Initial Setup - E-350 and Wildwood 29BHBS

[lightning60]

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.

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

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

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

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?

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.

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.

[Grit_dog]

My apologies. After reading it's the 15 pass model, I'd use a wdh and sway too.
That extra moment arm from the rear axle back is not ideal for towing.

[BarneyS]

Grit dog wrote:
So if I'm reading the last couple posts correctly a wdh and sway are to correct the conditions caused by too much or too little tongue weight.
Or to help white knuckle drivers that freak out at a x wind.
Fair enough, just offering my opinion and I don't see the necessity unless it's needed. If a guy can't hook a 1000 lb tongue weight to the back of a 1 ton and pull it, there's a problem that a wdh may solve for that person.
Why would it be needed if, god forbid, the trailer actually tows well as is?

I agree with you that a WD hitch is not necessary unless it is needed. However, almost any trailer will tow better by using a WD hitch vs one without. Putting the weight 4 or 5 feet behind the rear axle unloads the front axle of the tow vehicle which can affect steering, braking, and the way it rides.

One other consideration is the rating of the hitch receiver on the truck. Most older trucks had a 500lb tongue weight limit in weight carrying mode. Newer trucks made today have much higher limits so many trailers can be towed without overloading the hitch.

My trailer has a 1400lb tongue weight, which is within the weight carrying ability of my truck, but I would not think of towing without using the WD of my hitch. The ride is much smoother and steady because of the transfer of the lost weight from the front axle back to that axle. Also, I feel it just has to be easier on the rear tires and wheels because they are not carrying as much weight.


So, even if the trailer tows well without it, using the WD hitch will add much to the safety and enjoyment of towing a large travel trailer.
I think most people towing travel trailers feel about the same way. Hope this answers your questions. 🙂
Barney

[BenK]

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.

Goal for the WD Hitch system is to have

• 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

[mkirsch]

Also keep in mind this is the FIFTEEN PASSENGER van, the longest, heaviest, most-rear-overhang van you can get.

The trailer will have an excessive amount of leverage on the van, especially if you load the van with several passengers and tons of stuff. A WD hitch with integrated sway control, properly set up, is an absolute *MUST*.

[Grit_dog]

So if I'm reading the last couple posts correctly a wdh and sway are to correct the conditions caused by too much or too little tongue weight.
Or to help white knuckle drivers that freak out at a x wind.
Fair enough, just offering my opinion and I don't see the necessity unless it's needed. If a guy can't hook a 1000 lb tongue weight to the back of a 1 ton and pull it, there's a problem that a wdh may solve for that person.
Why would it be needed if, god forbid, the trailer actually tows well as is?

[BarneyS]

Grit dog wrote:
I'd see how it tows first before spending a bunch of money, imo.
Have gotten blasted for this on here before, but ever notice that 99percent of the wdhs are on travel trailers and 99percent of other similar size trailers don't have them?
Have yet to figure out why that is........
You said you have a lot of experience towing. See what you NEED before buying would be my advice.

Grit dog,
Not blasting you by any means but in my opinion, the reason for that is twofold.
1. Most of the other trailers (box, utility, landscape, etc.) have much more possibility for varied loading and can be loaded tongue heavy easier without modification.
A travel trailer is pretty will fixed in its configuration from the factory, usually with little room for different loading to affect the tongue weight. Most TT owners use their WD hitch as a sway control platform also which relates also to the tongue weight.

2. Most of the other types of trailers have their axles located more to the rear of the trailer which leads to better towing behavior.
On the contrary, most travel trailers have their axles just about centered on the frame to allow a reasonable tongue weight. It is not easy to change that by loading as it is with the other trailer.

A third distant possibility is that those who tow travel trailers are maybe traveling longer distances and are more aware of how the trailer is behaving or how it should behave while being towed. They have a great deal of money tied up in their rig and want to have the best chances of safety and success they can. That may not be true of many of the other trailers you see on the road that may be towed by the employee of the owner and have no personal stake in the outcome other than their personal safety (of which they may not be aware).

This is my opinion as to the answer to your question based on my observations over the years. Also, I'm not so sure about your 99 percent figure for the other trailers. I have seen many box utility/car trailers of similar size to a TT being towed while using a WD hitch. Have never thought to think about the percentage though.
Barney

[DiskDoctr]

Grit dog wrote:
I'd see how it tows first before spending a bunch of money, imo.
Have gotten blasted for this on here before, but ever notice that 99percent of the wdhs are on travel trailers and 99percent of other similar size trailers don't have them?
Have yet to figure out why that is........
You said you have a lot of experience towing. See what you NEED before buying would be my advice.

I have to strongly disagree. The OP is looking to tow very near his top limit and his hitch limit without WDH.

He *needs* a WDH and would be well served with anti-sway. Which one, how much to spend, those are up for debate, but towing that setup without a WDH would not be smart.

[Grit_dog]

I'd see how it tows first before spending a bunch of money, imo.
Have gotten blasted for this on here before, but ever notice that 99percent of the wdhs are on travel trailers and 99percent of other similar size trailers don't have them?
Have yet to figure out why that is........
You said you have a lot of experience towing. See what you NEED before buying would be my advice.

[lightning60]

carringb wrote:
Lightning - a couple notes to help you get started...

1) Your van is pre-wired, including a 4-way light connector tucked into your rear bumper. The other 3 wires (brakes, battery charge, backup light) terminate in a dummy connector inside the left frame rail above the rear axle.

2) The trailer brake controller connector will be taped to the wire harness behind the parking brake. It's a brown or gray 6-pin rectangular connector. Tekonsha sells an adapter to plug right in.

3) Trailer battery charge circuit won't be live until you install the relay in the power distribution box under the hood.

Thank you SO MUCH!

1) I was just staring at that connector and really hoping it already had the wires I needed.

I picked up a mating connector at the junkyard today. I was hoping for a factory harness, but the only ones I found were for a standard wheelbase, not the extended wheelbase like mine.

[2oldman]

lightning60 wrote:
every dollar we spend now shortens the length of our big adventure on the road.

That seems like a pretty tight budget.

Watch your trailer weight. Your numbers are getting kinda close. I don't know what your van weighs.

[carringb]

One more thing.... If you haven't already done the gears, you may want to consider 4.30 gears. 4.10 is small step, and the V10 with 4.30 gears is good for 20,000 pounds.

[carringb]

Lightning - a couple notes to help you get started...

1) Your van is pre-wired, including a 4-way light connector tucked into your rear bumper. The other 3 wires (brakes, battery charge, backup light) terminate in a dummy connector inside the left frame rail above the rear axle.

2) The trailer brake controller connector will be taped to the wire harness behind the parking brake. It's a brown or gray 6-pin rectangular connector. Tekonsha sells an adapter to plug right in.

3) Trailer battery charge circuit won't be live until you install the relay in the power distribution box under the hood.

[carringb]

downtheroad wrote:
Another thought....if the van did not have the 'towing package' as original equipment, you might also want to install an auxiliary transmission cooler.

E350 Wagons get all the "tow package" mechanicals minus hitch and 7-way connector, although it is pre-wired. Aux trans cooler and engine oil cooler are part of that package.

[downtheroad]

Another thought....if the van did not have the 'towing package' as original equipment, you might also want to install an auxiliary transmission cooler.