fish tailing

5798camaro · 09-06-2010, 08:00 AM

I have a 32 tag trailer that I pull with 1 ton pickup. I would say the front of the trailer is 5 or 6 inches lower than the back of the trailer when hooked up to the truck. It is a triple axle trailer. I have the draw tight bars pretty tight. The problem I have is the trailer even when empty fish tails way to much it's really bad when I need to pull out to pass another car or around slight corners. Any ideas?

Mark Markow · 09-06-2010, 08:37 AM

raise the hitch to get the trailer level. with it low in the front front there is too much weight on the front axle.

Bill Harris · 09-06-2010, 09:46 AM

Get your trailer level and then get a dual-cam sway control from Reese or Draw-tite.

http://www.reeseprod.com/content/pro...id=1665&part=0

Forget the "friction" sway controllers, they aren't worth anything on that big of a trailer. But the dual-cam, set up properly, will make you forget the thing is even back there.

Rob Petrie E395 · 09-06-2010, 11:10 AM

Not sure if its the same for tag trailers but Gooseneck trailers should almost always be pulled with the front of the trailer 3 degrees higher than the back when loaded.

Dave Casey · 09-06-2010, 09:20 PM

Level the trailer first, it doesn't need to be perfect, but get it better, I have mine a little higher in the front.

But, I think mainly You need more tongue weight, start moving the car forward or shift other weight forward and it will stop swaying.With a 1 ton truck and load bars you should be able to put plenty of tongue wt on it and go down the road as fast as you want with no problems.

Ed Fernandez · 09-06-2010, 09:46 PM

Is the back of the truck level or down like it's over loaded?I tow a small (18') but heavy
(almost 7K) with a Dakota with a 5.2.I have an air bag setup on the rear springs,and load bars.Truck sits level,trailer a tad higher in front than back and other than huffing in the hills it tows fine.Don't ask me about stopping briskly.

et7333 · 09-07-2010, 10:50 PM

I have a 34 ft tag with full living quarters and 22 ft garage for my camaro.It's also a triple axle and I had a similiar problem until I installed the EQUALIZER HITCH.Here is the link:
http://equalizerhitch.com/
Well worth the $575 dollers.No wind proplems,or when Big trucks pass.

Mike Pearson · 09-08-2010, 04:06 PM

Is your truck a dually? if not your tires are probably overloaded with a trailer that long.

Tom Simon · 09-09-2010, 04:12 PM

I've put thousands of miles on my similar combination, 32ft tripple axle tag behind a 1 ton crew cab dually... it wasn't bad, but things got a lot better, particularly in the Mojave crosswinds on the way to Vegas, after I added a single Reese friction-type sway control. Much like a shock absorber on all four corners of any car or truck, sway control devices damp out sway between the truck and trailer.

I latter towed the same 32ft tag trailer behind our 1 ton 15 passenger Ford van... the sway came back. For $60, I simply added a second Reese friction-type sway device, and the problem went away!

I'm a believer... "your results may vary"

09-06-2010, 08:00 AM	#1
5798camaro Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Mahtowa MN Posts: 45 Likes: 2 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	fish tailing I have a 32 tag trailer that I pull with 1 ton pickup. I would say the front of the trailer is 5 or 6 inches lower than the back of the trailer when hooked up to the truck. It is a triple axle trailer. I have the draw tight bars pretty tight. The problem I have is the trailer even when empty fish tails way to much it's really bad when I need to pull out to pass another car or around slight corners. Any ideas?

09-06-2010, 08:37 AM	#2
Mark Markow Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: east hartford ct. Posts: 539 Likes: 0 Liked 9 Times in 3 Posts	Re: fish tailing raise the hitch to get the trailer level. with it low in the front front there is too much weight on the front axle. __________________ Mark Markow 171 ss/tb

09-06-2010, 09:46 AM	#3
Bill Harris Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ooltewah, TN Posts: 421 Likes: 13 Liked 26 Times in 13 Posts	Re: fish tailing Get your trailer level and then get a dual-cam sway control from Reese or Draw-tite. http://www.reeseprod.com/content/pro...id=1665&part=0 Forget the "friction" sway controllers, they aren't worth anything on that big of a trailer. But the dual-cam, set up properly, will make you forget the thing is even back there. __________________ Bill Harris ex 2172 STK ex 2272 S/S

09-06-2010, 11:10 AM	#4
Rob Petrie E395 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Woodlawn IL Posts: 1,092 Likes: 162 Liked 216 Times in 77 Posts	Re: fish tailing Not sure if its the same for tag trailers but Gooseneck trailers should almost always be pulled with the front of the trailer 3 degrees higher than the back when loaded.

09-06-2010, 09:20 PM	#5
Dave Casey VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hampden, MA Posts: 1,201 Likes: 233 Liked 772 Times in 164 Posts	Re: fish tailing Level the trailer first, it doesn't need to be perfect, but get it better, I have mine a little higher in the front. But, I think mainly You need more tongue weight, start moving the car forward or shift other weight forward and it will stop swaying.With a 1 ton truck and load bars you should be able to put plenty of tongue wt on it and go down the road as fast as you want with no problems. __________________ Dave Casey 1330 STK Last edited by Dave Casey; 09-06-2010 at 09:24 PM.

09-06-2010, 09:46 PM	#6
Ed Fernandez Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NOO JOISEY nexta NOO YAWK Posts: 5,879 Likes: 38 Liked 100 Times in 45 Posts	Re: fish tailing Is the back of the truck level or down like it's over loaded?I tow a small (18') but heavy (almost 7K) with a Dakota with a 5.2.I have an air bag setup on the rear springs,and load bars.Truck sits level,trailer a tad higher in front than back and other than huffing in the hills it tows fine.Don't ask me about stopping briskly. __________________ Former NHRA #1945 Former IHRA #1945 T/SA

09-07-2010, 10:50 PM	#7
et7333 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 155 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: fish tailing I have a 34 ft tag with full living quarters and 22 ft garage for my camaro.It's also a triple axle and I had a similiar problem until I installed the EQUALIZER HITCH.Here is the link: http://equalizerhitch.com/ Well worth the $575 dollers.No wind proplems,or when Big trucks pass.

09-08-2010, 04:06 PM	#8
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,443 Likes: 613 Liked 1,916 Times in 574 Posts	Re: fish tailing Is your truck a dually? if not your tires are probably overloaded with a trailer that long. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

09-09-2010, 04:12 PM	#9
Tom Simon Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 8 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: fish tailing I've put thousands of miles on my similar combination, 32ft tripple axle tag behind a 1 ton crew cab dually... it wasn't bad, but things got a lot better, particularly in the Mojave crosswinds on the way to Vegas, after I added a single Reese friction-type sway control. Much like a shock absorber on all four corners of any car or truck, sway control devices damp out sway between the truck and trailer. I latter towed the same 32ft tag trailer behind our 1 ton 15 passenger Ford van... the sway came back. For $60, I simply added a second Reese friction-type sway device, and the problem went away! I'm a believer... "your results may vary"