Would like honest suggestions about tow vehicle issues

[timswi]

Just yesterday we took a highway trip and had to pass a couple newer full size trucks pulling what looked to be about 30 foot trailers- one a bumper pull and one 5th wheel the pumper pull had an equalizing hitch, and right as we go by this thing starts wagging the tail I see the brake lights and went by him.
The 5th wheel unit just kept cruising no side to side at all. Plates on both rigs looked to be from BC Canada , traveling together?? There was a little wind- 10 mph gusts. and the road did have a rolling up and down height to the pavement. It brought back memories of bumper pulling a car hauler with no equalizer hitch... When those two travelers get to their stopping point for the day, I think I can guess which ones blood pressure is going to be lower...

Not to argue, but a properly set up BP with the right truck will not go into a violent sway. I was being passed by tractor-trailers on the interstate doing at least 75-80 MPH against my 55mph and I never felt anything but slight air pressure. I never had to touch my brakes. That air impact is far greater than a 10mph wind gust. I'm sure a FW is superior, but my BP gives me no pause whatsoever. The WD hitch
is properly adjusted along with Stabilitrac and 400+ HP and 400+lb of torque...No high blood pressure here. (Except for the 1 hour detour on the last trip, no warning on that one).

 

[sd455dan]

I may have underestimated the wind gusts...
After some more thought - I would guess that the bp equalizing hitch was not correctly adjusted to the truck-also the bp truck did seem to be sprung softer from the vertical motions the road was causing.
I will say that the tail wagging while passing did cause me to use some (colorful ) words- and I did punch the gas to get around him.
Would hope in the future that IF a trailer is not tracking in a stable manner that the operator would pull over and re-adjust the hitch and or move some of the weight around in the trailer, or maybe the trailer was over loaded or the truck - but neither appeared to be...

 

[aczlan]

Would hope in the future that IF a trailer is not tracking in a stable manner that the operator would pull over and re-adjust the hitch and or move some of the weight around in the trailer, or maybe the trailer was over loaded or the truck - but neither appeared to be...

We had something similar happen once. The trailer was a steel 16' 2 axle BP stock trailer behind a E350 van, one horse in the back, 6x4x6 pile of quart jars of canned food (applesauce, peaches, beans, etc) in the front and the hitch was ~4" too low.
The trailer tracked very poorly and ended up blowing a front tire. We moved the food into the middle of the van (moving luggage into its place) and bought a new hitch "stinger" and all was well for the rest of the 1000 mile trip.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have a couple hundred thousand miles pulling bumper pull trailers from 6000# to 25000# with no issues. The trailer must be level. For that reason I own 6 stingers with balls all ready to go. Proper tow vehicle and good trailer running gear goes a long way also.

Chris

 

[CJONE]

I have a couple hundred thousand miles pulling bumper pull trailers from 6000# to 25000# with no issues. The trailer must be level. For that reason I own 6 stingers with balls all ready to go. Proper tow vehicle and good trailer running gear goes a long way also.

Chris

I thought I was bad with 4 different ones!! Anyway my new 22' trailer with my tractor on it is 11400lbs and I was pleasantly surprised when I towed it with my f-150 crew cab. Tows great, without a hint of sway. That will be my primary tow vehicle for this unit. I was fully expecting to use the F-250 but it will sit some more I guess until I need the dump trailer. Like Diamondpilot said a level trailer and proper toungweight solves the towing issues. I have never used a W/D hitch and have never needed one. CJ

 

[RobertN]

I'd bet a nickle you truck manual says to use one. Your receiver hitch is probably rated for about 10k WITH a W/D hitch, and 5k-6k without.

I have never seen a stock hitch rated any higher than that for a 1/2 ton(150x series). Or 3/4ton(250x series) for that matter.

I thought I was bad with 4 different ones!! Anyway my new 22' trailer with my tractor on it is 11400lbs and I was pleasantly surprised when I towed it with my f-150 crew cab. Tows great, without a hint of sway. That will be my primary tow vehicle for this unit. I was fully expecting to use the F-250 but it will sit some more I guess until I need the dump trailer. Like Diamondpilot said a level trailer and proper toungweight solves the towing issues. I have never used a W/D hitch and have never needed one. CJ

 

[slowzuki]

I tow a 27 ft bumper pull flatbed loaded to 15,000+ with a srw F350 gasser. I would say if you are in the mountains and don't like revs you might not like the ford gas motors as they are designed to spin fast to make their hp.

 

[handirifle]

Well my trailers have always been level, either by adjusting hitch height or a WD hitch, and towing some of the BP's I have had them start swaying on steep dowhhills. Nothing in them but clothes and food. Tanks empty! I was always able to control it with trailer brake control, but I have never needed to do this with my 5th wheel.

I am sure others have their experiences, I have mine and my preferences. There is also a lot less tail wagging the dog on undulating roads.

 

[RobertN]

Fortunately we do not have many roads like that in sunny California LOL!

There is also a lot less tail wagging the dog on undulating roads.

 

[CJONE]

I'd bet a nickle you truck manual says to use one. Your receiver hitch is probably rated for about 10k WITH a W/D hitch, and 5k-6k without.

I have never seen a stock hitch rated any higher than that for a 1/2 ton(150x series). Or 3/4ton(250x series) for that matter.

I would not bet because I KNOW what the manual says but I also KNOW what hitch is under the truck. How many hitches have you seen fail? I have only seen 1 bent that I repaired in 30+ years and that was WAAAY overloaded, 25k on a 10k rated hitch. With what I do to them the frame will break first. Look up class V or 5 hitches. Also look up the rating difference with a W/D hitch, not much difference in rating with these HD units. CJ