a month ago i was looking at purchasing travel trailers. i ended up buying a large popup. the kind with the storage on the tounge etc.....

while towing it with my 05 supercrew 5.4L 4x4, i get some bounce and jerkeyness. i didnt expect this from my truck when towing a popup. i didnt think i would even know the camper was behind me with a truck this size and with this much power....

i have been planning a camping trip to florida with my wife and children, this could make for an uncomfortable ride for 16hrs. is there a way to cure this ?

 

Here is the quickest, easiest and by far the most expensive....
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=27858

This was new at the SEMA show in 2004.

How much does your pop-up weigh?
I've seen some new ones approaching 3,000 pounds and 3k doesn't sound like much for an F150 but, that story changes when two thirds of it is sitting on the tongue.

Sway usually comes from the too much weight behind the trailer axle, sounds like you don't have that problem.
Best to even out the load with a weight distribution setup and then your truck will get it's good reputation back.

 

Is your trailer loaded pretty even? Balancing out the load in the trailer might help. Otherwise you could try putting air bags on or overkill it with a WD hitch (wich you don't need) The hitch Raoul posted will cure it for sure, but again that's overkill IMO. I'd try loading the trailer differently first.

 

The problem with a popup is it is what it is. Its hard to redistribute because it folds up and any storage that could be packed is usually in front of the axle.

 

Cheap fix, (the way I'd do it)......

They do have a spare tire on the back.
Buy another trailer spare and put it in the truck.
Cut a hole in the top of the spare on the trailer.
Pour in three 80 lb bags of cement.
Add water.


In case you get rear-ended.....
add a disclaimer sign to the popup, Built Ford Tough.

 

this occured when towing it empty. i just bought it and towed it home about 2.5hrs. maybe i need to add some weight like camping gear ?

i have towed my 63 impala show car on a 2000lb car trailer and experiencee a tugging, but this is totally different. the best way i can describe it is kinda bouncy and jerky.

 

Most bathroom scales go to 300lbs.
Place two on the ground and put a board across them.
Put the trailer tongue wheel on the board.
Distribute load until scales reflect the recommended tongue weight.

Using the 'two scales/board' technique does work.
It's how we weigh Uncle Sylvester.

 

I have the same problem when I tow my car trailer unloaded. It could just be that there isn't enough weight on the trailer's springs and it's bouncing the trailer around. Did you watch the trailer as you were towing it? I know with my car hauler on really big bumps, it will sometimes catch air.

 

thanks for the help. i have all my camping equipment on layaway. when i get it out, in a week, ill load her up and take her for a spin and see what i can come up with.

thanks all.

 

To me, "bouncy" is different then "sway"....

If this popup is like the ones I've seen with that huge platform up front to load ATV's and the like, then it's bound to be pretty heavy up front.

So, is this bounce occuring when you hit a bump in the road? Does it get really bad on CONCRETE paved hwys?

If yes to either of those, then I'd say you have a pretty good tongue weight and if it's empty, then it'll only get heavier.... You probably need some sort of Weight Distribution hitch setup. If you have #500 of tongue weight, then this could be the reason. I know you say it's a pop up, but it does not sound like your average "mini van" type of popup either...

Might try new shocks... The stock ones are the cheapest one's they can find, so are not going to offer much rebound support....

Sway is if you feel the thing wanting to go left or right, or that it feels as if the trailer is trying to steer you. Bounce is just up and down motion and will give you that 'sea sick' feeling if it goes on very long...

Mitch

 

But, if it's the kind for towing ATVs, etc, and you don't have anything on it to calm the heavier axles down, it's going to toss the trailer (and to a lesser extent the truck) like a rag doll until it has some weight on it.

I have always wondered why they don't put the platform on the rear to decrease tongue weight...

 

Can you post a link to the manufacturer of the trailer and the model of it? Might be able to solidify suggestions that way. I didn't think of it being so light that it's actually bouncing around back there. That could cause some wierd towing response.

I remember my dad towing a 21' TT with his 83 f150. When you were on a rough road it felt like you were sitting in a bastardized bucking machine. My 30' TT doesn't feel anything like that because I have a WD hitch on. There's a little bit of bounce and rock with it but nothing like what he had.

 

You including Rauol in that "thank you"?

 

I've noticed that when it's overloaded, the truck tends to wander around in the rear and have lots of slow motion with some pushing.

When the trailer is unloaded, it's lots of quick, sharp motion and tugs at the truck.

Perfect example (and extreme) is an unloaded tow dolly, but that's because they're light and have NO suspension...

 

One question-- is your truck lifted and/or have big tires?

what I'd bet is that the trailer is too LOW relative to your truck's hitch and so it is sitting weird- the trailer should tow flat or even a little nose-down to where the weight is pushing on the tongue. If it is backside down then every time you hit a bump it is trying to LIFT itself off the hitch and it bounces. Take a look at the trailer as it is currently and make note of the angle--- I will bet you anything it isn't right.

Assuming your truck isn't lifted or have big tires, I'd take a look at the trailer's springs make sure they aren't getting weak and the whole thing sagging. Look at the fender wells for signs of the tires rubbing as it goes over bumps and look for one side sitting higher than the other. This could be it, and helper springs should run about $50, new springs I have no idea.


If they are OK, and/or if your truck is lifted or has big tires, then I'd buy a frame-mounted tow hitch and maybe a ball mount with extra drop to it, depending on how far off it is. This way you can make SURE the angle is right because you can buy ball mounts that drop up to 20". The whole thing should be under $100 if you do it yourself. Only thing you have to be careful of is that often especially on the cheaper ball mounts the dropping ones have a much-reduced tow rating...so you have to watch that.