Would Weight Distribution Fix Trailer Sway That Starts when Cargo Carrier on Trailer is Loaded

Question:

hello, I have a 2011 chevy suburban z71 with extra towing package. I have a 2013 forest river Cherokee grey wolf 27bh that has a cargo carrier on the back of it. when I load the cargo carrier with cargo it makes the camper sway quite a bit. I am unsure if this product would be good for me to use as I think I can only have about 700 pounds on the hitch with my suburban. also, where I park my camper on my driveway is uneven so I do not have a flat spot to hook up. do I need to be on a level spot to get the weight distribution angle on the hitch correct? do you have any other recommendations?

asked by: Andrew K

Expert Reply:

The sway you are experiencing is due to the additional weight behind your rear axle lightening the tongue weight of the trailer (like a teeter totter). Weight distribution might help a bit, but the best solution to fix the sway is going to be to move more weight forward in your trailer to offset the weight in the carrier. This will fix the sway whereas the WD system would be somewhat of a Band-Aid.

Ideally you want to have your loaded trailer tongue weight to be 10-15 percent of the total weight of the trailer to prevent sway.

expert reply by: Jameson C