Need a WDH Guru
06-20-2015, 09:21 AM
#1
Need a WDH Guru
Bought a new travel trailer that weighs 8600lbs with TW of alot more than advertised. I have the cat scales sheets which I will post. I'm using a 1000 Equal-zer hitch. I need some else to analyze this for me. Truck and trailer looks very level after hookup. Question is, should I go to a higher rated WDH to get more weight off my hitch and more weight to the front wheels and trailer axle wheels or do I just say screw it and go to 250 SD? Can't download file for some reason. I know I'm over weight on my GWAR and overloading my receiver. I need someone to tell me how to get more weight off my hitch. The trailer is very lightly loaded in fact we don't even have the front fully packed. I have 7 washers in the wdh, can I go more??
Steer axle 3140
drive axle4080
trailer axle 7540
Gross weight 14760
Truck alone 6100
steer 3300
drive 2800
I have a 2014 FX4 with Max Tow package Crew Cab
Steer axle 3140
drive axle4080
trailer axle 7540
Gross weight 14760
Truck alone 6100
steer 3300
drive 2800
I have a 2014 FX4 with Max Tow package Crew Cab
06-20-2015, 11:19 AM
#2
You are still unloading the front tires so yes, I would install your final washer and move more weight forward. You can also move to a different hole on the trailer mounts which should also move more weight forward but this will give you a big adjustment not a small one and you will have to go back to adjusting washers. All this should give you a better load balance within the truck and take weight off of the hitch. This does not take away from the fact that your F150 is loaded pretty much to the max and in some cases even over. Being a little over loaded is ok but being way over is not (2-300lb over load capacity is about my limit) so think about how you are going to use this. If you are a weekend warrior travelling 4-5 hours at speeds under 60 mph than to me you are right at the limit of ok but if you are a hard core puller doing 8-12 hours at 70 mph than it is not ok.
You also need to think of the age of the truck. Right now you have a very nice, new F150 which is tight and operating at its best, in 5 years time you will have a used F150 which is a little bit looser and a little less stable. I would not push a 5 year old truck to its very limits especially if I knew that it has been already pushed to its limits every summer of every year since new.
If you do what I suggest and use the F150 for short trips and at lower speeds and only when it is new than you have to think about is this a good idea for me and my family and it really isn't. Loading the **** out of an F150 means that there isn't much stability or forgiveness left in the truck....strike a pothole the size of a basketball it may all go to hell because the truck simply cannot handle that much of a disturbance. You may very well find yourself driving like hell just to pass your own trailer or digging for worms in your favorite ditch.
In all honesty it can be done but it probably should not....start looking for an F250.
You also need to think of the age of the truck. Right now you have a very nice, new F150 which is tight and operating at its best, in 5 years time you will have a used F150 which is a little bit looser and a little less stable. I would not push a 5 year old truck to its very limits especially if I knew that it has been already pushed to its limits every summer of every year since new.
If you do what I suggest and use the F150 for short trips and at lower speeds and only when it is new than you have to think about is this a good idea for me and my family and it really isn't. Loading the **** out of an F150 means that there isn't much stability or forgiveness left in the truck....strike a pothole the size of a basketball it may all go to hell because the truck simply cannot handle that much of a disturbance. You may very well find yourself driving like hell just to pass your own trailer or digging for worms in your favorite ditch.
In all honesty it can be done but it probably should not....start looking for an F250.
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jalarsn@att.net (06-20-2015)
06-20-2015, 12:21 PM
#3
Grumpy Old Man
Steer axle 3140
drive axle4080
...
Truck alone 6100
steer 3300
drive 2800
drive axle4080
...
Truck alone 6100
steer 3300
drive 2800
GVW without trailer = 3300+2800= 6,100
7220 minus 6,100 = 1,120, or more than 1,000 pounds tongue weight.
So you don't have enough hitch. You need at least 1,200 pound spring bars. I don find replacement spring bars for Equal-I-Zer 1,200 hitch, so it looks like a sway-control kit is your least-expensive fix. Replacing the entire hitch with a new one rated for 1,200 pounds tongue weight would cost around $600.
Here's one source for the sway kit that includes 1,200-pound spring bars for $428.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/equal-i-zer-sway-kit-with-hitch-/161739138101?hash=item25a8676435&vxp=mtr
06-20-2015, 11:04 PM
#4
GVW with trailer = 3140+4080 = 7,220
GVW without trailer = 3300+2800= 6,100
7220 minus 6,100 = 1,120, or more than 1,000 pounds tongue weight.
So you don't have enough hitch. You need at least 1,200 pound spring bars. I don find replacement spring bars for Equal-I-Zer 1,200 hitch, so it looks like a sway-control kit is your least-expensive fix. Replacing the entire hitch with a new one rated for 1,200 pounds tongue weight would cost around $600.
Here's one source for the sway kit that includes 1,200-pound spring bars for $428.
Equal I ZER Sway Kit with Hitch | eBay
GVW without trailer = 3300+2800= 6,100
7220 minus 6,100 = 1,120, or more than 1,000 pounds tongue weight.
So you don't have enough hitch. You need at least 1,200 pound spring bars. I don find replacement spring bars for Equal-I-Zer 1,200 hitch, so it looks like a sway-control kit is your least-expensive fix. Replacing the entire hitch with a new one rated for 1,200 pounds tongue weight would cost around $600.
Here's one source for the sway kit that includes 1,200-pound spring bars for $428.
Equal I ZER Sway Kit with Hitch | eBay
I thought that I had more like 1280 on the tongue. I think that you did me a huge favor and thank you very much. So, how much more do you think I can distribute the weight to the front axle and to the trailer axle with the 1200# hitch? Do you think I can get another 10% or more with the heavier WDH? Placing a bid right now on Ebay for that hitch and my 1000 will be for sale.
What do you think about the Roadmaster SA or the Hellwig swaybar as an addition?
06-20-2015, 11:16 PM
#5
Keep in mind also, the more weight you put up front on an F-150, the more the camber is affected. The front tires will start to look like this- / \ and wear on the insides if you put too much weight up front.
For occasional trips that won't be a huge concern as long as you aren't actually overloading anything... but if you're going to be towing this a lot then you may go through tires and want to think about upgrading to a Super Duty.
Just my thoughts.
For occasional trips that won't be a huge concern as long as you aren't actually overloading anything... but if you're going to be towing this a lot then you may go through tires and want to think about upgrading to a Super Duty.
Just my thoughts.
06-20-2015, 11:35 PM
#6
[QUOTE=5190;4215048]Keep in mind also, the more weight you put up front on an F-150, the more the camber is affected. The front tires will start to look like this- / \ and wear on the insides if you put too much weight up front.
For occasional trips that won't be a huge concern as long as you aren't actually overloading anything... but if you're going to be towing this a lot then you may go through tires and want to think about upgrading to a Super Duty.
Just my thoughts.[/QUOT
These are all great thoughts on this subject. I'm hoping the higher WDH will accomplish my needs. I was out looking at SD today with 6.7. To get it equipped like I would want it, it's about $60000 plus. I also took a F350 for a ride, pretty sweet and I think more bang for the buck without sacrificing that much ride.
For occasional trips that won't be a huge concern as long as you aren't actually overloading anything... but if you're going to be towing this a lot then you may go through tires and want to think about upgrading to a Super Duty.
Just my thoughts.[/QUOT
These are all great thoughts on this subject. I'm hoping the higher WDH will accomplish my needs. I was out looking at SD today with 6.7. To get it equipped like I would want it, it's about $60000 plus. I also took a F350 for a ride, pretty sweet and I think more bang for the buck without sacrificing that much ride.
06-21-2015, 02:37 PM
#7
Grumpy Old Man
You didn't post the weights on the various axles with the trailer tied on but without the spring bars of the WDH tightened. So I can't compute the weight that's already distributed to the front and trailer axles with your current hitch.
Your tongue weight is 1,120. The most you can distribute off the rear axle with a properly adjusted WD hitch is 50% of that tongue weight, or 560 pounds. 25% to the trailer axles and 25% to the front axle, leaving 50% on the rear axle.
Without multiple trips across the CAT scale, you can probably get to 60/20/20 with only a couple of trips across the scale. One trip without the spring bars tight, then the other trips with the spring bars tight so you can see the difference in weight distribution.
You get to 50% to 60% tongue weight on the rear axle simply by tightening or loosening the spring bars. After you achieve that, then the next step is to change the angle of the ball to the coupler until the remainder of the tongue weight is close to equally distributed to the front and trailer axles.
Example: TW = 650
Without spring bars:
Steer: 3040
Drive: 3880
Trailer: 3480
With spring bars tight:
Steer: 3280
Drive: 3560
Trailer: 3620
(result includes 20# scale error)
Difference:
Steer 3280-3040 = 240 added to front axles = 37% of TW (= too high)
Trailer 3620-3480 = 140 added to trailer axles = 22% (= okay)
Drive 3880 - 3560 = 320 removed from rear axle, leaving 330 on rear axle = 51% = 0kay.
So from that weighing, the spring bars are tightened about right, because close to 50% pf tongue weight remains on the rear axle. But we need to adjust the angle of the hitch ball to add a little weight to the trailer axles and remove some weight from the front axle.
What do you think about the Roadmaster SA or the Hellwig swaybar as an addition?
http://roadmasterinc.com/products/rss/truck_sway.html
Those will do zero to help with the overloading problem. They will probably help with handling of the overloaded tow vehicle. You're right up against the GVWR of your tow vehicle now, and you aren't yet loaded for a long RV trip. So you'll be overloaded even more when you get on the road. With only 7,200 GVWR, you don't have enough truck to be hauling the hitch weight of an 8,000-pound TT. For that trailer you need the Heavy Duty Payload pkg on an F-150, or an F-250.
Last edited by smokeywren; 06-21-2015 at 03:03 PM. Reason: fine tune
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Loki 5.0 (08-04-2015)
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06-22-2015, 04:26 PM
#8
You didn't post the weights on the various axles with the trailer tied on but without the spring bars of the WDH tightened. So I can't compute the weight that's already distributed to the front and trailer axles with your current hitch.
Your tongue weight is 1,120. The most you can distribute off the rear axle with a properly adjusted WD hitch is 50% of that tongue weight, or 560 pounds. 25% to the trailer axles and 25% to the front axle, leaving 50% on the rear axle.
Without multiple trips across the CAT scale, you can probably get to 60/20/20 with only a couple of trips across the scale. One trip without the spring bars tight, then the other trips with the spring bars tight so you can see the difference in weight distribution.
You get to 50% to 60% tongue weight on the rear axle simply by tightening or loosening the spring bars. After you achieve that, then the next step is to change the angle of the ball to the coupler until the remainder of the tongue weight is close to equally distributed to the front and trailer axles.
Example: TW = 650
Without spring bars:
Steer: 3040
Drive: 3880
Trailer: 3480
With spring bars tight:
Steer: 3280
Drive: 3560
Trailer: 3620
(result includes 20# scale error)
Difference:
Steer 3280-3040 = 240 added to front axles = 37% of TW (= too high)
Trailer 3620-3480 = 140 added to trailer axles = 22% (= okay)
Drive 3880 - 3560 = 320 removed from rear axle, leaving 330 on rear axle = 51% = 0kay.
So from that weighing, the spring bars are tightened about right, because close to 50% pf tongue weight remains on the rear axle. But we need to adjust the angle of the hitch ball to add a little weight to the trailer axles and remove some weight from the front axle.
Did you mean Roadmaster RSS anti-sway bars?
http://roadmasterinc.com/products/rss/truck_sway.html
Those will do zero to help with the overloading problem. They will probably help with handling of the overloaded tow vehicle. You're right up against the GVWR of your tow vehicle now, and you aren't yet loaded for a long RV trip. So you'll be overloaded even more when you get on the road. With only 7,200 GVWR, you don't have enough truck to be hauling the hitch weight of an 8,000-pound TT. For that trailer you need the Heavy Duty Payload pkg on an F-150, or an F-250.
Your tongue weight is 1,120. The most you can distribute off the rear axle with a properly adjusted WD hitch is 50% of that tongue weight, or 560 pounds. 25% to the trailer axles and 25% to the front axle, leaving 50% on the rear axle.
Without multiple trips across the CAT scale, you can probably get to 60/20/20 with only a couple of trips across the scale. One trip without the spring bars tight, then the other trips with the spring bars tight so you can see the difference in weight distribution.
You get to 50% to 60% tongue weight on the rear axle simply by tightening or loosening the spring bars. After you achieve that, then the next step is to change the angle of the ball to the coupler until the remainder of the tongue weight is close to equally distributed to the front and trailer axles.
Example: TW = 650
Without spring bars:
Steer: 3040
Drive: 3880
Trailer: 3480
With spring bars tight:
Steer: 3280
Drive: 3560
Trailer: 3620
(result includes 20# scale error)
Difference:
Steer 3280-3040 = 240 added to front axles = 37% of TW (= too high)
Trailer 3620-3480 = 140 added to trailer axles = 22% (= okay)
Drive 3880 - 3560 = 320 removed from rear axle, leaving 330 on rear axle = 51% = 0kay.
So from that weighing, the spring bars are tightened about right, because close to 50% pf tongue weight remains on the rear axle. But we need to adjust the angle of the hitch ball to add a little weight to the trailer axles and remove some weight from the front axle.
Did you mean Roadmaster RSS anti-sway bars?
http://roadmasterinc.com/products/rss/truck_sway.html
Those will do zero to help with the overloading problem. They will probably help with handling of the overloaded tow vehicle. You're right up against the GVWR of your tow vehicle now, and you aren't yet loaded for a long RV trip. So you'll be overloaded even more when you get on the road. With only 7,200 GVWR, you don't have enough truck to be hauling the hitch weight of an 8,000-pound TT. For that trailer you need the Heavy Duty Payload pkg on an F-150, or an F-250.
With the 1000 equalizer, as you can see I am still losing weight on the front axle.
If I could get close to the 60-20-20, it would do a lot for my tongue weight on my rear. Well the first thing I need to do is get a hitch rated for my trailer no matter what truck I have or get. I plugged the numbers in the Equal-i-zer web sight and it said a minimum of 1200/12000 but if I had a long load, which I have, to go with 1400/14000. The Roadmaster Active Suspension, that I meant to say was something that I thought I would install after I had the distribution all right. I realize that it would have nothing to do with setting up the WDH. I just thought it might be a bonus for better handling after I got the weights right. I'm also keeping my eye out for a F250.