Towing a 33' Travel Trailer

[CDN_Taxman]

I modified my weights above. My trailer would weigh a maximum of 6,500 lbs loaded!

My trailer is a 24 foot KZ Spree. Total trailer length is 28 ' 3".

As mentioned, I'm pulling it with the 4.6 L 3 valve truck with the standard towing package.

I wanted a longer version of trailer but the misses talked me out of it.

Mike

 

[Derby6]

Is pulling a 33' trailer with a new F150 any different than pulling a heavier Toy hauler with a 13 yr old F350? I didn't spend a lot of time researching but from what I saw on cars.com, the tow ratings on the trucks are about the same.

56kz2slow pretty much summed it up.  Vehicle curb weight and power.  Lessens sway and has the weight and engine power to go up and hold back on hills.  New trucks have come a long way, but you can't compare a F350 Crew Cab Long Bed Diesel truck to a F150 Shortbed.  I do know they are also building these trailers alot lighter now a days too...

I know the difference between the trucks.  7000lbs is 7000lbs no matter what your towing it with.  If Ford states the new F150 can pull as much as an old F350, why question it?

Why Question it... SAFETY

Like I said, I am not on here to be a thorn, but 'the devils advocate' if you will.  I do not know mooseandsquirrels background, so if they are experienced with pulling trailers they will probably be fine.  But my initial impression is they are new to towing and to completely max your vehicles load and towing capacity not being familiar with trailer towing can be very dangerous and disastrous.

 

[Jammer]

We recently purchased a 33' trailer and I am VERY nervous about pulling something this long through the mountains.

I too, would be somewhat concerned.

Anyone have any experience with this type of setup?

I pull a 30' Airstream with an older Chevrolet K2500.  It works fine, for me.  Airstreams are somewhat easier to pull for their weight and length than other trailers, because they are lower.

We are looking at a couple of different hithes to help control sway, etc. but it would be nice to get someone else's firsthand experience to help put me at ease.

My advice would be to get a Hensley or Propride hitch.  I have the Propride hitch, and have been extremely happy with it.  Either hitch, properly installed, will control sway better than the various lesser hitches that are out there.  With that combination of tow vehicle and trailer, sway control is going to matter, and it's well worth the money.

I would also suggest that you get the Maxbrake brake controller, which will give you better braking performance than the common inertial controllers.  You should also be thinking about heavy duty shocks and maybe a steering stabilizer for the tow vehicle, and you're going to want to go through the truck and be sure that there's no play in the steering and that the suspension is all exactly right before your trip.

Set up right like that I wouldn't be concerned safety wise about the stability of the rig.

In the mountains pulling a rig like that is going to be tough on the drive train and you have to understand that you're shortening the life of the transmission, especially, with that kind of a setup.  A transmission cooler will help some but even so the parts just wear faster.  Be sure you stay out of overdrive, and consider a transmission temperature gauge so you can see what's going on.

 

[AZApplebee]

56kz2slow pretty much summed it up.  Vehicle curb weight and power.  Lessens sway and has the weight and engine power to go up and hold back on hills.  New trucks have come a long way, but you can't compare a F350 Crew Cab Long Bed Diesel truck to a F150 Shortbed.  I do know they are also building these trailers alot lighter now a days too...

I compared it to a F350 because one of the previous posters (Updated...I just realized you were the previous poster) said he should get a bigger truck or a smaller trailer. The poster happened to have a 97 F350.  If weight is a concern...My 1/2 ton Tundra as well as the  OP's F150 weighs the same as the older F350.

Why Question it... SAFETY

Like I said, I am not on here to be a thorn, but 'the devils advocate' if you will.  I do not know mooseandsquirrels background, so if they are experienced with pulling trailers they will probably be fine.  But my initial impression is they are new to towing and to completely max your vehicles load and towing capacity not being familiar with trailer towing can be very dangerous and disastrous.

If you need to question a vehicle tow rating because of safety, you should stick to a sedan.

 

[Derby6]

AZApplebee you off on some numbers as is cars.com. ie my truck weighs 8800lbs.  This is from a scale and done multiple times. (I am thinking cars.com did not account for the PSD)  No F150 or Tundra weighs that being empty.  Also note that the GVWR is 2000lbs more on the 13 year old F350.
Not sure why you say I should stick to a sedan, other than to be nasty.  No need in that we can agree to disagree professionally.
I have towed many many trailers tens of thousands of miles and do not know it all, but have a pretty good idea.

 

[Derby6]

Can't decide between the Reece dual cam or the Hensley.  Is the Hensley really worth the money or will the Reese accomplish the same thing?

  That's a tough one.  I have always used Reese hitches and had no issues.  Just make sure you get dual sway bars.  I looked around and see some really good comments on the hensley system by other folks towing pretty bgg trailers with lighter vehicles.  That may be your best bet.
Funny, I saw a few posts saying the Hensley system was not working well at all on the duramax diesels...something with the Hensley system and the Allison transmission not playing well together...Interesting, but not pertinent to you all..

 

[Jammer]

You could look at the Propride which is slightly cheaper.

It is my experience that everyone who has towed with both hitches says there's a huge difference.  I've never had the dual cam so I can't speak to its shortcomings, but the Propride is great, no sway at all.

 

[AZApplebee]

Not sure why you say I should stick to a sedan, other than to be nasty.  No need in that we can agree to disagree professionally.

Sorry Derby 6.  I wasn't directing that at you.  It was just a generic "if someone can't trust the specs set by the manufacturer, maybe they shouldn't be pulling a trailer."  No nastiness intended.

 

[Derby6]

Fair enough..That is the problem with Forums sometimes...No voice infliction to know if some posts are an attack, a joke, or plain serious...  I obviously mis took that one
No worries, here, I am square!

 

[rolling condo]

I have a 34' TT and use the Reese Dual Cam HP hitch set up.  It does a great job of sway control.

'90 Suburban R2500
'90 Avion 34V
Reese Dual Cam HP
Cummins Onan P4300ie

 

[THUNDERCH1CKEN]

I have Equal-I-zer hitch and love it!
05 GMC 2500 with the duramax
Puma 30fqss

 

[krt2]

I've towed a 30' TT for 14 years with a 3/4 ton Suburban, using the Hensley Arrow and wouldn't do anything different.  Well, make that 13 years; the first year I used a regular equalizer hitch, and there is no comparison.  The Hensley puts you in a completely different league.  It makes a world of difference.

Towing something as long as you're planning on, I wouldn't mess around.  Go with the Hensley.  It changes the physices of the hitch connection so that your TT tows more like a 5th wheel.  (or the ProPride - though I don't have any direct experience with it, it works on the same principle.)  The friction sway control doesn't really address the issues causing the sway.  They just try to mask it.  The Hensley (and ProPride) really make the sway go away.

Its worth the extra money!
Kim