I hear about stability issues with relatively small trailers. Then I see someone with a 145" F150 with a simple WDH with no sway control pulling a 36'+ 11,000 lb FlagStaff at highway speeds with apparent ease.

What am I missing?

 

Simple. Some people research,weigh,adjust until the set-up is dialed in. Sometimes it takes several times. Some people hook up and go with never checking anything. They either learn and set it up right or run out and buy a bigger truck and post on the internet how you can’t possibly be safe. lol

 

Probably with too much tongue weight. I currently have a 36' TT (smaller one on order) and when I have over 15% (1400+ lbs) TW it tows well. drop down to 13% and I have occasional sway, bad enough to kick in the truck sway control twice so far. I do use a Blue Ox sway pro but I suspect with enough TW I wouldn't need it. I also have a longer WB

 

I agree with the above, get the tongue weight around 15%, setup the hitch properly and they stay off of forums where people who have never done it tell them it can't be done "says so right here in the book!"
I's be willing to bet you haven't seen them towing faster than 65MPH. Stability goes down as speed goes up.

 

With the hitch adjusted correctly (per scale passes and spreadsheet calculations) it can also show that a truck with more payload is needed.

In my case, the F150 was maxed out with payload, GVWR and slightly exceeded the rear axle by 150 lbs. This was with the WDH returning 100% back to the front axle. At the time, my wife and I had 2 kids (7 and 4) and one more on the way, the truck would continue to be more and more overloaded. This wasn't for the hitch being poorly adjusted, this was the fact that it had limited payload and the truck's cargo (passengers) were growing.

I do believe a truck can be loaded to 100% capacity and is still safe. It may have a 36' trailer behind it; however, my question is, at what point is an overloaded truck still safe and when does an overloaded truck cross the line to unsafe? What rating (GVWR, GAWR, GCWR) is ok to fudge on and which one needs to be adhered to?

 

The overloaded part is what should be figured out beforehand. Pretty easy to take 15% of GVWR, etc. and run the numbers before you buy a big trailer or any trailer for that matter. That’s the problem, people don’t do their research and have no idea what payload, rawr, GVWR or where to find it. They buy a trailer and have a white knuckle tow and blame the truck. In your case you simply outgrew your tow vehicle. That’s a completely different reason for buying a bigger truck. I don’t think any of the numbers should be fudged.

 

There are numbers I would be willing to fudge...

GVWR on an F350 with a "paper derate" to 9900 lb.

The tow rating on an older 2500 Cummins Reg Cab 2500 ST 4x2.
Curb 5400
GVWR 8800
GCWR 19000
Conventional Tow Rating 10000


But with 1/2 tons I'm not sure I'm comfortable with some of the factory ratings.

 

I agree with something like a 3/4 ton with a derated GVWR for registration purposes, but seeing this is the f-150 forum I assumed we were talking 1/2 tons. As far as the factory 1/2 ton ratings, it’s funny how some people don’t trust them but will gladly accept that a 1 ton is rated to tow 36,000lbs. Not saying you’re one of them, it just reminded me when you mentioned the 1/2 ton ratings. As an example when someone says your trailer shouldn’t be twice the weight of your 1/2 ton truck but thinks it’s ok for trailer to be 4.5X the weight of a 1 ton. Because that’s exactly what the Ford specs are.

 

[QUOTE=SM1;6887294 it’s funny how some people don’t trust them but will gladly accept that a 1 ton is rated to tow 36,000lbs. Not saying you’re one of them, it just reminded me when you mentioned the 1/2 ton ratings. As an example when someone says your trailer shouldn’t be twice the weight of your 1/2 ton truck but thinks it’s ok for trailer to be 4.5X the weight of a 1 ton. Because that’s exactly what the Ford specs are.[/QUOTE]

You hit the nail on the head............some on the forum use the same reasoning points as "Norm" sitting at the end of the bar.

 

It certainly isn't for the newbies that come seeking guidance around here. Sure it can be done, and it is done. Given a dicey circumstance, I hope I'm not around to see what goes down. way too many dumb fuc** on the road that we need to be weary of while towing. The older I get, the more I've seen, the wiser I get.