jscheelar

Hello all, I am new to this forum and have found it to be a great resource, I guess now I need your help. Towing speeds above about 50mph it feels like the front end wants to wonder and I am constantly making corrections. Sometimes it almost feels like it is pulling to one side. I am running a weight distro hitch and an anti-sway, I will try and attach some pics for your critique. My tow vehicle is a 2013 F150 lariat 4x4 Ecoboost with a 9,500 tow, 15,700 max weight truck trailer occupants, 3,750 front axle, 3850 rear axle. I just got back from the cat scales and these were my numbers front axle 3,320, rear 3,500, trailer 6,460, total weight all together is 13,280. C rated tires at 35psi, but they say on the sidewall they can be ran at 50psi. I am towing a 2013 Aerolite 33' super slide. I sag about an inch and a half. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. You can see pics of the hitch set-up here https://www.f150forum.com/g/picture/1619199

raisin

I would run those tires at 50psi while towing. Try it, soft sidewalls for the load feel that way. Make sure trailer tires are close to max. Tire charts will give you needed air pressure for load, but I've never had a problem with max pressure while towing.

I like michelin MS2's light truck tire at around 60psi. Feels rock solid.

xcntrk

Do you have the scaled unloaded weights of the truck to compare the loaded numbers against? For example 3320 front axle loaded with trailer and WD is how far off from unloaded front-end weight?

Also it's hard to tell in that picture, but I don't see any sway control, just load distribution bars and attachment ****** up chains. Is there a friction or shock/stabilizer on one side of the trailer hitch? What kind of WD system is it? Also, that's a pretty big trailer for an inferior sway control system (such as shock based).

smurfs_of_war

Just a guess based on the numbers you provided- I think your front axle is light. With occupants and a loaded trailer with a properly adjusted WDH, it will likely come pretty close to the GAWR I'd bet.

*This is just a guess since the last two half tons I have towed with have been this way- I could be wrong so take it for what it's worth.

Boulevard

Pump tires up to 45 psi, adjust WDH so that truck and trailer each sit level but not level with each other.

jscheelar

Ok, so I went and did some adjustments. I measured 37.5 all around front and back while hitched. This was after dropping the hitch another inch and adding two spacers. Just wondering if bags or timbrens may help. I am on the brink of just getting a bigger truck at this point

king nothing

Bags or timbrens won't help you get more weight to the front axle, which it sounds like you need. Did you take it for a test run after making your adjustments to your WDH?

willieboy

I think your big issue is the tires. Air those things up to the max and go give it a tug. My guess is it will be much better.

As for weight on the front end, we need the measurements before and after hitching. I would guess you are a little light on the front, but hard to tell till we see all the measurements.

raisin

Lots of people including me use that same truck to pull that weight no problem. As said may need light truck tires to get rid of sidewall flex. General info measure distance from ground to bottom of front and rear bumper before hookup. Adjust hitch till front and back of truck drop the same when hooking up. Hitch head tilt has effect on hitch bar adjustment.

When I pull the same weight I relax, use one hand on the wheel until I see that truck or bus, then 2 hand it. Worked for 40K of towing. I use one friction sway control.