Greetings - New 28BHBE!

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 12:46 PM

Hello Everyone! I just ordered our new Jayflight 28BHBE today! It is actually in stock at my local dealer so should be picking it up this week.

One question - I am towing with a maxed out F150 but I know there are issues with tongue weight. I weighed it and it seems as though I have the headroom, but I still want to make sure I have a great hitch. Recommendations on hitches for a half ton pulling a 28BHBE???

Thanks and looking forward to being on this forum!

dalebra · 02-10-2016, 12:54 PM

Equilazer Equal-i-zer® Hitch - The “American Original” with 4-Point Sway Control™ and Weight Distribution

SkyBound · 02-10-2016, 01:15 PM

Your tongue weight will be around 1300lbs depending how you load it. The Equalizer is a great hitch at a reasonable price. You will definitely need 1400lb bars. Your truck will struggle with that thing - I have just about the biggest, badest F-150 you can get in terms of towing capability and I wouldn't hitch a 28BHBE onto it. Payload, rear axle rating and hitch rating will almost certainly be exceeded unless you have the Heavy Duty Payload Package (7 bolt axles).

**Mustang65** · 02-10-2016, 01:37 PM

CONGRATULATIONS on the JAYCO!!!

...and WELCOME TO JOF!!! The members here are GREAT!!! There is a lot of GREAT information to be found here. I am sure that you will have information and pictures to share with us... so please do!!

If I may ask, what gear ration does your F150 have? Tow Packages? Here is the official Ford chart, the 2013 is the about the same as the 2012 ratings

Don

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 01:43 PM

We have a Super Crew with 3.73 and Max Tow.

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 01:46 PM

I'm seeing dry hitch at 660, and I'm planning for about 900 with loading. From what I've read, most reliable way to determine available real tongue capacity is to weight the truck, loaded and with a full tank of gas and then back that out of the GVWR - which gives me 1400. So, according to that I have some room to work. What am I missing? I know that F150 is on the lighter side of what is needed - not looking to tow long distances, through mountains or at speeds greater than 60mph, at least initially. Thanks!

SkyBound · 02-10-2016, 01:52 PM

What you're missing is a common understated tongue weight that all the manufacturers publish. It's not your fault for going by the numbers, but understand that published tongue weight does not include battery or propane tank weight and is calculated with an empty trailer (which too is understated). Most trailers are at least 500lbs heavier in real life than what the book says, and tongue weights need to be in the 10-15% of loaded weight area for a safe and comfortable tow.

The 28BHBE is a MASSIVE trailer and quite heavy, too. It is a popular floor plan and there are plenty of threads on this forum about them. There was a recent one where an owner reported his tongue weight to be 1500lbs. You will certainly, without question, be over 1000lbs no matter what you do.

The fact you have the MaxTow with 3.73 could be your saving grace. It may just work. What's the payload on your door sticker?

Jhowemca · 02-10-2016, 01:52 PM

It's not how much weight can my truck pull...
It's how much weight can my truck hold? As in payload (people, gear, and trailer tongue weight).
Your tongue weight is around 1000lbs - 1200lbs.
You have to know what your truck "payload" is.

Good luck!

SkyBound · 02-10-2016, 01:58 PM

That trailer will weigh at least 7000lbs empty. Add in your gear, food, clothes, etc. and you're easily over 8000lbs. 13% of 8000lbs is 1040lbs and then add in your dual 60lb propane tanks and battery which together will be about 200lbs of extra tongue weight... Right there you're over 1200lbs of tongue weight.

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 02:04 PM

Gotcha, that is going to be tight, but according to my actual measurements I have 1400lbs of available payload capacity. Given I'm not going far nor going fast (or over mountains) am I still pushing it too far you think?

need-a-vacation · 02-10-2016, 02:04 PM

Welcome and congrats on the new rig!!!

You are doing some homework which is good. But depending on how you load you may be underestimating the tw!!! To start, add about 160lb for 2-30lb propane tanks and a battery. Then depending on how you load that could climb very quickly. And if you will be traveling with the fresh water tank(s) full or not..... As a comparison, our 32 BHDS has a "brochure" dry tw of 910lbs (I think it is), mostly loaded as we had just picked up the camper the night before and loaded most of our stuff in, was 1400lbs ready to rock with all the tanks (fresh, gray, black) empty (all pipes and hw tank were full- bit much weight, but a little). Have changed a few things since, shelves in all the wardrobes, rear cargo hitch, bike rack, and bikes, and the fence post sleeve mods. I am sure the tw is still in the ball park of 1350lbs though. As mentioned, the truck's receiver hitch will be one of the limiting factors also.

How many passengers, and what is their total weight? Have you added any accessories to the truck: step bars, topped, tonneau cover, etc??? All those weights count toward the trucks available payload as well as the wdh and the tw.

For a good wdh, check out the Reese Dual Cam, Reese SC, or as mentioned, the Eqaul-I-Zer 4 way system. The Dual Cam is a little more finicky to set up, and may need some re-adjustment if your tw changes a fair amount (full vs empty fresh tank(s). The Reese hitch head (same for both models) does allow a little more fine tuning for the wd bar adjustment vs the Eqayl-I-Zer hitch head. But you can't go wrong with any of them!!! Search some of my recent posts for links to setting up a wdh and how a wdh works (on my phone so can't post the links). You will probably need to re-adjust the wdh once you load the trailer up since the dealer is only setting it up to an empty trailer.

Good luck!!!

Ottawasteve · 02-10-2016, 02:14 PM

Those tongue weight estimates seem a little heavy compared to some of the previously posted cat-scaled tongue weights for the 28BHBE.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...lts-17202.html

The 2016's may have a heavier tongue weight.

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 02:27 PM

That is what I was thinking based on prior research. My yellow stickers are under these as well. Also, I weighed my truck much as the post you put here and I did similar expected calculations on the trailer and it appeared I was okay. But, I haven't weighed it with the actual trailer.

SkyBound · 02-10-2016, 02:28 PM

The fact that you have the Max Tow is very important here. It ups your payload and your RAWR which are 2 significant values that can be limiting. It could keep you inside your number limits. I'm not throwing a red flag here but I do encourage you to go to the scales because it will be tight. The hitch on my '13 Max Tow from the factory is rated at 1150lbs of tongue weight - yours may be similar or the same. Keep that in mind.

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 02:34 PM

My F150 is a 2016 - tongue weight max is 1400 on mine (I think, confirming now...)

LittleLuth · 02-10-2016, 02:51 PM

My yellow sticker with full propane tanks says 6,866lbs. I have been planning on 800ish lbs of cargo in the trailer. That puts me loaded at call it 7,700lbs. At 13% I'd be right at 1,000lbs of tongue weight. My real (measured) available payload is 1,400lbs and that is also (coincidence or not) my max tongue load. Even at 15% I'm 1,150lbs tongue weight or 82% of what I am measuring as max available loads. My measured available payload based on using CAT scales with expected passengers and full tank of gas. It is possible I will have 100lbs more people or dogs in the truck, but again, I think that's within my tolerances. I guess my question is, specifically, is there a WDH that would be "best" given my set-up?

ALJO · 02-10-2016, 03:17 PM

A good WDH with sway control and Air Lift 1000 will do the job.

fielro · 02-10-2016, 03:58 PM

Welcome aboard

need-a-vacation · 02-10-2016, 05:00 PM

It sounds like you may be ok spec wise... Just remember that whatever your tw is to add aprox 100lbs (safe estimate) for the wdh as well.

When we decided to get our new 32 BHDS last July, I did some research to help decide if I should stay w/ the Reese Dual Cam system, or if another choice would be equal or better. Decided to stay w/ the Dual Cam. But for the money, one of the three I listed above are very hard to beat! Yes, there is the Hensley and Pro Pride, but they weigh a LOT MORE, which could put you at or past your hitch tw rating going with one of those models.

I have read some on the Blue Ox. Not sure I am intrigued by the system. Also have had a fellow member mention it really isn't working as expected. It is hard to understand just how the system will control sway much more than a standard wdh (without any sway control).

I did read some good things about the Husky Center Line (top model), but it is limited by the wd bars for heavier trailer tongue weights (max 1200lbs I think it was- you may be ok though), and from what I have read, you need to be in almost a straight line to hook up and unhook the bars... Performance wise it sounds like an excellent system minus the few minor things.

Here are the links to wdh set up and how a wdh works that I mentioned earlier.

motorbreath · 02-10-2016, 07:01 PM

I tow a 2015 28BHBE and my tongue weight with WDH engaged is between 750-800lb. None of my truck's capacities are exceeded, in fact, I am at or under 80% of all of GM's specs. These are not ballpark estimates, they are from a truck scale.

I use the Blue Ox hitch because it is easily adjustable. Since your hitch is likely rated to a maximum of 1000-1200#, you need to make sure the WD system is setup properly. Without WDH engaged the tongue weight is likely well above 1000#.

If you are towing relatively short distances without mountains, I think you will be fine. This is based on my actual experience towing the same trailer with a 2015 GMC Sierra 5.3L with a 3.42 rear axle. I have even taken it up and down a 12% grade (~1km) without difficulty, but I would not recommend doing this regularly.

The big issue I have found is how the trailer handles when there is any significant crosswind. That is the only time I am wanting, but I doubt a 2500-3500 is going to perform much better, best to just slow down and pull over.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyBound

What you're missing is a common understated tongue weight that all the manufacturers publish. It's not your fault for going by the numbers, but understand that published tongue weight does not include battery or propane tank weight and is calculated with an empty trailer (which too is understated). Most trailers are at least 500lbs heavier in real life than what the book says, and tongue weights need to be in the 10-15% of loaded weight area for a safe and comfortable tow.

The 28BHBE is a MASSIVE trailer and quite heavy, too. It is a popular floor plan and there are plenty of threads on this forum about them. There was a recent one where an owner reported his tongue weight to be 1500lbs. You will certainly, without question, be over 1000lbs no matter what you do.

The fact you have the MaxTow with 3.73 could be your saving grace. It may just work. What's the payload on your door sticker?

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