Looking for advice

[Crown]

Hello fellow campers I have a question that I am hoping some can help me with and share there knowledge and experience in. I have a travel trailer its a 2018 Puma 43 feet in length and weighs about 8231 dry weight. The truck is very well capable of pulling the camper for I bought it new and custom ordered it just to give you a little in site of the truck its a Ford F150 XLT 4x4 supercrew long bed 6 1/2 foot bed. The engine is the 6.2 liter with 3:73 gears it is rated to pull up to 12000 lbs. I also have the EZ2 sway bar hitch and have adjusted it to the recommended settings. Know to the question I feel it still needs something more like an air bag suspension setup or overload springs. Which would you do air bags or overload springs or both? And which brand of air bags would you recommend pro and cons? Thanks for any advice and if you have any questions or different recommendations feel free to ask
Crown

[1jeep]

advantage to timbrens..no need to adjust anything and will help reduce some sag.

advantage to Air bags, you can adjust these t actually level the truck, but require a compressor or on board air.

Good luck, that still a lot of trailer for a 1/2 ton truck, been there done that.

[parker_rowe]

OP is not asking if the truck is overweight, or if the truck will pull the trailer.

OP is not even asking if airbags will increase the weight rating.

"Will airbags reduce sag?"

Yes. Timbrens will also reduce sag.

[Crown]

Thanks everyone for the advice

[JAC1982]

Speaking from experience, we originally pulled a 32' bumper pull toyhauler with similar weight specs to your trailer with an F-150. The truck itself "pulled" the trailer fine in terms of power, getting up to speed, trans temp etc. But even after adding airbags and better tires, it still wasn't that great to haul, especially if the wind picked up... got downright scary in some situations, so even though the truck was only a year old, we upgraded to a 250 and it was like night and day (and I don't need to tell anybody how great it was when we upgraded to a dually in preparation for trading in the bumper pull for a 5th wheel).

But that being said, in your part of the country you might be just fine with your setup once you add air bags. But here on rv.net, you aren't going to find a lot of people that will say "your set up is awesome!", cause it really isn't.

[Grit_dog]

Crown wrote:
Thanks for every ones advice and the TT is a 2018 puma 31FKRK and I measured it and its 37 feet not 43 feet. The truck is a 2014 Ford F150 XLT with the 6.2 engine with 3:73 gears I ordered the truck this way. The truck pulls it fine and handles it fine. I am asking about air bags to help with the sagging of the truck and yes I have a weight distribution hitch and yes it is set to the correct settings according to the instructions from manufacture. Also the dry weight on the side of the TT is 8121

You’re golden with that setup. Add some bags or helpers and let er rip tater chip!

[specta]

I have no doubt that the truck pulls the trailer just fine.

I'd also be willing to bet that there is a 10-20% cushion over the manufactures suggested GVW and CGVW ratings. I don't think the truck all of a sudden becomes dangerous or overloaded as soon as you exceed the ratings.

These numbers are also for sea level and not at 8000 ft.

For me the main concern would be stopping, not going and bigger trucks have bigger brakes.

[anw7405]

Like others have said, this is just not a good match. There is only so much you can do with a F150, nothing against the truck but that's why they make F250's an up.

I dont think you ever mentioned how far you are planning to tow it? If its just to the lake a few miles away a few times a year you will be fine. Anything more than that.......nope!

[snowpeke]

43 ft with a 1/2 ton no way!

[kw_00]

Crown wrote:
Thanks for every ones advice and the TT is a 2018 puma 31FKRK and I measured it and its 37 feet not 43 feet. The truck is a 2014 Ford F150 XLT with the 6.2 engine with 3:73 gears I ordered the truck this way. The truck pulls it fine and handles it fine. I am asking about air bags to help with the sagging of the truck and yes I have a weight distribution hitch and yes it is set to the correct settings according to the instructions from manufacture. Also the dry weight on the side of the TT is 8121

I still think that your overweight. That truck may pull it fine, but when the winds hit, that trailer will toss that truck around bad. I know that you ordered your truck a certain way, and it is a great truck btw. I just see a lot of flags up when a 1/2 ton is pulling a 37 foot plus TT! Especially when your looking for advice on how to fix the sagging. That's just telling me that the trailer is way to much for that truck. No im sure not any weight police.... I just see this type of accident more so then not in my job... so my question back to you... is it possible to upgrade to a used F250 with the 6.2, if so that's the route that I would go. Again just my opinion and may not be what you want to hear, but an honest answer.

[2112]

I'm quite fond of Timbrens

[Crown]

Thanks for every ones advice and the TT is a 2018 puma 31FKRK and I measured it and its 37 feet not 43 feet. The truck is a 2014 Ford F150 XLT with the 6.2 engine with 3:73 gears I ordered the truck this way. The truck pulls it fine and handles it fine. I am asking about air bags to help with the sagging of the truck and yes I have a weight distribution hitch and yes it is set to the correct settings according to the instructions from manufacture. Also the dry weight on the side of the TT is 8121

[Crown]

donn0128 wrote:
What model Puma? All that you might be able to pull with your truck are way shorter. If you have one of the destination models, your really asking for major head aches.

2018 31FKRK and its 37 feet long

[Mortimer_Brewst]

The troll has left the building

[AlmostAnOldGuy]

OP Can you please post your GVWR, RAWR from the yellow sticker by the driver side door and receiver hitch rating from sticker on receiver? Then let’s do the math. That will help clarify your truck configuration.

Thanks,
Stu