towing and trailer sway

[Treedude]

Hello guys new to the site

I have 2013 Yukon lax 1500. I'm have been trying to tow my camper and enclosed traile but have had problems. First thing is truck has 3.08 gears. Second is trailer sway. It's horrible. I have never seen anything like it. Just this past weekend I only made it 4 exits on 78 before I turned around and went home and got my F350. Also does anybody know if the frames are the same between the 1500 & 2500?

 

[AppocAlexx]

Is this your first time towing your trailers with the Yukon? Are you running just a standard hitch or are you using a weight distribution/anti sway bar hitch? Your gears wont have much to do with how the truck rides with the trailers other than power and MPG, but also I think your Yukon should have the 6 spd trani and I'm not familiar with towing specs on that platform at all in regards to gear ratio so the 308 gears may be good for your tuck when towing but like I said, not sure. If I understand how you wrote the thread then you have towed with your F350 before the Yukon then you should have to get a different set up for each vehicle. The F350 has a higher tongue rating and gross tow rating than that Yukon and will ride better for the most part with heavier loads. Also I would think you are pretty familiar with how to load your trailers when hooked up to your vehicles in regards to how level your truck and trailer are, if not I would get on some RV forums and start some reading. If you have the trailer too heavy in the rear it can cause trailer sway, if your trailer and truck are not set up right even with the slightest discrepancy, you still have a risk of trailer sway, especially at higher speeds and high winds.

I would say that the difference in suspension would make a great deal of difference when towing heavy loads too. I'm pretty sure your Yukon has either bags or springs in the rear versus the F350 leaf springs, leafs are better for towing hence the reason they are on all trucks, but iv also heard that springs/bags are just as capable some people even add bags to their leafs for more load and better ride. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

You don't say how heavy the trailers are, but it sounds like you may be exceeding the GVW capacity of the Yukon. Depending on the trailer, and tongue, a weight distributing hitch, as Alex mentions, may help the situation.

I wouldn't fight it, though. Tow with the truck, ride with the Yukon.

 

[Treedude]

Many many years of towing. I have always used the truck in the past. But need more room than 4-door truck offers. We have a 26' travel trailer and an enclosed 20' . When towing either one of them with the truck I never use any of the weight distribution hitches or sway control. Truck tows straight as an arrow you don't even know they are back there.

Now with Yukon it's like another planet. Trailer are set up right with tongue weight and all. I have Reese weight distribution hitch with the sway control and both trailers are un towable. The weight of trailers are both just over 5000lbs. The Yukon is all over the road. I have air bags in the rear of Yukon. I have tried all different psi and I'd doesn't make a lick of difference. Truck has 48000 mikes on it so nothing should be worn out. I checked all trailing arms and track bar bolts.

 

[millerladam]

So what are you actually experiencing? The trailer swaying all over the road? A lack of powering trying to tow your trailer(s)? Something else? If the trailer is swaying and you have a weight distribution hitch with sway control, you can still have an issue with too much weight towards the back of the trailer causing the trailer to sway at higher speeds and / or windy conditions. Depending on who you ask, 60% to 80% of the weight in / on the trailer should be in front of the axles to help eliminate sway problems however, as I am sure you know, this puts more weight on the tongue in which case, you could be exceeding the tongue weight limit. I have a 2007 Yukon XL 2500 with the 6.0L Vortec and I tow a 2016 30' toy hauler that is 6250lb dry and approximately 8000lb when my Polaris Ranger is in it along with 100 gallons of water and 30 gallons of gas in the fuel station. I get about 8MPG and take off really slow, but it pulls well.