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

[Huntindog]

I am sure I could get that combo to tow OK with it's present equiptment... But I wouldn't, and here are some reasons why.

First it will need to be dialed in pretty close to perfect, and kept that way. This can be a lot harder than it seems.

A TT is a lot different than most any other type of trailer out there.

It is a house rolling down the road.

It has a large sail area to catch wind from all directions.
Since it is a mini house, normal living activities will change the weight distribution. Food gets eaten and goes from the cupboards and fridge to the black tank. FW gets used and goes to the black and grey tanks. Propane gets used and disappears. Clean clothes get dirty and end up in the hamper,,, and countless other items may change as well.
Depending on your TTs layout and your way of living in it,, this can be a little or a lot, and it can vary from trip to trip by a lot as well.
Suddenly your perfectly dialed in setup isn't very good at all.

Sure there are work arounds. If you are a campgroung user, you may be able to dump your tanks there, that will help. I even read from time to time here of those that tow their TT empty to their campsite, then run to the store to buy provisions for it.. Certain mods may help.

But I'm gussing that since you bought such a large TT that you want to enjoy it. All that room and storage that it has is useless if it is unable to be towed with it filled with the niceties one likes to have.

A bigger truck with some extra capacity will let you use the TT the way you want to, rather that trying to constantly to keep it dialed in.

It will be more reliable and comfortable to tow with as well.

[73guna]

Matt,
I just purchased a 35' Wildwood 31qbts, approximately 8500lbs and 900lbs tongue.
I have a 2007 2500hd Chevy duramax and I just recently installed a blue ox sway pro bxw1500.
I bought the camper in Michigan and towed it back to Nebraska with a Curt receiver adjustable drop hitch. While it pulled fine there was a little "wondering" while passing big trucks, wind etc.
I drive a semi for a living so it doesnt bother me much.
I was excited when I got my blue ox, I spent quite a few hours dialing it in then went on some trial runs to see how it would operate. I was very dissappointed with how the trailer handled withe blue ox, it actually pulled beter with the Curt receiver hitch.
Now this test was performed with an empty/dry weight trailer, so I'll save my opinions until I pull with camper loaded with gear, water etc...
That said, we have big long trailers and they are going to walk and sway and wonder. Get it dialed in and loaded and then see if things are the better.
I like a little foward slant to the trailer.
I couldnt imagine pulling it with anything less then a 3/4 ton, Id prolly rather have a 1 ton dually.
Ill post some pics later of both setups, by the way I have airbags also and the helps.

[Mr_Biggles]

downtheroad wrote:
I'm noticing a trend in this thread. Those towing with half tons are saying, "Sure you can tow that 36 foot, 8100 lb.dry trailer no problem."

Not me !

Definitely need a bigger truck. If the OP is having all these issues now with an empty TT , what happens when he loads up the TT and puts the family in the truck ?

[downtheroad]

I'm noticing a trend in this thread. Those towing with half tons are saying, "Sure you can tow that 36 foot, 8100 lb.dry trailer no problem."

[TomG2]

Try some LT tires, Supersprings, new shocks, a bigger stabilizer bar, and a heavier frame. Wait a minute, that is what a F-250 has.

[bid_time]

Get everything weighed, using the 3 step process, then you will know where you are at and what you need. All the armchair quarter backs are GUESSING! No Facts, Just Bluster!

[jerem0621]

OP...don't let this forum scare you into a bigger truck...especially before we know what the source of sway is.

That truck can handle that trailer...its just a matter of set up.

That being said...you may personally decide on a bigger truck..and that is fine...especially when the weight of the trailer requires it. But there are tens of thousands of us towing heavy and safely with half tons. Thing is, in a half ton you can feel the trailer..and that freaks people out...especially newbies.

This is NOT a bad thing... That constant reminder of the TT behind me is good. Too much truck and you are insulated from the trailer...meaning the driver can get overconfident much easier because "I can't even feel the trailer back there"...that statement sends chills down my spine every time is see it on this forum.

I did the jump from a F150 to a F350 dually (All in!!) and hated the experience. Loved the motor...that V10 was sweet!!

Help us help you get the handling under control...

Make sure the trailer tires are at their proper psi
Make sure the hitch is set correctly
Make sure the spring bars are matched for the loaded tongue weight
Air the trucks tires up to max PSI

Get the rig weighed.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[RwaSmith]

3oaks wrote:

2012Coleman wrote:
yea - you can remove the bumpstops too - that there mod will stop that annoying bangin!

Very bad advice! :S

I believe that 2012Coleman was just kidding. :B

[3oaks]

2012Coleman wrote:
yea - you can remove the bumpstops too - that there mod will stop that annoying bangin!

Very bad advice! :S

[93Cobra2771]

Fact is, the OEMs cannot make a one size fits all truck. Mods are the route to fix them.

FYI, my buddy with an 11 dually put bags on his truck for his 14k fifth wheel. He didn't like the amount of sag in the rear, nor did he like blinding everyone with his headlights...

[jaycocreek]

2012Coleman wrote:
yea - you can remove the bumpstops too - that there mod will stop that annoying bangin!

You must be new to towing and RV's..People have been using aftermarket mod's for years for there RV because stock equipment is lacking for RV use..Ford realized that when they made the F-250 "Camper Special" with the mod's everyone was already doing that hauled campers because of Fords weak stock components.

To this day, the new trucks seem to need these mod's still for the heavy RV's...1 tons lacking for Arctis Fox's smallest pickup camper..This shouldn't be but it is.

[2012Coleman]

yea - you can remove the bumpstops too - that there mod will stop that annoying bangin!

[jaycocreek]

The rear of the truck felt unplanted and very unstable.

Many mods will fix that..I put air bags on mine and it stopped all that.HD spring packs will do the same and E rated tired help also,all the things others do to there 3/4 tons for hauling campers and fifth wheels.After market HD shocks make more of a difference than one would think but I never needed to ad them to my F-150..Air bags and the E-rated tires made all the difference necessary to tow my 30 ft unit.

Hooking up my trailer to my sons HD 2500 made it set down way more than he anticipated without the bars and his GVWR is 9200 lbs."Not" the huge difference everyone talks about between my F-150 set up right and his stock HD 2500 towing the same 30ft 8500'ish trailer.

[fla-gypsy]

Based on my research that trailer is 35'10" long and weighs 8k bone dry. No doubt he has P tires and limited payload unless he has the max payload pkg. I think he has found the limits of his 1/2 ton PU.

[jaycocreek]

His sway issue isn't the tow vehicle.

Exactly!..I would not have thought twice about towing that trailer home with my old F-150 set up to tow...The difference in truck weight between a F-150 and an Chevy HD 2500 is nothing depending on the unit and year.My F-150 weighed the same basically as my sons HD 2500...

Set up correctly the opp's F-150 should be able to tow that trailer with ease,again depending on how and what F-150 it is.

All one has to do is look in the truck camper or fifth wheel forums to see how many tow and travel overweight in both 3/4 tons and 1 tons so towing a so called half ton properly set-up at or near max is not the sin everyone seems to think it is.

The modern F-150's are the 3/4 tons of yesterday and as capable set up properly!