Towing doesn’t feel right!

System · June 2018

This discussion was created from comments split from: Towing with 2 wheel drive?.

Gidget · June 2018

Hey y'all... this is my first post and my first travel trailer... a 2018 t@b 320s... I have a Kia Sorento LX V6 which is a front wheel drive (I believe the same as a two wheel drive). Gizmo, as my 320 is affectionately named, tows weird. It seems to jump or stutter when I'm towing it. This is only my third time on the road with her so it could be I'm simply not used to towing. However, it really doesn't feel right at all. So, how does one make sure the trailer is "properly loaded"? What does that even mean? I have minor belongings in there with my ice maker being the most weighty at 40lbs. I really need some direction at how to diagnose what the problem is. Can anyone help me please?

Verna · June 2018

Try this:

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/2922/best-investment-yet

Gidget · June 2018

Oh, WOW!!! That description right there sounds EXACTLY like what's going on. @Verna thank you SO MUCH! Added to cart and putting that "gizmo" on MY Gizmo!

Sharon_is_SAM · June 2018

Besides the hitch tightener, you may need more tongue weight and try adjusting your brakes.

dsatwork · June 2018

@Gizmo send us a pic of the side view of you Tab hooked up to the Sorento. It should be very level and you can have as much weight forward on the Sorento as you need with a 350 lbs tongue capacity.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/ey/7chdwpgapoeu.jpg

Gidget · June 2018

Sure thing... here you go. PS - You have the color scheme I wanted!!!!

Gidget · June 2018

peterac50 · June 2018

Doesn't look level. Is the camper and your car loaded?

Gidget · June 2018

It is indeed. Keep in mind this is on a slight incline. I don't have a photo of it yet on level ground. Is only 13 days old.

Gidget · June 2018

SAM said:

Besides the hitch tightener, you may need more tongue weight and try adjusting your brakes.

I do have a brake controller and am unsure how to use it. Ok, would adding a tongue box count? I just ordered one to put all my "dirty" gear in so my "clean" gear stays that way!

rajamar · June 2018

Two things: 1) even though it's on a slight grade comparing the angle of the background curb with the tongue it looks like the hitch needs to be lower. 2) is the block of wood under the jack lifting the tongue up?

All things considered it seems you need better levelling or more tongue\forward weight, maybe both. Yes, tongue box would help, but keep in mind the 10 - 15% of trailer weight guideline for tongue weight.

Re: brakes - take a look at your brake controller manual to see what adjustment is needed.

dsatwork · June 2018

It looks like the trailer is leaning too far back. Is the jack stands down?

MuttonChops · June 2018

@Gizmo

Definitely add the Hitch Tightener as noted above.

Your general description of the "towing feeling" sounds like a tightener will help/fix it.

Rechecking your overall set-up is also a good idea.

However you sound comfortable except for the 'jumping'.

The side view photo shows the trailer tongue jack is down so there is (most likely) no tongue weight load on the tow vehicle [TV]. A picture without jack down is needed. Even better would be to measure how much the TV changes from level with your T@B 'loaded for camping' hitched.

Measure TV body wheel well top edge at front and rear tire without the trailer, hitch up trailer and remeasure; expect to see some decrease in value at the rear and some increase at front.

With a FWD TV you of course need to minimizes the front measure increase by shifting TV load, changing tongue weight, and maybe adding helper springs or weight distribution hitch.

Assuming receiver top on TV is 11-12 inches from ground (no load), then your 2-inch UP ball mount seems correct. Some sag will occur when the ball is loaded.

Sharon_is_SAM · June 2018

@Gizmo, even though you are parked on an incline and you have the jack down (which you don’t need when hitched), it is decently level. When we started towing last year, we heard loud “clunks” as the ball mount rattled in the receiver. The hitch tightener will help a lot. There is a drag felt with towing the Tab and you will become accustomed to it in time. Re-reading your description, it sounds a lot like what we experienced. Especially taking an empty Tab over some rail road tracks! Lots of jumping and sensation of pulling as the trailer shifted and the van moved forward. More tongue weight will smooth out your towing experience. Load up your Tab and maybe add some water to the fresh tank and then see how it feels. Adding a box on the tongue will also directly contribute to your tongue wright. Did the dealer help you adjust the brake controller? If not, it is essential that you read the manual. Let us know what kind of controller you have and the collective we may be able to help.

jgram2 · June 2018

For us, “properly loaded” means we carry heavy items over the T@B’s axle, like the Brahma wheel lock, the Bal leveler, a tub of food and the canopy. We weigh our loaded TV and T@B at a landscaping rock business close to our home (for free!). And we try to reach a tongue weight of 10-15% of our T@B. The big thing is to avoid putting too much weight behind the trailer’s axle. Since our dogs take up the cargo area of the 4runner, we have to stow stuff in the trailer!

Homebodyatheart · June 2018

@Gizmo it looks like mine when I first towed. Try removing the hitch piece, remove the ball (I had a mechanic do it as I didn’t have the hand strength), flip the hitch over and reinsert the ball this should level you out.

Gidget · June 2018

Wow, I cannot thank you guys enough.... LOTS of incredibly helpful things to try.... I'll start with @Verna 's suggestion as I've already ordered it and then next give @Homebodyatheart 's a go as I'm headed back to the dealership tomorrow for a bunch of "little things" that need to be fixed.

@SAM I'll for sure read the manual and yes, the dealership set it for me and did show me how to use it. That said, I'm quite fearful I'll screw something up by changing it! I'm sure I'll get past the new owner syndrome quickly.

@dsatwork No, they aren't because I still don't know how to park it and I'm leaving in a few minutes to pick up my Mom's car who's in the shop.

@MuttonChops thank you for all that info... just not sure what helper springs are, where they go or how I can put them on. Is this something the dealer must do?

I've ordered a polymer tongue box to keep all my perennially dirty outdoor stuff (chocks, hoses, et al). I decided on polymer because of the weight but now I'm thinking I should have have gone steel although part of me is glad because of the rust factor. It's been raining a lot here in the ATL.

I'm sure I'll be right as rain (pardon the pun!) soon enough thanks to all you fine, and super helpful folks! Thank you SO much!

dsfdogs · June 2018

@Gizmo I'm new too and had similar clunking sensations and concern. The hitch tightener is the best device!

When you are at the dealer, before unhitching, check for levelness of the trailer. Once you are loaded for travel, the tongue will go down a little. Of course, they should help ensure you are set properly.

Have them show you again how to use the brake controller. I read the instructions but was still confused and afraid to adjust it, so they showed me again. Mine has a little light and a dial to adjust the grippyness. It was originally set too high so the trailer was braking more than the car. When I apply the brakes, the little light will change from green to yellow, orange or red with red being the most aggressive. I played with mine on my residential street, mostly coasting. I also played with the manual squeeze brake while coasting to get a feel for how that works. That's important because if the trailer should start to sway, I've read it's best to squeeze that and not brake the car.

I also travel with two large dogs in my car, so most gear is stowed in trailer. I have a very heavy Rubbermaid tub with most set up gear and I place it over or slightly in front of the axle, with lighter gear forward.

Good luck and have fun!

Ratkity · June 2018

Even with the toy hauler, I use a hitch tightener. It's not a big deal to put on and take off.

I also have the "wandering" rubbermaid-like bin. It contains all the things that need replenishing or don't stay in the camper because it just gets too hot. Then there's "stuff" that seems to arrive from Amazon that gets in the box

Gidget · June 2018

dsfdogs said:

@Gizmo I'm new too and had similar clunking sensations and concern. The hitch tightener is the best device!

When you are at the dealer, before unhitching, check for levelness of the trailer. Once you are loaded for travel, the tongue will go down a little. Of course, they should help ensure you are set properly.

Have them show you again how to use the brake controller. I read the instructions but was still confused and afraid to adjust it, so they showed me again. Mine has a little light and a dial to adjust the grippyness. It was originally set too high so the trailer was braking more than the car. When I apply the brakes, the little light will change from green to yellow, orange or red with red being the most aggressive. I played with mine on my residential street, mostly coasting. I also played with the manual squeeze brake while coasting to get a feel for how that works. That's important because if the trailer should start to sway, I've read it's best to squeeze that and not brake the car.

I also travel with two large dogs in my car, so most gear is stowed in trailer. I have a very heavy Rubbermaid tub with most set up gear and I place it over or slightly in front of the axle, with lighter gear forward.

Good luck and have fun!

I cannot thank you enough. I'm actually headed to the dealerships today in about an hour. Do you know the brand of your brake controller? It sounds like we have the same one. Swaying scares me and I'd like to avoid it at all costs!!! Though I'm not sure what exactly it is I'm supposed to squeeze so I'll for sure get them to show me again!!!

Like you, i have a furbaby... but in comparison, she's small at 30lbs. I'm trying to avoid getting the rubbermaid container as I have a personal rule that if I buy something new (probably from Amazon!!!), then something else gets chucked. However, I'm learning that there are things I never DREAMED I'd need or didn't come with the rig. So, I very well might be on my way to my own container. *snaps fingers!*

Gidget · June 2018

Ratkity said:

Then there's "stuff" that seems to arrive from Amazon that gets in the box

THAT'S what I'm trying to avoid! A junk collector!

Ratkity · June 2018

Gizmo said:

Ratkity said:

Then there's "stuff" that seems to arrive from Amazon that gets in the box

THAT'S what I'm trying to avoid! A junk collector!

Resistance is futile!

Gidget · June 2018

GREAT NEWS! Went to the dealership today and explained my situation to the ULTRA patient owner. Turns out my "ball" came loose and was making all the very scary noises. Bless his heart, too, he spent a half hour showing me how to backup and PARK!!! Coming home was a breeze (felt like I was towing something but not like it was ramming me and pulling my Kia!!!) and I was able to park, precisely, in my parking space!!!!

Gauge the parking by the fence, not the lines. DeKalb county FINALLY repaved our roads last year but left it to morons when it came to striping our parking lines.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/9x/2pnwq63z69gz.jpg

Sharon_is_SAM · June 2018

The ball was not tight or the coupler was not fully engaged?

BrianZ · June 2018

Glad they found the problem & got it fixed for you. It reminds me of when we picked up our new T@B at the dealer last August & they fixed us up with a new ball hitch to get the T@B level. To tighten the ball onto it, he brought out the biggest crescent wrench I had ever seen. It reminded me of one of those ceremonial events where a huge check is presented that is about 3 ft tall & 8 ft long. That wrench must have been two feet long and looked like a joke - it made me wonder how anyone could have enough strength to actually use it. But he had a technique where he mounted the hitch at 90° such that the wrench could tighten the nut in a vertical plane, which allowed him to stand on the handle & jump up & down on it. I don't think that nut is ever coming loose.

Thank you for posting this issue, and to others for the valuable replies that have educated me about the hitch tightener device. I have since installed one on ours, because we've been having intermittent jerky braking issues only at low speeds, despite relatively low settings on the controller. So I'm now thinking it may have been due to the ball hitch flopping around inside the hitch receiver. However, since it's not something I want to be taking on & off, I've replaced the hitch pin with a locking one. Probably should have had a locking pin anyway for security while traveling. I've been taking the hitch off while camping, to avoid bruised shins while moving things in & out of the van, so I guess I'll need to get some kind of rubber cover for the ball now. And I'm looking forward to see if the braking issues at low speeds will disappear. That hitch sure is solid now though.

New RV owners should get a complementary Amazon Prime membership.

Gidget · June 2018

SAM said:

The ball was not tight or the coupler was not fully engaged?

They said ball was loose. *shrug*

Gidget · June 2018

BrianZ said:

New RV owners should get a complementary Amazon Prime membership.

AH-GREED!

dsfdogs · June 2018

@Gizmo sorry for late response. I was camping without cell service. I'm glad the dealer fixed the problem. If it's still clunky (hitch rattles around in receiver), you might like the hitch tightener. Were you able to practice squeezing the brake lever?

So @BrianZ you mention the jerky brakes. Mine were the same. They seemed ok cruising to a stop, and using them manually, but really jerky going slow, or parking/backing up I could really hear them engaging. I was recently on fresh gravel creeping at 5 mph or less and would barely hit my TV brakes and the trailer brakes would cause a skid. My TV brakes are softer (meaning I press the pedal in further). I worried something was wrong and had Les Schwab Tires verify, all is well. So while I was barely touching my TV brakes, the trailer brakes were engaging immediately. I thought I had them dialed in properly, but I turned the dial back further to yellow/green color and no more jerking/skidding. Backing into my garage yesterday I didn't hear the clunking of trailer brakes. I do notice when I manually engage the brakes, they don't slow the trailer/car as much but hopefully that is ok. So, my long-winded suggestion is, if your TV has a softer brake pedal, maybe back off the grippyness of the trailer brakes more and see if that helps.

Sharon_is_SAM · June 2018

I suspect our Tabs are too light weight to require manual braking using the brake controller. I know our Prodigy RF controller indicates that manual control is not recommended. Those towing with an appropriate TV should require limited braking from the Tab. Our Prodigy was turned up too high as well, resulting in the “jerky brake syndrome” described.

BrianZ · June 2018

Thanks, @dsfdogs, I plan on testing & adjusting our Curt brake controller next time we're hooked up. We've never changed it, since the initial setup last August, but will check & adjust as needed. One rotating wheel setting on top is for the "output maximum power available", which is at the recommended default of 2.0 on a scale of 0-10; and the other is a sync control on the right side for contolling "brake aggressiveness" on a scale of 1-9. I'm not sure what that's set to, but wondering if that slider control could have been inadvertently moved, because it seems to be in a vulnerable position with the control mounted under the dash to right of steering column. I'm thinking that had been set low, like around 2 also.

So, I assume you're recommending changing the "sync/aggressiveness" control. Still, I wonder why this behavior would only have been occuring at lower speeds, like less than 20 mph, like 10-15 mph.

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