Fishtailing tow vehicle?
From : jason purcell
Q: what causes a trailer to fishtail i was towing a trailer with 2 ric of firewood home the other day and i couldnt go above 55 miles per hour the trailer was weaving back and forth so much... i have a dakota quad cab 4.7 4wd 3.55 axle 2001 and a 5x10 flatbed trailer with 13 tires. what did i do wrong j. had this happen to me in the 60s pulling a car trailer. about the scariest ride i ever had. the trailer was making s skid marks and i about lost it more than once. in my case it was a loose front end in the truck. i replaced all the bad parts and had the front end aligned. never a problem after that. when it happened we tried to add weight to the truck by moving the car forward on the trailer then we unloaded the car and turned it around and tied it as far back as we could. must have mover that car 20 times nothing helped. the only way to stop the weaving was to stand on the gas. going down hills was murder. about 10 years ago i saw this happen to a guy in a wagoneer pulling a camping trailer. he stopped and i offered to pull it with my truck. hooked it up and it was a solid as if it was on railroad tracks. i pulled it about 40 miles and then we hit i-10 and went different directions. al .
Replies:
From : max dodge
hi my name is gary and right now i am looking for people that have bought a newer dodge ramcummins in years of at 2002-2005. in 2004 i bought brand new a dodge ram 3500 diesel. eversince ive got in been in and out of shop.ive had many problems with fuel injectors and all that good stuff. all that good stuff now just a about month now i brought it in once again because was running reallly bad. they said i got water in the fuel they said 33%water and all us people that know diesels agree that a truck can run on that much!!! well i know diesels and i wont agree to that. 33% wtf dump snow in it piss in the tank how the hell do you get the equivalant of 10 gallons of water in there and not get a water in fuel light ya ain lyin to us now are ya but anyway so they said my warranty is voided so i will have to pay between 7000 to 10000 dollars to get all new injectors pump lines etc. i know i am not paying it. this trouble is only at 36000!!!miles!!! oh but you are if they voided it because of water in the fuel. i always was a big fan of dodge.now they are down on the list of favorites. their company disappointed me. they did nothing to help except be rude to me. they are no help and not just the dealerships are rude but the big boys are too. so please anyone out they that can help me just e-mail back on the troubles youve had and the stories and mileage happened...etc. it would be a big help!! thanks for all your time!! yeah get real. pay for your losses and quit whining. this is a help to you because it demonstrates responsibility on your part. this demonstration makes you a better person and more likely to get respect. try it sometime. -- max there are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty soap ballot jury and ammo. please use in that order. -ed howdershelt author hi my name is gary and right now i am looking for people that have bought a newer dodge ramcummins in years of at 2002-2005. in 2004 i bought brand new a dodge ram 3500 diesel. eversince ive got in been in and out of shop.ive had many problems with fuel injectors and all that good stuff. now just a about month now i brought it in once again because was running reallly bad. they said i got water in the fuel they said 33%water and all us people that know diesels agree that a truck can run on that much!!!but anyway so they said my warranty is voided so i will have to pay between 7000 to 10000 dollars to get all new injectors pump lines etc. i know i am not paying it. this trouble is only at 36000!!!miles!!! i always was a big fan of dodge.now they are down on the list of favorites. their company disappointed me. they did nothing to help except be rude to me. they are no help and not just the dealerships are rude but the big boys are too. so please anyone out they that can help me just e-mail back on the troubles youve had and the stories and mileage happened...etc. it would be a big help!! thanks for all your time!! gary .
From : max dodge
wow in the tank that sounds easy to get at. i have an issue where the truck starts sputtering backfireing through the throttle body after running fine for a half hour or more. i figure i have a fuel delivery problem clogged filter or bad pump or a computer chip going south. i was going to replace the filter and the pump but wow in the tank that would turn out to be quite a task. mark have your local muffler shop check your exhaust system backpressure in front of the catalytic converter. it almost sounds to me like a converter starting to plug up. .
From : big al
jason purcell wrote what causes a trailer to fishtail i was towing a trailer with 2 ric of firewood home the other day and i couldnt go above 55 miles per hour the trailer was weaving back and forth so much... i have a dakota quad cab 4.7 4wd 3.55 axle 2001 and a 5x10 flatbed trailer with 13 tires. what did i do wrong j. improper weight distribution. you should have about 10% of the weight on the tongue. what that means is if the trailer and cargo weigh 2000# then the tongue weight should be 200#. with the kind of hauling youre doing thats pretty tough to measure or estimate. so do this. with the truck on an even keel measure the height of the bumper. now find somebody who weighs about 200# and have them stand on the trailer hitch ball. now measure the height of the bumper. thats how much the the rear end sags with a 200 pound tongue weight on my truck its about 1.5. now you can guestimate tongue weight by measuring the bumper. -- ..bob on order 2006 fxdi red. 1997 hd fxdwg - turbocharged stolen 11/26/05 in denver 1hd1gel10vy3200010 co license j5822z 2001 dodge dakota qc 5.9/4x4/3.92 1966 mustang coupe - daily driver 1965 ffr cobra - 427w efi damn fast. .
From : budd cochran
alex wrote details on a site http//www.autotrue.com/ actually the major cause of death by toyota or any other vehicle isnt listed . . .the loose nut behind the controls. dont drink and drive my friends but if you must drink please have a designated driver. i mean after all how can i yell at ya next year if youre pushing up daisies no roy i said pushing up daisies not doing push ups . . . . . .. happy new year yall!!!! budd same to ya budd !!!!!!!!!!! roy .
From : thesnoman
222 wrote youve been a great help.thanks! have a great year! its what most of us are here for to get help or to give it. youre welcome and a great new year to you also. budd .
From : bob
max dodge wrote load towards the front so the tongue has some weight on it more weight than is behind the trailer axle. tire pressure should be checked as well. i do not think that will fix it too much load and too little tow vehicle. try running trailer and rear truck tires at max rated cold pressure. low pressure car type tires lack in side/sway stability control. is it a tandum or single axle trailer if it was a single axle trailer you were clearly overloaded for the trailer and truck. -- ----------------- www.thesnoman.com .
From : william boyd
roy wrote game time is 8pm est. denny larry any of you non- believers want to jump on the pats wagon bfg roy my two favorite teams are the iggles and who ever is playing against the pats. ;^ -- ken .
From : mike simmons
i had trouble with the catolytic convertor... it fell apart and blocked the flow m. thats possible but usually doesnt cause the engine to stall. plugged cats usually manifest themselves as a vehicle with no power - cant get out of its own way... kinda like driving a ford .
From : thesnoman
gas smell when i go to accellerate hard she kicks and backfires code 32 is coming up but i dont know what it means and i also need a vacuum diagram as i am sure something is wrong there too. any ideas code 32 is an egr solenoid problem. how can i test the egr valve go to your local parts store and pick up a haynes repair manual #30041. this will cover your truck give you your vacuum diagram and explain how to test and most likely replace your egr valve. .
From : clare at snyder on ca
my truck came with one from the factory. why would i want to buy one of yours on 1 jan 2006 123435 -0800 adam.gerety@gmail.com wrote i have been bothered for a long time by the gas cap hanging down against my paint whenever i put gas in the car. its put too many scratches/scuffs in my paint. i thought about removing the leesh but i dont want to lose my gas cap. anyway i came up with this idea decided to call it the gascap caddy got patent and trademark pending protection and amd now selling units from the first production. volume and dealership orders welcome. http//www.gascapcaddy.com check it out. take care. happy camping. ldpoos@nopants.juno.com remove nopants to reply by direct e-mail; 2003 dodge 1500 qc sb hemi a/t tow package 3.92 gears 11 mpg towing 2001 aerolite 21rdb 21ft tt scales 2900 dry .
From : tom lawrence
backwards from most vehicles. the hub sets on the outside of the roter and the lugs go into the back of the roter into the hub. the wheel studs should have a knurled ring around their shoulder. these wedge themselves into the holes of the rotor. you may find it necessary to place a stud in then seat it with a hammer and a punch. you can then press the two pieces rotor and hub together by installing and tightening the lug nuts possibly with some washers as spacers to make up for the wheel thickness. an air impact wrench then makes this job a little easier because it will spin the lug nut fast enough that the stud seats itself before it has a chance to turn out. if you dont have that a tie rod puller might prove handy - put the lug nut on the stud a few turns leaving a big gap then use the tie rod puller to try and pull the lug nut off this will pull the stud into the back of the rotor and should wedge it tightly in place. you cna then tighten the lug nut with hand tools and the stud shouldnt spin. and just for insurance its not a bad idea to recheck lugnut torque after youve driven the truck a few miles. bryan .
From : thesnoman
i have been bothered for a long time by the gas cap hanging down against my paint whenever i put gas in the car. its put too many scratches/scuffs in my paint. i thought about removing the leesh but i dont want to lose my gas cap. anyway i came up with this idea decided to call it the gascap caddy got patent and trademark pending protection and amd now selling units from the first production. volume and dealership orders welcome. http//www.gascapcaddy.com check it out. take care. .
From : max dodge
you really are clueless here arent you. its that apparent huh printed on as i have a 2000 k3500 tht is only rated to tow 8k but it will handle 13k i have done it with no stabilty issues at all so youre admitting to pulling more than 50% over your vehicles legal limit but im the one whos clueless because i point out that the op wasnt pulling more than his vehicle was rated for. got it... .
From : max dodge
mac davis wrote on sat 31 dec 2005 225915 gmt tom lawrence tnloaswpraemnmcien5g@earthlink.net wrote btw speaking of not commenting before knowing what you are talking about you should be aware that even with the huge range in weight you guess the trailer could be its still within towing capacity of the vehicle you earlier claimed was too small. given that the dak he was driving is rated to tow just over 6000lbs.... now - lets say he was hauling 3500lbs. of wood. a 5x10 flatbed trailer is usually a single-axle and usually weighs in under 1000lbs. 750lbs. is closer. he probably was a little over on the trailer again assuming a single axle 3500lb. rating - pretty typical but hes still nowhere near the towing capacity of his truck. but - its very possible the trailer wasnt loaded properly resulting in too little tongue weight causing the instability. i think i read that posted here already.... tom.. i have the same dakota.. 4.7 355 gears... its max tow according to trailer life is 5200 pounds... goes up to 6400 with 410 gears.. mac please remove splinters before emailing on flat ground with a tail wind maybe and no curves -- ----------------- www.thesnoman.com .
From : mac davis
yeah but what doesnt sound right is your account of it. why was the truck denied warranty what evidence of water in the fuel do they have if their techs know the wif light didnt come on why isnt the dealer following their own employees findings right there is why i have a hard time buying this. -- max there are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty soap ballot jury and ammo. please use in that order. -ed howdershelt author no things dont sound right that what is exacty wrong here. .
From : mac davis
also i guess the previous poster has not cut and hauled much wood to make the statement that it likely does not weigh over 3000lbs. it takes a serious p/u to haul a cord of it in the bed without dragging its tail. i heated with wood for 10 years. even given the table of weights we still dont know what wood he was hauling. even with an overloaded trailer if the weight is properly distributed itll pull straight but sluggishly. i feel sorry for the rest of you if your half tonners werent serious enough to haul a cord of wood. maybe thats why ive always driven a dodge not just switched over in the past decade. -- max there are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty soap ballot jury and ammo. please use in that order. -ed howdershelt author clare at snyder.on.ca wrote on sat 31 dec 2005 213118 gmt max dodge max340@verizon.net wrote two rics make a cord and depending on wood type and moisture content the wood could weigh 3000 to 4000lb or more and through in trailer weight and you are at two tons or better. you should think before you comment because you are the one that is really clueless here and should not be giving advise. yeah so you have trailer weight narrowed down to.... a half ton either way. yup thats accurate. btw speaking of not commenting before knowing what you are talking about you should be aware that even with the huge range in weight you guess the trailer could be its still within towing capacity of the vehicle you earlier claimed was too small. another note having done considerable firewood gathering a cord weighs no where near 4000lbs i doubt over 3000lbs either as the dimensions are 4x4x8 feet. a full cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet - 4x4x8 but actually contains only roughly 100 cubic feet of wood. well seasoned hardwood should come in just under 4000 lbs. spring cut maple could be over 6000 lbs. dry white oak is about 4200 lbs dry basswood is about 1900. dry maple is about 3600 unless its silver maple at about 2700 more or less. a properly loaded trailer of any weight will follow calmly behind just about any vehicle capable of pulling it. conversely a trailer with only 600 lbs on it can get very hairy if the load is on the very back making the hitch light. very true. most utilty trailer those only have 2900 to 3500 pound rated axles and a cord would overload it and the tires on it making it less forgiving couple with a soft tow vehicle with soft springs and tires spell trouble. also i guess the previous poster has not cut and hauled much wood to make the statement that it likely does not weigh over 3000lbs. it takes a serious p/u to haul a cord of it in the bed without dragging its tail. -- ----------------- www.thesnoman.com .
From : budd cochran
i have a 1986 dodge 4x4 150 which will not charge. it has a new battery new cables rebuilt alternator tested and a new regulator. the ammeter does not work. the needle never moves. if it is burned out will it interupt the charging curcuit im out of ideas. ed get any service manual chiltons motors whatever. follow the test procedures. you will need a voltmeter. my chiltons covers 89 to 91 dodge trucks only. its mostly copies of the factory manual and is well worth the money. part no. 8166. got it at wal*mart. al .
From : thesnoman
max dodge wrote something just doesnt sound right here. so im not the only one calling for nose plugs on this...... when i was working at a dealership we had an interesting problem. the state had a 1 ton gas 4x4 with a utility box added to it. this truck returned 3 times due to drivability problems and no start problems it had water in the fuel.. we found that if we drained the fuel tank and refueled it it would be fine. the truck would go back in service and in about a weeks time it would return. on the third visit we finally figured it out. apparently when the vendor of the utility bed installed the bed on the truck the fuel fill hose became damaged. it looked like a sawsall put a cut in the top of the hose. we could only see this with a mirror. the rig never leaked any fuel during refueling cause the cut was at the top of the hose and we only refilled it enough to give it back to the state. apparently when it rained water would run down the back of the cab and drain onto the hose and eventually into the tank........my 2 cents....mr.b. .
From : bob m
i would scan them but there is to many.im not the computer type. and i dont like putting all that online. yes i know i putall that good stuff lets change it to etc. .
From : Annonymous
i think you are in the gas section not the diesel section. their are no o rings. -- billy 1995 ram 2500 4x4 cummins .
From : thesnoman
jay mine came with 31s on it too. roger mine is a 2004 dakota 4.7v8 5sp manual trans all stock and its gas mileage is horrible at 65-70mph. it just turned 16k i was told by my dealer that it will get better once it reaches 20-25k. if i keep the rpms under 2k on the highway5th gear about 60mph its a little better. ive noticed that driving around on 40-45mph roads i get better gas mileage in 4th gear1600-1800rpms i was told by a friend that 4th gears ratio is 1 to 1 on my truck and it would explain the increased mileage at that speed. if anyone has any info on increasing the gas mileage im all ears! got to confess this is my first dodge i was a previous chevy man. but boy do i really love this truck....ill buy dodge again! john some dakotas came stock from the factory with 31s on them. my 02 had 265/70r16 31s stock. i picked up a 2000 dakota 4x4 with the extended cab. i love it! its equipped with an automatic and 4.7 v8. is there anything i can do to increase the fuel economy this truck is pherocious on gas. i have cut my hiway speed back to 64 mph and it alone seems to be saving me a lot on the hiway.. but since the company i work for recently moved me into a new shop further in the center of town i am faced with more stop and go traffic.. this is when my trucks appetite for gasoline really rares its shining face. oh yes.. i bought the truck with 31 bridgestone tires which are much taller than the factory 235s. will replacing the tires help any what kind of performance mods are available it seems the original owner installed one of those intake typhoon thingys.. do they really work or should i just take it out i have owned dodge products since 1997 and really enjoy the satisfaction of knowing my car/truck is going to be dependable and expect to get 200k out of this truck. ken 2000 dakota sport 4x4/4.7 v8 ----== posted via feeds.com - unlimited-unrestricted-secure usenet ==---- http//www.feeds.com the #1 group service in the world! 120000+ groups ----= east and west-coast server farms - total privacy via encryption =---- .
From : max dodge
clare at snyder.on.ca wrote on sat 31 dec 2005 213118 gmt max dodge max340@verizon.net wrote two rics make a cord and depending on wood type and moisture content the wood could weigh 3000 to 4000lb or more and through in trailer weight and you are at two tons or better. you should think before you comment because you are the one that is really clueless here and should not be giving advise. yeah so you have trailer weight narrowed down to.... a half ton either way. yup thats accurate. btw speaking of not commenting before knowing what you are talking about you should be aware that even with the huge range in weight you guess the trailer could be its still within towing capacity of the vehicle you earlier claimed was too small. another note having done considerable firewood gathering a cord weighs no where near 4000lbs i doubt over 3000lbs either as the dimensions are 4x4x8 feet. a full cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet - 4x4x8 but actually contains only roughly 100 cubic feet of wood. well seasoned hardwood should come in just under 4000 lbs. spring cut maple could be over 6000 lbs. dry white oak is about 4200 lbs dry basswood is about 1900. dry maple is about 3600 unless its silver maple at about 2700 more or less. a properly loaded trailer of any weight will follow calmly behind just about any vehicle capable of pulling it. conversely a trailer with only 600 lbs on it can get very hairy if the load is on the very back making the hitch light. very true. most utilty trailer those only have 2900 to 3500 pound rated axles and a cord would overload it and the tires on it making it less forgiving couple with a soft tow vehicle with soft springs and tires spell trouble. also i guess the previous poster has not cut and hauled much wood to make the statement that it likely does not weigh over 3000lbs. it takes a serious p/u to haul a cord of it in the bed without dragging its tail. -- ----------------- www.thesnoman.com .
From : max dodge
something just doesnt sound right here. so im not the only one calling for nose plugs on this...... -- max there are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty soap ballot jury and ammo. please use in that order. -ed howdershelt author no biodiesel i have read re-read and read again your post and the others responses and frankly i still dont understand all i know about your problems. firstly to clarify one point your dealer cannot void your vehicle warranty. this can only be done by daimlerchrysler not the dealership. since you did not have the water-in-fuel indicator illuminated did you see any evidence of water in the fuel did the dealer see any evidence of water in the fuel. by evidence i mean actual water in the fuel i would take your truck to another dealer for a second opinion and then if you have no luck call the chrysler customer center at 800 992-1997. something just doesnt sound right here. mike .
From : clare at snyder on ca
no biodiesel .
From : clare at snyder on ca
this problem has occurred when the van had been driven for several miles shut off for five minutes and then restarted. the engine would idle but die when i put it in drive. how olds the battery .
From : tom lawrence
on 31 dec 2005 131200 -0800 budd cochran mr-d150@preciscom.net wrote ive often seen these rigs and wondered about the wisdom of them. impossible to back up certainly but to be on the dog end when the tails wags the dog would be a bit much to take. thats why they are outlawed in ontario most of the rest of canada and im sure half the states. budd bob m wrote jason purcell wrote what causes a trailer to fishtail i was towing a trailer with 2 ric of firewood home the other day and i couldnt go above 55 miles per hour the trailer was weaving back and forth so much... i have a dakota quad cab 4.7 4wd 3.55 axle 2001 and a 5x10 flatbed trailer with 13 tires. what did i do wrong j. the worst ive seen was as a police officer a few years ago. a guy was going on vacation driving a brand new dodge ram pulling a popup camper pulling a boat behind it. well the boat trailer started to fishtail and thats all she wrote. highway was shut down for hours while i worked this wreck. his beautiful new boat and camper were ruined as well as his brand new ram. i felt so sorry for the guy. bob .
From : clare at snyder on ca
on sat 31 dec 2005 213118 gmt max dodge max340@verizon.net wrote two rics make a cord and depending on wood type and moisture content the wood could weigh 3000 to 4000lb or more and through in trailer weight and you are at two tons or better. you should think before you comment because you are the one that is really clueless here and should not be giving advise. yeah so you have trailer weight narrowed down to.... a half ton either way. yup thats accurate. btw speaking of not commenting before knowing what you are talking about you should be aware that even with the huge range in weight you guess the trailer could be its still within towing capacity of the vehicle you earlier claimed was too small. another note having done considerable firewood gathering a cord weighs no where near 4000lbs i doubt over 3000lbs either as the dimensions are 4x4x8 feet. a full cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet - 4x4x8 but actually contains only roughly 100 cubic feet of wood. well seasoned hardwood should come in just under 4000 lbs. spring cut maple could be over 6000 lbs. dry white oak is about 4200 lbs dry basswood is about 1900. dry maple is about 3600 unless its silver maple at about 2700 more or less. a properly loaded trailer of any weight will follow calmly behind just about any vehicle capable of pulling it. conversely a trailer with only 600 lbs on it can get very hairy if the load is on the very back making the hitch light. .
From : thesnoman
large amounts of water in fuel have been attributed to the lack of vent caps on the fuel tank vents. read through this thread over at the turbo diesel register http//www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.phpt=125393 i thought that problem was resolved with the 04. roy .
From : tbone
it could be any number of things do you have a check engine light on. you might want to have it scanned for codes both active and pending. it could be low fuel pressure caused by either a bad pump or a plugged filter. hell it could even be a bad tank of fuel. what were the conditions when this problem began this problem has occurred when the van had been driven for several miles shut off for five minutes and then restarted. the engine would idle but die when i put it in drive. it happened once when it was shut down overnight. i fear this thing is going to leave me in the middle of the desert sometime. so far it seems to cure itself. bob .
From : max dodge
the wheel studs should press into and be locked to the rotor and then the hub. if they do not then they are worn out and will need to be replaced. the only other location of difficulty will be the rotor centering on the hub so check the mating surface on the hub for rust and debris that would keep that from happening. especially be sure of this since a wobbling rotor caused by debris between the rotor and hub faces will lower brake performance and cause more problems. -- max there are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty soap ballot jury and ammo. please use in that order. -ed howdershelt author i have a 1986 dodge power ram 4x4. i had to change the roters on it and now i cant get the hub and roters to lock together. they hook up backwards from most vehicles. the hub sets on the outside of the roter and the lugs go into the back of the roter into the hub. ive tried everything from banging on it to trying to tighten the lug nuts up to bring it together. my problem with that is the lugs arent locked into anything so they keep turning right along with the lug nuts. any ideas would be of great help. thank you very much. .
From : lorne guess noguess net
i picked up a 2000 dakota 4x4 with the extended cab. i love it! its equipped with an automatic and 4.7 v8. is there anything i can do to increase the fuel economy this truck is pherocious on gas. i have cut my hiway speed back to 64 mph and it alone seems to be saving me a lot on the hiway.. but since the company i work for recently moved me into a new shop further in the center of town i am faced with more stop and go traffic.. this is when my trucks appetite for gasoline really rares its shining face. oh yes.. i bought the truck with 31 bridgestone tires which are much taller than the factory 235s. will replacing the tires help any what kind of performance mods are available it seems the original owner installed one of those intake typhoon thingys.. do they really work or should i just take it out i have owned dodge products since 1997 and really enjoy the satisfaction of knowing my car/truck is going to be dependable and expect to get 200k out of this truck. ken 2000 dakota sport 4x4/4.7 v8 ----== posted via feeds.com - unlimited-unrestricted-secure usenet ==---- http//www.feeds.com the #1 group service in the world! 120000+ groups ----= east and west-coast server farms - total privacy via encryption =---- .
From : budd cochran
i was wondering too how a ric weights too did a google search and found nothing that i would share on here - i was towing a trailer with 2 ric of firewood home the other day and i couldnt go above 55 miles per hour the trailer was weaving back and forth so much... a ric equals how many pounds the trailer equals how long what weight capacity and what gross weight allowed you aint got any more clue than i do do ya at least i know what im looking for.....facts. -- max there are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty soap ballot jury and ammo. please use in that order. -ed howdershelt author i was towing a trailer with 2 ric of firewood home the other day and i couldnt go above 55 miles per hour the trailer was weaving back and forth so much... thats a good amount of information. you ant from around here are you boy -- billy 1995 ram 2500 4x4 cummins .
From : max dodge
gee do ya think things might have changed in 11 years they have. my 05 has been trouble free with the exception of a drone at 65mph that was fixed. was that the loosen the engine and tranny mounts drive it then re-tighten fix .