new bigger tv, still need WD htich?

I am far from a hitch expert but the first question that comes to mind is What are you going to use for sway control? Do you need sway control and is it intergraded into your hitch?

What does the Ford Owner's manual say?

Dtaylor wrote:
I am far from a hitch expert but the first question that comes to mind is What are you going to use for sway control? Do you need sway control and is it intergraded into your hitch?

the new truck has built in sway control.its part of the tow package.sensors in the truck correct for the sway.
what im looking at is size and weight of trailer.

AFAIK Ford hitches have a max of 500# tongue weight (max 5000# trailer weight) when NOT using a WDH. Mine is almost exactly 500# (4000# trailer loaded), so I don't use a WDH and it runs and handles fine. The front end doesn't feel loosy-goosey at all 'cause only about 200# is taken off it (CAT scale). And I got LT truck tires to reduce any rear wheel squirm.

As for sway, not a problem, but that may depend more on the trailer and you.

Forget the built-in sway control. That's only for when you screw up or really extreme situations when you probably shouldn't be driving anyway. Nice to have, but a good sway control WDH is what you need if you need it. Don't think you do with that trailer but everybody's sensitivity to sway is different. I know another guy with the same trailer/truck as mine who insists he needs sway control. Weird.

I don't think the advantage of WD is ONLY with leveling the load. I like the way the WD stiffens the vertical movement of the hitch. In other words, dips and bumps in the road don't make the rig bounce up and down so much when it's in use. I like the idea of sway control as well. Even when I was towing a light 2,700 lb. single axle trailer with an Expedition, I could tell a big improvement with WD and sway bar.

Before I got the F-350 everything I pulled was with a 1/2 ton. Our first TT was the only one I had a WD hitch for. One pull was with a car hauler loaded with a full sized pick-up, probably in the 7000# range.. No sway problems. If within specs I think any problems would be in the individual trailer. You may want to wait until you see how the trailer pulls before investing in equipment you don't need. You'll soon know if you should make the envestment.... IMO...

I have never seen a 20 feet TT that only weighs 3,000#. That is incredible and hard to believe.

Your tongue weight is likely over the 500# rating of your hitch and needs WD for that reason alone.

What is the maximum tongue weight printed on the receiver's label for "Weight Carrying"?

My 2004 Explorer says 500# -- would think your new F-150 could handle more than that.

Ron

Jerrybo66 wrote:
Before I got the F-350 everything I pulled was with a 1/2 ton. Our first TT was the only one I had a WD hitch for. One pull was with a car hauler loaded with a full sized pick-up, probably in the 7000# range.. No sway problems. If within specs I think any problems would be in the individual trailer. You may want to wait until you see how the trailer pulls before investing in equipment you don't need. You'll soon know if you should make the envestment.... IMO...

X2 When I was pulling a 19BH with my current truck it was a joke and I definitely did not need a WDH! On trips less than an hour I would just throw the sway bar on with no WD bars however on trips over an hour I always threw the WD bars on and it made a big difference over the rough stuff in fact it was hard to tell it was there!