First interstate tow nightmare

J.Fallon · 08-13-2015, 01:16 PM

Took off down I-77 from Mooresville NC to Hunting Island Sc. 2014 Ford F-150. Reg cab 5.0 with a 6.5 bed. 2015 21FBRS. No wdh. Thought I was going to wreck the first time a semi went by. Go the death wobble and the dash was lite up like a Christmas tree. Go it slowed down. Got off interstate and took US 21 all the way 7 hrs. Any how. Have a good friend down here gonna hook me up with a Reese WDH. Please don't ever to without one!!!! Or at least test run the interstates before hand.

Happy Vibe · 08-13-2015, 01:27 PM

Did you have any kind of sway control?

AquaMan · 08-13-2015, 01:30 PM

A number of things could possibly have prevented this besides WDH, including truck tires. Once the tail starts wagging the dog, it gets harder to bring it back with squishy P-rated tires (if this is what you have on your truck). Give them a check and make sure you have LT tires, it's a much better feel.

txredfish · 08-13-2015, 01:31 PM

You are right. You do need a WDH. Reese is OK. I used a Reese dual cam for several years before going to a motorhome about 10 years ago. I was also pulling with a 1998 F150. Trailer weighed about 7000 lbs. Trucks going by still bothered me. Now, I have went back to a TT a couple of months ago and pull with 2014 F150 and 5.0. I purchased a Equalizer WDH, but I have not been on an interstate and passing trucks so I cannot vouch for it yet. But I would never pull a TT without a WDH.

**bikendan** · 08-13-2015, 02:06 PM

can't believe the dealer let you leave without one!

J.Fallon · 08-13-2015, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

can't believe the dealer let you leave without one!

they put the 2-5/16 ball on my hitch and said I would have no problem pulling a 4,000 lb trailer. I didn't as long as I didn't go over 55. Lol

rsdata · 08-13-2015, 03:09 PM

Quote:

it gets harder to bring it back with squishy P-rated tires (if this is what you have on your truck). Give them a check and make sure you have LT tires, it's a much better feel.

X2

A little less car like ride but better turning control also with LT tires

DaveSchwartz · 08-13-2015, 03:37 PM

Being able to carry the tongue weight without a WDH, assuming its in the proper percentage of total trailer weight, is a different animal than sway control. Unless the WDH has integral sway control, you'll probably have sway with P tires. LT tires will help the truck keep its rear in line but if the trailer wants to shove the hitch sideways, you'll still feel it. That's what a sway control is for - to limit the sideways shove at the hitch.

I used to tow a 4,000 lb TT with a WDH and no sway control (had it - never needed to hook it up). Of course, the TV was a GMC 2500HD diesel with LRE LT tires (planned for a future 5er, which we now have).

Pauls Toy Hauler · 08-13-2015, 04:02 PM

Next time you get that sway activate the manual trailer brakes slowly to pull the TV tight with the trailer. Just using the TV brakes as the main still makes the trailer move faster than your TV.

billb800si · 08-13-2015, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Fallon

they put the 2-5/16 ball on my hitch and said I would have no problem pulling a 4,000 lb trailer. I didn't as long as I didn't go over 55. Lol

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Unless you have "D" rated trailer tires (or higher) 55 is your maximum speed anyway.

prestonj12 · 08-13-2015, 04:18 PM

First upgrade I do to a truck is 8 or 10 ply tires. Currently running cooper at3 tires. Awesome. Good traction, strong as hell, and I can air them down a little when not towing. 80psi in the rear and 70 in the front seems to be the ticket for my towing needs.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MtnGuy · 08-13-2015, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billb800si

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Unless you have "D" rated trailer tires (or higher) 55 is your maximum speed anyway.

Huh ??

ST tires are rated for 65 mph, regardless of ply rating.

LT tires may help the on the tow vehicle a bit, but other things seem to be at play here.

BombDoc · 08-13-2015, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Fallon

Took off down I-77 from Mooresville NC to Hunting Island Sc. 2014 Ford F-150. Reg cab 5.0 with a 6.5 bed. 2015 21FBRS. No wdh. Thought I was going to wreck the first time a semi went by. Go the death wobble and the dash was lite up like a Christmas tree. Go it slowed down. Got off interstate and took US 21 all the way 7 hrs. Any how. Have a good friend down here gonna hook me up with a Reese WDH. Please don't ever to without one!!!! Or at least test run the interstates before hand.

Enjoy Hunting Island. I'm local if you need any advice.

J.Fallon · 08-13-2015, 04:36 PM

Thanks for the advice. Headed to pick up the WDH now to get us home and just ordered a 2016 F250 lol I won't have this problem with this trailer

mud yapster · 08-13-2015, 04:42 PM

I bought a used 35' TT and towed it home 60 miles with my F350 SRW and 55 was the limit or it would start to sway side to side. Scared me. LOL took it to my deer lease and left it there. Never did get a WDH for it but we never went very far away from the deer lease with it. had it 10 yrs and sold it for $300 less then what I paid for it. Regret selling it cause I never had one issue with it.
Get you a WDH sway control you will be surprised how well it tows. We have a 5er now and it's a totally different towing experience. Easy. But Turning is different.

MtnGuy · 08-13-2015, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Fallon

Thanks for the advice. Headed to pick up the WDH now to get us home and just ordered a 2016 F250 lol I won't have this problem with this trailer

There is no guarantee that an F250 won't still have problems towing a trailer without proper weight distributing, sway control, and correct trailer loading to make sure there is enough tongue weight. The cause for the current sway problems need to addressed 1st.

The empty weights on that trailer list the hitch as 10.8%. If much of the load is towards the back of the trailer (in the fridge and rear wardrobe), the tongue weight could be reduced to under 10%....a recipe for sway.

The bathroom is in the back !! As you add waste to the tanks, the total weight increases as it takes off weight on the tongue. Traveling with empty waste tanks should be the rule when the tanks are in the back.

Traveling without a WDH with ~500 lb. tongue weight is another big problem. The rear TV axle is probably overloaded, and the front axle doesn't have enough weight on it.

Sway control is very important. Integrated sway control incorporated in the the WDH is the best way to go. Check out Equal-i-zer 4pt, Reese Straight Line Dual Cam, Husky Center Line, or Blue Ox Sway Pro. ProPride or Hensley are top of the line (but not cheap), and are much cheaper than a new truck.

I pull a 28.5' trailer weighing 5500 lbs with an older F150 running P-tire (

) with nary a problem. There should not a problem with a properly equiped 2014 F150 pulling a 22' trailer that is setup correctly.

Ford Idaho · 08-13-2015, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Fallon

Thanks for the advice. Headed to pick up the WDH now to get us home and just ordered a 2016 F250 lol I won't have this problem with this trailer

Why not pony up just about one more payments worth and get the 350?

larryo · 08-13-2015, 05:01 PM

I'm not quite following this. The term "death wobble " usually refers to a severe wobble in the steering wheel indicating a problem with the front end of the truck. And what would lack of a wdh have to do with your dash lighting up? The f150 is more than enough truck for that trailer!

mud yapster · 08-13-2015, 05:49 PM

Your right I missed that on original read.
Explain your death wobble and all the dash lights OP.

pappcam · 08-14-2015, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Fallon

Thanks for the advice. Headed to pick up the WDH now to get us home and just ordered a 2016 F250 lol I won't have this problem with this trailer

An F150 is easily able to tow that trailer so there's no need for a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. A properly set up WDH and properly loaded trailer would have given you years of great towing.

Anyway, Ford thanks you for your purchase.

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