Fixing a 2015 F150 towing problem?

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massspike

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I have a new 2016 F150 4x4 with tow package and when I pull my 24ft/7000lb GVWR/660lb tongue weight trailer it gets loose at over 50mph (not enough to trigger the anti-sway though). I have an 800lb WD (Husky) and the truck and trailer are setup to be level. I am at 90% of my trucks GVWR but less than 60% of my Tongue Load (based on the manufacturers specifications for my F150 with WD). The tires are T rated so they should be OK for this setup but I am running them a 40lb psi (versus the 35 on the sticker)

It feels like the suspension has been maxxed out so every bump in the road or corner gets the back of the truck moving. This problem seems to have gotten worse after 1000 miles of towing.

Would more tire pressure help? Better tires?

Should I increase the tongue weight to plant the back end? I tried lowering it with the WD but it didn't help and I am concerned about bottoming out the truck...do I have this reversed?

Would an air bag or better leaf springs smooth out the ride...I know it won't help with the ratings but could it give me better control?

Do I need to reduce the cargo weight in the trailer and truck bed (I could see only dropping 100-200lbs max though)? Would moving the heavier stuff forward/back help?


Thanks.
 
Rear truck tires-max air.
Trailer tires-max air.
Some of the wiggle could be from low air pressure.
Truck and trailer level via WD hitch. The bars should not be even close to loose. When you use a WD hitch, it is designed to make the entire tow vehicle squat, taking weight from the rear and transferring it forward. If you loosen up on the bars, you create a weight issue that will give you an unpleasurable towing experience.
Hope this helps.
Camp On!
 
Get the rig weighed on a scale, axle by axle. Based on what you described, one potential problem is insufficient trailer tongue weight. It needs to be 10-12% of the actual loaded trailer weight, both for stability of the trailer )no sway) and to avoid having the tongue push the back of the truck around.
 
Tongue weight for that load should be 850 or more to tow properly. What are you hauling in the bed of the truck? As Gary mentioned, proper weights are required to really understand your set up. Read up on how to get a good three pass weigh done.
 
#1  Do as Gary suggested.  This is likely the biggest part of the issue.

#2 Tell us more about both truck and trailer tires:  Max load rating and max inflation pressure.

#3  Changing the setting on a WD hitch does not change tongue weight; it changes where the truck carries that weight.

With the TT connected and WD hitch set up, weigh:  Truck front axle    Truck rear axle    TT axles
Disconnect TT and reweigh each truck axle. 
The first 3 give GCW of the rig.  Wt 4+5 is the unloaded truck wt.  1+2 is loaded truck wt.
GCW - unloaded truck = TT weight.
Loaded truck  -  unloaded truck = TT tongue wt.
 
The tires are T rated (2756 lb) so the max is 51 psi (cold). I have been running at 36 psi (cold) which I am gathering is too low when towing. I've seen suggestions to run at 90% of max (= 45 psi cold) so I'll definitely give that a try. I believe the trailer tires are at max (that was the dealers philosophy).

I reran the numbers and my payload is 90% of the yellow sticker rating (1664 lb). My tongue weight is probably a bit lower than the manufacturers 660lb which seems right for a 5320 lb dry weight trailer.

My WD is setup for level and the bars don't move when at the RV dealer's setting. In retrospect I think I made the problem worse by cranking them up a link and shifting weight from the rear.

I do plan to take it to the scales in the new year but am looking for some quick fixes (since our season is coming to an end). I have reduced the trailers load and redistributed it (moved 100lbs from the front storage to the rear behind the axles). I'm also taking greater care on the left-right weight distribution because the problems really showed up when I had an uneven load (150lbs of wood on the same sides as me and the rear passenger = 300lbs difference).

Longer term I just want a more stable ride (not to tow more) so I guess LT tires would help. What about Timbrens to stop the bottoming out?
 
And the bed has a relatively low load...say 200 lbs max. So with 3 people the truck payload is pretty close to the tongue weight (max 680 vs. 660 lbs). I could move more weight out of the bed in to the front trailer storage...would it help?
 
I think your numbers are right, but to be sure:  Your Payload includes all passengers, truck cargo, WD hitch and Tongue wt. Correct?  The yellow sticker weight is the BEST payload number to use.  If you are at 90% of payload, that part is good.

Tire pressure is suspect.  If the tires are rated at 2756#, or 5500# per axle, tires are fine, but if they are carrying (guess) 75% of capacity, they should be at 80% of max pressure or higher.  DO NOT inflate above rated max pressure.  That will certainly help.

Moving stuff from the truck to the TT is often a good move.  100% of weight in the truck counts against Payload.  Only 10 - 12% of the same weight in the TT counts against Payload, through increased tongue wt.  Putting it the front of the TT will add more tongue wt, but since it came out of the truck, it still reduces Payload.  A heavier tongue wt will tow better, too.  Just be aware of the TT GVWR.

THANK YOU very much for bringing your questions here.  We want you safe and your rig stable, too.  We all share the same roads!
 
Yes I included everything in my GVW. I'm at the limit but the only way to really improve that is an F250.

I'll bump the pressures up to 45 psi (air is free) and shift as much as I can into the TT's front storage to add tongue weight (I have 500 lbs of TT-GVW headroom).

Any opinions on a better WD system? I have the basic Husky (w/ bars and chains) now. Would one with sway control help control the load (and leave my F150's anti-sway for those "we're gonna die moments")?

 
I have pulled some weight with my F150, 7klb bobcat and a 2klb trailer, truck does not like it at all, i have a 1800lb car trailer and if I put anything heavier than around 3k lbs there is a real loss of stablilty, F150 isnt built to do what they claim, if I use my 250 there is a huge difference even when I pull 15000lbs, almost cant feel it back there.
when this 150 is dead it will be my last one, just to limited on what they can do in real life.
 
You need MORE tongue weight, not less. The 660 pounds you referred to is the proper weight for an EMPTY trailer. Also the dsry weights they list for trailers is almost always 500 pounds lighter than actual dry weight so you will be much closer to the 7000 pound gross weight than you think. The tongue weight for 7000 pounds needs to be 850 or more. More always tows better.

I would also bet that you are not transferring enough weight to your front axle. That makes the front end of the truck light giving it a floaty insecure feeling that can only be cured by transferring more weight to the front.

Until you get the proper weights for all axles and all 3 passes nobody here can really help you because we are guessing based on information that none of us including you have. You can get close on the hitch set-up by measuring the front and rear fender heights before and after hooking up. but nobody knows how much tongue weight or trailer weight you have.
 
I had a similar problem.  Sway over 50mpg. Turned out my bars where not tight enough.  Went from 6 links of chain to 5. And problem went away
 
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