Hello
I was looking for some pointers on towing a travel trailer for a long trip
Truck:
19 Silverado 1500 LT crew cab 4x4
Payload: 1979
Max tow: 9879 (gvwr-curbweight)
Camper:
30ftx10ft travel trailer (outside dimensions)
Empty wight: 5350
Loaded weight: 7530
The day I picked my camper 100miles away from home I decided to not to use a weight distribution hitch (very bad idea) I was swaying so bad had to slow down to 45 on some streachs luckly I was on back roads. I was so surprised that a camper almost half the weight my pickup is rated to tow was causing me to sway. Nevertheless I ordered a WDH the second I made it home. But my ordered got cancelled few times so I ended up buying the harbor freight one which looks identical to curt. I also bought the sway bar.
Set it up exactly like the instructions said and after watching 10s of videos. And I got dialed down really good.
Now I took it down the highway for some test runs going 55~60mph it felt alright as long as there is no cars passing. Back roads going 55 even 65 cars passing me the opposite direction has almost no effect on the sway. But for some reason cars that over take me down the interstate made the truck ass squirmy. These test runs were done with only me 200lbs and my son 150lbs in the truck. Camper was completely empty.
I towed lots of heavy loads with this truck. Loaders excavators all in town, granted I didn't go faster than 55 or even 50. I never experienced what I am experiencing with my camper. Maybe because most my towing were short distance maybe because my camper is an empty 30ftx11ft sail
My questions are:
1. Is this normal? And just have to deal with it?
2. Is this too much load for my truck? Especially for long distance
3. What would you do on a windy day or a ND day? It is always windy here
4. During rain and weather in general is the norm to pull over and wait?
Just wondering what everyone doing in general and if someone have a similar setup and have story to share.
Thanks, Moe