Strike that - it appears that Maxtow and 20" wheels go hand-in-hand (from building a new truck on fords website).

 

Thanks, Mike and Rick!

 

It's a Fastway e2 10k trunnion.

 

From the instructions:

A setup achieving adequate weight distribution usually brings the trailer back to a position parallel to the ground after coupling it to the tow vehicle and engaging weight distribution. It also brings the FRONT of the tow vehicle back down to just slightly higher than the uncoupled height. The REAR of the tow vehicle sits slightly lower than its uncoupled height, but higher than its height when coupled without weight distribution engaged.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/pdf/e...structions.pdf

 

I think you could get your current truck to work if you pack light in the trailer.

I've been weighing each rooms items (bulk weighing) as I load our brand new trailer. That way I know roughly how much weight is where on the trailer.

We have everything in the trailer except clothes, food, toddler supplies and camping chairs, charcoal and grill in there now and I am at just under 300 lbs. That includes replacing the 30lb rv mattress with a 70lb house mattress.

 

Yes, but you have to understand Ford's reasoning. LT Tires are heavier, deeper tread and have higher rolling resistance. Ford needed to reduce sidewall flex when raising the Max Tow Rating and the 20" was used to do so without the penalty to their CAFE numbers. The alternative was to place the Max Tow Package on tighter restriction.

 

I think this is a more reasonable final result than I first thought, which is encouraging. We're not in a rush; we've got to get the TT where we want it (chairs, toys, plates, cups, towels, etc), and then do a few test runs. Thankfully our in-laws have a full elect and water hookup, so we can do a bunch of fully-loaded test runs to their place and back (plus, they get to see the grandkids!).

Tires question - I just put a new set of Goodyear Wrangler Kevlar tires, same as the truck came with (https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tir...hoCk6AQAvD_BwE). While I get that they're not the stiffest tire around, do you guys think they're *detrimental* to towing performance?

Appreciate all the insight here - this place rocks!

 

We are a family of 3 so I predict having 500lbs of stuff with 100-150lbs being things that will come out of the trailer once we land; power cord, EMS plug, dump hoses, camping chairs, wheel chocks, level blocks.

I know the goal is 13% tongue weight, but even 12% could free up 50 lbs. I suggest being methodical in how you load the trailer.

 

This is interesting as i think it through - the Jayco has the "outdoor kitchen" option, which puts the entirety of our outside-accessible storage at the very front, underneath the master bed. We've got a little storage under the lower bunk bed that's behind the axles. The fridge is pretty much dead center on the axles, which will have a lot of food. Water we tend to carry in 1g and 5g jugs, so that can go on the floor towards the back. We'll need to be pretty deliberate with packing luggage and stuff in the back, probably on the kids beds, to counteract the front-loaded weight due to the storage situation. An interesting tetris problem, for sure.

 

I think you have enough wiggle room to make it work. Assuming you don't plan to load up 200lbs of firewood in the truck bed.

Did you tow it empty? If so you likely had a lower than 13% tongue weight which could have accounted for some of what you experienced. Definitely load it and recheck everything. That is currently the state we are in.