Pulling a trailer questions
10-17-2012, 09:18 PM
#21
Senior Member
A WD hitch AND a good brake controller are the minimum you'll need.
If it's for this one tow only, you may be better off paying the towing company $900. You'll probably need more than 40 gallons in gas one way. Add the brake controller, hitch setup and all the time you'll spend, plus the risk. I'd go with the company.
If it's for this one tow only, you may be better off paying the towing company $900. You'll probably need more than 40 gallons in gas one way. Add the brake controller, hitch setup and all the time you'll spend, plus the risk. I'd go with the company.
10-18-2012, 07:01 PM
#22
I've towed a lot and heavy loads too, but with heavier trucks. For this truck and if it were me, I'd do tires (load E's), add-a-leaf/helper springs/RAS, weight distributing hitch (take a look at the Equalizer), and a brake controller (factory one is great, but the after market Prodigy is also very good).
10-30-2012, 06:46 PM
#23
X2 There is more to towing than what the truck can handle. Take a corner too sharp, trailer not loaded quite right, and the trip can cost you more than the $900 to pay some one else to do it.
11-17-2012, 07:33 AM
#24
Senior Member
Moot point
Since the trailer is sold, problem solved. If you ever decide to help someone again however, 99% of the time, most pick-up vehicles have the "power" to pull something, but what they don't have is the ability to stop it. Loading your truck with that much weight and trying to stop it with just your truck brakes is unsafe! So go out right now and buy a Prodigy brake controller and install it, at least you will be ready next time.
Towing that much weight without a weight distribution hitch is unsafe. Your receiver on your truck is probably ok, check the weight rating to be sure, and the "weight distribution" is available from U-haul, Valley, Reese to name a few. Very easy to use, no mods to your truck required, just insert into receiver, pin it, take the wt bars and hook up to your truck and the trailer, and plug in. Good to go. Don't need to say, allow extra distance between you and vehicle ahead.
Now since you never towed before, look at your electric plug at the rear of your truck. Is it a 4 pin horizontal connector or 7 pin round connection? You need the round 7 pin connection.
Towing that much weight without a weight distribution hitch is unsafe. Your receiver on your truck is probably ok, check the weight rating to be sure, and the "weight distribution" is available from U-haul, Valley, Reese to name a few. Very easy to use, no mods to your truck required, just insert into receiver, pin it, take the wt bars and hook up to your truck and the trailer, and plug in. Good to go. Don't need to say, allow extra distance between you and vehicle ahead.
Now since you never towed before, look at your electric plug at the rear of your truck. Is it a 4 pin horizontal connector or 7 pin round connection? You need the round 7 pin connection.
11-17-2012, 07:43 AM
#25
Since the trailer is sold, problem solved. If you ever decide to help someone again however, 99% of the time, most pick-up vehicles have the "power" to pull something, but what they don't have is the ability to stop it. Loading your truck with that much weight and trying to stop it with just your truck brakes is unsafe! So go out right now and buy a Prodigy brake controller and install it, at least you will be ready next time.
Towing that much weight without a weight distribution hitch is unsafe. Your receiver on your truck is probably ok, check the weight rating to be sure, and the "weight distribution" is available from U-haul, Valley, Reese to name a few. Very easy to use, no mods to your truck required, just insert into receiver, pin it, take the wt bars and hook up to your truck and the trailer, and plug in. Good to go. Don't need to say, allow extra distance between you and vehicle ahead.
Now since you never towed before, look at your electric plug at the rear of your truck. Is it a 4 pin horizontal connector or 7 pin round connection? You need the round 7 pin connection.
Towing that much weight without a weight distribution hitch is unsafe. Your receiver on your truck is probably ok, check the weight rating to be sure, and the "weight distribution" is available from U-haul, Valley, Reese to name a few. Very easy to use, no mods to your truck required, just insert into receiver, pin it, take the wt bars and hook up to your truck and the trailer, and plug in. Good to go. Don't need to say, allow extra distance between you and vehicle ahead.
Now since you never towed before, look at your electric plug at the rear of your truck. Is it a 4 pin horizontal connector or 7 pin round connection? You need the round 7 pin connection.
i think the 7 pins are standard on the newer F150s...i know my 07 has it and i have a 4 pin too
11-19-2012, 03:12 PM
#26
Better OUT then IN
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Originally Posted by djfllmn
i think the 7 pins are standard on the newer F150s...i know my 07 has it and i have a 4 pin too