New truck, New trailer, TONS of sway!

[Mwolfe450]

I recently took delivery of our 2015 Prowler 32pbhs trailer and towed it home with my 2015 f150 ecoboost pickup. The dealer I bought it from also sold me and installed a blue ox sway pro system. The ride home was downright scary on the highway. A 5 mile trip was about all I could handle staying in the right lane, well some lane and some shoulder, well below the speed limit. I even had a few panic and grab the brake box slide moments to straighten back out. I got it home and thought they set the bars too tight. The rear of the truck felt unplanted and very unstable. Today I hitched back up and went for another ride with less tension on the bars, which helped the truck feel more planted, but still had way more sway than I was comfortable with. I plan on re-installing the hitch myself, and also getting everything weighed up but I need to figure out what issues I might be faced with. The trailer is a touch over 8k empty, and has a tongue weight of 950lbs. The truck is good for 10,700 pounds, so I know I am at the higher end of my truck's capacity, but still within it, especially with the trailer completely empty. Any research I found made the hitch seem like a good unit, and the truck seems to carry the weight ok considering what I'm towing. Any thoughts, or insight is greatly appreciated.

Matt

[4Kellys]

Why would someone say don't worry about the weights. You should have done all that before you bought a trailer, course the dealer probably told you you'd be fine. What's your payload, do you have the max tow package, what's your trucks max hitch weight, what's the trailer weigh loaded, what's the trailers tongue weight loaded, did you load it correctly? Other than all that, no sweat!

[Atlee]

I've never turned off the TSC on my 2014 truck when towing. The trailer is happy as a clam at high tide back there, which in turn makes me as happy as a clam at high tide.

[93Cobra2771]

Mike Up wrote:

RinconVTR wrote:

Retired JSO wrote:
I have a sway pro and now 2000 lb bars on a work and play wb25 pulled by a 2016 f250. I kept experiencing sway even after changing from 1500 to 2000 lb bars. I quizzed e trailer and other ford forums and discovered the ford trucks with built in sway control act against the actions of the sway pro making the trailer sway more. We just returned from Charleston, about 260 miles. I had turned the sway control off, you have to do it every time you start the truck, and drove all the way with one hand and no, no sway.

Yup. This is also what I recommended the OP try. This is a common situation, but few Ford owners want to come out and talk about it, or they dont realize TSC can be part of the problem.

My post was without the explanation as I dont own a Ford. But I have hands on, direct knowledge and experience with this.

This is why turning off TSC is worth trying when people are experiencing problems, to feel the difference with it on and off, and confirm if it has a negative affect on your set up...or not.

No one wants to hear this...no one wants to believe it...but its real.

Hum, I've towed my current trailer with a 2010 and 2012 F150 with Electronic Sway control turned on, plus with a Reese Strait-Line System (HP Dual Cam Sway Control), never any sway.

Two different trailers with my 11' F150. Three different hitch setups (EZ Lift/friction slider, Reese Dual Cam/Hensley Arrow). Never had to disable mine either.

[dodge_guy]

Mwolfe450 wrote:
Wow. Thanks for all of the input. I haven't had time to mess with the setup, I am hoping to do so soon. I understand I am at or above the limits of the truck once the trailer is loaded. I towed it home empty, with nothing in it. So I towed an 8k trailer with a 950lb tongue weight trailer and it was bad. I understand weight capacities are glorified on trucks, especially 1/2 tons. I have towed 10k with the truck and had no complaints, but that was an open trailer, much different than a 32ft sail. I also feel some people have responded thinking the truck had no suspension left with the trailer. In fact, I felt it had way to much travel left for being at capacity. When I took some resistance out of the bars it certainly helped. Not sure of tires on the truck but they're oem goodyears definitely not e rated, I'll guess lt tires. Payload on the truck is 2060lbs. Yes that's including passengers which is less than 550lbs. So I have 1500lb carrying capacity being conservative in the truck. The trailer would generally be towed fairly light for small weekend trips and full hookup sites. The dealers setup had the trailer level to slightly nose up. I will set the hitch up according to instructions and nose the trailer slightly and re try it. Then I will add tongue weight and try again. Lastly I will hitch it up to a v10 250 and see how that is. will the 250 pull it better, absolutely. If I'm still not comfortable in the f150 I will get a different trailer. I guess my original question in my first post was what might make it so squirrelly empty? Would prowler sell such an unbalanced trailer? Or can a poorly set up hitch cause that much sway?

But, but but..... it can`t be! so many people say it wont be safe! surely you don`t want to undermine the weight police! :B

seriously, glad you got it figured out. sometimes all it takes is a bit of patience and work to get something right! too many times I see people go out and buy a bigger truck, because they thought or were told that's what they needed! which is scarry, because the majority of those people now have an improperly setup trailer on a bigger truck. at the wrong time they will find out it isn`t setup properly. it took me a good year to get mine to tow perfect. mine had too much tongue weight and maxed out load range "D" (on an 11k+ lb TT!) ST tires. lowering the tongue weight to 1200 from 1400 helped, then the tires (ST LR E`s) were the final cure.

As is seen here, spend some time with your setup and you will see a world of difference. how do you think all the people that show up in a campground with a 1/2 ton and large trailer do it. there are so many, all of them can`t be dangerous!

[Mike_Up]

RinconVTR wrote:

Retired JSO wrote:
I have a sway pro and now 2000 lb bars on a work and play wb25 pulled by a 2016 f250. I kept experiencing sway even after changing from 1500 to 2000 lb bars. I quizzed e trailer and other ford forums and discovered the ford trucks with built in sway control act against the actions of the sway pro making the trailer sway more. We just returned from Charleston, about 260 miles. I had turned the sway control off, you have to do it every time you start the truck, and drove all the way with one hand and no, no sway.

Yup. This is also what I recommended the OP try. This is a common situation, but few Ford owners want to come out and talk about it, or they dont realize TSC can be part of the problem.

My post was without the explanation as I dont own a Ford. But I have hands on, direct knowledge and experience with this.

This is why turning off TSC is worth trying when people are experiencing problems, to feel the difference with it on and off, and confirm if it has a negative affect on your set up...or not.

No one wants to hear this...no one wants to believe it...but its real.

Hum, I've towed my current trailer with a 2010 and 2012 F150 with Electronic Sway control turned on, plus with a Reese Strait-Line System (HP Dual Cam Sway Control), never any sway.

[RinconVTR]

Retired JSO wrote:
I have a sway pro and now 2000 lb bars on a work and play wb25 pulled by a 2016 f250. I kept experiencing sway even after changing from 1500 to 2000 lb bars. I quizzed e trailer and other ford forums and discovered the ford trucks with built in sway control act against the actions of the sway pro making the trailer sway more. We just returned from Charleston, about 260 miles. I had turned the sway control off, you have to do it every time you start the truck, and drove all the way with one hand and no, no sway.

Yup. This is also what I recommended the OP try. This is a common situation, but few Ford owners want to come out and talk about it, or they dont realize TSC can be part of the problem.

My post was without the explanation as I dont own a Ford. But I have hands on, direct knowledge and experience with this.

This is why turning off TSC is worth trying when people are experiencing problems, to feel the difference with it on and off, and confirm if it has a negative affect on your set up...or not.

No one wants to hear this...no one wants to believe it...but its real.

[Mwolfe450]

I learned that towing my box trailer before I got a TT. I make it a point to always shut off sway control, it seems to hurt handling more than help it.

[Retired_JSO]

I have a sway pro and now 2000 lb bars on a work and play wb25 pulled by a 2016 f250. I kept experiencing sway even after changing from 1500 to 2000 lb bars. I quizzed e trailer and other ford forums and discovered the ford trucks with built in sway control act against the actions of the sway pro making the trailer sway more. We just returned from Charleston, about 260 miles. I had turned the sway control off, you have to do it every time you start the truck, and drove all the way with one hand and no, no sway.

[gmw_photos]

Here is an example of how gross combined weight rating ( GCWR ) might change, while the axle, payload and tire/rim ratings stay the same:

our 2006 F350 Ford diesel dually, has a GCWR of 23,500 pounds. This truck is equipped with 4.10 gears. If we look in the Ford towing manual, we see that if we make one change, that is, go to 4.30 gears, the GCWR goes up to 26,000 pounds.

This tells us this change has to do with the ability of the powertrain to maintain speed on an incline, accelerate the combined load from a standstill, and to maintain proper powertrain cooling ( among other things likely ).
This change is independent of axle ratings, payload, etc.
The OE manufacturers are good about publishing this info on their websites.

[bid_time]

No more useful information to be gathered on this thread folks - Move Along.

[RinconVTR]

LarryJM wrote:

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:

RinconVTR wrote:

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:

camp-n-family wrote:
The Hensley and Pro-prides are excellent hitches, but they are not fixes for under sized trucks.

🙂 Hi, and the weight of these hitches will take up more of your payload.

Not exactly.

On a scale with a trailer...what does the payload rating mean to you?

Correct answer = NOTHING.

When towing, you are "combined" and weights on the scale are what matter. Axle weights and gross combined what you need to focus on. Not payload. A TT with WDH this becomes more useful info than a 5th wheel, however the same basic statement remains true.

🙂 Hi, and your answer is just a play on words. Mentioning payload is simpler for some people to understand. Yes, the extra 150 lbs of a Hensley type hitch can put some people over their payload, GVWR, GAWR, or GVWR. You/I don't want to go over any of your vehicle ratings. Payload is just one of them and one not to be ignored.

I agree and IMO it was RinconVTR's "broad statement" about payload that was bad advice and quite a few posters have correctly pointed out and I agree with. Payload is a very important number for planning purposes to try and ensure you don't bust any of the more specific numbers such as AWRs when you finally get to a set of scales.

Larry

Yeah, payload is for planning. Yes, exactly. My point is, that is NOT the be all end all. The scale is. And on the scale..the payload rating does NOT matter and its not even utilized because its a derived number from other weights.

This is the wrong thread to get into this...but I cant resist.

Let's say you hook up your TT without WDH on the scale and you find your truck is 200lbs over GVWR.

Notice I didn't say payload, because you are not measuring payload right now, are you? No. You are weighing the numbers that payload is derived from.

A play on words? I dont care how you see it, this is fact.

Now get this. You attach your WDH, take another weight of the truck, and suddenly your within the trucks GVWR and GCWR. And now you've got a scale slip to prove it. ?LEGAL? You tow "combined" and you have a legal scale weight to prove your weight. You decide. But this is why I stated a WDH can have a critical impact on your weights.

And look! Still no "payload" weight!

Do you need to know your actual "payload" at this point? NO. And that is my whole point. Not that its a useless number, that its useless when you are ON A SCALE.


If for some reason you are dead set to know your actual payload when combined, well then you need ANOTHER pass on the scale with the truck all by itself, for your current "curb weight". FINALLY, simple subtraction will get you your beloved "payload" number.

[gmw_photos]

RinconVTR wrote:
.....snip.....

If you are going to post a bold comment like this I would suggest you state why PRECISELY why the advice the advice is bad.

I bet you'll figure out before posting again.

Ok, yes, here is a simple way "to figure things out before posting again"......how about if a person goes right to the source ? For instance, the guidelines as written by GM ? Here is part of the text from a GMC article where they mention the possible consequences of overloading:

quote:

Overloading your truck or SUV can carry severe consequences, including:

Broken springs and suspension components due to excess weight

Brakes unable to stop the truck or SUV in a timely manner

Transmission and other driveline components may overheat and sustain serious damage

Unusual suspension behavior, making the vehicle hard to control

Tire temperatures rising to elevated levels, potentially leading to a blowout"

....end quote...

A person can easily find well reasoned information on the 'net published by the OEM car builders regarding important safety issues such as this subject. As responsible members on a forum such as this, we really should try to lead new folks to this hobby to think and research in terms of safe operation.

[Community Alumni]

I'm glad you got it fixed. That was a much cheaper fix than some had suggested. Using 4 links less isn't a lot in this situation considering that the OP had to adjust the height of the ball.

[bobndot]

Some help was just given to someone to reset his hitch with the exact same issue as the OP was having. It was his incorrect set up from the dealer.
In both cases , it seems the heavy trailer was not heavy enough on the hitch .
The OP needed more tongue weight.
That's what this OP accomplished by adjusting the hitch set up (transferring weight) because he did not have an excavator to move forward . 🙂
(that's exactly what is done by the pros who transport equipment)

Now that all is done, weights at scales can be done to see what/if potential dangers are on the horizon. I would review the tire ratings first and foremost.