2014 F150 E-Rated Tires for Towing

[modexi]

I have a 2014 F150 SCREW EB 2wd and a 2015 Keystone Hideout 260LHS trailer (~5100lb dry, ~640lb tongue). Usually a few hundred pounds of junk (generator, air compressor, tools) in the bed.

I currently have 275/65r18SL General Grabber AT2 tires on my truck, and pull with a Camco Elite WDH with two friction sway bars.

I pulled it on the first long trip (300mi) a couple days ago, and noted bad sway issues in 10-15mph crosswinds, causing me to slow to 50-55mph for over a hundred miles. I adjusted the hitch once we arrived, and drove 70mi with it today in a similar crosswind, this time able to pull at the goal speed of 65mph.

I still feel a lot of squirming and the rear tires squish a lot when the trailer is loaded, even when aired to 40PSI. I know that the load ratings are safe, but everywhere I've read and everyone I've talked to seems to indicate that moving to an E rated tire would help.

I'm also interested in going with a slightly milder, while still AT tread of some kind. I prefer the more aggressive look and do take my truck on quite a few dirt/logging roads, but nothing more severe than that.

Currently I'm looking at the Firestone Destination A/T 275/65/18E tires. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

[modexi]

Mike Up wrote:

You may want to change the air pressure to the correct psi for those wheels before you split them.

Just because the tires support 80PSI doesn't mean I actually put that in them. There are plenty of people who have run these exact wheels with E tires at around 60PSI while towing for thousands of miles on f150forum.com, without issue.

[Mike_Up]

modexi wrote:
Sorry for the late replies, everyone. We were without Internet access and finally got home yesterday.

I did go ahead and buy the E rated tires and the Air Lift 5000 Ultimate shocks, and they made a huge difference. The trip home was uneventful.

Even still, I did a lot of research and found myself obsessed with the design of the Pro Pride 3P hitch: enough to actually buy one this morning. I don't want to put my wife, dogs, other people on the road, TV or TT at risk, and will be taking a 5k trip through TX-NM-CO-WY-MO-ID-WA-OR-CA-AZ-NM-TX early next year. The peace of mind is worth the money to me.

Your wheels are not rated for E rated tires. You have to go to the Ford 7 lug wheels for E-Rated tires. Ford offers an optional C rated LT tire for the standard wheels. The E-rated tires on the 7 Lug wheels only come on the HD Payload package.

You may want to change the air pressure to the correct psi for those wheels before you split them.

I use a Reese Strait-Line sway control hitch system with standard P-Rated tires and have no problems at all even in very high crosswinds near Lake Michigan.

[modexi]

Sorry for the late replies, everyone. We were without Internet access and finally got home yesterday.

I did go ahead and buy the E rated tires and the Air Lift 5000 Ultimate shocks, and they made a huge difference. The trip home was uneventful.

Even still, I did a lot of research and found myself obsessed with the design of the Pro Pride 3P hitch: enough to actually buy one this morning. I don't want to put my wife, dogs, other people on the road, TV or TT at risk, and will be taking a 5k trip through TX-NM-CO-WY-MO-ID-WA-OR-CA-AZ-NM-TX early next year. The peace of mind is worth the money to me.

[APT]

Spend $15 at a CAT scale before $1000 on new tires, new WDH, or a new truck. Verify that your WDH is adjusted correctly. That weight should be well within the capabilities of most F-150s. My 2003 F-150 towed well at 75mph with similar weights when my WDH was correctly adjusted. When it was off, 60mph was scary.

[Grit_dog]

Well first, you don't need to worry about the extra pressure on 1/2 ton rims. Have been putting 8-10ply tires on half tons for 20 years..... And running 80 psi a lot of the time cause it was needed.
On my 11 F150 I aired up the p tires to 55 psi for a year to add stability. Couldn't pop them or wear them out so finally switched to E tires but the extra psi really helped with load carrying. Not the best way to do it though.
Whoever said 18" rims aren't good for towing, that makes absolutely no sense.
Go get your favorite flavor of D or E tires and you'll love how much more stable it is when towing or hauling heavy.

[lenr]

I pulled a similar trailer with a 600 lb. 4 wheeler in the bed of an F-150 (probably over-loaded) with 255/70R-16 tires for years. I just used friction sway control and never felt out of control. I doubt it is just tires, although stiffer tires might help a little. OP needs to weigh the rig hooked up and then the truck alone (truck loaded the same with out the trailer). The weight goal should be 10 – 15% of trailer weight on the hitch and no weight change on the truck front axle, hitched or not. If the front gets light when hitched, this could cause a sway feeling. WD bars should be adjusted for the same front bumper height to slightly up (less than ¼” up) on a pickup. OP--is this the first trailer? Could you just be feeling the bow wave of passing vehicles or the out of control feeling of sway? A bumper pull trailer will always require some steering correction. But, it should be one or two turns of the wheel—not a constant back and forth.

[TomG2]

I replaced the "P" tires on my Silverado 1500 with LT's as suggested. I added Timbren suspension enhancement, played with two different WD hitches. Traded for a 2500HD, cured all the problems. Anyone need the Timbrens?

[5rvers]

I run Michelin LXT E rated tires on my f150 60psi rear and 55psi front. They are awesome for towing but be warned the ride is a little rough unloaded.

[Scott_Julie]

lawrosa wrote:
What sway control and hitch do you have??????

X2 your hitch setup makes a huge difference.

[time2roll]

I would make an effort to reduce sway before getting the LTs.
Start with a scale and post the weight of the truck axles and trailer axle.
Get the truck alone then all as connected.
Also post the GVWR info from the truck and trailer.

[RWDIII]

I have been running LT 275-65-18 tires for 6 years.
back in 2006 the tires could only be 35 psi.
I run 60 in the back and 45 in the front with the stock rims
With the work rites and Monroe load leveler shocks I am steady.
I have used this setup with trailer,19 ft, and the camper.

[goducks10]

Have you actually measured the front fender well of the truck after hitching? You need to return the front of the truck back to 50% or more of the unloaded to loaded height. Example, unloaded 38", hitched without WD 40". When hitched with WD activated you should be 39" or less but no less than 38".

[Terryallan]

If your tire are flattening out / squish. Do air to max, and you may want to pull another link in the WDH chain. Also your tires are pretty aggressive, have deep lugs. Often off road tires will feel squirrely towing on pavement.

[Ductape]

Check your wheel ratings before changing tires. Split rims from too much pressure = no fun.