Hello all,

I've posted my numbers in a recent post, but here's a quick summary.

2019 F150 EB, max tow, 7000 GVWR, 1873 lb. payload, 16,100 GCVWR. CAT scale numbers with the trailer are not over any ratings, but it's been suggested here I could stand to re-adjust my Equalizer 4 point to put a bit more weight on the front.....which I intend to do. I am towing a "1/2 ton Keystone Cougar" (quotes (*@!%%$%$ intended), 29RLKWE. We travel light - an average sized retired couple and a couple of mini dachshunds in small kennel cages are all that's in the truck. Our truck scaled out at 5600 with a full tank of gas and us. The remainder of our cargo will be in the trailer.

The trailer was purchased from a dealer about 3 hours from home and I felt it towed well unloaded during the drive back home. I've since loaded it for travel and towed it locally, and it still felt nice and stable...loaded for travel for a long weekend the weigh is 8200 lbs. I do plan on going from AZ to OH once per year, that would entail perhaps a 100 more lbs in personal items, in the trailer, and that's it.

Since purchase and my locals tows, I've made a couple of upgrades to the TV: I swapped out the OEM passenger tires for E-rated Cooper AT3 LT's as well as replacing the rear OEM shocks and for a pair of Bilstein 4600s.

Some questions for the towing experts....

*Should I swap out the front shocks as well for a Bilsteins?

*What about adding Timbrens or Sumos?

*What about an 'active suspension system' or airbags?

*With regard to the hitch, I originally asked to purchase a 12k/1200 lb tongue weight Equalizer E4 from the dealer (Camping World) and they recommended a 10k/1000 lb instead. I'm currently negotiating with them to give me what I offered to buy in the first place, since my tongue weight is hovering at, or over 1000 lbs. What are your thoughts on this?

*One more hitch question...the bar sockets on my hitch are super tight. It is barely possible for me to swing the arms away (or towards) the L brackets...I'm talking when the jack is raised up and the swing arms are 'free'. I called EQ support and they advised that sometimes the socket bolts are over-torqued at the factory. I loosened and re-torqued to the recommended 65 fp and they are still tight as can be. A buddy of mine with an E2 says his will 'flop' from side to side when loose. Any ideas?

As a side note, I'm not into doing mods just to do them. I am only trying to do what I can to be as safe as possible when towing. I don't want to add a bunch of after market components to my truck that are not meaningful in addressing any issues I may have. I've read a lot of posts at various forums where members reference the 'white knuckle' moments they had when hauling heavy with an F150, and an almost equal number that make it sound like I should slap a BW companion hitch in the bed, trade in my TT, and go merrily on my way in a Cougar 32DBH fifth wheel!! I do know that after reading forums for the last month, I sometimes feel like I'll need to slink into camp in the dead of night, ashamed that I'm towing what I'm towing, or risk showing up in "Check Out What I Saw this F150 Towing" post on some forum!

Anyway, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to validate my truck or what it's towing, I'm just looking for reasonable feedback and hoping to have fun RV'ing without being a menace to society.

Thanks in advance, all.

 

I just had the same issue with my Equalizer hitch and thought I was doing something wrong, so I called them and they said the same thing.
I loosed the nut till they were swinging with a bit of pressure and grease the points and it made a big difference in setup and noice it was alot quieter.
I also installed the 4600's on the Rear and not the front and that help alot..I don't think you need to add anything else, but I did put the ,12000# bars on mine, I think you will notice a differences there..
Good luck..Jerry

 

I recommend timbrens. But on a side note, how do you like the AT3 LTs? Any pictures and are they quiet on the road at hight speeds?

 

I also have an equalizer and love it. I keep the bolts tight so the bars are difficult to move because that and the friction on the L brackets is the built in sway control.

As to the "experts" on the forums.....they are no different then the ones you meet at work,some really know what they are talking about and some are just the greatest in their own minds.

 

When I talked to technical support, I asked him about loosing the bolts to Help push them over the brackets and does it effect sway, and he said it had nothing to do with it and to let them move freely. It makes sense, that the receiver and the bars lined up to the L brackets make the difference in the sway. Tension he said was the key, from the he hitch inserts to the the mount on the TT.. So what I took away vertical tesion was more important that lateral tension..All I know is it it a lot quieter..
For what it is worth..

 

The sway bar sockets will loosen up a bit with use, lube the hitch head per the manual and use it. It will loosen up but the bars won't swing "freely" IMO, just easier to move in/out when hooking up or un hooking from the TT.

 

makes sense when you think about how much the socket moves vs the bars on the L brackets if you slightly turn the truck mimicking the beginning of a swaying trailer. I can grease away now with piece of mind Thanks

 

That was my thinking, but Then again, I'm a dummy.
Good luck.. Jerry

 

Couldn't find the GVWR, but RV sites says the shipping weight is 7500lb, and capacity is 2000lb, which leads me to believe the GVWR is 9500lb.

If you load the TT and truck to max, you will be over your GCWR.

Other than not exceeding GCWR or the truck's payload, you can be within your limits, and essentially have nothing more than a heavy tow. I wouldn't bother with slinking into sites late a night unless you are horrible at getting it parked. Your neighbors will still know, hearing you move it around for 30 minutes, but you won't have to face them until morning, and they'll probably avoid you for being the *** that disturbs the peace after dark.


*Should I swap out the front shocks as well for a Bilsteins?
I would have suggested a slightly more expensive compression/rebound adjustable shock for the rear. Appears you have already installed non-adjustable Bilstein in the rear. In this case the Bilstein front struts would be a good match for the rears.

*What about adding Timbrens or Sumos?
For the cost, air bags are better, but none of these are required if you get the correct WDH balance.

*With regard to the hitch, I originally asked to purchase a 12k/1200 lb tongue weight Equalizer E4 from the dealer (Camping World) and they recommended a 10k/1000 lb instead. I'm currently negotiating with them to give me what I offered to buy in the first place, since my tongue weight is hovering at, or over 1000 lbs. What are your thoughts on this?
Yes, you should get the heavier duty arms as you are maxing out the ones you have and have zero room to work with weight. Keep in mind, there is a range of use, so for example, a 10k/1000lb setup might have a range of 500-1000lb tongue weight. You have maxed out the 1000lb arms, and the performance will be soft, letting the front end rise more during elevation transitions (slumps, humps, etc) than stronger arms.

*One more hitch question...the bar sockets on my hitch are super tight. It is barely possible for me to swing the arms away (or towards) the L brackets...I'm talking when the jack is raised up and the swing arms are 'free'. I called EQ support and they advised that sometimes the socket bolts are over-torqued at the factory. I loosened and re-torqued to the recommended 65 fp and they are still tight as can be. A buddy of mine with an E2 says his will 'flop' from side to side when loose. Any ideas?
It's true, horizontal resistance has only a very minor effect on sway control. You can install thinner washers to reduce the resistance, or let use of the WDH wear in the bar mounts.

 

I've got about 400 miles on them and so far I love them. There is really no discernible difference in noise level between the AT3s and the Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude P-tires that I removed. Road feel is a little 'stiffer' but not rough at all. I expected to sacrifice some ride quality, but did not. Here are a couple of pics.....