DanNJanice wrote:
Acdii wrote:
Nope, 2014 F150. Thats what my last truck was and towed the trailer just fine. Really ticking me off that Ford screwed up the suspension so bad in this generation. My 14 got wrecked on an icy road. Had I known how bad the 15+ was, never would have bought new. IT's my daily driver and part time tow rig, so a Superduty just wasn't in the cards, but now wishing I had just done that instead.
It seems unlikely to me that Ford would "break" the F150 for towing. Especially since they increase the towing rating each year. I would suspect that maybe your last 150 had the max tow/max payload package or something. What are the options on you new truck? What does the door sticker payload say? What tires?
Well, here is where it gets interesting.
The last truck, that I towed the same trailer using the same hitch, without any strange behavior was
a 2014 F150 Lariat 501a Screw, SB, EB, RWD with 3.15 gears and NO Tow package! It had a 1470# payload, and I met the specs without going over GVWR or GAWR. It had 20" Bridgestone Duellers running at 44 PSI.
Those actual tires and wheels are now on my 2016 Lariat 502a, Screw, EB, SB, with 1580# payload. Same trailer, same hitch, and even have the same weight distribution per the scales, and it tows terribly.
I have Sumosprings installed which helped tame the rear end when empty, and did help a little, very little, with some bouncing on a rough road, but did nothing for this strange oscillation that feels like I am on a long boat on the ocean riding in the swells between waves.
Since it does it with the same weight in the back, without any trailer, I now know its the truck doing it, and nothing else. I have a huge doubt that even the best WDH setup to perfection wont eliminate this problem.
I have tried several different distribution settings, lightening the front, which induce sway, making the front heavier, which induces sway above 65MPH, and where it is now, it does not sway, and handles exactly like it should with cross winds, and passing vehicles.
The issue is that when on a rough road, like I 80 in Nebraska where the concrete has the expansion cracks and causes the truck to bounce, the front of the truck is moving up and down and doing a figure 8 at times, all while the steering wheel is rock solid and it is tracking perfectly straight. After a bit of doing this, the trailer has had enough and kicks out a bit, then straightens, everything settles down, and then it starts all over again. The kick is the sway bar resetting because I can hear it groan. When on smooth pavement, everything is perfectly normal and I can drive with a finger tip on the wheel.
The load of horse feed I pulled home yesterday was on a rough road, similar to I80, but at only 60 MPH. I could feel the truck doing the same exact thing, but without the kick of the trailer when it has had enough.
I know the Blue Ox will make for much better sway control and I wont have the cocked steering wheel after making a turn, or the noise, but I am extremely doubtful it can correct an issue that is not trailer related. Up until yesterday, I thought it was, but now convinced its that truck.
If it does, GREAT, but highly unlikely, so will be looking for a new truck next year, probably a used 2014, or a SuperDuty, though as a DD, a Superduty is a bit too much.
Forgot to mention I also replaced all 4 shocks with Bilstein 5100's, fronts are at the stock ride height, and I have had an alignment done a few weeks ago to remedy a pull to the right.
