Trailer sway

[Dennis C]

Interesting. We never hear of wobble issues with Chevy or GMC trucks. What’s the reason for that?

[Bill M.]

Better front axle design from GM

I drive a Dodge. I have never had "wobble".

[civeng99]

They all have issues. They are machines.

Buddy of mine was towing and the rear axle broke at the hub. Bye bye wheel and tire, went for the ride of a lifetime. You want to talk about scary…

He is 100% hardcore Chevy fanboy and absolutely compulsive about his vehicles and toys. Gm had no interest in it whatsoever.

QUOTE=Dennis C;2612573]Interesting. We never hear of wobble issues with Chevy or GMC trucks. What’s the reason for that?[/QUOTE]

[Dennis C]

Yes, they are machines and they wear with use. They break sometimes. I wasn’t implying that GM trucks never break, just that they don’t seem to be susceptible to the “death wobble” that’s sometimes seen in Ford heavy duty trucks. I’ve owned Ford, GMC, and Dodge trucks and SUVs. All of them have broken in one way or another. I prefer GM trucks right now, but that could change. I currently own my second GMC Sierra and they have been good vehicles.

[Hermes]

Although my 3/4 ton can handle the tongue weight and payload, when properly hitched, with the antisway friction plates adjusted, it just drives better especially in curvy mountain roads. My objective is to avoid sway, not correct it.

[Gene]

I have only seen threads about death wobble that comes with certain Fords. I have been told by mechanics that some Dodge (Ram) pickups have front ends that have to be rebuild after each 5,000 miles. And I am sure some other brands have problems sometimes, but less than others. Our ancient Tundra

[Silvr_Bullet]

Originally Posted by dave10a

That is called axel hop that occurs with rear and front solid axles. The solid front axle on 4X4 has two axles that can hop. That was very common for automobiles with solid rear axles when driving fast on dirt roads with "washboard" ruts. It was somewhat minimized when they positioned the axel forward from center.

It was like a terrible shimmy, could hardly hold on to the steering wheel

[Gene]

"But you have found what the rest of us that tow with large tow vehicles have found…….it is just so easy to tow with a big heavy vehicle, and it is super safe.
……..but the tiny vehicle folks will not be silenced! No! They must be heard!!!!!! They will never give up!!!!!!"

I was writing a post and a typo caused it to post before I was finished. So the "save' function didn't work when I tried to add the rest.

So here we go (again). Since sides have developed about this, it seems there are quite a few posts from giant vehicle owners as well as we tiny vehicle folks. When you spend enormous amounts of money on any truck, there is a tendency too defend the purchase regardless of anything. Human nature again.

The question remains one of risk analysis. Many trailer questions need scientific study, but they are not often done, so we rely on feelings and anecdotal evidence. Humans love to argue, so here we go.

I have seen one badly swaying trailer in many hundreds of thousands of miles of driving. I have seen no trailer/truck accidents that appeared to be sway caused—both vehicles still attached, on their sides or upside-down or jack knifed. I have seen burned out RV's. Thus my observations are fires are far more dangerous than sway accidents.

I have about 75,000+ miles of towing with my tiny truck. With an Airstream I could rarely detect anything like sway. But people cannot always know there is sway, or may think there is when there isn't. When towing the Nash, I do experience some at times—wind being the major concern—but when my wife follows me in the SUV, she sees none. So can we believe our perceptions or feelings?

I have seen various trailers of all sizes and types swaying on the highway. When I pass them, inevitably they do not have sway or WD hitches. Is this science or my impressions?

All machines have limits. Those limits may get closer when there is wear and tear, the road is bad, the driver for a moment is not paying complete attention, poor judgments may be made, traffic may mean other drievrs doing dumb things. Towing a trailer with a small car (assuming a big enough engine to pull it) on a straight well paved highway will provably never sway. But there are limits and limits apply to every machine (and driver too). No one knows when those limits will be tested. Sway accidents seem to be rare, but not worth the risks to many of us.

Oh, death wobble. Never any problems like that with our tiny Tundra, even after 140,000+ miles. Now back to sway, the topic.

[LNBright]

Solid front axles are prone to the 'death sway', especially w/ leaf springs. Not just Ford, or Ram, but Jeeps, my old Land Rovers (pre coil-sprung suspension). GM vehicles old enough to have a solid front axle could have it happen too. Some vehicles, even with a solid front axle and leaf springs, never have it happen, but, with others, being up at a certain speed, hit a bump or a pot hole, and the sway starts.

I wouldn't avoid a solid front axle from concern of such, but, it's something to be aware of if driving one...

[John Ware]

Death Wobble: VWs had it in the '70s. Steering dampner needed replacing. A Ford service advisor I know recommended replacing the single dampner with a double dampner kit to really fix the problem. I understand other makes have the same problem.

[Ray Eklund]

Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Colorado have no 'wavy mountain roads' , so Sway Control is never an issue for us. My left leg is three inches longer so I can keep my balance on all of these flat mountains. (Just pulling your Sway Control.)

My experience on Trailer Sway is from being an Observer and not an active participant.

Single Axle Some Other Brand trailers... towing on the Ball on a Station Wagon bumper or small automobile 1 inch sleeve / shank are Number One Roll Over Candidates. When they began to sway, it happens quickly and if we are coming from behind... I make sure that we are WAY BEHIND.

Once they slow down, gain control... pass and give them extra room.

Most 'swayers' hit the brakes, slow down and return to whatever speed they found comfortable.

I have not seen a Uhaul Trailer towing on the Ball... swaying or off the road. I also have not seen a double axle Uhaul trailer being towed with an undersized vehicle, either. So Uhaul is doing a decent job setting the customer up with a reliable sized trailer. Maybe...?

I have seen Full sized SOB Trailers and Tow Vehicle on their side in the Median... double axles. I-25 from Denver to Albuquerque... is SOB roll over country. Sometimes on a straight two line section where the traffic is 75mph to 15mph and back to 75mph. Castle Rock, Colorado on I-25 has had a few Trailer/Tow Vehicle roll overs.

I suspect it is the BRAKING of the SOB that is the biggest issue. This could also be a situation where an Airstream is having Sway Issues... after you apply brakes and one side takes over and you do not realize the Trailer Brakes may be the Sway Source.

I saw a Tow Vehicle and SOB Trailer in the median of Flagstaff, Arizona in three feet of snow... sorting through what they could get out of the trailer. I did not have a trailer at the time... but seeing this on a straight I-40, plowed... made an impression on me to tow smart. I suspect a Braking Issue on slick spots still on the asphalt and braking 'iffy' at best.

It is not IF YOU HAVE TRAILER SWAY... you already know you do. We have had no Trailer Sway, anytime, anywhere. But if YOU have had any Trailer Sway... consider yourself a possible victim if you do not fix the cause. Known or not. Most towing already are aware if the Tow Vehicle and Trailer and not a good match. I understand. But change one or the other or both.