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Old 06-03-2020, 11:28 AM   #1
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Just bought 2108DS

Hi everyone, my wife and I just bought a 2108DS and are excited to get out on the road. We included a Reese sway control on the hitch, however on the way to our storage facility our truck was porpoising so much that our daughter was getting nauseous. Can someone recommend a way to control this? Thanks in advance!
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Old 06-03-2020, 11:36 AM   #2
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Do you mean some sort of bouncing? Might help to specify your tow vehicle. And do you have a weight distributing hitch or just sway control?

My guess would be you don't have your hitch set at the correct level and/or don't have the weight distributing hitch set up properly. For hitch level your trailer should be close to level when fully connected. For the WDH setup your front fender well should be roughly the same level off the ground as before the trailer was connected.

BTW, there is a forum here dedicated to trailer issues.

https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/f267/
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Old 06-03-2020, 11:51 AM   #3
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Thanks, I have an 2018 F150 and yes its a weight distribution and sway controller. I will check out that forum.
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Old 06-03-2020, 11:56 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by ssphotog View Post
Thanks, I have an 2018 F150 and yes its a weight distribution and sway controller. I will check out that forum.
I would guess setup then. I've not read this anywhere, but I would guess that the trailer being level is probably more important on a tandem axle trailer than a single axle.
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Old 06-03-2020, 12:27 PM   #5
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Sounds like the set up for the weight distribution isn't correct. When connected and set to tow are the TT and the Truck both level with each other - not sagging in the middle nor riding high in the middle?

Also, when the distribution bars are set up are they parallel with the ground?

If possible, don't hesitate to take you truck and trailer back to the dealership to have everything checked and resetup if need be.

PS. I moved your thread to that Towing forum for you.
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Old 06-03-2020, 12:30 PM   #6
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If possible, don't hesitate to take you truck and trailer back to the dealership to have everything checked and resetup if need be.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure that's going to be the best place for proper procedures, particularly if they did it wrong the first time. Some dealers sure, but others . . . .

Keep in mind though that if it's a height change that might require the purchase of tools. On the other hand, I'd probably want to double check their torque settings in any event.
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Old 06-03-2020, 12:41 PM   #7
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Thanks I will look into how it is setup, I let the dealer do that and just assumed it would be good.
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Old 06-14-2020, 09:47 PM   #8
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Do not overlook how you are loading the trailer. If you do not maintain the correct forward weight bias so you have the correct balance the rear of the trailer will be too heavy and will cause the front of the trailer to be too light and prone to porpoising and swaying, The sway control may be able to handle it to a point however once things get beyond its capacity it can get wild in short order.

You can also check out ETrailers help and answers sections or even open a chat and talk to one of their towing experts about your setup and possible solutions.

https://www.etrailer.com/answers.aspx
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Old 06-15-2020, 05:42 AM   #9
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I don't know how long or heavy your camper trailer is. But you are using a 1/2 ton truck. I think you will find a 3/4 ton truck will operate and handle much better.
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Old 06-15-2020, 07:36 AM   #10
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The F150 is more than capable of towing the 2108. I have a 2100BH and tow with F150 Screw, 3.5, max tow. No issues at all.

I do know the trailer is back there, so you will "feel" it, particularly on bumps/wind, and if you pass or get passed by a Semi. However it's a trailer, it weighs 4k+.. it's going to affect the truck at least a little bit when driving.

Do you have a WDH? Sounds like you possible don't, and just have sway control. Step one is return or replace that with a WDH, it makes a big difference. (I have E2 Fastway 8k WDH).

Next, are you ensuring you have weight a bit more front than rear? I try load the the under bed storage heavily so I get a nice forward bias on the weight. I can definitely notice a difference between unloaded trailer and once I've loaded, even with just a little bit a weight in front it makes it less "bumpy". Another easy way to add some weight is fill your fresh tank (nice to do anyways).

Porpoising is the trailer pull up, is that what you feel? To my understanding that is not common on a dual axle, it's more single axle (and having had a single axle.. yes it is common).

Feeling some shaking is kinda "normal" in my view, but nothing dangerous. Also I found the first 15-20 min of a tow is the most "stressful" for me, then I get more used to things and settle in, after hour or so I get mostly into that "is trailer still back there" mindset.

Road+wind make a huge difference also, our weekend trip we went on some horrible stretches if interstate.. it was very annoying and bumpy/rattly but overall truck towed fine.
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Old 06-15-2020, 10:25 AM   #11
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My F150 regular cab, short bed is light at 4400lbs and has no trouble with the 1808, just a bit smaller than the 2108. The factory trailer brake controller has digital anti-sway. It'll hit the trailer brakes for you automatically to straighten out the rig.

I certainly don't need a WDH with my setup and it handles really well. I drive around town as quick as a regular car does with the trailer attached.

Porpoising generally means there's not enough weight forward of the axles.
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Old 06-15-2020, 10:35 AM   #12
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I certainly don't need a WDH with my setup and it handles really well.
You may not need it, but you could possibly benefit from a WDH. The test would be how much higher is your front fender when connected to the trailer, and then trying to determine how much weight that might be to lift the front end the same amount without the trailer attached. If you can lift it that high with what seems like less than 100 pounds of force you might not benefit from a WDH. But if you can't lift it that high then your front wheels have a lot less weight on them with the trailer attached and handling would affected. It's the same as carrying a heavy load, but unlike a heavy load there is a solution to the handling issue.

The other test would be do to a full weigh (front & rear axles and trailer) and make sure you're not close to the weigh limit of your rear axle. With an F-150 that would probably depend on what else you carry in the bed. You could also do a second weigh without the trailer to see exactly how much weight your front end is losing.
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Old 06-26-2020, 06:22 AM   #13
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Thanks. I bought a tongue weight scale so I can see what that is, as I have read it should be 12-15% of total trailer weight. I also adjusted the weight distribution according to a setup video, where I measured the before and after heights of the front and rear axles of the f150. Hopefully next time out will be a little smoother.
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