RV without a WD hitch

[blaczero]

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?

[Sjm9911]

Ok, just adding to this. Was going home yeaterday feom work and saw a f 250 towing a small garderner type trailer on the hyway. It was loaded badly and the tow hitch wasnt set up properly. It was a light load for the truck. Sure enough swaying out of control at about 55 mph. Hes lucky he had a 250 or he would have flipped. Thats how bad it was. He slowed down to 45 , i slowed down some in fron of him to check his speed a bit. But i lost him on a curve, i hope he pulled over. So , your set up and sway depends on a lot, loading, hitch set up properly, speed, weather, etc. Whats good for some is not good for others. I rather play it safe and use the WDH with sway control. Even if i really dont need it. It just takes one time to crash. My 2 cents , worth even less then that.

[Fstmvrerik]

I was exactly the OP. I bought a 39' TT after pulling 5th wheels. I knew my truck was more than capable, (15 F350CC 4X4), I towed it home with just a ball in 35-40mph crosswind. what should have been a 5 hour trip turned into a 7 hour trip at 55 instead of 70mph.
Before we took the trailer out again I got an Anderson hitch that is not super great with weight distribution (that is not a necessity) but is great at sway control, and super easy to install, hook up and get correct adjustment for sway control.
I have put over 7k on trailer since and I am very happy with my set up.

[hvac]

I do I80 michigan to west coast and back twice annually. I'm right in on the immediate shipments out of Indiana. My takeaway on transporters is they don't speed and split on using any bars or just on the ball. Sway is never an obvious issue.

[Grit_dog]

In closing, the OP is obviously inexperienced at towing and it’s a valid question, however the best “test” to see if one is buying a trailer that is totally jacked up with respect to weight distribution is to hook it and see how it tows.
If it’s all over the road with sway (actual sway, most trailers wiggle a little based on conditions) then it’s worth turning around and getting your money back.....

[Grit_dog]

^ Or maybe you don’t believe you’re exaggerating and simply can’t interpret a sticker on a trailer hitch correctly.
The relationship of tongue weight to trailer weight is a 10X difference. But that is not pertinent to the discussion.

[Grit_dog]

rbpru wrote:
I think the weak link in the towing chain is the truck's hitch strength without the tow bars.

As shown above, there is a 10X difference between the WD and no-WD towing weight rating.

This has little to do with how much weight your truck can carry.

The 10X factor is also found in some of the hitch manufacturers set-up instructions.

Those are the numbers, the choice is up to the individual. There may also be some State towing regulations to consider.

Good luck

10X? Like 1000% difference? Lol, cmon man, what’s up with that?
Even the pic posted above is about the worst case scenario between wd and weight carrying. And that’s 2.5 “X”.
Many newer HD trucks don’t even differentiate between the 2. And have upwards of 2klbs of tongue weight “rating.”

And while you’re exaggerating for whatever reason, and I wouldn’t expect everyone to have the same experience, I can say matter of factly that every Ford Chevy and Dodge HD truck I’ve owned, been assigned or used in the last 25 years has carried far more than 500lbs tongue weight all over the US and Canada. And some conditions that would make most people take pause. Like a loaded 7klb utility trailer on a 2’ extension bar up the Alaska highway in the springtime.
Not saying everyone should blindly exceed ratings based on my experience but when the already conservative ratings are then exaggerated it becomes useless input.

[CavemanCharlie]

Yes, if you are careful and the conditions are not bad you can do it. Just take it easy at first until you get the hang of it.

[Grit_dog]

dodge guy wrote:

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.

Maybe it's the right time to mention the 1000s of transporters that AREN'T all over the road too...ya think?

Regardless of ones perception of risk, even the most plebian of transporters likely wouldn't want swaying trailers all day, day in day out.

WDHs have their place when the tow vehicle needs the boost in the @ss end, or the trailer is just not laid out for proper loading and weight distribution (as some TTs undoubtedly are) or when the driver decides that they want the "ultimate" in tracking and stability.

However these conditions combined with the excellent salesmanship of RV dealers to newbies and those without alot of towing experience have resulted in a proliferation of hitch "needs" that are really just not necessary.

[hvac]

This year ditched the Andersen.I wore out the cone braking material.
So I just drop it on the ball of a new gen Y torsion 16k hitch. Smoooth! Should have bought one a long time ago.
Rig is a ATC 28 front bedroom.2018 CTD.
Hitch weight about 1k. Trailer max 8500.

[Bobbo]

blaczero wrote:

rbpru wrote:

A person is free to do whatever they judge proper but if something goes wrong that judgment will certainly be questioned.

Funny how luck plays a major role in "competence"!

"I would rather be lucky than good. Someday you won't be good enough."

I can't recall where I heard that quote, but it is not mine.

[blaczero]

rbpru wrote:

A person is free to do whatever they judge proper but if something goes wrong that judgment will certainly be questioned.

Funny how luck plays a major role in "competence"!

[rbpru]

It really is not about what it can or cannot do, so much as what you are willing to make it do.

Years ago when farming I learned that a 1/2 and 3/4 ton pickup was just a suggestion. Loading the trucks till you could hunt raccoons at night with the headlights was not all that uncommon.

They were old farm trucks you ran till they broke, then you fixed them.

But those times are gone. Trucks today are bigger, stronger and require a lot less maintenance. But the cost of repairs, parts and liability are far greater and far more complicated.

A person is free to do whatever they judge proper but if something goes wrong that judgment will certainly be questioned.

[Gdetrailer]

rbpru wrote:
I think the weak link in the towing chain is the truck's hitch strength without the tow bars.

As shown above, there is a 10X difference between the WD and no-WD towing weight rating.

This has little to do with how much weight your truck can carry.

The 10X factor is also found in some of the hitch manufacturers set-up instructions.

Those are the numbers, the choice is up to the individual. There may also be some State towing regulations to consider.

Good luck

OP doesn't state what yr of F350, but even our 2013 F250 has 6,000/600 without WD, it HASN'T "failed" when towing my 10K GVWR flat bed trailer loaded without WD and that truck has over 100K miles on it.

With 4,100 lbs of cargo on the OPs F350, I also suspect it IS a lot newer than 2013 AND Ford made 2.5 hitches STANDARD on F250 and F350s after 2013.. Heck my 2020 F250 has 3,800 lbs of cargo capacity..

Fords hitches have always been pretty robust, not like the cheap ones GM used for yrs that used round tubes and the bumper..

[rbpru]

I think the weak link in the towing chain is the truck's hitch strength without the tow bars.

As shown above, there is a 10X difference between the WD and no-WD towing weight rating.

This has little to do with how much weight your truck can carry.

The 10X factor is also found in some of the hitch manufacturers set-up instructions.

Those are the numbers, the choice is up to the individual. There may also be some State towing regulations to consider.

Good luck