Sounds like you DEFINITELY did not have enough tongue weight. Almost any trailer will sway at speed if you have the weight to the rear. I live in the "trailer capitol of the world" (Elkhart, In) and ALL the hitch shops will tell you about tongue weight. This is unscientific but I like the tongue to be heavy enough so I have to strain if I pick it up--about 100 pounds--then I have no trouble with swaying. Of course I use a tongue jack so I REALLY don't have to lift the thing. Another thing---was the trailer close to level? That can cause problems too. Post back if you want to know more---If I don't know I'll call one of the hitch shops for you.

 

Hey Guys, Thanks for the replies. I am not to sure about the tongue weight. The place I picked it up from was just had an old lady and she didnt know anything. I tried to load it pretty even in the trailer. But looking back there probably wasnt much more weight to the front than their was to the back. I did have the back of the truck loaded down pretty heavy too. The hitch they gave me wa a 2.5 drop I believe. If you were looking at the trailer while it was connected to the truck it definetly was to level, it was more leaning at a downward angle toward the tongue. I kind of thought maybe the hitch was to low or something. Thanks for all of the insight.

Charlie

 

Creating 'Tongue Weight'

"Hun, have you started loading the trailer yet?"

"Yes Babe, I'm taking the toaster out now"

"What about the washer and dryer?"

"Not till my brother gets here. Where is he anyway?"

"Hun... the sofa, regfridgerator and piano can go."

"Are you kidding? Can't you see I've got an armload of toliet tissue and this box of lightbulbs? While you're standing there, hand me your feather duster, might as well load that too."

 

As a general rule, your tongue weight should be at a minimum of 10% of the total trailer weight. Unless you go to a scale and have before and after weights, you won't really know for sure what it is, but I don't think you can have 'too much' tongue weight, as long as you also don't exceed the trucks GVWR.....