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Old 01-19-2020, 12:21 AM   #1
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Towing with standard hitch

I apologize in advance as this may a goofy question...

Does anyone pull their trailer any distance with a standard hitch - no antisway no weight distribution.

Our rv has been built and we can pick it up. I had planned to put a ProPride Hitch on it when we picked it up in spring. But if we pick it up now, it would be too cold to put it on in the parking lot. We live 3.5 hours from the dealer via expressways. If I took county highways, we could get it home in about 6-7 hours. The issue is the hitch. Hence my question about towing with with a standard hitch.

Details:
The trailer will be empty, an Ultralite 2614bs - approx 7000 lbs, 30 ft pulling it with our f250 Superduty. What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance,
Pat
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Old 01-19-2020, 01:05 AM   #2
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A lot to questions to answer to make a determination.

What is the rating on the standard hitch for weight being towed and tongue weight? Key piece of info, those two answers are.

7000 lb. trailer is going to be between 700lbs (10%) and 1050 lbs. (15%) tongue weight.

Can you get both the trailer level and the truck level while hitched without a weight distribution hitch? The main thing a weight distribution hitch does is puts weight back onto the front wheels when there is a trailer hitched that is removing it and placing a bunch on the rear axle. If you've ever driven a truck that needed a W/D hitch for the trailer it was towing, it feels like the trucks steering is very light and unresponsive, almost like the front end is losing traction because of the lack of weight on the front axle. Very scary not being able to get the truck to react to steering input.

The Anti-sway concerns me less IF you are taking back country roads and your speed will be less than 45 mph. I've never had sway be an issue at those speeds. If you will be traveling 55 or higher on the back roads, I'd have the sway control before I moved it as a 30' trailer is a big wind sail and can start moving around at those speeds.

Is there a reason they can't install your W/D hitch when you get there to pick-up the trailer? It's not a huge job and most dealerships do it while your signing the paperwork for you. If your buying direct from the factory, I would think they would want to you have the proper safety towing home and install it for you either for free if you brought it with you or for a small charge.

Safety is something I don't gamble on so would I do it? Nope. A new trailer that I have no idea how it will handle behind my truck and I've never towed before? We're not talking about a 4000 lb trailer that the truck is only using half it's capability for. So no, I wouldn't do it. That's my best advise.
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Old 01-19-2020, 05:36 AM   #3
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I've pulled our 9500lbs trailer about 10,000 miles without sway control or a wdh and I drive the speed limit or a little better if I have the road to myself. I weigh the tongue at every loading and keep it tongue heavy...I like about 1400lbs tongue weight. If you have a truck and receiver that can handle it...a heavy tongue is your friend.

A weight distribution hitch is required above a certain weight for most vehicles. Typically in trucks the longer the wheel base the more weight it will take on the tongue before a wdh is required. This weight limit was found during testing (SAE J2807) and this limit is in the manual for your truck. If you read the testing qualification, this limit was imposed because handling was being compromised at XXXX tongue weight. If you are flirting with that number then I would answer your question as NO...do not pull that trailer without one. -Check the manual and find your truck's limit.

Sway is a result of where weight is located on the trailer in reference to the trailer's axle. Excess weight behind the trailer's axle will make it more prone to sway. Having a tongue weight too low is a recipe for disaster. Check out the videos...

The tongue limit on my truck is 2000lbs and a wdh is not required up to that number. Your trailer looks to have a good percentage of tongue weight empty but if I was picking up that trailer (with my truck) I would put about 3 or 4 hundred lbs as far forward in that camper as I could get the weight and pull it home.



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Old 01-19-2020, 07:50 AM   #4
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You'll probably be fine. Take it easy, stay to the right and keep the speed down.

Keep a finger on the manual lever for the trailer brakes and lightly apply pressure if needed to reduce sway.

I would look for as calm of a day as you can or travel at night if that's an option.

Stay away from the tractor trailers moving fast.
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Old 01-19-2020, 09:11 AM   #5
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Thanks

Thanks for the quick replies. The dealership won’t put on a hitch they don’t sell. My plan was to have them tow it to a campground near by and then I would install it there. But nothing is open now. I may just wait until spring to bring it home as originally planned.

The truck would handle it fine.. class V hitch, 1500# tongue wt limit, long wheel base. I was thinking there might be something I was missing. I’ve towed 3k utility trailer all over with a standard hitch. But this one is 3x the length and almost 3x the wt. all that being said, spring will be here before we know it and I will install the right hitch as planned.

Thanks again,
Pat
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Old 01-19-2020, 09:19 AM   #6
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Sure , take it easy and feel it out. I deliver plenty trailers with out hooking up all them WDH .
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Old 01-19-2020, 11:13 AM   #7
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A university student ran a pretty comprehensive engineering study for his masters degree from the University of Bath in England a while back looking at sway (they call it snaking). You can find the results paper on the web (enough math, formulas, and statistics to make your head hurt). Bottom line was - speed is the biggest influence to sway. Keep your speed down and I would expect you will be fine.
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Old 01-19-2020, 12:14 PM   #8
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If you do it and the feels squirrely stop and use a different hitch with a different drop..............A couple of inches can make all the different in the world.


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Old 01-19-2020, 12:26 PM   #9
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When we purchased our Roo 23SS, we bought about two hours away. I didn't have any anti sway device at all. Taking the highways I maintained the speed limit or less. Stayed in the slow Lane to get the feeling for that size unit. My previous camper was a pop up.

After our second camping trip, I went to my local dealer who showed me the Equalizer WDS.

Now I ploy ahead at 70+ without any issue. And this transfers to other vehicles.
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Old 01-19-2020, 12:37 PM   #10
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Roo in production

When we toured the factory, 5hey were making A run of Roos. They are made on the same line as the Ultralite trailers. That is a cool looking trailer.
Pat
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Old 01-19-2020, 12:52 PM   #11
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I'd tow it home. You have the truck for it. Try it out on the slower back roads first.
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Old 01-19-2020, 01:42 PM   #12
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Tow level

At 78, I may be a bit older than some of the posters. I can recall when there was no such thing as a W/D hitch and when trailers were made with steel frames and Masonite siding. No one knew what they weighted but they had to be heavy.
My father was a civil engineer who did primarily road construction and wanted to have his family with him. He towed a 32 foot Roycraft trailer with a 1950 Ford car. It had a V-8 engine and 3 speed on the column transmission. He fabricated overload springs and engineered a hitch that was welded directly to the car's frame.
He towed all over the northern mid-west -- Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and even Wisconsin, in fair and foul weather. Quite literally thousands of miles with the crudest of equipment on roads far less well constructed than today.
We moved to a new job about every three months -- yes, they built roads from start to finish in abut 3 months in the '50's. Now it takes over 5 years to do much the same thing. Progress??
He never had a problem. But, he did not tow at high speeds and insisted that his car and trailer be level.
I suspect your biggest concern, if you use common sense and tow level, is liability if some accident does happen. Lawyers sue at the drop of a hat and not having "recommended equipment" by those selling the equipment is a prescription for liability if there is an accident.
I am still towing and we have about the same weight trailers. I use an Anderson hitch and use air bags to tow level. We regularly run from Oregon to Florida and back without any problems. Our tow vehicle is a 2500HD Duramax Chevy.
Other than liability concerns, I would not hesitate. We have just barely over 100,000 miles and the vast majority of it is towing. I have never had a problem, not even in the Columbia Gorge, a very windy place.

I would tow with a standard hitch but now that I have the Anderson, it is so easy to use and attach, I doubt that I will ever tow without it.

I would tow level and agree with a prior poster that being a bit tongue heavy is not a bad thing -- unless it is so heavy it takes weight off the steering axle.
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Old 01-19-2020, 02:07 PM   #13
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I'd see a friend to borrow a hitch if possible
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Old 01-19-2020, 02:26 PM   #14
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We live our Roo, but it is a 2009. Next unit will be fully enclosed. DW likes the 2608BDS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PatHoppe View Post
When we toured the factory, 5hey were making A run of Roos. They are made on the same line as the Ultralite trailers. That is a cool looking trailer.
Pat
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Old 01-19-2020, 02:35 PM   #15
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Sway is a result of where weight is located on the trailer in reference to the trailer's axle. Excess weight behind the trailer's axle will make it more prone to sway. Having a tongue weight too low is a recipe for disaster. Check out the videos...

The tongue limit on my truck is 2000lbs and a wdh is not required up to that number. Your trailer looks to have a good percentage of tongue weight empty but if I was picking up that trailer (with my truck) I would put about 3 or 4 hundred lbs as far forward in that camper as I could get the weight and pull it home.


I have frequently pulled my 7,000 lb TT to and from storage on the vehicle hitch, but that is a 10 miles on local roads.

Your TV can handle the weight with no concern, but the weight distribution and sway results videos that BigH linked were most informative.

I think the advice to put up front weight in the trailer and keep moderate speeds will make it perfectly fine to bring her home. That's what I would do.

JJ
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Old 01-19-2020, 02:55 PM   #16
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I've pulled a 24' 10,000lb enclosed trailer for a buddy of mine and have never had any issue. Longest trip was 400 miles through West Virginia on 19 and I79. Cruise was set at 63 and barely knew it was back there. I would think a 250 for a 7,000lb will be fine for your driving distance.
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Old 01-19-2020, 03:02 PM   #17
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Towing with Standard Hitch

I towed with a standard hitch for over ten years and did not have any problems. Then I got the smart idea and got and Airstream camper and the thing came with a WDH. The Airstream dealer in Norcross Firmly believed in them so I decided to give it a try. I found out quick that it made pull our 28 foot Globetrotter a hold lot easier to pull at 70 MPH and not have to worry about the trail swaying with me and reduced the drag from the semi as they pass you at 80 plus. I pull it with a Silverado 1500 and do great. Been east and west North and South. Like everyone says check your weights in the books of the truck verify them and enjoy if it matches what your trying to do!

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Old 01-19-2020, 04:37 PM   #18
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Dealer

Ask the dealer to install the WDH. When I picked mine up, the dealer had it installed along with a brake controller before I finished signing the paper work. Remember, they have to be nice to you
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Old 01-19-2020, 05:23 PM   #19
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Ask the dealer to install the WDH. When I picked mine up, the dealer had it installed along with a brake controller before I finished signing the paper work. Remember, they have to be nice to you
The OP said in post #5, that the dealer won't install hitches that they don't sell.

"Thanks for the quick replies. The dealership won’t put on a hitch they don’t sell."
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Old 01-19-2020, 07:12 PM   #20
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I hauled new trailers all over the country for a year and never put a WDH on, these were brand new trailers and none of the people I worked with installed them on delivery's. But realize, most people delivering for the factory's have a 3500 dually. Now that I'm hauling my own camper, YES I put a WD/SWAY hitch on. Since your pulling a 7K trailer with a F250, I think you'll be ok if you watch your speed and make sure you have good weather with low cross winds
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