Why do I need a W/D or sway control

[justme]

I have a 2012 F350 diesel pulling a 28ft Airstream trailer. The trailer tows very well and has not noticed any problem pulling that trailer. So why do I need to add a WD or sway control? Ford claims to have sway control that applies brakes in a way to control extreme swaying. Passing 18-wheelers and wind is not a problem. The trailer manufacturer does not provide any clear advice one way or another.

[Grit_dog]

First, to step back, OP is pulling a 1/2 ton towable trailer with a 1 ton.
Second, this isn’t about macho, it’s aboot those who can’t even conceptualize what a new - ton does handling a med size trailer like the OPs, except for some reason they need to express their fear of the unknown.

[BarneyS]

Mike134 wrote:


I posted that the advice you get here is no better than from the campground bar, apparently a moderator took offense to my spot-on opinion and deleted it.

It was taken out for being off topic. You said nothing about what was being discussed. Instead, you just posted a link to a video. We are not talking about nuclear explosions here.
Barney

[mkirsch]

Just because certain types of trailer don't typically use WDH, that does not mean it would be beneficial.

Last Saturday I had to be rescued 150 miles from home when my Silverado 1500 daily driver broke down again. A friend brought me my 2002 Silverado 3500 DRW and flat deck trailer.

The 1500 is the exact same length as the flat portion of the trailer so there wasn't much room to move it to balance the load, so it came out pretty tongue heavy. Of course the rear didn't go down but the front came up. Honestly it was a little floaty and I would have had to run pretty slow if the roads were wet.

[Mike134]

MitchF150 wrote:
So, to sum it up for ya... You have the "Doom and Gloom" group and the "Macho" group..

Now, you just have to decide where you want to be and go from there...

Easy peeasy... 🙂

Your worst day can be the moment you leave your house any day of the week, right?

Like I said on page 1... Do what lets you sleep at night and all will be good.. 🙂

Mitch

I posted that the advice you get here is no better than from the campground bar, apparently a moderator took offense to my spot-on opinion and deleted it.

[JIMNLIN]

BackOfThePack wrote:
Except I can continue down the roads in winds where you’d have to pull over. Same truck, Jimnlin. Can do maneuvers in which you’d roll. It ain’t about skill.

It’s the side load. Winds, suspensions, and hitch and how they effect the vehicle dynamic.

Weight matters little. I’ve seen 1800-lb trailed compressors take DRWs off the pavement.

Why would I have to pull over??
I Never said anything about skill.

My point and post was about all truck/trailer combos can handle differently depending on even more conditions than you mention

And driver expectations (handling) can be different.

[time2roll]

PButler96 wrote:
On an F350? I don't have an F-350 but know for a fact that the OEM 2-1/2" receiver hitches on GM 2500 and 3500s since at least 2012 are rated 2000 lbs weight carrying OR weight distributing, with a 20K lb max capacity. I find it hard to believe a Ford F-350 would have some low rated candyass arrangement for an OEM hitch that would require reading posts as long as War and Peace on some board before hooking up a log splitter.

OK and I have seen some with higher ratings with WDH. The OP can go out and verify the rating is adequate without WDH.

Your method works too. The OP was asking for some assurance, not an assumption.

[MitchF150]

So, to sum it up for ya... You have the "Doom and Gloom" group and the "Macho" group..

Now, you just have to decide where you want to be and go from there...

Easy peeasy... 🙂

Your worst day can be the moment you leave your house any day of the week, right?

Like I said on page 1... Do what lets you sleep at night and all will be good.. 🙂

Mitch

[larry_barnhart]

I guess if a fella was thinking a lot to hit the trailer brakes if something happens his brain will come alive and MIGHT be ok. I have done this for different scenarios of what could happen and know it helps. be safe chevman

[Cummins12V98]

Just wait until you are on a downhill on a sweeping curve with little to no bank to it. Then make a sudden lane change. Let me know how it turns out.

[Grit_dog]

Mike134 wrote:

justme wrote:

I was hoping for more fact than opinion for my question.

Not going to find it on a forum.

Sure he will.
Fact, not needed.
Drives fine and within all loading specs. No opinion there. Just facts.

[Grit_dog]

BackOfThePack wrote:
Scale it.

Then weigh the truck Solo after dropping trailer.
Full propane & fresh water in trailer plus normal load for camping
Full fuel & passengers plus normal camping load.

2-300/lbs off the Steer at rest is enough to warrant the use. These are placeholder numbers for what happens on the road.

Steering, Handling & Braking are improved by WDH use.

The higher the Rear Axle spring capacity — UNUSED — the likelier the possibility of the Drive Axle losing tire patch contact when the TT moves against the direction of travel.

Couple that to load of Steer Axle tire ground pressure and it’s NOT as good a driver.

I’ve towed my 35’ Silver Streak with and without WD (plus anti-sway, a somewhat separate question). And I’ve been at fifty years this year. It’s not hard to tell the difference.

With a Hensley hitch I can do hard emergency maneuvers at speeds higher than that where you’d roll over. At 55-mph. All day. Suspensions not as good on mine.

My 2500 is at 50/50 FF/RR weight spread on the truck before I hitch. Front axle restoration and increased weight on the trailer tires means the rig stops faster than the truck will solo at 30-mph.

Loss of Control accidents with travel trailers are mainly hard, gusting winds. It’s over in a few seconds. Once traction is lost at the pickup Drive Axle its over. MAYBE the truck based anti sway will kick in soon enough.

You’ve been on this forum a long time. Same as me. But it doesn’t look like you’ve taken to heart the experience of those who know more than you. There are plenty of examples over on AIR of guys with a PPP hitch and trailer disc brakes. It’s almost a toss-up as to which leads in priority. Almost.

Test.

And reference it against 5’er weight scale tickets. The reason for that hitch type is it leaves the Steer at solo value. A little above. But not below.

A 3P hitch replicates that and then totally eliminates sway. 5’ers will sway.

Your trailer is constantly moving. It doesn’t track straight. Anyone can video the movement. A 3P tracks straight. Better than a 5’er.

Live-axle, 4WD pickups are the least stable vehicles on the road. And worse when towing. That you can’t feel anything is a bad sign, not a good one. Pickups roll over in situations where cars slide sideways. A pickup will be the vehicle in a combination MORE likely to initiate a crash as the Airstream is faster thru the slalom behind a better tow vehicle than the truck is while solo.

Put it on the CAT scale as above.
Test braking as above.

What’s the highest speed in a HARD wheel turn from the shoulder across to the median without rolling? 35? 40?

A WDH is EQUAL in importance to both vehicles. (The hitch rigging).

“Weight” is the level where the dummies argue.
It’s the percentage of change which matters.
And that is quite low as static values are what are entered in multi-part formulas.
No different than questions about COG, or Roll Center.
Small changes matter.

Test.

Last I checked both Hensley & Pro Pride both had money back guarantees.
If you expect to travel all over the country it’s a dirt cheap purchase for what it does, even if the price were doubled.

A fully independent suspension Tahoe or Expedition with their shorter rear overhang, better tire options and brake swept area are each a better tow vehicle than what you or I am driving.

The bandaid needed (past proper truck loading) makes considerable difference.

The crosswind load — alone — is the crucial factor.

Test.


.

Ummm ok…

[Grit_dog]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Microlite Mike wrote:
A Weight Distribution Hitch may be required in order to meet the load ratings of for the receiver attached to the tow vehicle's frame.

Even if you have NOT exceeded the receiver weight rating you gave significantly changed the amount of weight on the front. Your steering will be "vague" and you will have less vehicle braking. A weight distribution hitch prevents both.

You forgot the rest of the story…..”if The trailer removes enough steering axle weight to be of significance.”
Simply not an issue with a lot of setups. I got over 1500lbs tongue weight sitting on the back of the ole brodozer. I’m sure the front end still scales more than a comparable gasser even with trailer attached.
Why is that dangerous?

[Durb]

I towed a trailer that never swayed until it did.

Your trailer weighs 7,600#, almost as much as the truck. After dropping the bucks on an Airstream, I would step up tp a good WDH with incorporated sway control. It helps load your front tires and will help eliminate all the micro adjustments you are probably making while towing. As mentioned before, cheap insurance and peace of mind.

I don't get the macho anti WDH sentiment, unless some feel the trailer will tow better and safer without anti-sway than with; haven't read that argument. Maybe many don't want to go to the effort of hooking it up.

[neal10a]

A one ton diesel truck pulling an Airstream does not need WD or sway control. That combination is most like more secure and safe than many that have WD and sway control on SUV and small truck.