# Trailer sway?



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Feels like I am asking a ton of questions lately. If the goats are not throwing me curve balls, then my truck/trailer are! UGH! 

Ok, so this is the 3rd summer with my trailer. Never had any issues pulling/hauling in the past. My truck is an old 97 Chevy 1500 C/K, and my trailer is a 14' all around stock/cattle trailer. My kids show Boer goats - usually take 10-12 to a show.

Back in June while on the interstate going around 60-65mph heading towards a show about 45mins away, we experienced trailer sway and it was terrifying! I was able to get it under control by taking my foot off the gas. I had to reduce speed and drive about 55mph to the show in order to keep control. It didn't do it constantly, but was unpredictable.
We took a highway home going around 55mph, and I think it only did it a couple of times.

Went to a show about a week after that, small stretch of interstate, and it had a slight sway off and on.

Took it to a mechanic last month, and he couldn't really find anything. There is play in my steering wheel and he fixed a couple of things, but can't remember what (pitman arm, something else, and I believe a ball joint - husband's family friend runs the shop). He did mention the play in the steering wheel is probably the steering gear box, but we just had him replace that last year...
Tires were replaced last year, and all are full/firm.

It seemed to have a little bit of a sway on a highway going to a show a few weeks ago.

The only things I can come up with is:
-Play in the steering wheel
-Back tire pressure being higher than front tire pressure (just read about that on a website, wondering if that's true?)
-Weight distribution in the trailer.

Usually 4 of us in the cab, and all of their gear in the back of the truck - goat stand, blower, hay bags/feeders/buckets/feed, shavings, cooler and 4-H supply box. Heavier items usually sit towards the cab.

Trailer - divided into 4 pens - there is a swinging gate in the middle, and we use a cattle panel in the front & back of it (side to side) to make up 4 pens.
Young goats are usually in the front, and the very back. Yearlings/adults in the middle 2 pens.
I just read that the bulk of the weight should be on the tongue, not in the middle or back, correct?
So could the placement of the older/heavier goats possibly be the culprit?
Most of the weight is centered over the tires.

Tomorrow I'm planning to hook up the trailer, and drive it around and see if there is sway without any weight in it or in the truck. If there is, then we definitely know it's not a weight issue. But wondered if anyone else has had any issues like this. I did talk with a different mechanic about having the truck looked at on Monday. 
My kids show at the state fair in a little over 2 weeks, and it's an hour drive on the interstate, so I am super nervous. We're only taking 8 goats, and can put the weight in the front of the trailer IF that is the problem.

Sorry I am bad about writing books as posts! But between this and the little curve balls the goats have been throwing me... I am a mess!

Edited to add an old photo I found


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yes weight can play a huge part in fish tailing. So can speed. 65 way too fast, mine does the same thing if I go fast and I turn just a tad to sharp one way or another. Your trailer is about the same size as mine and if I'm correct the 1500 is a half ton (???) so the same as my F150. I have been told that a big part of fish tailing is when the trailer and load is a little too big for the truck. Doesn't mean you can't use it but maybe not so fast. If I go 55 even with 25 bales of hay in it I'm ok, when I go between 60-65 things can get a little sketchy which sucks because I need a running start up some big hills.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks for the reply Jessica. I think it is a half ton (I used to know all of this stuff lol). 5.7 liter I believe, front wheel drive.

What you say makes sense about the weight. I'm glad to hear I am not the only one to experience this with a similar situation. It's been very frustrating. If it's the weight, and it will be okay hauling at lower speeds, I am okay with that. I just hope there isn't an underlying issue causing it.

Tomorrow I'll take the trailer out for a drive with nothing in it and see if I have the same problem. I know it shouldn't sway when it's empty or almost empty.

Here is a photo of the panel on the drivers door. I am no good at figuring out this stuff or how much my truck is supposed to haul.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I used to know too but I've had the Yukon and Ford too long lol I think mine said something about towing weight. I don't know how to read that either. Husband will be off the fire tomorrow I'll ask him what all that means (total girl move lol)
But I would try it at lower speeds, I wouldn't think it would act up being empty so that's a good idea on trying that but even if your truck is a half ton it should be fine towing The goats. I think even moving most of the weight up front is going to help a lot. so I would start there and if it still does it then just reduce the speed. You did good on no brakes by the way! But mine usually gets upset when the road has turns, straight aways it's not so touchy


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

How many lug nuts do your tire rims have? If 5 or 6 it's an half ton, if 8 it's a three quarter ton. 
Yes the most weight goes up front, tongue should also be straight with no drop or rise to the truck. 
Safety chains annoy me, no one seems to hook them up correctly lol. 

In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king. 
He cannot rule the world. 
He is simply alone... 
Dean Koontz


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## Honsby (Jun 26, 2017)

I am just curious as to whether that trailer has brakes?

You could borrow another truck and know whether you can rule out the steering box issue.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Looks like the maximum payload is 1375 (including people) and the maximum towing capacity in 5000 lbs. 

In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king. 
He cannot rule the world. 
He is simply alone... 
Dean Koontz


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks Everyone I appreciate it very much! Okay, truck has 5 lug nuts. 
It does seem like the truck or trailer drops a little bit when connected, I will pay close attention to this when we hook it up. 
The chains are thick and we cross them under the hitch when we connect them, the hooks are heavy duty and hook in firmly, however IMO the chains are too long! I'll try to get a picture. 
No trailer brakes. I think the trailer is equipped to have brakes, but my truck doesn't have the wiring for the brakes. I think the trailer has the old 6 way plug, and my truck supports 4 way, so we had to buy a converter to put on the truck. 

If it's the weight, that would be good, better than something being wrong with the truck or trailer that could be dangerous. I can reduce speed! 
I'd think if it drives fine today it surely has to be the weight distribution. If so, we'll rearrange the goats and have the heavy ones in the front.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I agree, it is probably a weight placement problem. Try putting the big guys in front of the trailer and the light kids in the back. Also, in your truck, put the most weight in front of and over the rear axles and not all the heavy stuff near the tail gate. (makes it hard to unload, especially grain!). 

Another thing to look at is the trailer tires. Maybe rotate them. They may be getting unevenly worn, enough to cause sway. You could also get some sway bars, they give stability to the trailer.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Unless it's acting up when your pushing the breaks the breaks are not the issue. Mine started out with breaks, but yeah I own goats! So that wire is totally gone and it did the same thing with breaks and without.
Jill that's good to know on the lugs! It's hard to tell by looking at trucks now a days how big they are. I parked next to a F250 the other day and it was the same exact size as mine. If it wasn't for the 250 on it I would have thought it was the same truck


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We took it for a test run and it drove much better! I do feel there is too much play in the steering wheel and will have it checked out as that could certainly be a culprit. It was very windy on the interstate and I didn't notice any swaying like what I experienced before. I do think the truck has a couple of issues that work against hauling a trailer 'peacefully'! 
Steering as mentioned, and I wonder how good the rear shocks really are. The interstate is awful, patches every 3 feet that are a few feet long in the right lane where they are getting ready to pave, it was awful. Truck was bouncing around - empty trailer didn't help. So when I have a mechanic look at it, I'll have them check the shocks. 
The problem I have is my husband thinks because he fixes something it stays fixed. Even if it was a few years ago. So it has to be a professional that has to tell him this (Ugh... stubborn!).
But... we've also been ripped off over the years by several mechanics, so unless I can get into this one particular mechanic, I am on a mechanic hunt! Always something right?


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## Honsby (Jun 26, 2017)

It may not be so much whether the trailer has brakes but they create a bit of a drag when moving which can help keep it aligned while driving.


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

When I got my new tires for my trailer, I learned something new. Trailer tires, and there IS a difference between - trailer-car-truck tires, should never be driven OVER 55 miles an hour.

If your trailer is swaying and you aren't driving like Mario Andretti, then the problem is most likely the axle placement on the trailer or the towing vehicle is too light, (which I don't think is your problem)or the axle base is too close together.(think- jeep or ranger type vehicle)

One solution is to put sway bars on your trailer. But you really shouldn't be driving 65 miles or higher pulling anything, much less live animals.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Really? That is good to know. Everyone I know or have seen on the interstate with similar setup drive about 60-65. Again, I am okay with driving slower, people don't like it they can go around us. I've driven those speeds in the past with no issues. I will say that we used truck tires on our past trailers. I can't remember the tire size on our trailer, I will look when I go outside later. 

I do think placement has a lot to do with it on the trailer. When this was happening this is the average weights at the time:
Trailer divided into 4 sections.
Front - 115lb doe, 2-3 young goats about 70-75lbs.
Front middle/in front of middle swinging door: 165lb. doe, and 1-2 does 185-195lbs.
Behind middle swinging door: Buck 250lbs (now 277lbs)
Back: 1 young buck 90-100lbs, and 1-3 young goats 55-75lbs.
BTW, the dividers we made are just cattle panels attached to 2x4's, not heavy and temporary until I can have better dividers made.

When we go to the state fair in a couple of weeks we're only taking 8. 2mo twins will probably ride in a dog crate in the back of the truck.
We can arrange it so the heavier goats are in the front, and the smaller goats are in the back. I think minimum speed on the interstate is 55 (max is 70). I will search for an alternative route if we have any issues. 
I definitely want to get my truck checked out. 

Again I am appreciating all of this help and advice. Safety first for my kids and I and our 4 footed brats


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

Check out sway bars, I used to use a stock trailer like yours and we used them on it. And we hauled it with many different vehicles.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

Your problem is def. a weight distribution problem, here is a few things to think about

1) if you have too much trailer tongue weight (at hitch) it will push your back bumper down, when it does this the weight on the front of your truck will be transferred to the hitch area as the truck rotates on the back tires. This unloads your front tires and you will have very light steering and the truck will push in grass dirt etc instead of turning. Also you will have diminished braking since front brakes do most of the stopping

2) now if you have more weight behind the trailer tires the trailer tongue will lift your back bumper, taking weight off the back off the truck as it puts more weight on the front tires, this is bad because you can loose traction w/o enough weight on the back tires

3) now if you have all your weight on the two trailer axles the tongue will be light and can cause sway since the trailer is trying to "steer" itself as

4)also wind can influence the trailer especially when 2 and 3 are in effect, kind of how driving behind a semi trailer can cause turbulence.
Since the trailer is taller it is catching all the wind and this will also lighten the tongue wt as the wind pushes top of trailer and puts more weight behind the axles

This is a very simplified explanation, hope it helps


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much for that info! It's been almost 2 weeks since the show, and the truck/trailer did so much better! We replaced the rear tires, had a front end alignment, and adjusted the weight in the truck and trailer. It definitely did better coming home when we didn't have the weight of shavings/grain/hay in the truck.


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