2019 vs 2016

[Ram4141]

I just purchased a 19' Ram CC1500 4x4 with a 5'7" bed 3 months ago. I previously had a 16' Ram CC with a 6'4" bed. I use my truck about once or twice a month to tow a dual axle Impact 12' v-nose enclose trailer that is 7' tall. I usually have about 3600 lbs of total trailer load. My 16" pulled it smooth with no sway/wobble at all no matter what speed I was going. My 19' pulls it fine until I get up to about 60 mph. I start to get some sway when I hit 60 or faster. The only difference in the two trucks is of coarse the gen 4 to 5, 5'7" bed /6'4" bed and my 16" had Ridge Grappler tires. My 19' has the factory Duelers on it. I am assuming the tires are causing my issue. Do you think the shorter wheel base would be doing it or is there that much difference from gen 4 to gen 5?

 

[devildodge]

I would say the shorter wheel base would be a minimal issue, the tires are the difference and the most likely issue

 

[Biga]

Yes and wheelbase got stretched on the 2019 Crew Cabs by 3 or 4 inches since they made the cabs bigger, so you aren't more then 3 inches difference.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Always suspect the tires unless they are already 8 or 10 ply.

 

[Ram4141]

Let me add on to my question. I am getting sway and my tires are inflated to 36 psi per the door card. The tires have a max inflation of 44 psi. Is it safe just to raise the air pressure to 44 psi in the rear tires just when I tow and then lower them back down when not towing? Will that 8lbs make that big of a difference?

 

[raven_DT]

Let me add on to my question. I am getting sway and my tires are inflated to 36 psi per the door card. The tires have a max inflation of 44 psi. Is it safe just to raise the air pressure to 44 psi in the rear tires just when I tow and then lower them back down when not towing? Will that 8lbs make that big of a difference?

It definitely can, especially if you have passenger car tires (OEM) found on most DT Rams and not LT tires. I tow at 40psi (Dueler H\L) all around since I'm not maxed out payload wise. You also might want to check to make sure that you have the correct tongue weight (10-15% of your trailer weight). Too little and you will definitely have sway issues.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Make sure the trailer is loaded properly and the hitch is reasonably level with the trailer tongue.

 

[VernDiesel]

I tow for a living. Most sway is caused by insufficient tongue weight. Usually due to improperly distributed loading and or height differences in the receiver & hitch to a level trailer. Tongue weight normally should be between 10 & 15% of the gross trailer weight. If your TW is much below 10 percent thats likely your problem. If you can't get it to play nice with adjusting your trailer loading you can take it down to the local truck stop scales and or use a weight distribution hitch. But that light of a load should not need a WDH with decent loading and a level trailer, hitch, & receiver. Naturally you should also check all your tire pressures that they are in range and especially similar one side of the trailer vs the other. I'd stick with the 36 psi for your truck all around.

To find simple static tongue weight you can use the bath rooms scales make shift method or a Sherline scale or any grain scale or truck stop scales. To accurately find actual TW with a WDH you need a truck stop or CAT scales but again you should not need a WDH for your trailer weight. You might check Harbor Freight or etrailer.com for an inexpensive Sherline. The ball hitch built in scales often don't work well long and are inaccurate if you are using a WDH.

 

[Ram4141]

I tow for a living. Most sway is caused by insufficient tongue weight. Usually due to improperly distributed loading and or height differences in the receiver & hitch to a level trailer. Tongue weight normally should be between 10 & 15% of the gross trailer weight. If your TW is much below 10 percent thats likely your problem. If you can't get it to play nice with adjusting your trailer loading you can take it down to the local truck stop scales and or use a weight distribution hitch. But that light of a load should not need a WDH with decent loading and a level trailer, hitch, & receiver. Naturally you should also check all your tire pressures that they are in range and especially similar one side of the trailer vs the other. I'd stick with the 36 psi for your truck all around.

To find simple static tongue weight you can use the bath rooms scales make shift method or a Sherline scale or any grain scale or truck stop scales. To accurately find actual TW with a WDH you need a truck stop or CAT scales but again you should not need a WDH for your trailer weight. You might check Harbor Freight or etrailer.com for an inexpensive Sherline. The ball hitch built in scales often don't work well long and are inaccurate if you are using a WDH.

I have checked my tounge weight at is is 425 to 550 lbs no matter how I load it.

 

[VernDiesel]

That puts you at 11.8 to 15.2% IE should be good.
All four trailer tires about the same psi?
Similar weight side to side? Can be checked by putting each side on a scale separately.
No tires wearing funny? IE truck or trailer.
If jacked up all four trailer tires roll the same no bad bearings sticking brakes?
Trailer frame is pretty level front to back? IE measures the same distance to the road?
Shorter wheelbase doesn't help but should not be the issue. Longer wheel base just better hides or controls a problem. Wheelbase itself is not the problem.
You can first rotate truck tires front to back then try new tires.
Are the truck tires same ish height MY 19 vs 16? Is your ball height loaded & unloaded the same as with your MY16 truck?
Maybe one of the 8 tires has broken belts inside and it just has not had time & miles to identify itself by manifesting into more wear sway sound or heat.
I would assume new truck alignment is good?
If none of this resolves it take it to the trailer place you bought your trailer from see what they find with the hitch trailer and or truck.

 

[Ram4141]

Just an update. I put 4 brand new Nitto 10 ply Ridge Grapplers on my truck. Back tires have 65 psi and front have 50psi. I tried pulling it this past weekend on the interstate and it still has bad sway. I actually had to slow down to 50 mph at one point. Scared the heck out of me. So the only thing that has changed at this point is going from a 16' Ram to a 19' Ram. I guess I will check the trailer tires this weekend.

 

[Willwork4truck]

‘If none of this resolves it take it to the trailer place you bought your trailer from see what they find with the hitch trailer and or truck.”

Maybe, or get a 2500! Hard to ever have too much truck but its easy to have not enough.
(So there, that should get the 1500 towers going... just kidding, just kidding...)

 

[Ram4141]

Ok...pulled trailer empty...still have sway empty. The only think I found out of the ordinary is one of the 4 trailer wheel hubs is runninng about 20 degrees higher in tempeture than the other 3. It seems to be dragging some. Could the heavier tread on the tires is causing some tire squirm and making the truck feel unstable?

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I used to pull an open deck short trailer for motorcycles. I had to load them all the way to the front which I'm sure was way over 15% tongue weight. It was the only way for me to stop it from wagging. I've pulled this 20' 80 mph and could "one finger" the steering wheel if I wanted.