Towing woes

[Campinken]

Hello. I'm new to the TT world and love camping with a good sized rig given the size of my family. However hauling this thing is a basket of stress I do not enjoy. I'm not going to pretend my tow capacity and trailer weight aren't close but I did add a WD hitch and sway bar. I'm adding another sway bar this week and hoping it helps but thought I might throw it out to you all for advise. Do you think the extra sway bar will help? Both are friction style. My expedition has air bags in the rear but the dealer suggested to put the WD bars on the second link which I'm not sure if its adding to my problem. I have made short pulls on the first link and the tongue doesnt sag but still get sway with cross wind and passing trucks. The setting suggestions are all over the place for the sway bars from cranking it all the way down to finger tight. I've got 9000 lbs of camper at 35 ft long and 135" high with 2 sliders so it's a giant sail. Should I expect some sway? Now this is really a highway problem. Anything below 55 and I don't even know its behind me. Thanks folks. I've got a cross state trip coming up and I don't want to crush the steering wheel with my grip. Thanks

Jay flight G2 32 BHDS
Dry Weight 7855
Payload Capacity 1895
GVWR 9750
Hitch Weight 920

Ford expedition king ranch 2008 4wd
5.4 l. V8 300hp
Rear airbag suspension
9050 towing capacity.

[TakeItEasy]

I had an 08 expedition with a 5.4 and air bags towing a 7,200 pound 31 foot white hawk. I was using a centerline hitch. I hated it from my first trip. Trucks passing me would make me hold on for dear life. I never really felt sway but it always felt like the trailer was pushing the truck around. I ended up trading it for an f350 as soon as I could.

Wish I could give you better news. Good luck.

[eldermike]

First, don't drive over the speed that gives you complete control of your rig. My opinion, your hitch is your problem. I don't care to hype one hitch over another but I will tell you that this component is the last one you should ever look for the best deal. In hitches always look for the best hitch.

[Huntsvillian]

I am no expert on this, but if your dry weight is is almost 8000lb, I am guessing that is off the Manufacturer sticker then you are probably way over the tow capacity for the TV when the TT is loaded as I know me, the wife and our 2 y/o pack more than 1000lb of cargo in a 20' trailer.

I have a 10,050lb tow capacity and there is no way I would tow something that long and heavy behind my truck. IMO it is to much trailer for the truck.

[MacMcD]

I concur with, Huntsvillian. IMO, you are risking a whole lot!

[FPM III]

Ken, you're only telling us half the story. You provided us with all the stats for the trailer but nothing for the Expedition except its towing capacity- which could be possibly be exceeded being that the trailer's GVWR is 700 pounds higher. I think you should load up as you normally would for a trip (including passengers and a full fuel tank) and make a trip to the CAT Scale. You might be surprised by when you see all the results.

[clutch]

Using the second link on the WD bars is probably a good idea as it will add more weight to the front wheels of the tow vehicle. You may need a heavier set of bars to distribute the weight. You may have maxed out your tow vehicles capacity.

[G Bush]

It sounds like either your tongue weight is too high, causing the trailer to drive the truck, or your hitch isn't set up properly, or the front end of your truck needs work (ball joints, alignment, etc). Tire pressures count also.

I use a cheap hitch and it works fine if set up properly.

[Crabman]

Clearly that`s a whole lot of trailer for an expy. And it sounds like you are using one friction type sway bar where two should be used for a trailer over 25' so adding the 2nd bar may help a little, but I think a larger tow vehicle should be in your future and would be the real long term stress reducer here.. Welcome to JOF!

[turbo-power]

The short wheelbase of the expedition is probably causeing a case of the tail wagging the dog. The 2nd sway bar might help but i would not bank on it. Also is your receiver on TV rated for at least 1200 lbs tongue weight if not you you are risking a lot there . I also have a 32bhds so I know the weights. I tow mine with a older dually pick up and dont have any trouble with sway. Our previous trailer I could tow with our suburban but would not even try this 32bhds.

[Jagiven]

There is a lot going on with the hitch. You say it is on the first link, which makes me think of the Reese brand hitch, so what type and brand hitch are you using? Is it a Reese? Do you have the Dual Cam sway control? If it is a Reese and you do not have the Dual Cam option I would recommend purchasing this option.

As for sway you will get a little bit no matter what you do. To ensure you have a good setup, make sure you have the TT load properly, ensure the tire pressures (TT & TV) are at the proper set points. Do not drive to fast, the TT tires are speed rated at 65 mph. I have been out in high wind, with low tire pressure and had to slow down to 55 mph, as I was all over the road, never again I always check my tire pressures.

It took me a few trips to begin to get really comfortable. The more we traveled the more comfortable I became. We started out staying close to home, and progressed further and further until we were more comfortable. Even today with everything setup correctly on the freeway, when the very large frontal area semi (not the new arrow dynamic looking ones) passes me, I feel them more than anything, I do not call it a sway just a push, just ****s me in a few inches then pushed me out the same.

It is a whole new experience pulling such a large trailer. I added on mirror extensions so I can see behind the TT, I think it really helps to see one of those big trucks coming so I am mentally prepared for it to pass. Take your time go slow, don’t be in a hurry.

[Campinken]

Thanks guys. I know I'm close to the TV and TT weights but both are new and I don't see trading them out soon. My neighbor is a ford engineer and said the vehicle was designed for hauling this weight but that the engine would be my issue. The wheel base comment makes sense though. The 9000lb rating is based on a incline dead weight tow not that I'm saying its ok to push it but I've been assured by the dealer I'm ok. He's not driving this thing around though. ;-). The WD comment is helpful as well as the sway addition. Next year ill try to look into another hitch setup I guess. Mine is rated up to 1200lb tongue weight. Maybe a visit to the dealer or my trip needs to be absent of highway driving.

[Campinken]

It's a husky round bar rated to 12k TT weight and 1200 TW. Dealer set it on the second chain link but I worry that this is putting too much weight in the rear of the TT. I'm just guessing at that.

[Campinken]

Sway bars are just friction bars.

[Dadof4Girls]

Ken
I hope you got the dealer assurance in writing.

These trailers are heavy, and I am guessing that you are over your payload for the Expedition and GVWR, and possibly the CGVWR. Using two friction sway bars is better, but there are other hitches that improve the prevention of sway.

I also suspect that your tires could be a concern. What tire pressure are you using when towing, and what does sidewall of tire state for max load?

I have towed my trailer with 1500 vehicles as well as 2500s. I have maxed my tires to 50 psi on the 1500, and run the LT tires at 60 front and 80 rear. It makes a difference.

I understand your insistance to not get rid of truck, but please make it safe for family.

[Seann45]

I bet you need MORE tongue weight.. sway is often caused by too much weight on the rear of the RV.. try moving some stuff forward and see if that helps.. cheaper to try that than start throwing parts at it.

[eldermike]

We pulled long campers with vans for 20 plus years showing dogs. Loading of the trailer is critical. We found that even though the pass through storage was eaisly filled with all the things we needed it was the wrong place to put weight. (ours was always behind the axles) Also it was critical that the trailer not be high in the front. Low in the front of the trailer and weight over the axles or forward of the axles was best. Then I discovered better hitches. No chains for me. Chain type load distribution bars allows movement, they are single purpose, that is to transfer weight to the front end of your truck. This requires additional parts for sway control. There are better designed hitches than those chain type hitches IMHO.

Measure your truck on flat ground. Measure from the top of wheel well opening to center line of tire and make a drawing with front heights and rear heights. The purpose of the bars it to bring the front of the truck back down once the rear is loaded. The rear levers the front up when the rear goes down the front comes up. The bar settings are not guess work they have an exact purpose and it can be measured.

If you can load the rear and bring the front end back down you have your bars set about right. If your rig when lashed up is not a series of angles but more of a flat line with the front of the trailer slightly low to level (but never high). you will see a difference is how it pulls.

But don't forget the loading ideas, keep weight from behind the trailer axle as much as it possible to do.

[Bassdogs]

Lots of good advice so far, but I'm intrigued with your comment that you are "new to TT's". You've got a lot of TT [length and weight] for a novice. My experience started with a medium sized pop-up, then a 28' TT and now a 33' [total length] White Hawk. In between throw in a 20' heavy runabout and a pontoon. My point is that dragging 9000 plus lbs behind anything is going to drive the pucker factor to the max if you don't have experience pulling a load. Not saying to ignore what is going on, because IMHO you are at or over the limits of your vehicle, but a lot of what you're feeling is "what you feel when you tow" a big trailer. I have to remind myself that the White Hawk is back there as it is remarkably easy to tow, but the first time I pulled it, I felt like it was in control, not me. You feel every twitch and yank. My advice is check out all your adjustments with the load, hitch, sway control, tire pressures etc; and then hit the road keeping your speed down and drive on good roads in light traffic.

PS: Forget the dealer as they are first salesmen, second salesmen, and third salesmen. Talked to a sales guy at Camping World and he told me my tow weights for my 08 silverado was higher that the owners manuel. Was trying to sell me a 5th wheel that exceeded the max tow [dry weight alone]. Most of us probably know more about the TT we bought than the dealer. When I took possession of my 14 white Hawk, the dealer had never seen one before. Talking to experienced TT owners [like on this forum] will get you a lot better advice than most of what a dealer will offer.

[turbo-power]

What is the receiver hitch on the expedition rated for? It needs to be at least 1200lbs tongue wt and overall wt should be at least 10,000 lbs. My 32bhds has a dry ship wt of 8,300 lbs from the factory and I am sure its close to 9,000 lbs or more . I did measure the tongue wt on mine and it is around 1200lbs. Just make sure you stay safe so you dont have any unexpected incidents on your getaways.

[jtaylor]

I have a 2004 Ford Expedition xlt with the 5.4 Triton and HD tow Package. I tow a 2013 Jay Flight 26BH. My dry camper weight is 5200lbs and gross is 7500. I keep the camper light. I do not tow with water in the tanks and we pack light. I am usually well under 6500 when I tow. This is the max I would pull with this vehicle. Yes, It is capable of towing more and will do fine for a short distance but I do feel that the vehicle is even a little light for my camper. We plan on doing longer trips when the kids get older. I will be upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck by then. Just my opinion.