towing long TT

[mikemc53]

I know that the entire towing experience will be interesting for me (basically a rookie)but there are one or two things that I'd like advice/opinions on.

The TT that I am getting is about 35 feet long (Rockwood 8329ss) and I have already gone through any number of tutorials on backing up. I actually think I'll get that part of it - though by no means will it come easy. The part that I am really curious about is the tracking of the TT. When I get it I will be driving home from the dealer and I would think that turning it going forward(right and left) would be a bit of an issue, at least initially. Right turns I have heard are probably the tougher of the two simply because you are turning closer to any barriers. Either way though I have some concerns since I have nothing to compare it to, at least not until I've driven it a few times.

How can one tell when they are far enough into the intersection (or wherever you're turning) to start cutting the wheel? I'm just curious how the TT tracks in accordance with the TV.

One of the things I will need to deal with is once I get home I have the luxury of pulling in since I have a horseshoe drive. That said, the driveway on either side of the "shoe" is not very wide and there is a ditch (culvert under driveway) on each side. I will probably be turning left, which is easier but I still need to be sure I am far enough over so that the tracking of the TT doesn't take the wheels into the ditch. I live on a two lane highway that is moderately traveled - just as a point of reference.

Not sure if anything I have said or asked makes any sense but if anyone has information of the tracking of the TT or simply turning while going forward, I would much appreciate it.

Thanks,
Mike.

[campigloo]

The porposing effect you feel is common. When there is a drop between slabs of concrete it will happen every time. It's because you have this thing hanging off the back bumper. You can soften it by slowing down and putting good shocks on the truck. Check your tires. The may be too weak for the load. That will also add to sway. Don't be afraid to max out the air pressure. Check the sidewall of the tire for pressure. I added StableLoads to my truck and they helped a ton. Some roads I had to slow to 45 on I can now run at 55-60.

[badercubed]

itguy08 wrote:

badercubed wrote:
Advice from someone who towed a similar size/weight trailer with a 2013 Max Tow...

It will tow fantastic on two-lane 55mph state roads. Plenty of power and you can cruise at 62mph with no problem. Then biggest issue I had was on the NYS Thruway and I-81 going from Alex Bay to Rochester where it was wide open and was particularly windy but not terrible. I felt the crosswinds and passing vehicles were definitely cause for some white knuckle driving. I got off the Thruway and finished the trip on US20 from Auburn to Canandaigua and it towed great.

Thanks for the advice. We're not against a truck upgrade either and are going to watch this very carefully as we are aware we are at the upper edge of the capabilities of this F150.

I will say that we took it to storage yesterday and it was somewhat windy (flags were doing a little dance) ahead of a thunderstorm and it handled fine. Wasn't blown around at all even on the 65 mph part of highway. Don't know if that was due to the dealer's recommendation of the Equalizer 14k hitch for this unit or just dumb luck.

About the worst thing is the bouncing feeling going over some of the wonderful PA "paved" roads. I've got new shocks in the rear and from what I read it may be either my tires (still the P rated not inflated to max), hitch adjustment, or maybe air bags. It's not bad on the main roads and at highway speeds but on the back less smooth roads it's noticeable. But I read its an issue with all sorts of trucks - 1/2 tons, 3/4 and 1 tons have it too.

I don't want to see my fuel economy though - put about 75 miles on the trailer and maybe another 50 or so and I'm at 1/2 tank. Some may have been all the idle time getting it into place at home and the storage facility. I'm already bracing for single digits in the MPG area.

I got like 6.5mpg at 68mph and it jumped to 8mpg at 62mph, so I am not sure what keeping it under 60mph would have done. Make sure you lock out 6th gear, that matters a lot too.

I just upgraded to a F250 and haven't towed with it yet so I am curious how much more stable it will feel. Longer wheel base, longer truck and more weight.

[cmcdar]

Yes, I do have the sway bar, just not in the picture.

The last time I went out was to practice backing up and such in an empty parking lot that was a couple of miles from my house. I did not put the sway bar on because I was told to MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE before backing up.

I admit, I forgot to put it on when I left there and went for a short run down the expressway. I did stop and put it on when I stopped before coming back.

Friday I am taking the camper on it's maiden voyage to Fort Erie Canada. Should be fun!

[itguy08]

You may need some sway control as part of that hitch. I don't see any sway bars and the addition of them may eliminate your sway.

You were right to change the height - while I'm a total towing newbie (70 miles under my belt), all I've read says you need to be level or slightly down (not up). The dealer that set mine up had it level.

[cmcdar]

YES, I just changed the height of the hitch!!! I said it was NOT properly installed. READ what I said, the front of camper was tipped up going down the road.



Above is a picture of the difference between the TT tongue and the TV hitch Prior to my lowering the TV hitch.

My camper is 3500 lbs (dry) TV capacity 6500. No need for a dually here.

Any constructive information or questions?

[tomman58]

cmcdar wrote:
I too would like some input regarding the "porpoising" or se-sawing sometimes going down the road.

Is a little acceptable or is it a sign that something is wrong.

I had not a good trip home from the dealership where I purchased my 19" hybrid. I purchased a weight distribution hitch and electric brake controller from them and had it installed by them. The hitch was not installed correctly the TV ball was 4-6 inches higher than the TT hitch so my camper had it's nose up in the air going home. On top of that, we were being chased by a bad rain storm that caught up to us as we got home.

Anyway we were doing some swaying (enough to feel that it was dangerous).

I changed the height of the hitch and it rides much better. But it still feels like I can feel some bouncing going on.

Any help or opinions?

You don't just "change the height of the hitch!" unless you have set it wrong in the first place, period.

The truck and trailer need to be level or up 2%.
The other thing I will say is you can never have to much TV but you may not like the outcome with to little TV. Remember Jack Lalane pulled 10 rowboats with people inside each across SF bay that doesn't make it a very good idea for you to.

[cmcdar]

I too would like some input regarding the "porpoising" or se-sawing sometimes going down the road.

Is a little acceptable or is it a sign that something is wrong.

I had not a good trip home from the dealership where I purchased my 19" hybrid. I purchased a weight distribution hitch and electric brake controller from them and had it installed by them. The hitch was not installed correctly the TV ball was 4-6 inches higher than the TT hitch so my camper had it's nose up in the air going home. On top of that, we were being chased by a bad rain storm that caught up to us as we got home.

Anyway we were doing some swaying (enough to feel that it was dangerous).

I changed the height of the hitch and it rides much better. But it still feels like I can feel some bouncing going on.

Any help or opinions?

[itguy08]

badercubed wrote:
Advice from someone who towed a similar size/weight trailer with a 2013 Max Tow...

It will tow fantastic on two-lane 55mph state roads. Plenty of power and you can cruise at 62mph with no problem. Then biggest issue I had was on the NYS Thruway and I-81 going from Alex Bay to Rochester where it was wide open and was particularly windy but not terrible. I felt the crosswinds and passing vehicles were definitely cause for some white knuckle driving. I got off the Thruway and finished the trip on US20 from Auburn to Canandaigua and it towed great.

Thanks for the advice. We're not against a truck upgrade either and are going to watch this very carefully as we are aware we are at the upper edge of the capabilities of this F150.

I will say that we took it to storage yesterday and it was somewhat windy (flags were doing a little dance) ahead of a thunderstorm and it handled fine. Wasn't blown around at all even on the 65 mph part of highway. Don't know if that was due to the dealer's recommendation of the Equalizer 14k hitch for this unit or just dumb luck.

About the worst thing is the bouncing feeling going over some of the wonderful PA "paved" roads. I've got new shocks in the rear and from what I read it may be either my tires (still the P rated not inflated to max), hitch adjustment, or maybe air bags. It's not bad on the main roads and at highway speeds but on the back less smooth roads it's noticeable. But I read its an issue with all sorts of trucks - 1/2 tons, 3/4 and 1 tons have it too.

I don't want to see my fuel economy though - put about 75 miles on the trailer and maybe another 50 or so and I'm at 1/2 tank. Some may have been all the idle time getting it into place at home and the storage facility. I'm already bracing for single digits in the MPG area.

[badercubed]

itguy08 wrote:
Did you get it yet?

I was in your shoes Friday. We fell in love with the Open Range LT272RLS back in March and ordered one. Came in Friday and it was my fist time towing anything with my truck (nothing like diving in). It's the same length as yours - 35' bumper to hitch (31' box).

Followed the advice of the dealer and everyone else - take it slow, take turns wide and watch the wheels. I was pooping bricks. Especially when they made me pull it out of the service bay!

Towed the 60 miles home just fine. First turn out of the dealer's was a right. 2nd turn to the highway was a right turn. Same deal. Then 55 miles of highway driving. Passed by cars, trucks, etc and no sway at all.

Much easier than I ever imagined. We have a Max Tow F150 Ecoboost and it handled the trailer excellently. A little porpoising but I think that was made worse by my P tires not aired up all the way and a full tank of water the dealer put in the trailer. You could tell it was back there but to was not unwieldy, even in a somewhat panic stop.

Took some getting used to but after a few miles I was good enough and it will only get better with time.

Backing was tough but I slowly got the hang of it. It was pretty easy once you learn which way to turn the wheel and realize little wheel corrections mean big turns at the rear end.

You can do it!

Advice from someone who towed a similar size/weight trailer with a 2013 Max Tow...

It will tow fantastic on two-lane 55mph state roads. Plenty of power and you can cruise at 62mph with no problem. Then biggest issue I had was on the NYS Thruway and I-81 going from Alex Bay to Rochester where it was wide open and was particularly windy but not terrible. I felt the crosswinds and passing vehicles were definitely cause for some white knuckle driving. I got off the Thruway and finished the trip on US20 from Auburn to Canandaigua and it towed great.

[itguy08]

Did you get it yet?

I was in your shoes Friday. We fell in love with the Open Range LT272RLS back in March and ordered one. Came in Friday and it was my fist time towing anything with my truck (nothing like diving in). It's the same length as yours - 35' bumper to hitch (31' box).

Followed the advice of the dealer and everyone else - take it slow, take turns wide and watch the wheels. I was pooping bricks. Especially when they made me pull it out of the service bay!

Towed the 60 miles home just fine. First turn out of the dealer's was a right. 2nd turn to the highway was a right turn. Same deal. Then 55 miles of highway driving. Passed by cars, trucks, etc and no sway at all.

Much easier than I ever imagined. We have a Max Tow F150 Ecoboost and it handled the trailer excellently. A little porpoising but I think that was made worse by my P tires not aired up all the way and a full tank of water the dealer put in the trailer. You could tell it was back there but to was not unwieldy, even in a somewhat panic stop.

Took some getting used to but after a few miles I was good enough and it will only get better with time.

Backing was tough but I slowly got the hang of it. It was pretty easy once you learn which way to turn the wheel and realize little wheel corrections mean big turns at the rear end.

You can do it!

[Ron3rd]

All good advice above and as noted, a bit of practice is the key. If you were to practice for 1 hour turning, backing up, etc, you would have it down. We went from a 25ft to 35ft TT and there's not much difference except turns are a bit wider. Backing up is about the same.

[LarryJM]

Bill & Kate wrote:
You are thinking correctly, and seem to understand the problem - which is more than half the battle. If you can adjust your mirrors so you can see where the wheels are tracking it is a big help - especially until you get used to it. Swing as wide as possible, and don't cut the wheels until you can see the trailer wheels are about to pass the obstruction. Also be aware that the hind end of the trailer swings the opposite direction, so make sure you know what is over there too.

Take it slow and careful, stay alert, and it will come to you in time .....

Listen VERY, VERY, VERY, CAREFULLY about that blind side rear swing of the trailer in a turn. Even with my 31' TT I often have the DW get out and make sure my "tail" doesn't hit something. You can see the inside area fine, but it's that blind side swing that can bite you when you least expect it.

Also, always carefully plan your exit strategy before pulling into any area like gas stations, etc. This is one reason I normally like to just stick with the Flying J RV lanes when traveling even tho they are generally not the cheapest.

Larry

[mosseater]

Regular turns are not an issue. Keep a slightly wider arc and turn a little later. The trailer wheels will track inside the TV wheels up to two feet depending on the configuration of your trailer and the sharpness of the turn.

Turns approaching 45% angle and more can be taken fairly normally with a wider arc to clear the inside curb. Once the turns become sharper you'll have to wait longer to turn, then cut it harder which will induce more tail swing. If you're too far outside the path of the turn you stand the chance of crunching something on the blindside with the tailswing. Obviously, turns which are long and wide require the least consideration because the wheels will not track as closely to the inside.

Another point to consider when turning, do not straighten out as soon as the TV passes the obstacle, rather, hold your arc until the trailer axles clear, then straighten out. The tendancy is to turn back to a straight line once you think you're clear, which only levers the trailer tongue and the rear axles closer to the inside very abruptly. It's counter intuitive and require practice to get it right.

If you think in terms of prescribing and arc within a turn which will accommodate your total rig length rather than just fitting the rig through the turn, you'll start to visualize what is actually going on and will pick it up quicker. Practice is the only cure. Take your time and don't be afraid to stop and get out to look if you're not certain. No one ever died of embarrassment. Though, some have been wounded by the grief of damaging their trailer.

[4X4Dodger]

cmcdar wrote:
I am new to towing, but not new to camping. My tt is just a 19 footer BUT I still need practice maneuvering it.

Yesterday (Sunday), for the first "practice session" I went out to an empty business parking lot. Lots of room NO CARS!

I brought with me 4 orange traffic cones so I could practice turns and backing into "campsites".

I will go back again next Sunday. If I run over a cone, NO PROBLEM. If I run over someone's Buick, BIG PROBLEMS.

It was fun. Security came by, I thought they would stop and check me out. NOPE, went on by like they see it all the time.

Have fun and be safe

The best way to learn to back up a trailer is to first be able to back it a long distance in a STRAIGHT LINE. This will give you practice in the small corrections you need to make and turns and backing will become surprisingly easier after this.

So pick out a long white line along a curb or grass strip and back straight down that for maybe 50 yards or more (or whatever lenght is available) keeping your trailer tires close to the white line at all times. Master this and backing into a spot will be much easier.

Oh and get your hand off the bottom of the wheel. Put it in the normal position and use your mirrors. Try this next time and se if it helps.

PS Buicks can be used as practice cones... 🙂