Fixing Trailor Sway

hunterpat · Sep 30, 2011

I have 2 gravity wagons that sway a lot if I try to tow them above 10-12 mph, especially loaded. I have tightened the tongue and the rims, tires, and bearings look ok. Is there any way to fix the sway problem, or do I just have to live with it?

paul · Sep 30, 2011

Many say 3/8 inch toe in somewhere on the front reach. Otherwise it's typically something loose on the front steering that allows a little slop movement. Tongue to wagon, or in the steering arms/ balls.

--->Paul

Michael Soldan · Sep 30, 2011

I know you said tires look good,are they all inflated to the same PSI? Are they all exact matching tires? I had some wagons that would sway,until I started checking PSI. My neighbour never greases the kingpins on a wagon,he says that causes a lot of sway...dunno if I agree with that but he doesn't seem to have any problems.Sometimes a wagon gets loaded heavier to the front or back and that can do it too.

BushogPapa · Sep 30, 2011

Get ALL of the play out of the steering, including the pivot the tongue is fastened to the axle with..
The one thing that was always nice about a "5th-wheel" wagon was that they always pulled well..

You may need to enlarge some of the holes and install bushings, to take the slack out..

Ron.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 1, 2011

Find where the slop is, I have a neighbor, who took a pair of come-a-longs, and put them diagonally across from LF, to RR, etc, on the frame tubing, and it quelled the sideways galloping wagon!

JDseller · Oct 2, 2011

Did you check the toe in???? They need to be toed in about 3/16-1/4. Do not trust the sides of the rims they can get bent. I always scratch a line around the tires. Jack the tire up. Put a 6x6 wood block as close as you can the the face of the tire with room for it to turn free. The take a screw drive and brace it on the wooden block. Spin the tire and scribe a line around the tire with the screw driver. Measure this line front and back. Adjust the the tie rods to get the toe in correct.

If they still sway I have made a steering stabilizer out of a shock absorber. You need it on the tie rod. There are kits you can buy to do this with too.

kevinbauer@mchsi.com · Oct 2, 2011

I have never seen any gravity wagons that won't sway when loaded no matter what you empty is a different deal make sure the tow is good and the tires match.

(reply to post at 06:45:14 09/30/11)

Fixing Trailor Sway

hunterpat

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paul

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Michael Soldan

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BushogPapa

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Anonymous-0

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JDseller

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