TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post - Any Equal-i-zer Brand Tow Hitch Users

**Bill** · 07-02-2002, 05:33 AM

Wade -

I am very surprised that you experienced any sway at all with a Yukon as a tow vehicle. It just shouldn't happen.

Question: it sounds like the TM was loaded properly, but how was the Yukon loaded? I ask this because of specific personal experience. In the first part of this year, my wife and I put about 5000 miles on our 2720SL/Ford Explorer combination, with no hint of sway. (We have a WD hitch, but no sway control.) This took us from Maine to Scottsdale AZ, followed by a number of 2-5 day trips around Arizona. When we began our return trip to Maine on June 1st, I had driven less than a mile when I knew something was wrong. Turns out that the TM was packed the same as before, but we had put at least 500 pounds of stuff into the cargo area of the Explorer. After 20 miles, I knew it just wasn't going to work, so I stopped beside the road, folded down the rear seats, and moved the entire load forward, rearranging it so that the heaviest items were farthest forward. Presto - no further problems. We finished the 6000 mile trip from Scottsdale to Seattle to Maine with no hint of sway. This route involved the steepest curviest roads in California (think Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP), the straightest highest speed roads in Montana (think 75 mph), and the heaviest truck traffic that Illinois and Indiana could conjur up.

The lesson I took away from all this is that proper loading of the tow vehicle is almost as important as proper loading of the trailer. 'Course, the cat and dog, who expected to have back seat to themselves, weren't all that pleased ....

Bill

07-02-2002, 05:33 AM	#5
Bill Site Team Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine Posts: 10,121	Re: Any Equal-i-zer Brand Tow Hitch Users Wade - I am very surprised that you experienced any sway at all with a Yukon as a tow vehicle. It just shouldn't happen. Question: it sounds like the TM was loaded properly, but how was the Yukon loaded? I ask this because of specific personal experience. In the first part of this year, my wife and I put about 5000 miles on our 2720SL/Ford Explorer combination, with no hint of sway. (We have a WD hitch, but no sway control.) This took us from Maine to Scottsdale AZ, followed by a number of 2-5 day trips around Arizona. When we began our return trip to Maine on June 1st, I had driven less than a mile when I knew something was wrong. Turns out that the TM was packed the same as before, but we had put at least 500 pounds of stuff into the cargo area of the Explorer. After 20 miles, I knew it just wasn't going to work, so I stopped beside the road, folded down the rear seats, and moved the entire load forward, rearranging it so that the heaviest items were farthest forward. Presto - no further problems. We finished the 6000 mile trip from Scottsdale to Seattle to Maine with no hint of sway. This route involved the steepest curviest roads in California (think Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP), the straightest highest speed roads in Montana (think 75 mph), and the heaviest truck traffic that Illinois and Indiana could conjur up. The lesson I took away from all this is that proper loading of the tow vehicle is almost as important as proper loading of the trailer. 'Course, the cat and dog, who expected to have back seat to themselves, weren't all that pleased .... Bill