First time travel trailer towing question
I've just bought a 2015 skyline retro 188s I have a 1994 f150 with a tow package 300 inline 6 auto, the camper weighs 3050 the gvwr 3850 I pulled it home with a regular receiver I was going to put swa...
Forum Discussion
Georgiadave,
Congratulations on the trailer, it looks like a good one. This forum will offer up plenty of "advice" and lots of opinion on anything you want to discuss. I will add mine too.
First of all, trailer sway is the thing you want to be concerned with. Whether or not you "need" weight distributing will depend on many factors and I am sure you are aware of that. If the rear of the truck sits too low and the headlights are aiming too high you probably need some WD.
Everyone needs to be concerned with sway. The worst example of a swaying trailer I ever saw was when I pulled in behind a small 18 footer that was a rental trailer. It was being pulled by a half ton truck and I wondered why this guy was going 45 down the road. When he sensed I was behind him he sped up and around 50 the thing started to sway. I backed well off, he slowed back down and a disaster was avoided.
I pulled a 21ft. hybrid with my V6 Toyota 4Runner. I decided to get a hitch that incorporated both WD and sway together. I didn't like the idea of snapping chains so I went with the Equalizer. Every trailer is different, the weight of the trailer, the distribution of the weight within the trailer, the percentage of weight on the tongue and of course the aerodynamics or lack there of makes a huge difference. Don't let anyone tell you what to do based on weight alone. If you don't want to get a WD/sway system then make sure you know your weights. A friction sway bar can do the job but make sure you have it connected at ALL times. Those who post that they connect their when they know they will need it are either fortune tellers or fools. Come around the corner on a beautiful dry day with no wind and get passed by an 18 wheeler barreling down the road too close to the yellow line and tell me then if you need sway control or not.
While I like my Equalizer there are many other systems out there today that are more affordable. Reese and Equalizer are very good but the Anderson gets some pretty good reviews from those pulling lighter trailers like yours.
Good luck in your decision. OH, and I wouldn't go out and get a different truck. Tow with yours and see how it goes. You might just be fine.
Congratulations on the trailer, it looks like a good one. This forum will offer up plenty of "advice" and lots of opinion on anything you want to discuss. I will add mine too.
First of all, trailer sway is the thing you want to be concerned with. Whether or not you "need" weight distributing will depend on many factors and I am sure you are aware of that. If the rear of the truck sits too low and the headlights are aiming too high you probably need some WD.
Everyone needs to be concerned with sway. The worst example of a swaying trailer I ever saw was when I pulled in behind a small 18 footer that was a rental trailer. It was being pulled by a half ton truck and I wondered why this guy was going 45 down the road. When he sensed I was behind him he sped up and around 50 the thing started to sway. I backed well off, he slowed back down and a disaster was avoided.
I pulled a 21ft. hybrid with my V6 Toyota 4Runner. I decided to get a hitch that incorporated both WD and sway together. I didn't like the idea of snapping chains so I went with the Equalizer. Every trailer is different, the weight of the trailer, the distribution of the weight within the trailer, the percentage of weight on the tongue and of course the aerodynamics or lack there of makes a huge difference. Don't let anyone tell you what to do based on weight alone. If you don't want to get a WD/sway system then make sure you know your weights. A friction sway bar can do the job but make sure you have it connected at ALL times. Those who post that they connect their when they know they will need it are either fortune tellers or fools. Come around the corner on a beautiful dry day with no wind and get passed by an 18 wheeler barreling down the road too close to the yellow line and tell me then if you need sway control or not.
While I like my Equalizer there are many other systems out there today that are more affordable. Reese and Equalizer are very good but the Anderson gets some pretty good reviews from those pulling lighter trailers like yours.
Good luck in your decision. OH, and I wouldn't go out and get a different truck. Tow with yours and see how it goes. You might just be fine.
