Who's towing longer then 33' with a TT?
07-01-2019, 06:59 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Who's towing longer then 33' with a TT?
Who's towing a travel trailer longer then 32' with non long bed F150? Just curious as I am looking a trailers. Just towed up the Passport 2920BHWE which is almost 33'. I didn't have any issues towing it (posted pics of the trip on here) even in the wind. I've seen some models unlike that will be within weight limits and payload but are between 34-36' which I feel might just be way too long and will create sway issues. Curious if any of you are towing something similar?
07-01-2019, 09:54 PM
#2
Here is something to consider. Wind load on a long trailer can easily move the lighter tow vehicle around at a moments notice. It isn't about the weight at that point but the amount of side area that the wind can catch. Personally I would not go over 30 feet with a short bed Screw, or 34 feet with a long bed Screw, and that is pushing it for me. Anything longer and I would want some mass up front to counter that side force.
Thinking that you would not encounter a strong wind gust while traveling by saying you won't drive if the wind speeds are forecast to be above a certain speed is not a sure thing. A strong gust can come out of no where on a calm day. I was in Utah a few years back and had stopped at a lookout area to rest and let the truck cool. Out of nowhere this strong gust hit the trailer and I am so glad I was not driving on the highway when it did. It lifted the trailer several inches as well as raised the rear of the truck. My trailer is 28' tip to tail, and had I been driving it would have left skid marks, in my shorts. I thought for a moment the trailer was going to roll over it hit it so hard. Add another 48 square feet of sail and who knows what might happen.
So think about it hard before buying something that long. Sailing ships have sails that have less area than the sides of some of these trailers! For the record I also drove Semis with 53' trailers, and even with a very heavy tractor up front, a good strong wind gust can really move the whole rig. There were times we would stop and wait out the wind instead of risking it, and that is with equipment made for the job.
Thinking that you would not encounter a strong wind gust while traveling by saying you won't drive if the wind speeds are forecast to be above a certain speed is not a sure thing. A strong gust can come out of no where on a calm day. I was in Utah a few years back and had stopped at a lookout area to rest and let the truck cool. Out of nowhere this strong gust hit the trailer and I am so glad I was not driving on the highway when it did. It lifted the trailer several inches as well as raised the rear of the truck. My trailer is 28' tip to tail, and had I been driving it would have left skid marks, in my shorts. I thought for a moment the trailer was going to roll over it hit it so hard. Add another 48 square feet of sail and who knows what might happen.
So think about it hard before buying something that long. Sailing ships have sails that have less area than the sides of some of these trailers! For the record I also drove Semis with 53' trailers, and even with a very heavy tractor up front, a good strong wind gust can really move the whole rig. There were times we would stop and wait out the wind instead of risking it, and that is with equipment made for the job.
Last edited by acdii; 07-01-2019 at 09:56 PM.
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13XLTEco (07-02-2019)
07-02-2019, 12:51 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Here is something to consider. Wind load on a long trailer can easily move the lighter tow vehicle around at a moments notice. It isn't about the weight at that point but the amount of side area that the wind can catch. Personally I would not go over 30 feet with a short bed Screw, or 34 feet with a long bed Screw, and that is pushing it for me. Anything longer and I would want some mass up front to counter that side force.
Thinking that you would not encounter a strong wind gust while traveling by saying you won't drive if the wind speeds are forecast to be above a certain speed is not a sure thing. A strong gust can come out of no where on a calm day. I was in Utah a few years back and had stopped at a lookout area to rest and let the truck cool. Out of nowhere this strong gust hit the trailer and I am so glad I was not driving on the highway when it did. It lifted the trailer several inches as well as raised the rear of the truck. My trailer is 28' tip to tail, and had I been driving it would have left skid marks, in my shorts. I thought for a moment the trailer was going to roll over it hit it so hard. Add another 48 square feet of sail and who knows what might happen.
So think about it hard before buying something that long. Sailing ships have sails that have less area than the sides of some of these trailers! For the record I also drove Semis with 53' trailers, and even with a very heavy tractor up front, a good strong wind gust can really move the whole rig. There were times we would stop and wait out the wind instead of risking it, and that is with equipment made for the job.
Thinking that you would not encounter a strong wind gust while traveling by saying you won't drive if the wind speeds are forecast to be above a certain speed is not a sure thing. A strong gust can come out of no where on a calm day. I was in Utah a few years back and had stopped at a lookout area to rest and let the truck cool. Out of nowhere this strong gust hit the trailer and I am so glad I was not driving on the highway when it did. It lifted the trailer several inches as well as raised the rear of the truck. My trailer is 28' tip to tail, and had I been driving it would have left skid marks, in my shorts. I thought for a moment the trailer was going to roll over it hit it so hard. Add another 48 square feet of sail and who knows what might happen.
So think about it hard before buying something that long. Sailing ships have sails that have less area than the sides of some of these trailers! For the record I also drove Semis with 53' trailers, and even with a very heavy tractor up front, a good strong wind gust can really move the whole rig. There were times we would stop and wait out the wind instead of risking it, and that is with equipment made for the job.
07-02-2019, 08:46 AM
#4
Here is a great example of too short a TV with a long trailer. Of course, driving too fast and not knowing how to stop sway once it starts are key factors involved.
However, what I was looking for was this one. The wind just flipped the trailer over, but since the driver had a heavy duty truck, they remained upright and OK. He should have pulled over and waited for the wind to die down.
However, what I was looking for was this one. The wind just flipped the trailer over, but since the driver had a heavy duty truck, they remained upright and OK. He should have pulled over and waited for the wind to die down.
07-02-2019, 11:38 AM
#5
Who's towing a travel trailer longer then 32' with non long bed F150? Just curious as I am looking a trailers. Just towed up the Passport 2920BHWE which is almost 33'. I didn't have any issues towing it (posted pics of the trip on here) even in the wind. I've seen some models unlike that will be within weight limits and payload but are between 34-36' which I feel might just be way too long and will create sway issues. Curious if any of you are towing something similar?
If you want to drive with your knees, a couple of fingers on the wheel, or must have a coffee mug in one hand at all times, get a bigger truck.
My advice if you want to tow long with a 1/2 ton, is get sturdier heavy duty trailers tires that will better help your WD hitch stabilize your trailer, and LT tires for your truck to help further stiffen your truck from side to side rocking movement.
I've never towed with P Rated tires, nor have I towed with those flimsy china bombs on a trailer.
Video like that one posted aren't informative at all, because he felt that his large truck was stable enough in that high wind. I would have gotten to the side of the road, and limped wit flashers on to the first exit.
The lighter weight means you can't tow in higher wind than heavier trucks, but stuck behind semis wavering in their lanes.
As for the unexpected big gusts, if it can blow me out of my lane, it can blow any semi off the road also, because they will be struggling in gusty wind worse that me, so I just reduce speed right behind them.
Last edited by Maury82; 07-02-2019 at 11:51 AM.
07-02-2019, 12:25 PM
#6
Senior Member
FWIW, I think that second video is from outside of Livingston, Montana. That portion of I-90 is ridiculous for wind and gets closed to semis with some regularity; even with that, it's not uncommon to see trailers (cargo, RV or semi) in a rubber-side-not-down position next to the roadway. Driving a 14-passenger van with an open utility trailer through there on a windy day is on my top-10 sketchiest driving experiences; IIRC, the road status at that point was "semis and towing vehicles recommended to exit", not mandatory, but there were still people pulled over with four-ways on. I thought about it, but I wasn't sure how long we'd be there for if I tried to wait out the wind, and it's a pretty good distance between exits (plus, by the time you get to the next exit, you've made it through the worst of the wind).
Same stretch, one of the last times I drove it, I didn't have my roll-up soft tonneau on properly and the cross-wind got under it, pulling the edge further away from the velcro, and I could feel the *** end of my pickup being lifted.
Same stretch, one of the last times I drove it, I didn't have my roll-up soft tonneau on properly and the cross-wind got under it, pulling the edge further away from the velcro, and I could feel the *** end of my pickup being lifted.
07-02-2019, 04:58 PM
#7
I’m about 7500lb, 32.7ft ball to spare. I get some sway on windy days, some sway when larger vans and trucks / buses pass me. I also drive fast (usually around 70). Slowing down to 55-60 zero issue.
I have a HDPP. I consider my trailer the longest Id be comfortable towing and, frankly, comfortable owning. Getting in and out of campgrounds is a real pain. My previous trailer was about 27ft and I feel like I could whip that thing anywhere.
I have a HDPP. I consider my trailer the longest Id be comfortable towing and, frankly, comfortable owning. Getting in and out of campgrounds is a real pain. My previous trailer was about 27ft and I feel like I could whip that thing anywhere.
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07-02-2019, 05:16 PM
#8
I’m about 7500lb, 32.7ft ball to spare. I get some sway on windy days, some sway when larger vans and trucks / buses pass me. I also drive fast (usually around 70). Slowing down to 55-60 zero issue.
I have a HDPP. I consider my trailer the longest Id be comfortable towing and, frankly, comfortable owning. Getting in and out of campgrounds is a real pain. My previous trailer was about 27ft and I feel like I could whip that thing anywhere.
I have a HDPP. I consider my trailer the longest Id be comfortable towing and, frankly, comfortable owning. Getting in and out of campgrounds is a real pain. My previous trailer was about 27ft and I feel like I could whip that thing anywhere.
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Sweetlou (07-02-2019)
07-02-2019, 06:52 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm thinking I'll stay around 30'-32' when I find one I want to purchase. All I've been doing is renting TT when I want to go camping.