Maury82
Aug 06, 2018Explorer
F-150 HDPP towing 37 ft TT ** 1,300 miles later**
2018 F150 3.5 EB, 4x4,XLT, S.Crew, 6.5ft bed, HDPP.
Payload: 2,470lbs, 1,320lbs hitch ratings.
Towing ratings:11,500lbs.
Trailer: 37ft, 8,400lbs dry/9,900lbs max, 1075lbs tongue.
The trailer had a half full freshwater tank and most of the items that I plan to leave in it permanently. The heaviest single item I might add to the truck is a girlfriend, and she is pretty fit. I would anticipate an extra 500lbs added pounds to both truck and trailer max.
I got the B.O. hitch setup, with the truck squatting 2" in the rear and raised 1/2" higher up front, so the truck actually sits level hooked up.
The weather conditions were dry with a 10-15 mph breeze.
Got up on I-70 eastbound and merged without effort, and before I knew it, I was flowing with traffic at 70 mph (Goodyear Endurance trailer tires). The trailer did not get pushed out or sucked in by passing cars or big rigs, not even when a tandem truck came barreling past me.
I prefer to drive 65 mph, because when I drove 70 mph, big rigs seemed hesitant to pass, but passed more often at 65 mph.
As the trucks passed, I was bracing for that pull/push that so many keep proclaiming I will suffer.
I did feel the trailer back there, but it was just more bouncing when hitting the overpass joints versus when not towing, and the rear wasn't as stiff-legged, and had more up and down movement versus when empty. I hear that Bilstein improve both town and non towing ride...next year project.
The steering wheel felt a bit lighter than not towing, but it was still accurate and didn't need anymore corrections than not towing.
I drove 75 mph just to see how the trailer would respond, and I did feel more movement back there, but never anything that made me feel swaying was occurring, and probably just me not used to how the trailer feels while towing.
I drove for several hours on both I-75 and I-70, with some time spent in the middle lane so I can feel traffic on both sides, and everything felt stable without any wandering from side to side.
When traffic suddenly slowed, the setup slowed pretty well, and I didn't feel pushed, but that the trailer was holding up its end regarding to braking, and I tested that quite a few more times.
After a while,the nervous anticipation of being passed by big rigs faded away, and I came away feeling pretty confident. I even forgot it was breezy out...lol.
Payload: 2,470lbs, 1,320lbs hitch ratings.
Towing ratings:11,500lbs.
Trailer: 37ft, 8,400lbs dry/9,900lbs max, 1075lbs tongue.
The trailer had a half full freshwater tank and most of the items that I plan to leave in it permanently. The heaviest single item I might add to the truck is a girlfriend, and she is pretty fit. I would anticipate an extra 500lbs added pounds to both truck and trailer max.
I got the B.O. hitch setup, with the truck squatting 2" in the rear and raised 1/2" higher up front, so the truck actually sits level hooked up.
The weather conditions were dry with a 10-15 mph breeze.
Got up on I-70 eastbound and merged without effort, and before I knew it, I was flowing with traffic at 70 mph (Goodyear Endurance trailer tires). The trailer did not get pushed out or sucked in by passing cars or big rigs, not even when a tandem truck came barreling past me.
I prefer to drive 65 mph, because when I drove 70 mph, big rigs seemed hesitant to pass, but passed more often at 65 mph.
As the trucks passed, I was bracing for that pull/push that so many keep proclaiming I will suffer.
I did feel the trailer back there, but it was just more bouncing when hitting the overpass joints versus when not towing, and the rear wasn't as stiff-legged, and had more up and down movement versus when empty. I hear that Bilstein improve both town and non towing ride...next year project.
The steering wheel felt a bit lighter than not towing, but it was still accurate and didn't need anymore corrections than not towing.
I drove 75 mph just to see how the trailer would respond, and I did feel more movement back there, but never anything that made me feel swaying was occurring, and probably just me not used to how the trailer feels while towing.
I drove for several hours on both I-75 and I-70, with some time spent in the middle lane so I can feel traffic on both sides, and everything felt stable without any wandering from side to side.
When traffic suddenly slowed, the setup slowed pretty well, and I didn't feel pushed, but that the trailer was holding up its end regarding to braking, and I tested that quite a few more times.
After a while,the nervous anticipation of being passed by big rigs faded away, and I came away feeling pretty confident. I even forgot it was breezy out...lol.