Initial Setup - E-350 and Wildwood 29BHBS

lightning60 wrote:
Hello-

I'm looking for some advice before I purchase additional components to get set up to tow.

We are departing North Carolina in one month for a year of full-time boondocking across America. This is the first travel trailer that our family has owned. Our rough plan is to stay approximately one week at a location and then do a 5-6 hour drive to a new location. I'm assuming that we will drive 15000 miles in the next year. I have plenty of experience towing, having towed large stock trailers and driven tractor-trailers.

Helpful having that kind of towing under your belt....but....towing a RV with a passenger van is different than the 10,000 to 20,000 or so pound tractor you are used to.

It's ability to manhandle those 40,000 to 80,000 pound trailers is different

Get NEW LT E load range tires...including the spare(s) for the TV

Tow Vehicle:
1998 Ford E-350 Club Wagon 15 passenger (with hi-top)
6.8L V10
Currently 3.73 rear gears
Data from owner's manual:
Max GCWR - 15000 lbs
Max Trailer Weight - 8600 lbs
Max Trailer Frontal Area - 60 sq ft

Historically a very good engine and ask how many miles. Plus what is its condition and any major repairs/issues in its history?

15 passenger vans are normally horrible to handle fully loaded with 15 people and a high top would make that even harder to handle in an emergency situation...why suggested new E load rated tires

I am having 4.10 rear gears installed next week, the owners manual states the following for that van configuration:
Max GCWR - 18500 lbs
Max Trailer Weight - 11000 lbs

That is the minimum I'd suggest to help towing through the mountains with that VERY BIG trailer.

DO NOT TOW for the first 500 miles or so. Flush it with fresh synthetic lube after that break in period

Travel Trailer:
2011 Forest River Wildwood 29BHBS
Data from stickers on trailer
Dry Weight - 7052 lbs
GVWR - 11035 lbs
Max Cargo Weight - 3945 lbs

Suggest getting the tongue weight. Empty/dry is okay, but best to have an actual LOADED tongue weight to know where you are in reference to the whole WD Hitch system setup

New tires for the trailer too, including the spare.

Ditto the trailer battery

My Questions:

Do I need a weight distributing hitch?


If I do not need a weight distributing hitch, do I need a sway control device?

Yes, any hitch you get that is DOT rated will have two ratings. Better WD Hitch systems has anti-sway either as an add on option, or built in. I like the Blue Ox SwayPro system, but any will work

First dead weight rating without a WD Hitch system...your trailer will be way over that

Second is a WD Hitch system rating and even with that, your loaded tongue weight might be just at to over that receiver rating. If you have purchased that receiver yet, get the highest rated one you can afford

Obviously my first priority is the safety of my family.

Secondary is cost, every dollar we spend now shortens the length of our big adventure on the road.

GREAT and remember that during your decision making for all components, adjustments, etc

I will be taking delivery of the travel trailer on Tuesday April 11. My plan is to have them fill the fresh water tank and use an adjustable height hitch to get the combination level. I will weigh the van and travel trailer as-is to get a starting point on my way home.

• The trailer tongue actual weight be in the 12%-15% range. I prefer/recommend higher if your TV has the GVWR/GAWR to handle that
• Trailer tongue pointing level at its highest and prefer pointing slightly down. That has solved many, many sway issues I've helped hands on and over the Internet
• UNDERSTAND how your new WD Hitch system is setup, where all the dials/knobs/etc are and HOW2 re-do it on the road