Will a bigger tow vehicle will help with road sway?

[saunterr44]

My 2016 F-150 2.7EB doesn't seem to be enough truck for my 28BHS. The engine seems to be strong enough, but the amount of sway is alarming at times. I am tossed around on the freeway like a toy, it seems. I stay 5 under the speed limit, and my trailer isn't packed with stuff.....

Should I stick with the F-150, just get a new model with a V-8 ? Will I obtain much more control of the truck/rig if I go to an F-250 ?

RV'ers that have done the same - do you see a BIG improvement in your ability to handle things on the freeway ?

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by saunterr44

My 2016 F-150 2.7EB doesn't seem to be enough truck for my 28BHS. The engine seems to be strong enough, but the amount of sway is alarming at times. I am tossed around on the freeway like a toy, it seems. I stay 5 under the speed limit, and my trailer isn't packed with stuff.....

Should I stick with the F-150, just get a new model with a V-8 ? Will I obtain much more control of the truck/rig if I go to an F-250 ?

RV'ers that have done the same - do you see a BIG improvement in your ability to handle things on the freeway ?

I went from a Titan to a RAM 2500 when I was towing a 287BHBE. Wind blew me all over, and big vehicles passing caused the push/pull wave. The upgrade to a 2500 stopped it completely. It’s worth going through your hitch setup first to make sure everything is correct.

I don’t recommend towing over 65 with any rig.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Sway has a lot to do with how your trailer is loaded. My first guess would be that you are too light on your tongue weight. Have you weighed your trailer? Are you using a WD hitch?

I have towed heavy trailers with 2 different 1/2 ton pickups and have never been concerned with sway. If your trailer is improperly loaded, or if your hitch isn't properly set up, a bigger truck won't solve your problem.

[kayakterp]

Yes, a 3/4 ton will greatly improve your sway issues with that trailer!

[Jagiven]

Have you ran across the cat scales to take your three measurements? What does the TV's door jam sticker say for max payload?

What WDH setup are you using? Does it have integrated sway control? Might need some adjustments.

That is a long trailer (33'), with a listed GVW of 8750#, with an estimated tongue weight of 875 (10%) to 1312 (15%) lbs.

Now the bad news; From a quick online search it looks like a your truck has a payload range of 6000 to 8500 lbs pending on the configuration. I suspect you are overloaded, and your hitch is not adjusted correctly.

Couple things I have found that has help towing performance. Always check my tire pressures before hitting the road. My TT always runs at max sidewall tire pressure. My TV, after changing tires (4th set now). I play with tire pressures, the door sticker says 35 psi. Currently I run 45 psi in back and 40 in front. My second set of tires matched the OEM tires on paper (different brand), but the handling was horrible, nothing helped except replacing them. Lastly having the WDH setup correctly is important. Most dealers set it up with an empty TT and TV. Once you get home loaded up, guess what? It is not correctly configured. So, I recommend running over the scales when fully loaded for a typical trip, take some readings and verify what changes may be required, and confirming your not overloaded.

I have a friend with a F150 with the 3.5EB with the max tow package. It has some very impressive tow numbers. He says it tows fabulously and his TT is about the same size as yours.

[NVGun40]

First get rid of the thought axiom that going with a bigger V-8 will make the truck a better truck. Sure the Ecoboost is a 6 cylinder but it's a good engine and has better HP and Torque than many V-8s. Yes, a 6 will spin higher revs to deliver that power but that is part of the design. Engine size is a small equation. One of my previous tow vehicles was a 1981 Ford F-250 with a 300 cu.in. inline 6 cylinder. I towed my my Komfort 5er all over the western US with that power plant and did just fine.
As mentioned already, there are many other factors which can contribute to why you're experiencing such sway. Hitch not set up properly, how the trailer is loaded, etc. However, a bigger truck will be far more forgiving with many of those factors. A 3/4 ton truck weighs a bit more and is built quite a bit different than a 1/2 ton.

Now in my honest "opinion" I recommend going with a 3/4 ton truck. Sure your F150 has the weight capabilities to handle your 28BHS, but it is still a very lightweight truck and something very few people ever consider is the physical surface area size of the trailer. That 28BHS is a very large hard sided "sail" to catch wind sheer effects and that F150 is a very lightweight truck for handling such effects. Is there any real danger? Based on what you said about speed travelled and not packing your trailer; probably not. Yet, there can be no argument whatsoever; all other things being exactly the same (trailer, hitch, trailer load, cargo load in truck, etc.) A 3/4 ton is going to handle all that and any critical/emergency situations far better than your 1/2 ton will. Then there is also the knowledge that should you want to pack more into your trailer and/or carry more in your truck, you will have the capability to do so.
Then there is this little tidbit. Let's say a few years down the road from now, you decide you want to upgrade your trailer; with a 3/4 ton, you will have quite a few more choices to consider.
The expense of purchasing a 3/4 ton may not be pretty, but as I used to tell my young Marines: "go ugly early" -- Get the hard stuff done sooner rather than later and then you can relax a bit getting the easy stuff done.
If you decide to shop for a 3/4 ton, don't let yourself get swept up in the actual number (250/2500). Just like many 150/1500s there are quite a few option packages which effect payload and towing capacity on the 250/2500s. So do your own homework. Make the dealerships show you the VIN # build specs for payload, towing capacity and rear end axle ratio for the trucks you want to look at. (Example: I have a friend who let himself get swept up in the amenities and trim on a Ram 2500 mega cab. He figured he was making a large upgrade from his 1500. Only to find out after he got it home and I showed him his new trucks numbers based on the VIN# that his improvement was very marginal.)

In parting: I have never heard anyone complain about having too much truck (capability wise). I have heard many say they wish they had gone with a bigger truck.

[kblast523]

First, your 2.7EB engine weighs within a few lbs of what the 5.0 does. I had the same issue with a 'short wheelbase' F*rr3$t R!v3r trailer that seemed like the tail wanted to 'wag the dog'. My Jayco Jayfeather has an 18 inch longer wheel base, UVW is 150 lbs more and the trailer length is only 9 inches longer. I went to an Andersen hitch. I traded the 2015 F-150 2.7EB for a 2019 RAM with a 5.7 Hemi, and it DID NOT TOW as well as the Ford and got terrible mileage. FCA took care of my ownership because they couldn't get parts for it, ended up with a 2018 Titan. The Titan does just fine towing my 23RL which scales at just a tick over 5,850. Just returned from Angel Fire, NM from first outing of the year and even in 30mph crosswind, no issues.

Weigh your tt as loaded.
Weigh the tongue as loaded. Adjust load to get 15% of GW on tongue

Make sure hitched, you are 'level' front bumper of tv to rear bumper of tt. If your WD hitch does it's job (properly set up) you should get 1.5 to 2.5 inches of compression on FRONT suspension (which will make the entire rig less susceptible to sway).

Happy camping!
https://youtu.be/dLjnD5RAD1g

[67L48]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

[...] I suspect you are overloaded, and your hitch is not adjusted correctly. [...]

I agree with this 100%.

What's your door jamb sticker say for your truck's payload? If it's not north of 1,800 lbs, I'm betting you're over your truck's GVWR (Payload).

Then, as others have said, you want your trailer to be loaded so that it's a bit tongue heavy. You should be shooting for around 13% of your trailer's weight onto your tongue. So, if your trailer is 8,500 lbs rolling down the road, you'd want around 1,100 lbs on your hitch.

I also assume that your WDH has some type of integrated sway control, such as the Equal-I-zer 4-pt (and there are many other brands). Find or download the manual and make sure that it's set up properly. This is actually pretty easy to do and shouldn't take but 20 minutes on any flat piece of asphalt to do.

With such a long, heavy trailer, you may always have a bit of the "tail wagging the dog" effect with a 1/2 ton. The size and geometry of an HD truck would help with that.

[saunterr44]

By tongue heavy - as much weight towards the front of the trailer, and to the rear of the towing truck, correct ? Don't you want to add as little weight to the end of the trailer, as possible ?

I have a hitch like this: https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

[saunterr44]

I have not weighed it, and I do use a hitch with WD: https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

What's the trick to getting the correct weight to the tongue, other than to load your stuff as far forward in the trailer, and as far back in the truck ? I am open to suggestion !

[saunterr44]

Where can I get these things weighed ?

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by saunterr44

I have not weighed it, and I do use a hitch with WD: https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

What's the trick to getting the correct weight to the tongue, other than to load your stuff as far forward in the trailer, and as far back in the truck ? I am open to suggestion !

You really need to visit a CAT or other certified scale to see exactly what you are dealing with. This will not only provide you with an accurate tongue weight, but also allow you to look at axle weights and properly dial in your weight distributing hitch.

Here is the link to the CAT scale locator.
https://catscale.com/cat-scale-locat...8aAoKhEALw_wcB

[kblast523]

Originally Posted by saunterr44

By tongue heavy - as much weight towards the front of the trailer, and to the rear of the towing truck, correct ? Don't you want to add as little weight to the end of the trailer, as possible ?

I have a hitch like this: https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

Number one...weigh your tt. Pay the money to find out where to begin. Next, weigh the tongue. Next calculate % of tt weight vs tongue weight, if it is less than 12% you are tail heavy. Moving the spare tire off the rear bumper is a start. Next, make sure hitch is set up correctly. Knew someone with your exact hitch who thought being able to lift trunions by hand and merely clipping them was sufficient. You need to at least effect 2-3 inches lift on the tt tongue to effectively have sway control. Yes!

[saunterr44]

Thanks for your note - this IS our upgrade TT, so we won't need to consider that...

you mention that an F-150 with proper tow packages will tow better than an F-250 without those packages.....is that your point ?

Are payload and towing capacity affected by those packages ?

And what about rear axle ratios ? What's optimal for my situation ? Aren't F-250's by default 'better' than F-150's, in THAT regard ?

[saunterr44]

Who's going to make this weight distribution configuration alteration ? ME ?

How so ?

[saunterr44]

I have to use a pry bar to get mine in, and it's a BITCH. is that by design ?

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by saunterr44

I have to use a pry bar to get mine in, and it's a BITCH. is that by design ?

Yes it is. That’s how the weight distribution works. If you jack the rear of the truck up higher it’s easier to get bars on/off.

[Jagiven]

Read this sticky post on how to take and interpreting your cat scale readings. https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...v-tt-3871.html

As for loading you just have to learn how to appropriately balance the load. It really is all about ratios. Remember as a kid playing on a seesaw. If you and your buddy weighed the same you just sat at the handles and went up and down with easy. Now do the same thing with Dad, an older sibling. You sat as far back as possible. They usually sat way forwards of the handle, to make the seesaw work. It is all about ratios and lever arms. It is the same concept with tongue weights.

If you place your items directly over the axles. Basically 100% of the load is on the tires, nothing is transferred to the tongue. If you place an item say, a propane tank all the way up on the tongue near the coupler, almost all the weight is applied to the tongue and very little is on the axle. All the stuff in between is some ratio of that. Now look at the bumper end of the TT, and that is like your big brother or dad. If they are to heavy, they lifted you way up (light tongue). If they were to light, your extra weight dropped down to the ground (heavy tongue). Just have to find the sweet spot in-between 10-15%, ideally around 13-14%.

As for adjusting the hitch. Lots of options, first download the manual and read it. It is not hard to do. Biggest issue is having a large torque wrench and a good flat spot. You can have a dealer do it. You can do it if you have big enough tools (aka torque wrench). Have a buddy help who is good with mechanical stuff and has a big torque wrench?

Your E2 hitch could also be overloaded as the largest they have, has a 1200# rating. You probably should be in the 1400# range.

Look on your E2 hitch for a weight rating. I just looked at my E4 and was surprised not to see one. Do you still have the purchasing paperwork?

[Route 66 Traveler]

Originally Posted by saunterr44

I have to use a pry bar to get mine in, and it's a BITCH. is that by design ?

I think you need to start over from the beginning. Find a scale, preferably a CAT scale, and weigh your truck full of fuel and passengers, along with some weight to simulate what cargo you will be carrying. Then reweigh with your trailer connected.

I have the same hitch as yours and the instructions are very well written. It's rated for 10,000 pound gross weight with a 1000 pound tongue weight. My tongue weight is 790 pounds. Take your trailer to some place level and verify that when the trailer is connected to your truck everything sits level. A slight nose down of your trailer is OK, but it should not be nose high. After your trailer is on the truck ball and your bars are connected to the hitch, raise your trailer up high enough with your tongue jack so that the bars will slide easily over the "L" brackets on the trailer, insert the pins and raise your tongue jack.

To verify your WD Hitch is set up properly I found this easy way to double check everything. Before connecting your trailer to your truck put a piece of tape on your front fender above the center of the front tire on your truck. Take a tape measure and measure from the ground to a point on the tape where you can mark a line for reference, say 35, 40 inches, it doesn't matter. The tape measure should go from the ground to the tape through the center of your front tire. Mark a straight line on the tape as a reference point and write the inches on the tape. Then connect your trailer, hook up the WD bars, retract your tongue jack and take a new measurement from the ground to the mark you made on the tape. If the WD hitch is setup properly the second measurement should be within a 1/2" or so of the first measurement made without the trailer being hooked up. If the two measurements are way off, your hitch isn't set up properly.

If your dealer set up your hitch when the trailer was empty it is almost certain that it will have to be readjusted.

My trailer gross weight loaded for a trip weighs just under 7000 pounds, and that is with 65 gallons of water carried at the rear of the trailer. My truck is a Toyota Tundra with stock suspension, no air bags, and about 150 pounds of "stuff " in the bed of the truck. When towing at 60-65mph I have NO SWAY what so ever, none when passed by semis, and it handles crosswind without difficulty.

Hope this might help you......

[kblast523]

Originally Posted by saunterr44

Thanks for your note - this IS our upgrade TT, so we won't need to consider that...

you mention that an F-150 with proper tow packages will tow better than an F-250 without those packages.....is that your point ?

Are payload and towing capacity affected by those packages ?

And what about rear axle ratios ? What's optimal for my situation ? Aren't F-250's by default 'better' than F-150's, in THAT regard ?

Originally Posted by NewBlackDak

Yes it is. That’s how the weight distribution works. If you jack the rear of the truck up higher it’s easier to get bars on/off.

Your trailer according to Jayco brochure begins with 830 lb tongue weight, 6765 dry weight. If you travel with full fresh tank, that only leaves 1400 lbs capacity of the 8850 gvw. At 8850 unless you have the Max tow option on your tv, you are at weight of the tow rating without adding one single item to the tt or tv. You also cannot adjust any loading because the fresh water tank is mounted over axles...so if you fill the bunks with camping stuff, it makes the tail wag the dog. 830 is 12% of 6765.

As previously stated, RAISE the tongue after coupling to facilitate trunion placement. You not only will have to adjust hitch head angle, but trunion perch height to get it right.

I have a 2005 Layton Skyline that is virtually identical to your tt. I have pulled it with my 2018 Titan (tow rating 9250 lbs) and it did fine. But it was properly set up and not carrying water of any kind. It's empty eight is 6820, gvw rating 8825.