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RV without a WD hitch

blaczero
Explorer
Explorer
Hey guys, thanks for all the help on here so far.

If I go pick up my new RV and get the hitch (E4 most likely) later, is that OK? The travel trailer is 11k GVW and I have a f350 SRW crew, with the 4160 payload package (16k towing).

Can I drive safely (possibly 7+ hours home) with just a normal ball and no anti sway/WD hitch?
39 REPLIES 39

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
What always amazes me on this site is all the โ€œseasonedโ€ RVers that are afraid of their own shadows when it comes to towing or puttin a load in the back of a pickup truck....
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Lwiddis wrote:
Possibly. From where to where? Any wind in the forecast? Any sway prevention in the F350? Year? Your profile gives NO information. Stealthy? Doesnโ€™t matter the length of your drive. You can get blown off the highway 5 minutes from home.


Or short answer, yes no problem....
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Hannibal
Explorer
Explorer
A co-worker friend bought a TT while out of town. A 37โ€™ Jayco 32BHTS I think itโ€™s called. He towed it home on a standard ball mount with his โ€˜15 GM 3500 do Allie :B . He has a Equalizer 4pt but doesnโ€™t use it. Says it tows great on the ball.
2020 F250 STX CC SB 7.3L 10spd 3.55 4x4
2010 F250 XLT CC SB 5.4L 5spdTS 3.73
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins; '05 Hemi
2017 Jayco 28RLS TT 32.5'

kellem
Explorer
Explorer
We all have different view points and a case can be made either way.
On a new trailer you'll actually be closer to it's dry weight vs GVWR and are sporting a very formidable tow vehicle.

I on the other hand took the proper tools 3 hours away to install my Reese DC on new trailer before towing it home.

It's your call but if decide to pull it home, take your time.

Be safe.

JBarca
Nomad II
Nomad II
blaczero wrote:
Thanks all, we are looking at the 37' rockwood/flagstaffs with the bunkhouse floor plan.

Yes the WD is weight distribution. Looking at this one https://www.amazon.com/Equal-i-zer-Progress-90-00-1000-10K-Hitch/dp/B07RZV1SJ6

We found a nice flagstaff 832bws about 6 hours away in PA (we're in CT) and we mave have a great deal to get it this weekend!


Hi,

You did not say what year, model, setup you have on your F350. I have the F350 in my sig below.

A few things not mentioned,

The older F350's did not have a very high rated receiver. Like this on that was on my 05 before I changed it. Notice it says, 500# in Weight Carrying Mode. It is also limited to 1,250# in weight distributing mode.


If this is your new camper, https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers-and-fifth-wheels/flagstaff-classic/832BWS/5662

That camper starts out with a "dry" tongue weight off of 1,320# before they add a battery and fill the LP tanks which most all dealers will do, or a private owner. With the camper empty filled LP and battery, you can easily hit 1,400# heading out from where you bought it.

That 1,400# tongue weight is over that truck receiver rating in weight carrying which was 500# rated only. If you have a newer F350, they have up'ed the receiver rating a good deal, but it still may not handle a 1,400# weight carrying rating. Check yours.

Next is the drawbar (ball mount) you would need to handle that 1,400# TW in weight carrying mode. That would need a drawbar rated at or above 1,400#. Odds are high, to get one that high in rating, you need to be at 2 1/2 or 3" truck receiver. See here, this is on 3" drop rated ball mount, need a 2 1/2" receiver. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch-Ball-Mount/Draw-Tite/RP45322.html

Reese does make a 5" drop in that same series. You ideally want the camper level when towing. All you can do is buy the right drop fixed ball mount.

And as was said, you need a tow ball rated for the full weight of the camper. While you may be able to reuse the tow ball, you need a proper rated ball mount at ~ $100.

I would not want to use a hollow tube 2" ball mount to tow that size camper. Those hollow 2" ball mounts as not rated very high.

That camper is 37 feet long, 10,000# empty trailer, You have the right truck when it is properly equipped and setup. But, the properly equipped and setup needs to be right.

I myself would not want to use my truck with the big gasser in the front to tow that long, that heavy, without a WD hitch. Yes, I have upgraded the receiver, but still it is not going to be very comfortable tow. Unless your truck has a rear roll bar or the truck bed loaded enough to have the helper springs (overload springs) kiss the frame brackets on top, the body roll in the back of the truck is not a good feeling and on the gasser, the front end will be bobbing around without a WD hitch.

Also, I do not think the 1,600# rated WD Equal-I-zer hitch you are looking at is going to be heavy enough. Once you load the camper, your TW can go north of 1,600# without mush issue with your floor plan. There is a lot of storage up front and getting 300 to 400# of added TW from loading a camper that big, is not hard to do. My 10,000# loaded camper has a 1,600# loaded TW. These big campers need the right hitch setup to work well.

Reese trunnion bar WD hitch with the DC can go to 1,700#
Blue Ox has one that is rated at 2,000#

Hope this helps

John
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
jwoods61us wrote:
The RV transporter pulled it from Northern Indiana without WD or anti-sway, you probably can too.


That's not saying much! I followed those guys, couldn't get past them fast enough. They were all over the road.

I would tow it back only with the proper hitch.
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12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

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theoldwizard1
Explorer
Explorer
dedmiston wrote:
Seven hours is a long way to white-knuckle a bad setup.

Concur ! Your 7+ hour trip could easily become 10 or even 12 ! Expect that you will be driving the MINIMUM speed limit all the way. Cross winds can be a truly scary situation.

On busy two lane roads, you will have to find areas to pull over and let traffic pass.

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
KD4UPL wrote:
You wouldn't necessarily even need a WDH with that combination. A 3500 will usually ride a lot better with a thousand or 2 pounds of tongue weight. I would have no problem towing it like it is at least until I discovered how it towed. If it turns out it would benefit from a WDH then go ahead and get one; otherwise, don't worry about it.


If he was 20 miles from home, "try it first" may be viable as you could drop off onto side roads and creep home at slow speed.

The OP is picking it up 7hr from home. I wouldn't want to be 5hr from home when I decided enough is enough...now I'm in the middle of nowhere, no place to camp and no way to fix it. Makes it too easy to do something stupid because you just want to get home.

Since the OP is planning to get the WDH anyway, buy it, install what you can before you depart and then plan on a couple hours to hook it up the rest and dial it in when you go to pick it up.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

Lynnmor
Explorer
Explorer
All too often people think of sway as movement when a truck passes or some other force moving the trailer a bit. It is not about your comfort, it is about uncontrolled swinging of the trailer when not loaded properly. You could have a truck that is rated considerably higher than necessary and still have a trailer going crazy behind it because of the design or loading. Cross winds are not going to go away because you have the latest and greatest hitch, but you might be more comfortable till it flips.

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
KD4UPL wrote:
You wouldn't necessarily even need a WDH with that combination. A 3500 will usually ride a lot better with a thousand or 2 pounds of tongue weight. I would have no problem towing it like it is at least until I discovered how it towed. If it turns out it would benefit from a WDH then go ahead and get one; otherwise, don't worry about it.
I experienced sway once.
I was very lucky that there was no other vehicles around. I needed all 3 lanes to recover.
There was NO WARNING whatsoever. It went from fine to a near wreck instantly.

Keep this in mind, when you decide to "try it first to see how it does"

You may not be as lucky as I was.
That was about 30 years ago, long before the internet was invented, and info was so easily exchanged.
Huntindog
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WayneAt63044
Explorer
Explorer
I have an E4 and you will need a heavier version of it when you do decide to add it. The E4 you mention is rated at 1,000 lbs tongue weight and 10,000 lbs trailer. You will be exceeding that. Go to the 1,400 lbs/14,000 lbs trailer rated one. My 7,800 lbs GVWR trailer has about 900 lbs hitch weight and broke some hitch parts when hitting severe road bumps using the 1,000/10,000 version.

I don't have 1 ton truck experience so cannot comment on that.
2012 Forest River V-Cross Vibe 826VFK
pulled by 2009 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Hemi

philh
Explorer II
Explorer II
dedmiston wrote:
Seven hours is a long way to white-knuckle a bad setup.

Can you wait a few days to get the right equipment? There should always be time for the right gear.

White knuckle with a 1 Ton?

KD4UPL
Explorer
Explorer
You wouldn't necessarily even need a WDH with that combination. A 3500 will usually ride a lot better with a thousand or 2 pounds of tongue weight. I would have no problem towing it like it is at least until I discovered how it towed. If it turns out it would benefit from a WDH then go ahead and get one; otherwise, don't worry about it.

kellem
Explorer
Explorer
Antisway vs sway? IDK

blaczero
Explorer
Explorer
looks like hitch weight is 1320#.