ECO-MIKE

I have a 2014 with the ecoboost, tow package, 6.5' box, tow capacity of 9600lbs. We just bought a 23' travel trailer with tandem axel. The GVWR is 4700lbs and 310lbs at the tongue. I just has the electronic brakes installed and am wondering now if i require a weight distributor, its clear the previous owners of the trailer used one. We are making a 1200km trip next week with it and i was going to see then how it goes, but doing more reading it states any trailer over half the trucks GVWR should have a weight distributor. Any thoughts examples?

Further, i towed a a lot before we also have a 12' tent trailer which is maybe 2500lbs loaded, that the truck doesnt even feel while hauling so there was no need to a dostributor

Thanks
Mike

jcb206

That is a very light tongue weigh. I'm guessing about 3200-3500 lbs dry camper weight. You want your tongue weight to be ~13% on the LOADED trailer weight.

Load up the camper as if you were leaving for your trip and take it to the scales. If you are over 3850 loaded (wet) trailer, you will require a WDH. Sway control is also recommended. For something this light, you probably will not need a quality WDH as a friction sway bar should suffice. The WDH will make the trailer follow the truck much better and at least one friction sway bar will keep it in line.

For such a long trip I would purchase a WDH regardless if the tongue weight is over 500 lbs. F150's require the hitch over 500 lbs. So in my opinion, I would buy one. I would recommend the Husky Centerline TS. It has sway control built in and allows backing up the trailer. It can be had for $300 on Amazon.

Is it required? Depends on the loaded weight, but I would recommend one. Cheapest route is a cheap WDH and a Friction Sway Bar. About $250 in cost. So for $50 more, you can get a good hitch.

Some on here discount the "economy" Husky Centerline TS, but your trailer is not very heavy. If it was a 50 mile tow to a camp ground, then maybe you could test it. But for a 1200km trip, you don't want to know you need it, during the trip. JMO and Good Luck.

P.S. The "half the vehicles GVWR" comment is a new one that I read a couple of days ago. Not sure if I would trust that. For example, my truck weights 6k loaded and I towed about 3200lb travel trailer this weekend. I didn't need one. My tongue weight was about 400 lbs and towed great. Another example is a Super Duty weighing 8k would not require one for a 4K trailer either.

massspike

For a 4700lb GVWR TT, your hitch weight is in reality going to be over 500lb so yes you need a WDH if you plan to tow that far.

It's a light TT but pretty long so sway could be a real problem at speed. A good WDH with sway control is probably justified or at least make sure you load the front of the trailer (make it nose heavy).

My 2-cents: you won't need to distribute a lot of weight to the front axle so an Andersen WDH will give you the anti-sway without the hassles of a traditional trunion/tension bar WDH.

mark waller

YES you do!

Mike Up

I had a 22.5' long Jayco Jay Flight 19BH travel trail, full weight, no ultralight. It weighed in dry from the factory at 3900 lbs and wet and loaded ~5300 lbs.

The average tongue weight on a travel trailer with dual axles is 13% of total weight even if dry tongue weight is low. Real "loaded" weights are much more. You're putting a heavy battery and heavy propane tanks on that tongue, it's going to be heavy.

You'll also need some sway control for a trailer that long, along with weight distribution. I used 800 lbs spring bars with a Reese Strait-Line system (HP Dual Cam system) on my Jayco Jay Flight 19BH. I now have a better hitch system, a Blue Ox Sway Pro which I find to be much better, quieter, very easy to install, and very easy to hitch up. I would recommend Blue Ox Sway Pro and you'll need to find your loaded hitch weight to see what spring bars you require.

Here's a pic of that camper and trucks.






My newer Camper and Truck




I also came from Pop Up Camping









Good luck.