New'b from OK.

getsum · 01-10-2016, 10:09 AM

Just purchased a 2016 Vibe 308BHS. Long time boater and camper. We just wanted something a little nicer (well a lot nicer) and to have a permanent setup at the lake to relieve some of the hussle and bussle of setup and tear down of camping.

No pictures yet as I looked at one in person but my local dealer couldn't come within $3k of a dealer in Michigan.

So I will be towing this camper back totally empty at 7334 lbs. My F-150 Ecoboost is rated at 8500lbs with a max cargo weight of 1439 lbs. The tongue weight of the TT is 786lbs. I weigh 185lbs and won't have any passengers. Full fuel tank is another 150lbs. The accessories on my truck (folding bed cover and a bedrug) I approx weight of 100lbs.

So, this puts me under my limit but only by about 15-20%. I really don't want to invest into a weight dist. or anti sway hitch as this is really the only time I will tow it, as I said before it will be a permanent setup for years to come.

My boat is an Axis A24 wakeboard boat and my truck pulls it great without issue. It weighs a total of approx. 6400lbs with the trailer, fuel, and cargo.

However, the dynamics of a huge flat surface vs a relatively sleek boat. I'm anticipating more wind blown issues.

My real question is I should be ok pulling this back from Michigan with my truck taking my time and keeping it under 70mph right?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MillerTime · 01-10-2016, 10:28 AM

Welcome from central Oklahoma! (Your profile shows arizona though)
First, you are going to want a good hitch setup with sway, on a trailer that long.
I couldn't tell you for sure, but i would think a one-time tow, empty all around would make this doable with a good hitch. And yes a tt will catch a lot of wind compared to most boats. Im a fellow boater and we tow a 28' boat (35' with trailer) back and forth from our seasonal campground, but our camper pulls much harder.
Also most trailer tires are only rated for 65mph. Also take a jack and tools to change a tire, as campers dont come with any.
Good luck and have fun!

aceinspp · 01-10-2016, 10:46 AM

Welcome to the forum. ( yep noticed profile said AZ also) If your not going to invest in a WDH then you will be sure to have sway with the length of tt and speeds will be kept to 55mph or less. You will find tt not tow friendly without proper hitch set up. I also towed many a boat up to 26ft with 32 ft trailer and boat trailers handle so much better as the weight is better distributed and could tow at 70mph with no issues not so with tt. Later RJD

Wiscampsin · 01-10-2016, 11:20 AM

Welcome from Wisconsin and congrats on your 2016 Vibe 308BHS.

getsum · 01-10-2016, 11:34 AM

Fixed my location. Hard to do from tapatalk but managed to do it from the full site online

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MillerTime · 01-10-2016, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getsum

Fixed my location. Hard to do from tapatalk but managed to do it from the full site online

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cool!
I work in Edmond but live east about 30 minutes.
What lake do you plan on staying at or do you frequent?

getsum · 01-10-2016, 01:28 PM

Tenkiller. I have my boat there as well. I'm excited for warmer weather. We are Razorback fans as well and plan on using our rv as a sleep spot after lake season and during football season for home games in Fayetteville.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ford Idaho · 01-10-2016, 01:37 PM

Good morning from SW Idaho.

JeffandLori · 01-10-2016, 01:40 PM

I have a'n F-150 rated at 8100 towing capacity and a 2906 WS camper with Equalizer 4 point WDH and anti sway. Have only towed it four times so far and all have been less than 70 mile trips with speeds of 60ish mph. Wind blowing across central Florida farmgrounds....WDH and anti sway? From my cold, dead hands. Throw in some reduced lane width due to construction and uneven pavement....

Plus, after you have had it six months, your wife will want to take it back home to clean it. Then the outside will need to be washed. Then a slide won't work so it will need to go back to the dealer. Then time for annual maintenance......

Spend the $800 on the hitch to make towing the $30k camper safer and easier. Gets windy in OK, no?

MillerTime · 01-10-2016, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getsum

Tenkiller. I have my boat there as well. I'm excited for warmer weather. We are Razorback fans as well and plan on using our rv as a sleep spot after lake season and during football season for home games in Fayetteville.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sweet!
I grew up visiting my grandparents in Mountain Home, Ar and going to lakes up there. We keep our camper at Keystone, and we are up there most weekends from mid march till mid November. This year we will be hitting other lakes hopefully. Plan on GLOC and LOTO, but will probably hit Eufaula and some others for poker runs.
I love lake life!!
It will be awesome for you all to have a camper home base close to a lake!

getsum · 01-10-2016, 01:59 PM

I grew up going to Lake Norfork. Mountain Home we visited often. LOTO is on my bucket list as well as Broken Bow.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MillerTime · 01-10-2016, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getsum

I grew up going to Lake Norfork. Mountain Home we visited often. LOTO is on my bucket list as well as Broken Bow.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Went to high school there for a little bit when i lived with my grandparents. We lived about 2 miles from buzzard roost at Norfork. We usually make it up there about once a year.
Hopefully all the lakes come down by summer, we got a late start this past year with all the rain.

BamaBob · 01-10-2016, 02:32 PM

Welcome to the Forums from Huntsville, AL! Congrats on the new 2016 Vibe 308BHS!

jgourlie · 01-10-2016, 05:47 PM

I am pretty sure the tongue weight of the trailer is going to buckle the rear end of your f150. I think you will find that you will need a WDH no matter what. Maybe try to find a used hitch on Craigslist to save some coin

MillerTime · 01-10-2016, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgourlie

I am pretty sure the tongue weight of the trailer is going to buckle the rear end of your f150. I think you will find that you will need a WDH no matter what. Maybe try to find a used hitch on Craigslist to save some coin

Buckle? How you figure?

Op stated the tongue weight was 786lb and he has over 1400lb of cargo weight. I guarantee you that trailer wont buckle the frame of that truck unless he is involved in an accident or adds a ton (literally and figuratively ) to the front of the trailer.
His truck may squat some but thats about it.

JeffandLori · 01-10-2016, 08:07 PM

I have 1724 of cargo capacity and my hitch weight is 816 as per the catalog. I have hooked up the camper to move it around the yard without the WDH bars and I think it sagged a bit more, but wasn't horrible.

I'm still more concerned about going down the road.

jgourlie · 01-10-2016, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MillerTime

Buckle? How you figure?

Op stated the tongue weight was 786lb and he has over 1400lb of cargo weight. I guarantee you that trailer wont buckle the frame of that truck unless he is involved in an accident or adds a ton (literally and figuratively ) to the front of the trailer.
His truck may squat some but thats about it.

By buckle I mean it will sag his truck down to the bumpstops. My trailer which is similar to the OP will do that to my tundra and has also done it to a chev 2500. In my experience he won't be able to make a 13 hour trip with this trailer without a WDH unless he wants to ride on the bumpstops with the front of his truck And headlights pointing way up in the air.

getsum · 01-10-2016, 09:17 PM

I always ride like that... That's Cali style!!! Jeeze... Just relax... I'm borrowing my fathers wdh for this trip. All will be fine, although I believe it would've been ok as well.

I once towed a 28' disc with a 1990 F-150 inline 6 over 200 miles. I rode on the bump stops a while and decided I didn't like it. So when I had to pull it back, I cut and welded some "custom" spring blocks that kept the springs from compressing all the way to the stops. It was a long ride but I made it just fine.

Oh and I was all of 19 years old. Sometimes you just have to go get the job done.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jgourlie · 01-11-2016, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getsum

I always ride like that... That's Cali style!!! Jeeze... Just relax... I'm borrowing my fathers wdh for this trip. All will be fine, although I believe it would've been ok as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From one owner to another, I just didn't want you to drive 13 hours and be in for a surprise when you drop the tongue of your trailer onto the ball and watch as the back of your truck keeps sinking and sinking.

I have the cousin to your trailer and I am just sharing my experience towing my/your trailer with a 1/2 ton truck

You may also like: