Do small 5th wheel toy haulers tow well?

[AKMac]

Hello, I'm new here.

Long story, but I purchased a new 2019 Genesis Supreme Vortex 2715V in April. I am towing it with a 2007 CC LB SRW 3500 Chevy and and have a RZR XP4 loaded in the garage. The hitch is a reese WD 15,000lb hitch, and through trial and error I have adjusted the trailer to be about 4" nose low which is what I think is about the limit of where it should be.

The sway issues and general instability have me thinking I should have gone with a 5th wheel instead. The truck litterally feels like it is being pushed all the time. There is no relaxing with it. My dad following behind me in his rig said that one sway pushed the trailer into the other lane.

I have read all the posts saying I should move weight around, etc but with a RZR XP4 I don't have much room to change the loading. We dry camp and I have to take water with me as well. I'm sort of out of options other than trying one of the super expensive hitches.

I'm seriously looking at just cutting my losses and moving onto a smaller 5th wheel toyhauler. I'm pleased with the overall build and looks of the Genesis trailers, so I was thinking about moving into a 28CR.

I'm just curious if anyone else with this size of 5th wheel toy hauler and a 4 seat machine can tell me if they tow any better? I'm not looking for trailer that I can haul in a hurricane, but I what I have not does not feel safe at all.

For the record, I don't think it's the truck. I have hauled many trailers with it, some heavier, and it's been just fine. It's definitely the loading of the trailer.

[Dirtclods]

https://www.propridehitch.com/propride-3p-trailer-sway-control-hitch?msclkid=a39dbe10c6501bad3a11e0f...

[Durb]

I agree with trying a Propride or Hensley Arrow hitch. Their projection point engineering virtually eliminates sway. I know Hensley offers a money back satisfaction guarantee on their fifth wheel hitches. If they offer the same on the Arrow, it would make sense to give it a try, you might have to eat some freight charges with a return. Hensley has some good videos explaining the engineering and demonstrating how the trailer can't impact the vehicle with sway forces. People swear by them.

I'm assuming you don't have air bags on the truck.

[Huntindog]

dedmiston wrote:
How does it tow without the SxS in it? It would be interesting to test it just to make sure that your problem really is weight distribution.

You should weigh the tongue with and without the SxS loaded, just to verify that your problem is from the low tongue weight.

If that's the case, then you should be able to adjust the height and angle of your hitch to compensate

Wrong.

A WD hich does not or cannot fix low TW! None of them will.
Some how, some way (other than WD) the TW must be fixed.

Proper TW is the cornerstone to achieving a good towing lashup.
Then adding the WD hitch of your choice will make it even better.

[odyknuck]

I recently bought a 2017 39' 5th wheel Wolfpack 315 pack12 with a seperate garage and I am having sway issue with it. So going to a 5th wheel will not nessasaryly solve your issue, just sayin. I have removed The Happijack beds and couchs out of the garage. Removed the shelving unit to be able to back the X3 in. Relocated the spare tire tom under the bed and added weight to the basement area and still only have a pin weight of 15%. 5th wheels tow best at 20%.

[N-Trouble]

sgip2000 wrote:
The only downside to a fifth wheel over a bumper pull is the loss of truck bed.

Not a total loss... I still put a couple nights worth of firewood back there and that is with a short bed.

[PhilipB]

A Hensley hitch would probably be less than the hit you'll take trading. Hensley will take care of sway and push/pull. No sure if it'll help with the feeling of being pushed around, but I'd bet it would do wonders there as well.

I had a Hensley in previous life. Pro-Pride is similar concept.

[Y-Guy]

Just thinking out loud... Where is the weight in a RZR? Would backing it in help by moving some of the weight closer the front?

[nayther]

I agree. Get it weighed, spend the money for a scale or go to a CAT scale where you can load/unload the toy. Get rear truck axle only, front truck axle only and trailer axles weight, all with and without the toy and extra water, etc.

Sounds like you just don't have enough tongue weight to me. You've got plenty of truck to pull about anything so adding tongue weight should not hurt. Might be the trailer axles are just too far forward. Also need to confirm you're not overloading the trailer itself.

[dedmiston]

Sandia Man wrote:
No doubt due simply to the physics involved a 5er should tow better than a TT, that being said a TT can be towed without the effects of sway when you have enough truck, are properly loaded, and WD/SC hitch is dialed in correctly, there is some trial & error initially.

I thought it might be his truck too, be he has a long bed 3500.

[sgip2000]

The only downside to a fifth wheel over a bumper pull is the loss of truck bed.

[Wild_Card]

Sandia Man wrote:
No doubt due simply to the physics involved a 5er should tow better than a TT, that being said a TT can be towed without the effects of sway when you have enough truck, are properly loaded, and WD/SC hitch is dialed in correctly, there is some trial & error initially.

We have a TT TH that is pretty much the same size and weight and have a very comfortable towing experience whether fully loaded with toys and full water tanks, or without toys and just one water tank full as we always carry water. We travel at interstate/highways speeds without sway.

Our rig has black, gray, and 2 FW tanks ahead of the axles with fuel station and genny tanks to the rear. With toys (up to 3 atvs and dirt bike) we place most of the weight directly over axles, too much behind leads to sway for us. Without toys we place most weight to rear to offset tongue weight.

We keep our ST tires on our rig pretty much loaded up to max psi and our LT rear tires call for max pressure according to door jamb label, both help in keeping her steady. Sure, you could trade for a 5er, but with your truck I would give it a shot and make more tweaks before taking that step.

Just curious what hauler do you have? You also say most weight on axels. How do you get 3 atvs on the axels? My 5th wheel and my TT haulers I only have and had room for 1 ATV on the axels. Your FW tanks are ahead of axels. This helps you tremendously with tounge weight. Alot of rigs FW tanks are on the axels so no help.

Just trying to compare apples to apples.

You can tweak your WD hitch all you want if you dont have enough tounge weight you will sway.

And I do agree with doing what you can before dumping the rig. Exhaust every oportunity. But in the end you have to be comfortable towing and safety.

[Sandia_Man]

No doubt due simply to the physics involved a 5er should tow better than a TT, that being said a TT can be towed without the effects of sway when you have enough truck, are properly loaded, and WD/SC hitch is dialed in correctly, there is some trial & error initially.

We have a TT TH that is pretty much the same size and weight and have a very comfortable towing experience whether fully loaded with toys and full water tanks, or without toys and just one water tank full as we always carry water. We travel at interstate/highways speeds without sway.

Our rig has black, gray, and 2 FW tanks ahead of the axles with fuel station and genny tanks to the rear. With toys (up to 3 atvs and dirt bike) we place most of the weight directly over axles, too much behind leads to sway for us. Without toys we place most weight to rear to offset tongue weight.

We keep our ST tires on our rig pretty much loaded up to max psi and our LT rear tires call for max pressure according to door jamb label, both help in keeping her steady. Sure, you could trade for a 5er, but with your truck I would give it a shot and make more tweaks before taking that step.

[dedmiston]

2001400ex wrote:
This video has been posted many times here but figure it's relevant again.

https://youtu.be/i2fkOVHAC8Q

The moral of the story: Don't tow with a Mustang GT.

[GottaRunGottaCa]

2001400ex wrote:
This video has been posted many times here but figure it's relevant again.

https://youtu.be/i2fkOVHAC8Q

Good Video, simple and plain!