Trailer Brake Control...Y or N?
#1
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Trailer Brake Control...Y or N?
Hey guys, I'm new on here, also new to the truck and trailer world, I'll have plenty of questions but I'll start with this one. Just bought a 2015 f150 with ecoboost (not the max towing pkg) and also a 32' travel trailer. the truck doesn't come with a trailer brake control but could get one installed. i guess I'm jsut wondering if it's worth while getting it? or do i not need it? will only be towing the trailer to camp etc.
also, if there's anything you guys would recommend that would be great also.
thanks!
Bodnar
also, if there's anything you guys would recommend that would be great also.
thanks!
Bodnar
#2
Junior Member
Trailer Brake Control...Y or N?
In my opinion you absolutely need a brake controller. The trailer should have its own brakes and from my understanding, those breaks are only activated via a brake controller. So without it, you would be relying on your trucks brakes to stop the entire Gross Combined Vehicle Weight (truck & trailer) which will be much higher then the max Gross Vehicle Weight (loaded truck alone) which they were designed to do.
#3
Beer Drinkin Hell Raiser
brakes
What he said - plus u cant believe how easy it is to install
yourself - u just have to get the dealer to flash it to dashboard.
If u just bought it they might do it for free. Quite a few threads
on this !! Happy motoring
yourself - u just have to get the dealer to flash it to dashboard.
If u just bought it they might do it for free. Quite a few threads
on this !! Happy motoring
#4
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
YIKES!!! Not only do you absolutely, positively, definitely, without question NEED a trailer brake controller, if you plan on pulling a 32 ft trailer you probably need a SuperDuty 350 drw!!
Without the max tow package and heavy duty option, that trailer will probably be WAY over the capability of your truck!!
That trailer will probably weigh well over 9000 lbs wet&loaded - which will result in probably approaching 1200 lbs on your hitch receiver. If you only have the standard tow package then you likely will not have much payload capacity at all remaining for people and cargo in the cab and bed after you hook up.
Also, you'll probably be over on the rear axle GAWR, and very likely your GCWR.
What are:
the cab configuration, wb, drive (4x2/4x4)
your truck's GVWR and GAWR's
the payload capacity on the sticker on your driver's door
the hitch rating limit on the sticker on your hitch
the GCWR for the rig
.
The following users liked this post:
homeskizzle (07-03-2015)
#5
Grumpy Old Man
Just bought a 2015 f150 with ecoboost (not the max towing pkg) and also a 32' travel trailer. the truck doesn't come with a trailer brake control but could get one installed. i guess I'm jsut wondering if it's worth while getting it? or do i not need it? will only be towing the trailer to camp etc.
Yes, you need a trailer brake controller and the best available is the Ford optional Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (ITBC).Don't even pull your trailer onto the street until after you have a good trailer brake controller. For one thing, it's illegal, and for another thing it's stupid.
You bought too heavy a trailer for your F-150, so you'll probably be overloaded with a small family in the truck and minimal camping stuff in the trailer. By overloaded, I mean you'll exceed the GVWR of your truck. That wonderful EcoBoost engine has plenty of guts to PULL that much trailer, but not nearly enough suspension (payload capacity) to HAUL hitch weight of that trailer.
also, if there's anything you guys would recommend that would be great also.
1] Tell Darling Wife that your trailer is probably too heavy for your tow vehicle, so she's going to have to be extremely weight conscious of anything she hauls in the truck or trailer. No cast iron cookware, no pottery dishes, almost no canned goods, very little water. Use paper plates and plastic "silverware". Lightweight aluminum pots and pans and skillets. Buy food after you get to the campground, and use it all up before you leave the campground. Empty the holding tanks at the campground before you leave the campground. Haul only enough water in the fesh water tank to flush the pottie while on the road. Add all the water you want while camping, but get rid of it before you hit the road.
2. The CAT scale is your friend. Use it. Before you get to the first campground, stop at a truckstop that has a CAT scale, fill up with gas, then and weigh the wet and loaded rig (including all the people and pets and everything that is in the truck when on the road. Add the weight on the front and rear axles of the truck, and compare the total to the GVWR of your F-150. Then you'll know how much cushion you have for hauling more tongue weight, or how much you're already overloaded.
3. Don't tow at night until after you weigh the wet and loaded rig. If you're overloaded over the GVWR of your F-150, then plan on installing FireStone RideRite air bags on the rear of the truck before you have to tow at night. And even if you're not overloaded, if oncoming traffic flashes their headlights at you very often, that means your rear end is sagging too much and the headlights are aiming at the stars, so you need the air bags.
4. You need an excellent weight-distributing hitch with excellent sway control. Any WD hitch you can find for less than $500 discount price is not good enough for my family. As a minimum you want one of the following 4 WD hitchs with built-in sway control. These all list for around $1,000 and can be found online including the adjustable shank for a little over $500.
a] Reese Strait-Line trunnion bar, which includes dual cam sway control.
http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Ree...per-Trailer-RV
b] Husky CenterLine
http://www.huskytow.com/product/husk...towing-system/
c] Blue Ox SwayPro
Amazon.com: Blue Ox BXW1500 SWAYPRO Weight Distributing Hitch 1500lb Tongue Weight for Standard Coupler with Clamp-On Latches: Automotive
d] Equal-I-ZerIf you have ever experienced uncontrollable trailer sway and want to be certain you never experience it again, then the hitch price goes up to more than $2,000 = the hitch I have on my TT = the ProPride 3P.
www.propridehitch.com
The ProPride is probably overkill for most folks. I've towed thousands of miles with a Reese Strait-Line with no sway problems. And I still use the Strait-Line on my cargo trailer. But I'm glad I now have a ProPride on my TT.
The following 2 users liked this post by smokeywren:
acadianbob (07-03-2015),
homeskizzle (07-03-2015)
#6
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YIKES!!! Not only do you absolutely, positively, definitely, without question NEED a trailer brake controller, if you plan on pulling a 32 ft trailer you probably need a SuperDuty 350 drw!!
Without the max tow package and heavy duty option, that trailer will probably be WAY over the capability of your truck!!
That trailer will probably weigh well over 9000 lbs wet&loaded - which will result in probably approaching 1200 lbs on your hitch receiver. If you only have the standard tow package then you likely will not have much payload capacity at all remaining for people and cargo in the cab and bed after you hook up.
Also, you'll probably be over on the rear axle GAWR, and very likely your GCWR.
What are:
the cab configuration, wb, drive (4x2/4x4)
your truck's GVWR and GAWR's
the payload capacity on the sticker on your driver's door
the hitch rating limit on the sticker on your hitch
the GCWR for the rig
.
Without the max tow package and heavy duty option, that trailer will probably be WAY over the capability of your truck!!
That trailer will probably weigh well over 9000 lbs wet&loaded - which will result in probably approaching 1200 lbs on your hitch receiver. If you only have the standard tow package then you likely will not have much payload capacity at all remaining for people and cargo in the cab and bed after you hook up.
Also, you'll probably be over on the rear axle GAWR, and very likely your GCWR.
What are:
the cab configuration, wb, drive (4x2/4x4)
your truck's GVWR and GAWR's
the payload capacity on the sticker on your driver's door
the hitch rating limit on the sticker on your hitch
the GCWR for the rig
.
Maybe I'm just being naive, but I wouldn't think the trailer is over the capabilities of the trailer...dry, the trailer only weighs about 6500lbs, and if I'm travel any sort or significant distance with it, there will be very little water in it, if any. I could be wrong, but that's why I'm here I guess, you guys are the experts.
As for the specs you were asking for, this is what I came up with, I'm at work so some numbers aren't exact, but I'm giving the conservative figures:
cab config: supercrew
wb: 145"
drive: 4x4
GCWR: 16,100-16,900lbs
Axle ratio: 3.55
GVWR: 7000lbs
max payload: 2020lbs
max towing/trailer weight; min 10,700lbs (need to look into this further), maybe 11,500lbs...
hitch:1200lbs (pretty sure)
trailer GVWR:8500lbs
hopefully those numbers will tell you enough. and hopefully you guys will tell me that I'm ok with what i have, otherwise I might have to disappoint the wife with getting a smaller trailer, and we all know it's never a good idea to disappoint the wife.
Thanks again for all your help!!
Last edited by Bodnar; 07-03-2015 at 10:55 AM.
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#8
You need a smaller trailer . . . .
#9
Senior Member
I tow a 29REKS and it weights in at 7400# loaded (dry tanks)...with the proper WDH (I do have the Ford Brake Controller) with Sway Control...you will be right there at the max with payload restrictions. See Sig
People see 32FT and FREAK OUT before they have any idea of the weight of you trailer...you are going to be very close maybe...only sure way to tell is The Scale. If your loaded trailer is about 7500#s plus accounting for your hitch setup, you most likely will be OK
#10
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Thanks, that definitely helps put my mind at ease a bit. any ya, I say 32' cause that's what I'd tell campgrounds etc. tip to tip it's like 31'9''