Tire pressure and camper swaying

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Casita's and most likely other fiberglass trailers are not to be towed over 65MPH! There is a sticker on our wheel wells that state the tire pressure and speed limits.

I've never heard of this either. Trailer tires used to be rated for 65MPH. Now several brands have 81MPH ratings. My Carlisle Radial Trail HD trailer tires are 81MPH rated. While I have ZERO interest in going 81MPH while towing, I have gone 70MPH quite a bit.

I've always used the tire ratings as a hard limit. When I had 65MPH rated tires, that was it. But I never capped it at 58MPH.

Given the age of my Trillium, I stick with 65MPH when I am towing it.

I put over 50,000 miles on my first set of these (on my Escape 19), and replaced them early then before a trip to AK. I've got 30,000 miles on the current set.


https://www.carlislebrandtires.com/o...adial-trail-hd

[Lisle]

Thanks for the advice! My tires are 15" Goodyear tires. My camper is a 2018 and barely used. The sidewalls of the tires look very sound. When inflated to 40psi they were getting pretty hot, which got me checking the pressure.
I didn't realize the rating on the tire is for that one tire, and not the whole camper weight.
Since I live in Mass, I haven't been able to get to the Smart Weigh locations yet. Didn't realize I could get more than just the weight of the whole TV and camper at a truck weighing station-- will do that ASAP and see about distributing the weight better.
My hitch does have the right rise to keep the tongue level, so that's not the problem. And I never would drive more than 65mph while towing. But having to keep below 57 wasn't so comfortable on the highway with everyone else wanting to go much faster.
I do have a sway bar and will learn how to use it but agree it's best to correct the problem and just use the sway bar for those unexpected emergencies.

[J Ron]

I use Maxxis load range D trailer tires, they build high speed tires. Rated 99 mph, I feel safe at 65.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Lisle

Didn't realize I could get more than just the weight of the whole TV and camper at a truck weighing station-- will do that ASAP and see about distributing the weight better..

It's at a truck stop. The roadside truck scales on the highway run by individual states will not do this for you. Most truck stops have certified scales on premises.

It took me two trips through the truck stop scale (maybe 5 minutes for the entire process), first the entire rig. The scale was in sections so I got an axle weight on both TV axles and the trailer axle. Then I disconnected my trailer, pulled back through and got a second axle weight on both of my TV axles. The difference in the rear axle with my trailer and without was the tongue weight. Tongue weight plus trailer axle weight = total trailer weight. Tongue weight divided by total trailer weight x 100 = percent tongue weight. Bet yours is low.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Alex in LA

Hi Lisle,

I had the same issue when I bought my 16' Casita last year. If you want you can look up that thread, I believe the heading is "Casita swaying" or something like that. But basically the issue disappeared after I did 2 things:
1. I adjusted my tow hitch so that the trailer is level with the car. Mine is a Toyota Sienna so it needed a 1.5' or 2" rise. Based on your tow vehicle, it may need to be a rise or a drop.
2. I loaded heavy items in front of the trailer such as fire wood, generator, cooler, etc., filled up both propane tanks on the hitch, and avoided putting any items in the back.

With this simple adjustment I got rid of the sway, and although I did purchase a weight distribution device, I never ended up installing it because I felt it was no longer necessary.

Weight distribution devices and sway bars are different things.

[Siepierski]

Have it weighed. . I was pulling my escape 17b with a 1 t on diesel and it still swayed a porpised some.
The tires started to wear unevenly and it was still under warranty so Dexter replaced the axle. It was still wearing unevenly and Dexter engineers told me the wear pattern indicated overloading.i had it weighed and it was a few hundred lbs over rated weight. My only options were to carry less stuff or get a heavier axle.
I have a bigger 6000 lb trailer now it came with a weight distribution anti sway hitch. Pulls much nicer than the smaller one. I don't even know it's there.