towing issue with heavy tongue weight

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Edwin764

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Joined
Apr 15, 2018
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Location
Venice, FL United States
My truck handles poorly towing an unloaded Winnebago trailer with 950 lbs. tongue weight. Feels like the trailer is pushing the backend of the truck around even with a load leveling, anti-sway hitch. No problem pulling it but a lot of problem controlling it.

It has P275 tires and wonder if LT275 tires will resolve it. The trailer was delivered 250 lbs. over the stated tongue weight of 695.

F150 2016 Lariat SuperCrew 4x4, max tow capacity = 11,500, max tongue weight = 1150 lbs.
BlueOx weight distribution hitch with 1500 lbs. bars
2018 Winnebago 2500RL, unloaded weight = 5400 lbs, tongue =950 lbs.
 
The LT tires will be an improvement.  Why did you go with heavier bars than what is required?  The reduced flex might be part of the problem.
 
Have you actually weighed the trailer tongue weight?

It might surprise you how much that will change depending on how it?s loaded...and where the load is.
 
Forget the brochure tongue weight - it is meaningless for a loaded trailer. You need to have 10-12% of the actual loaded weight on the hitch ball or the trailer will not track well behind the tow vehicle.
A Winnie Minnie 2500RL has a GVWR of around 7000 lbs (see your individual trailer specs) and typically weighs around 6500-7000 lbs loaded for travel. That means a tongue weight of around 650-840 lbs. You may not need a WD hitch system for that weight on your F150, but 1000 lb spring bars is plenty.

Changing tires may  or may not be a good idea, but the tires are not the reason for your handling concerns,
 
Welcome to the world of towing with the 2015-2017 F150s. I basically have the same truck+TT and the same issues -- a 7000lb TT (heck even my old 6000lber) will push the rear of the truck around.

After experimenting for 2 seasons I have started: minimizing the weight in the bed (moving stuff to the TT's storage or leaving it at home) and putting anything heavy in front of the axle; putting the cargo we carry on a diet so we are under 6800lbs loaded; and making sure the tongue weight is 850-900lbs as lightening it by moving weight to the rear of the TT made it worse.

I upgraded the shocks and added Timbrens which helped. But I think weight management is the more cost effective approach (especially given you have a good WDH).

LT tires will help but given I only tow 10 days a year, I just pumped my P rated to 42 psi in the rear and 38 psi in the front.

I am going to upgrade the TT's suspension this year. My thinking is if I smooth it out over the bumps and stop the chucking it won't be as hard on the TV (it will also reduce the wear and tear on the TT).
 
Edwin764 said:
My truck handles poorly towing an unloaded Winnebago trailer with 950 lbs. tongue weight. Feels like the trailer is pushing the backend of the truck around even with a load leveling, anti-sway hitch. No problem pulling it but a lot of problem controlling it.

It has P275 tires and wonder if LT275 tires will resolve it. The trailer was delivered 250 lbs. over the stated tongue weight of 695.

F150 2016 Lariat SuperCrew 4x4, max tow capacity = 11,500, max tongue weight = 1150 lbs.
BlueOx weight distribution hitch with 1500 lbs. bars
2018 Winnebago 2500RL, unloaded weight = 5400 lbs, tongue =950 lbs.
Click to expand...

If im reading this right is the tongue weight on the trailer now 945lbs? If so your maxing out the trucks limits now add the passengers, drivers and gear and your running out of truck
 
Welcome to the Forum!

Much good advise above.

LT tires are not a fix, but might help some.
Tongue Wt is critical.  You want a minimum of 10% - 12% of the gross weight of the TT.
Check the yellow placard on the driver door latch pillar which states the weight of all passengers and cargo shall not exceed XXXX lbs.  This is your max payload for YOUR truck, and is more accurate than any ad or chart.  This max weight includes all passengers, cargo, weight of the hitch / tow bar and the TT tongue wt.

Tongue wt can be manipulated by moving heavier items to the front or back as needed for travel.
Tongue wt is easily measured.  See    https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-to-determine-trailer-tongue-weight.aspx
 
I agree with many of the above posts but I'll say this:  I have seen people spend a lot of money on "stuff" to stop the trailer from driving the truck around...only to find that the WD, anti-sway hitch was improperly installed, improperly adjusted or both.  I have also seen some with a plain Jane WD hitch improperly set up, no anti-sway device and with too light on the tongue weight....And, they don't know what's wrong with this thing!  When you asked them about the tongue weight and the WD hitch set up..."Oh it's all perfect"...Not!  I don't get that!!

I went to one guys house to help him set up his WD, anti-sway hitch and he knew it was set up right...but he didn't have a manual for the hitch...Duh!  He just wanted to know what to buy.  I said "Before you throw money at it, lets make sure the hitch is installed and set up correctly."  We downloaded the manual and set up the hitch correctly from scratch and per the manual and he had no more complaints.
 
try towing with the anti-sway transmission nanny stuff disabled.
ford calls it "Trailer sway control"
 
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