[shanksyamaha]

While towing with my wifes minivan, I get this deep tone, loud noise once I get up around 55-65mph. It sounds like someone is tuning a bass guitar in the back of the van, very very deep and quite loud. We are heading out on an 1100 mile trip Saturday and I'd like to get that sound to stop before we go, anyone have any idea what I could do.
It sounds like vibration from to trailer coming back through the hitch, I was thinking if I could put something like maybe a cloth between the ball and the trailer and maybe inside the reciever hitch. But not sure if I should do that, I was also thinking maybe some automotive grease in the same places might deaden some of the vibration without taking up the amount of space that a rag or cloth would. Anyone have any other ideas or similar situations??? Thanks...

 

[ctfortner]

Does it sound like vibration? I have towed with many things, including a small ford ranger truck pulling a popup. What kind of receiver hitch do you have on your van, is it a smaller one, or standard pickup truck size? First thing I would like to know is what your van is capable of towing, what type of hitch you have, and what exactly you are pulling.

Have you towed the camper with anything else without this noise occuring?

 

[shanksyamaha]

Does it sound like vibration? I have towed with many things, including a small ford ranger truck pulling a popup. What kind of receiver hitch do you have on your van, is it a smaller one, or standard pickup truck size? First thing I would like to know is what your van is capable of towing, what type of hitch you have, and what exactly you are pulling.

Have you towed the camper with anything else without this noise occuring?

Im towing with a smaller style hitch, not the 1inch reciever that you would usually see on a full size truck. Its a smaller, draw tite hitch, Its on a 2006 chrysler town and country van with a towing capacity of 3600 lbs. The trailer is about 1900lbs loaded. Its not a camper, I have not towed the camper with the van yet, this is the first time I have towed with it and its a small flat bed snowmobile trailer with an atv and 2 kayaks on it that weighs in at right around 1900 lbs. I know its not a camper but I thought the folks on this site would have some good info and I don't know where eles to ask... I don't think its really a vibration, Im not sure, it really sounds like a bass guitar to me, very deep tone. Everything is tied down very tight and secure, I do have some ratchet straps to hold the atv on and I thought maybe one of them was vibrating, but it dosn't really sound like it could be that, its too deep and loud...

 

[ctfortner]

Interesting.. Maybe someone else will chime in, I am not sure based on the description. Wind noise maybe? Have you towed the setup with anything else in its current state, or just the van? Other than that maybe trailer tire noise? Is it a constant noise at that speed or more noticeable when its moving/bouncing around back there? If you have the right size ball and everything it shouldnt be moving around that much at normal travel to make that kind of sound, at lease nothing I tow does.

 

[shanksyamaha]

I towed it with my F250 and didn't notice anything. It may be wind noise, It seams to constantly be up and down, not affiliated with any bumps or bouncing.

If I could spell it it would be:

hhHHHUUUUMMMmmm....... hhHHHUUUUUMMMmm..... hhHHHHUUUUUMMMMMmmm.....

maybe that will help.... Or at least make people laugh.... LOL...

 

[happiestcamper]

I've heard that from ratchet straps before at the speeds you mentioned. Yes, deep and loud.

 

[shanksyamaha]

I've heard that from ratchet straps before at the speeds you mentioned. Yes, deep and loud.

Maybe that is what Im hearing then... I'll try and change the way I have them hooked and get them lower out of the wind to see if that helps...

 

[antigua]

Good call Jon! I bet that's what it is now that you mention it.

 

[shanksyamaha]

I thought of the ratchet straps initially but didn't think any of them were in the wind enough to be vibrating like that but then after looking it over a little more. I had two of them ran under the trailer from the center to the back and I think they are the culprits.. Im gunna reposition them and see if that helps..

Thanks for the input guys!!

 

[charlieo]

You might try to put a twist in the straps. I did that years ago with a car top carrier and that stopped the noise. Could you have a tire badly out of balance on the trailer?

 

[cuzican]

You might try to put a twist in the straps. I did that years ago with a car top carrier and that stopped the noise. Could you have a tire badly out of balance on the trailer?

Yup...I'm an avid dirt biker and I've put a twist in my straps for 15 years to cure the humming noise that they create at highway speeds.:thumbup1: