Trailer Troubles

HI GUYS,

I HAVE A TWENTY FOOT HAULMARK ENCLOSED TRAILER WHICH I WAS PULLING WITH A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION.

THIS PAST SATURDAY I WAS MOVING THE REMAINS OF MY LIBRARY FROM A TEMPORARY STOREAGE RENTAL TO A MORE PERMANENT LOCATION AT A FRIENDS BUILDING. THE TOTAL WEIGHT IN THE TRAILER WAS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT MORE THAN THE WEIGHT OF A COBRA BUT I THOUGHT THAT I HAD IT REASONABLY WELL BALANCED WITH THE BULK OF THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTED OVER AND ABOUT THE AXLES AND SLIGHTLY FORWARD.

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

ON THE WAY BACK, WITH THE TRAILER JUST ABOUT EMPTY, I TRIED TO BE A BIT MORE AWARE OF THE FEEL OF THE TRAILER. UP TO ABOUT 65 MPH IT SEEMED STABLE. BETWEEN 65 AND 75 MPH IT WOULD BEGIN TO SWAY SOMEWHAT WITH ANY SIGNIFICANT GUST OF WIND OR MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. AT 80 MPH IT WAS EVEN LESS STABLE. AT ONE TIME AT ABOUT 85 MPH IT REALLY TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM ME. I HAD TO PRESS HARD ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GET IT STABLE AND THEN "GRADUALLY" LET THE SPEED BLEED DOWN. I FELT THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO USE THE BRAKES OR EVEN "RELEASE" THE ACCELERATOR WOULD HAVE EXACERBATED THE INSTABILITY.

I HAD INFLATED THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER TO 50 PSI (THE MAX SHOWN ON THE TIRE) BECAUSE THEY LOOKED VERY LOW AT 36 PSI WITH THE LOAD IN THE BOX. I DID NOT REDUCE THE TIRE PRESSURE WHEN I DROVE BACK WITH AN EMPTY BOX. THE TIRE PRESSURE IN THE EXPEDITION WAS AT 36 PSI.

THE TRAILER IS ALMOST NEW. I DON'T HAVE MORE THAN 150 MILES ON IT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE PULLING A TRAILER. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME OTHER THAN PULLING IT HOME FROM THE DEALERS.

THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS "LAY THAT SUCKER OVER" WITH A COBRA OR THE GT-40 IN IT.

THE STRANGE PART IS THAT FROM INSIDE THE EXPEDITION YOU CAN'T "SEE" ANY SWAYING MOTION AND UNLESS YOUR THINKING ABOUT IT IT DOESN'T "FEEL" THAT UNSTABLE.

CAN ANYONE ADVISE ME ON WHAT TO DO TO MAKE IT MORE STABLE?? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I SHOULD DO TO THE TRAILER OR TO THE EXPEDITION???

I'VE HEARD THE TERM "STABILIZER BARS" BUT WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER HE SAID THAT I DIDN'T NEED THEM ON MY TRAILER AND THAT THEY ARE MORE BOTHER THAN THEY ARE WORTH.

ANY HELP AND ADVISE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

JUST TRYING TO "KEEP THE DIRTY SIDE DOWN".

THANKS,

BLACKJACK