Hard to drive!

[Val-FUN]

Hi, I just brought a use Fun finder X 189fbr 2008 it look great but it nut pleasant to drive on the road, it unstable. I pull it with a Dodge Dakota slt 2004, V-8 engine, 6100lbs tow capacity. I have look at every video on YouTube to be sure I set up everything right, height, torsion bar, anti-swing, tire pressure. Faster I go worst it get. At 80km it normaly ok, at 110km it bad, if l’’m facing the wind it’s worse, it start to be bad at 100km.

It look like the axle are to centered. Do any body have experience the same problem and how do you solve it!!

 

[brackenlip]

First of all, welcome to the forum !

I know you state that it's all set up correctly, but I am going to respectfully disagree. The reason I say that is because this particular trailer chassis is basically a good towing design from a balance standpoint. And you have a potentially good truck for towing this trailer.

I suggest you go back to the basics and set it up correctly.

1. tongue weight of approx 12 to 13 %
2. set weight distribution hitch to restore steer axle to 100% of it's unladen weight
3. ensure you are using an effective anti-sway hitch or add-on ant-sway device
4. ensure "all the basics" of the truck and trailer are correct
a. correct tire pressures
b. suspension properly maintained
c. all the nuts and bolts that hold everything together are securely torqued

You have a potentially good towing setup with that truck and trailer. It's going to be in getting the details correct.

The scale ( like a CAT scale ) is the only really accurate way to make sure all your weights are correct.

 

[team dougherty]

I also have a 189FBR. I tow it with a 2002 GMC envoy. It is a dream to tow. I agree with the above. Make sure your tow vehicle is in proper repair and the weight in the trailer is properly distributed. Sway is caused by not enough tongue weight.

 

[profdant139]

I had the same sway problem on my first towing experience. Then I added water to the tank and mounted the batteries on the tongue. Problem solved.

You MUST watch this 49 second video:

 

[team dougherty]

I had the same sway problem on my first towing experience. Then I added water to the tank and mounted the batteries on the tongue. Problem solved.

You MUST watch this 49 second video:

Who would tow with a Mustang?

I have watched the back end of my TV squat when filling the water tank.

 

[profdant139]

Uh-oh -- if the TV squats when you fill the water, maybe the suspension is not up to the task?? Or is that normal??

 

[team dougherty]

Uh-oh -- if the TV squats when you fill the water, maybe the suspension is not up to the task?? Or is that normal??

the tank holds 25 gallons x 8.3 = 208 lbs in front of the trailer wheels. perhaps squat was a bit strong. i have watched it go down when filling with water. It goes down when i fill it with fuel as well.

 

[wandering women]

we have had no problem towing our 2010 189 fbr with a 6 cylinder Honda Pilot. Have traveled to Alaska and over the mountain passes in Colorado. Prior to 3 month trip to Alaska did load the trailer and car as we anticipated it would be loaded for the trip and got all weights at CAT scale to be sure we were loaded correctly. We do not have a weight distribution hitch, only a sway bar.

 

[etischer]

We have a 189FBR and tow with a 2003 Range Rover, and it has always been great. I recently put new tires on it, I went 3 sizes up (larger diameter), basically the largest that would fit, and this absolutely ruined everything. The trailer would start wagging the back end of our truck around on the freeway. Half an hour of driving on our way to a camping trip, we had to turn around and head back home, and try to solve the problem. Luckily I was able to exchange the tires for something 1 size larger (basically the correct size), and that has made a huge difference.

 

[Chirpz]

I too have a 189FBR and it is the best towing trailer I have ever towed. I tow using a 07 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel.

Inspect the undercarriage of your trailer for some kind of damage. If there is none and all looks OK, then it has got to be your setup.

You can measure the tongue weight of your trailer when it is fully loaded using a bathroom scale and a lever. There are some good videos that how how to do it. Tongue weight is very important.

When was the last time the shocks have been changed on your TV?

 

[PaintyLiz]

We have a 2008 189FBR and have towed it 30,000 miles with a Ford F-150 using no enhancements. We do not use sway bars or weight distribution hitch, etc. It tows like a dream, don't even know it's back there. We did have someone hook a 21 ft fun finder trailer to our truck using a weight distribution hitch and they threw all the weight to the front of the truck and it pulled horribly. The 189fbr is so light and well balanced, it really doesn't need anything. Try towing it without the wdh. I have seen someone pulling a Casita using a weight distribution hitch lol

Liz

 

[jimplumley]

check tire height

A friend had problems with his trailer wagging terribly. It turned out to be that he had installed extra tall and extra wide tires on his truck. Even with sway control and weight distribution he said at certain speeds he would have to put a "death grip" on the steering wheel to keep it between the lines. Once he changed back to a stock height tire the problem vanished. There apparently was too much flex in the sidewalls, allowing an oscillation to develop.

 

[Marti-FUN]

I too have a 189FBR and it is the best towing trailer I have ever towed. I tow using a 07 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel.

Inspect the undercarriage of your trailer for some kind of damage. If there is none and all looks OK, then it has got to be your setup.

You can measure the tongue weight of your trailer when it is fully loaded using a bathroom scale and a lever. There are some good videos that how how to do it. Tongue weight is very important.

When was the last time the shocks have been changed on your TV?

Agree. Look at your axles too. The previous owner of ours had had a blowout and evidently never looked under the trailer after replacing the tire. Turns out we had a bent axle from that. Our trip home from the seller's house was tense with the trailer wagging. Dh thought it was just because it didn't have a sway bar or anything but then I noticed that a tire didn't look quite straight and he found the bent axle. It was great after that. Ours was 21 feet though.