'89-LX-5.0

Hey guys. I'm getting ready to PCS to Camp Pendleton, California from Pensacola, Fl.

I'm have a 08 FX4 with tow package and ZERO experience. I will be looking to pull a 20 foot enclosed trailer with a 3100lb Mustang in it. I realize I will be pushing the limits of a f150, but I'll be taking it really easy.

I came across one of these trailers with the Upgrades listed in the brochure.
http://www.travlertrailers.com/8.5wide.html

The trailer is 4 months old (according to him) and I assume it has about 4k miles on it because he came from Oregon to Panama City, FL.

The guy also has an Equalizer weight distribution hitch that he wants to include.

His asking price is $5500. I'm waiting to hear back from the trailer manufacturer for the new price.

Questions:
Would the trailer be a good one?
Do I need the Equalizer weight distribution hitch?
What brake controller do you recommend?

And PS: I'm PCSing so the DOD will pay me somewhere between .80-$1.20 per pound. I also know that I will be PCSing again in about 4 months. This trailer will basically pay for itself.

Thanks for the input!

silverkorn

unless your looking to load other stuff into the trailer or use it for storage afterwards i would recommend getting an open trailer as it will tow much easier then an enclosed trailer

but if your going to use the enclosed trailer make sure to use the equalizer hitch as it will help out with heavier loads.

as for the brake controller i had previously used the Tekonsha Prodigy and liked it a lot.

and remember if the trailer starts to sway you need to accelerate to correct, applying the brakes will only make it worse.

powerboatr

you wont be pushing the limits
i for one as a retiree say go enclosed and use it as that ever important storage place when you get to the new base.
we stuffed half a house in a 14 foot pace trailer for two years.

20 foot enclosed just should fit the mustang and leave a few pounds left over for junk

I would load it and then check your weights on the axles, use the wd bar set up and GO GO GO

i have also used the prodigy brake controllers for many moons with no problems

make sure the trailers brakes are set so the slack is removed

spent lots of time at pcola as a side note

'89-LX-5.0

Well, I've been talking to a dealer and he is trying to get me to buy theirs. He keeps spouting off about NATM. His are NATM qualed and he is acting like I have to have that by law. I looked it up online and couldnt find much about it.

jayson_waltz

Why would you need it to be NATM certified by law? Makes no sense to me. And a little 20' enclosed is not pushing the limits of a f-150 by any means. But you will need a brake controller, which will be very simple to install since you already have the tow package.
The equalizer set up is probably a good idea to take some tongue weight off the pickup, but at the same time its gonna sway more with it. Just something to watch out for though, i'd still use the equalizer when your gonna have a car plus more weight in the trailer.
An equalizer was almost always used on my pickup when it pulled my parents 29' travel trailer. It did make a very noticeable difference in less weight on the pickup, but also would sway like crazy if there was any wind. Without the hitch it pulled great but its a trade off that has to go off of personal preference and towing experience.

'89-LX-5.0

I trust you because you are giving me first hand experience, but the equalizer website does say that is has a 4 way sway control. I understood that because of that it stopped trailer sway. I am assuming that the trailer will weigh about 7k lbs total.

BIG SHAFE

The Equalizer also puts weight back on the trailer to help even out your rear ride height.

I pulled a tandem U-Hual car hauling trailer and my 4000 lbs+ GMC S-15 Jimmy with no electric brakes using my '04 5.4L. I was extremely surprised with not only its ease of pull but its braking was more than adequate for that weight. Thats just my experience.

If I were to go anymore weight than that I wouldn't feel comfortable without an electric brake/controller setup.

'89-LX-5.0

I watched a video of installing a brake controller. It seems really easy to install, but how is the set up portion?

I would like to add that the Tekonsha P3 looks pretty bad ***!

silverkorn

the setup on the brake controller is very easy, you drive 10-15 mph and apply the trailer brakes only (the brake controller will have a lever to apply the trailer brakes manually) the idea is to set the brakes on the trailer to be able to stop the truck and trailer.

one question no one asked thus far... will you have anything loaded in the back of the pickup?

All Hat No Cattle

There may be some confusion here.

An equalizing, or weight distributing hitch is a generic term for a hitch with, usually, a chain tension adjustment.

An Equalizer hitch is a brand name for a hitch that has torsion bars that are adjusted by a rigid frame adjusting system, no chains. When you adjust the torque on the forward bolts of the torsion bar housing, you cut down sway, a lot. On my set-up, sway is non-existent on a 7,000# boat trailer.

Referring to the controller:

You load the trailer, and then increase the braking until the trailer wheels lock up, then back off that setting. Fairly simple, you just need a flat section of road or big parking lot where you can slam on the brakes, LOL.