So... I have a weird problem, when I'm driving, my trailer is going from side to side, now at first I thought it might be the wind ( about 8mph ) but I don't think it's big enough to do that, I have a Tanker btw, about 48,000+ lbs, and I didn't see the other trucks that was passing me doing that. It’s not big but it's doing it enough to be noticeable a little, now, my other suspicion is that something's wrong with my fith-wheel, reason being is I think I can see from my mirror that the trailer is a little crooked to the right, so at high speed, it tries to go further to the right and I have to correct it and try to make it go straight and follow my truck hence the side-to-side motion, I don't know what's wrong with it, maybe I backed into the trailer at an angle or something. One more thing, I got all my drive tires replaced, some of them look like retread to me, and no, I haven't call the shop yet, what do you guys think? Thanks!!
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Weird problem, trailer sway and possible 5th wheel issue?
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by nextgentrucker, Oct 13, 2025.
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Might be something loose/worn/ broken in the trailer suspension. Just a guess
Zoltan1a, hope not dumb twucker, TurkeyCreekJackJohnson and 1 other person Thank this. -
The trailer does have one leg that's shorter than the other but that shouldn't cause it. That's a drop and hook so I hopefully it's a trailer problem and not a truck problem...austinmike and hope not dumb twucker Thank this.
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Tires have been shaved. Those XDA5’s have inch deep tread new and will cause the tractor rears to sway. I bet they shave them down in your application to eliminate that sway because of pulling a tank.
As for trailer sway. If you can. Hook to a different trailer and see what it pulls like. If it is same. I’d look at fifth wheel rocker pins. If it pulls good like it should then it could be the trailer king pin plate or suspension problems.austinmike, 77fib77, hope not dumb twucker and 1 other person Thank this. -
Not that uncommon. If you look closely you'll see a lot of trailers on the road that off-track. Once, a guy was describing what you are. The "dog-bones" had so much slop because the rubber had rotted out. Fool couldn't tell it was the ###-end of the tractor shifting under acceleration/deceleration. Pre-starts.
hope not dumb twucker and nextgentrucker Thank this. -
Th
That was the 1st thing I thought of new tires will have a little sway in them for a little while.If it doesn’t stop in a couple days I would be concerned.Doesn’t hurt to give your shop a call a talk to them about itaustinmike, hope not dumb twucker and nextgentrucker Thank this. -
Cool, the company put them on btw, why couldn't they give me new ones instead, I guess tires are expensive lol.
It's nice to know that I'm not the only one lol, still feel weird as hell though.
I never knew that, we learn something new everyday.TurkeyCreekJackJohnson Thanks this. -
I had an issue with trailer dragging to one side. Off track a bit. My fifth wheel had a big pin to secure it to the truck. Well the hole where the pin went in got egg shaped. So it caused it. Needed new fifth wheel.
austinmike, hope not dumb twucker, nextgentrucker and 2 others Thank this. -
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How long did that take? Did you do it at a company terminal?
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