Towing with standard hitch

[dbledan]

I think you will be fine looking at the specs. I doubt you would have issues even on the highway unloaded but better safe than sorry and stay slow until you get a feel for it.

I would eventually get a WDH with sway control for piece of mind but you may find you dont need it. The propride will not disappoint you even if you had no issues without one as you will feel the difference (in your seat and your wallet). Great hitches just ungodly expensive. I use mine from my F150 on my F350 and same TT.

I had only 1 pull with the F350 so far with the propride. It was great.

Pulling with a 250 (once) and no wdh I had no real sway problems but you still feel the trucks pulling you so depends on how comfortable you are with it. I pulled on the highway without issues with a bit lower weights than you are talking about just under 7k total and 1000-1100lb tongue.

Compare that with the 150 with a blueox and it was a white knuckle.

I had an F150 (plenty of truck they said) when I bought my trailer and spent an hour at the dealer having them install a hitch and they screwed it all up and I had to do it all over again so you are making the right move in my opnion. Eventually got the propride and would not tow without it now even if I had no issues. Wish I had just gone straight to it.

If you feel you have to have one to leave the dealer you could pick one that has minimal trailer work to do with the trailer. The blueox was 2 hangers measured on the trailer torqued to stay for the trailer part. Not sure how much is needed for others but the propride will require a few hours of work. It took me 4 hrs taking my time for everything and the trailer is required for everything past connecting the stinger.

Let me know if you want more information from what I have experienced. If not best of luck and congrats on the new trailer.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by valleyduo

... I would think a 250 for a 7,000lb will be fine for your driving distance.

Originally Posted by jdbunch1630

... 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

I just want to point something out...

Assuming everything will be fine because the tow vehicle is a HD 3/4 ton truck and the trailer weighs 'only' 7,000lbs is flawed. While a HD 3/4 truck may make it easier to regain control if things 'started' to go sideways, that truck has zero affect on preventing a trailer from starting to sway. -Some trucks have built in sway control but that electronic aid only performs its job after things have gotten squirrely.

Proper trailer loading is the best sway prevention available.

[mulher]

When I picked up my first TT I had no clue and pulled it about an hour with Reg hitch on a f150. Trailer was 31 ft and about 6 k empty, has a fees oh oh moments but took my time and drove a lil slower than usual,btw I had never even towed a trailer before lol.

[thebrakeman]

If you don't need it now, wait until spring, and go with your nearby campground plan.
If you need it now, have it professionally delivered.

[SmartAz]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

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.

Thats what she said!

[SmartAz]

That’s what she said!

[Firestone]

We tow a 2019 Flagstaff 21FBRS with a GMC 2500HD with 6.0 gas motor. We do not use a WDH, but do use one anti-sway bar. We have E rated tires on tow vehicle and Timbren bump stops on rear suspension. Tows like a dream and I have no complaints.

[jeffnick]

Bought a boat on ebay. I pulled it home from Lake Mead to SC (2,000 miles) at 55 mph or less with no WD hitch. When I weighed the boat/trailer it was over 11,000 lbs. There was plenty of travel left in the rear springs of my van - never a problem or concern.

[babock]

Originally Posted by jeffnick

Bought a boat on ebay. I pulled it home from Lake Mead to SC (2,000 miles) at 55 mph or less with no WD hitch. When I weighed the boat/trailer it was over 11,000 lbs. There was plenty of travel left in the rear springs of my van - never a problem or concern.

How much tongue weight?

[sunnyinfla]

never,never,never..if you value you and your occupant's

[Flat_twin]

The dealer should have a Sherline or similar scale to weigh the tongue. If he can't help you with that, find a CAT scale and weigh the trailer and the tongue and do the math. Strongly agree with getting the rig level for this trip with no WD hitch. Your F250 will squat just a little ( I own one and I know how they respond to 800lbs tongue weight) but should be fine provided the tongue has 12-15% on it.

[Bridgo]

I have always towed with just hitch horse trailers 31 foot airstream in the 70s pop up car trailers jet skis, TT 2500 Ram my only thing is I don’t speed. 55/60 all the time. I have trailer break I can reach if need to stop a sway but I never have a sway because I just see on down the road.

[babock]

Funny how many just don't understand the purpose of a WDH!

[Mewcasa]

Some thoughts you may want to consider...

You are getting a new RV and asking a question about taking chances towing that new RV, in winter, hundreds (?) of miles and without the recommended equipment?

I wonder what your insurance company would say?

I wonder what kind of hazards (life, property, etc.) you are exposing to others besides your own?

I’m surprised the dealer will let you take it off his property. Your not just going around the block!

It’s not that difficult and doesn’t take that long to install a WDH. You Tube has plenty of videos available to watch. If the weather was that bad not to install one, why attempt the trip even with a proper hitch installed?

I read a lot here about sway. Sway is not the primary thing I’d be concerned about when there’s not enough weight on the front of your tow vehicle to make a direction correction (turns) or want useful braking. Now add a little sway to that rig and now watch how white your knuckles will turn!

I have an 8k WDH I’ll let you borrow or sell for a really decent price (almost free my friend). There’s enough to worry about when accepting and hauling a new RV than have to add that worry to the package.

Save taking chances until you pass thru Las Vegas some night with that new RV.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

Some thoughts you may want to consider...

You are getting a new RV and asking a question about taking chances towing that new RV, in winter, hundreds (?) of miles and without the recommended equipment?

What chances?
What recommended equipment what are you talking about? A WDH isn't required until 1500lbs on his truck.

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

I wonder what your insurance company would say?

Congratulations for following your owners manual!

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

I wonder what kind of hazards (life, property, etc.) you are exposing to others besides your own?

None with a properly loaded trailer.

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

I’m surprised the dealer will let you take it off his property. Your not just going around the block!

Why? For being within what the engineers (and lawyers) lay down in the owners manual?

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

It’s not that difficult and doesn’t take that long to install a WDH. You Tube has plenty of videos available to watch. If the weather was that bad not to install one, why attempt the trip even with a proper hitch installed?

I read a lot here about sway. Sway is not the primary thing I’d be concerned about when there’s not enough weight on the front of your tow vehicle to make a direction correction (turns) or want useful braking. Now add a little sway to that rig and now watch how white your knuckles will turn!

The amount of weight that starts to cause a problem with vehicle handling due to unloading the front axle (and more) is tested under SAE J2807...This weight is not pulled out of a hat by fearmongers, it is tested and measured. The testing determines the tongue weight that needs a WDH and then it is placed in the owners manual. You can read about it for yourself:

SAE J2807 Tow Tests - The Standard

Originally Posted by Mewcasa

I have an 8k WDH I’ll let you borrow or sell for a really decent price (almost free my friend). There’s enough to worry about when accepting and hauling a new RV than have to add that worry to the package.

Save taking chances until you pass thru Las Vegas some night with that new RV.

Its not taking chances...understanding your vehicle's limits (reading the owners manual), understanding how trailer loading affects handling and staying within these limits prevents taking chances.

Where does one get all this worry?

[campkasten]

I have towed our current camper (just under 5000 lbs) with just a drawbar and ball for short distances... 30 miles or less... on mostly 2-lane roads and keep the speeds down around 50-55 mph.
No sway issues.

But the drawbar I have for this purpose sets the camper slightly nose DOWN and the truck sits level. The camper is loaded like usual with the extra stuff in the camper being FORWARD of the axles. I am VERY aware of bigger trucks and windy situations when I do this.

For longer trips or a lot of Interstate highway driving, I prefer using the Equalizer.

I believe you COULD tow your new rig home without the ProPride hitch, but it would be a little risky. Are you unable to do the install of the ProPride yourself? I installed a Hensley once myself and they are the same type of hitch.

[Dave Lyon]

An empty trailer towed with a 3/4 ton truck...…..you should be fine. I would do it under those circumstances.

[Pure Luck]

Ford claims that a properly equipped F250 from 2017 and on can handle 18,000lbs and 1800lb tongue weight. I have a 2017 with the camper package and airbags, and I pulled my Cherokee 294BH with no issues on just the hitch. Make sure that the hitch that you have can handle the weight and you should be fine. I finally got a WD hitch just for the anti sway, it made the ride in high winds and highway travel a lot more enjoyable.

[JRogers984]

You are just pulling it home.
You should be fine.
You are well within specs.

Most problems occur because someone is pressing or exceeding the limits.

[jeffnick]

Originally Posted by babock

How much tongue weight?

About 1,100 lbs on the tongue.