<div dir="auto">Regarding the "wandering and fishtailing": my first thought was that too light tongue weight will cause that, but it sounds like yours is heavy enough. A weight distributing hitch will help a lot.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Finally, you indicated you're new to trailer towing - raising the possibility of the driver over correcting. This is what flyers would call pilot-induced-ocillation. This tends to go away with experience, especially if you tow regularly.</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, May 17, 2021, 6:38 PM john niolon <<a href="mailto:jniolon@att.net">jniolon@att.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div class="m_-5981066085216854475OECFntDef">
<div>did my first real trailer trip this past weekend and was generally pleased but found several things I need to address. I can't seem to find the info I'm looking for easily.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>first... the rig is</div>
<div>2008 Suburban 5.3 L 4 speed auto with 3.73 axle and 20" tires</div>
<div>towing package installed stock from factory</div>
<div>GCWR is rated at 13,000 (from the manual)</div>
<div>Stated max trailer weight is 7,000 (from manual)</div>
<div> </div>
<div>trailer is a 18' Anderson car hauler weighing 2,400</div>
<div>Load is a 53 F-100 weighing 3,840 with the engine end ahead</div>
<div>of the first axle... (truck front end weight is 2300 per the county scales)</div>
<div>total trailer load 6,240</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I did the bathroom scale tongue weight thingy and got</div>
<div> </div>
<div>575 # without my wife's mobility scooter mounted in front off the truck</div>
<div>715 # WITH " " " "</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I think I'm within acceptable tongue weight range either way. But defer to wiser minds</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I have a manual tongue jack that's tired and want to switch to electric (for ease and to sake of my shoulders brand recommendations ??</div>
<div> </div>
<div>also how is the rating of the jacks calculated... is it just the tongue weight or do I need to calculate some part of the load ahead of the axle too?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I-59, I-24, I-75, I-40 is a collection of bad paving, dips, humps, potholes that resemble shallow wells and made driving a puckering experience</div>
<div>especially for a trailering noob. Kept my speed under 60 mph and on good roads it was fine but as the condition of roads deteriorated I experienced</div>
<div>a little wander and fishtailing that I could correct but in metro traffic it increased pucker factor by 50-70%</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Add that to the lookey-lous that want to eyeball my truck as they drift over closer than they should... and it seemed like NASCAR rubbin is racing time.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Love to hear recommendations on electric jack ratings , and other wise advise to make next trip more safe and enjoyable.. I know you guys have a</div>
<div>well spring of knowledge you can pour over me.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>thanks</div>
<div>John</div>
<div> </div></div>
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