insight, wasn't it?

That pickup is as (almost) as bad as it gets for a stable tow vehicle. And, toyhaulers as a group are poor. Even before they're loaded.

The upgrade to a Class V receiver was good. Additional diagonal bracing forward from it to frame rails is recommended. There may also be slop with the drop shank. Check to see how it's starting to wear. There is likely some measurable slack when tightening hitch.

It's the height and the tires with the truck. The stock tires/wheels with LTX Michelin or Duravis Bridgestone lines would have been better. The latter has commercial traction models. Soft sidewalls and the wrong tread design is what you currently have.

The trailer is the real culprit. Tongue weight needs to be no less than 10%. 15% is the usual upper limit, but your TV can deal with that IF the trailer tongue is stout enough to handle 18%, say. The PP hitch has an upper limit.

I agree with having more values from scale readings. TT should be measured "empty": full propane and fresh water, plus what never leaves trailer. Then a reading as if loaded for a trip. And not until those should the "toy" be loaded. Because it would also be good to have values for each individual wheel, before and after the toy is loaded.

Likely one axle is loaded more heavily than the other. And one side of each axle is likely worse. It's not just TW.

In general, the majority of TT weight should be on or very close to the axles. This -- plus the side to side -- is where the problem starts. And that truck is a disaster with those tires/lift in getting steering feedback. TT accidents are about drivers loss of control. Due primarily to over correction.

Find the nearby truck stop with a CAT Scale and have a helper or two. One, inside at fuel desk to pay the tickets. The second to help you spot on the scale. Talk to the scale master or manager about what you're up to.

On a Saturday, it'll be slow. Get the reading and get off scale. Use parking space to make changes.

First pass across scale: Best hitch rough in (for the load). Use fender drop measurements for approximation. .

Second pass: Same as above but with all tension removed from hitch.

Third pass: TV alone (loaded as if for camping; use sand bags, etc, for simulation).

Fourth: Split TT axles on starboard side.

Fifth: Same for port side.

Go back and move trailer load around if need be. Measure heights at wheel fender. Re-test. Tensioned and untensioned. Need to be able to rule out bad frame or suspension components on trailer, FIRST.

Don't concern yourself too much with hitch settings. Even cranked hardest, the least weight goes to TT wheels. Get the rest, first.

The hitch isn't the problem. It's the trailer design, one; followed by the trailer load, two; and the height and tires of the truck, three.

Spend the day. Take your time. Flying J and T/A and Petro have real restaurants. Pilot and Loves have fast food.

Before you leave, give Sean a call if he's going to be available. Email the scale tickets after you've written on them what each one represents.

Do as well as you can with that. And then try Andy ( Andrew Thomson, Can Am RV) during the week after you think it's as good as you can get it. And plan to go back to said scale.

Work the details hard one time, in other words.

As a professional truck driver it's a standard (sick) joke that worst of the RV'ers are the toyhaulers. Those children in the backseat have no father. Baby Daddy is driving. Too high, too big and too fast.

Having watched several of them destroy themselves after passing me the past few years, I'd take it all damned seriously.

Good luck.

[SMLJeep]

I recently installed the 3P on our new 2017 FC 27FB and the W/D jack prevent the front storage compartment door from opening all the way. This severely limits the use of this compartment. I didn't see this on Sean's site before buying the 3P but was wondering if anyone is using them?

http://www.propridehitch.com/lippert...technology-kit

BTW, the installation went without any issues, other than it was 97 that day with 95% humidity and the only place the dealer had on thier lot that was flat and not gravel was in the street. Even with those odds not in my favor, the installation only took 3 hours. I can't say there wasn't any cussing during the installation but my wife and daughter kept their cool.

Pulled the new toy over 1K mile over the last 2 week with great performance.

SMLJeep

[ghaynes755]

SML call Sean at ProPride and ask him.

[BearGhost]

Thanks for the input everyone!

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Are the links from the jacks to the bars hooked to the jacks on the center of the three holes? It just seems loose to me...

I usually get tension in the WD bars before I raise the jacks 3-4 inches. I'm at full tension at between 6.5 to 7.5 inches measured from the jack plate to the bottom edge of the moving upper part of the jack tube.

Yes my links are in the 3rd hole from the top (lowest hole). I get tension at about 5.5"- 6"

Originally Posted by cwf

Bear.. this really doesn't sound too hard to settle. There will be several steps to set up.. it is NOT a 'plug and play'.. nothing in life really is.

A couple thoughts. By the fact you say you are loading the UTV in forward and backward causing different behavior/sway indicates you should take more care in how you load.. it DOES affect handling/sway.. therefore, what you experience


One other thought... since your truck is 'lifted'... are you sure there is no lateral movement in the rear differential/axle? There are ways to check this.. and needs to be addressed or your 'sway' may never be resolved.

you can do this!

This trailer is fairly new to me, only taken it on about 3 trips so me moving the UTV around was just trying to find a good hauling configuration before I had any scale info. Now that I have the scale info and know that my trailer is light on the tongue, I will have to load the UTV (which has a rear engine) in backwards to try and keep as much weight over the axles as possible. Also I'm going to take a real close look at my trucks rear suspension and make sure there is nothing getting loose. This sway problem seems to get worse on every trip or maybe I'm just paying more attention to it now!

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

I'm at a loss. I think there are way too many variables in your setup for me to understand the problem other than to say - you definitely have at least one - if not several - in your setup!

Personally, I'd call Sean and get a consult right away and I'd take the advice to call Andy Thompson at CanAm as well. I don't understand some of his towing philosophy but he and his family must be doing something right with the thousands of rigs they've set up over the years. Yours has lots of chewy weirdness in it - I'd bet someone like him would love to figure that out. Good luck!

Thanks, I'll call both of those guys next week. I'm going to hitch up and play around with it this weekend. I'm going to change the tilt angle a little (tilt down) and crank the jacks a lot more. I know my truck isn't the ideal towing rig for a large trailer but it has performed flawlessly for the last 3 years towing much larger toyhaulers loaded to the max. Alot of the suspension components are oversized and overbuilt to accommodate towing heavy loads. The one thing I suspect is my Sulastic shackles may be causing some lateral movement. I'm going to take a close look at them this weekend!

[DC Bruce]

@sml:
Yes, the w/d jacks do block the front compartment door on my FC 27 twin bed from opening all the way. However, I still keep my hitching tools, chocks, spare water hose and a couple of collapsing camp chairs in there with no problems.
The strap accessory you linked to seems entirely unnecessary to me. Determine the amount of lift on the jacks required to get proper weight distribution (I use 5.5") and use a tape measure to set to that level after you hitch up. Some people use a power drill to crank them as opposed to the supplied hand ratchet wrench. Don't use an impact driver; it will wreck the mechanism.
Always take all the tension off the jacks before unhitching. This makes everything smooth as a baby's butt.

[switz]

With lots of black grease smeared all over it.....

[SMLJeep]

After corresponding with Sean I have decided not to go with the straps and live with the door not opening all the way.

[bono]

Hey Guys,

For those who adjust the PP with a drill - which drill (manufacturer, model) are you using? My Black and Decker 18V can't adjust the weight distribution. I guess it is more about the torque than the voltage.

Thanks!

[Arcticfox]

We use a Makita 18v LXT. The drill works very well with enough power to adjust the WD bars. In the early going I used an impact driver as I felt it would be easier to carry. Wrong move, the impact driver will break the WD roller pins. So stick with the drill.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Doug