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  1. #21
    Site Sponsor sande005's Avatar
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    Thanks for the note! Hensley can be attractive, especially with their buy backs and selling of refurbished ones. Because there is a very strong market for gently used of either kind, I didn't have much fear of that - just like selling a used car, more to me rather than the dealer. Used vs new wasn't that great of a difference. Jim Hensley, the inventor, was essentially forced out of his namesake company, and I gather gets nothing from the sale of those hitches. He and another employee (Sean Woodruff) started ProPride, with improvements over the original design. I like that Jim shares in the success of the newer product. While Jim is not active, Sean takes a direct hands on to customer support. You literally can call him, directly, at any time for help. I did just that during my install, and he was fantastic to work with. There are groups on social media for both. You may want to scroll through for "fan boy" comments about either before deciding.

    Note that either are about 180 lbs...vs the 80-100 of a conventional hitch. So you do want to take payload limits of the truck into consideration....

    And, of course, do some more searching - if the other "fixes" don't work, look to see what others are using. It may be another cheaper brand of hitch (Blue Ox, etc.) may fit the bill without the $$.
    2017 Imagine 2670MK
    2012 F-150 SCrew, Eco, 4x4 6.5 box
    Max. Tow, HD Payload, Airbags, ProPride hitch
    (Previous: Jayco 26.5RLS Fifth, Revolution Pinbox)

  2. #22
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by sande005 View Post
    Thanks for the note! Hensley can be attractive, especially with their buy backs and selling of refurbished ones. Because there is a very strong market for gently used of either kind, I didn't have much fear of that - just like selling a used car, more to me rather than the dealer. Used vs new wasn't that great of a difference. Jim Hensley, the inventor, was essentially forced out of his namesake company, and I gather gets nothing from the sale of those hitches. He and another employee (Sean Woodruff) started ProPride, with improvements over the original design. I like that Jim shares in the success of the newer product. While Jim is not active, Sean takes a direct hands on to customer support. You literally can call him, directly, at any time for help. I did just that during my install, and he was fantastic to work with. There are groups on social media for both. You may want to scroll through for "fan boy" comments about either before deciding.

    Note that either are about 180 lbs...vs the 80-100 of a conventional hitch. So you do want to take payload limits of the truck into consideration....

    And, of course, do some more searching - if the other "fixes" don't work, look to see what others are using. It may be another cheaper brand of hitch (Blue Ox, etc.) may fit the bill without the $$.
    Took a look at the Equalizer manual. It says if you’re experiencing sway, to make sure the bolts holding the sockets for the weight/sway bars are torqued to 60 ft/lb. Got at least a quarter turn on each before hitting 60 ft/lb. Heres to hoping that helps.

  3. #23
    Seasoned Camper Refclown's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tigger1 View Post
    ^^^ This is good advice from @Calbar

    Work with the hitch first to dial it in. Of course you may have to wait for a windy day while towing to see if it works but it’s the least expensive way.

    Having owned a Forest River TT I also spend time on their forum and see the same questions about F150’s and sway. LT tires and Propride hitch are sometimes mentioned as solutions. I also think an aluminum body can be a factor playing a part with sway in some cases since it’s lighter.

    My current 22mle TT is rated just about 500# less than yours and a few feet shorter and I haven’t experienced any problems with sway. I’m using ‘P’ rated tires, rear Sumo Springs for leveling, all else is stock. I originally had an Equalizer 4-point but it got too heavy for me to lift. The Andersen WDH I’m using now is lighter and in my experience has better sway control than the E4. Just a thought. Maybe visit FR forum and do a search for Andersen WDH. It’s rated for up 14,000 gross trailer weight and up to 1,400 tongue weight.
    I am using a Reese WDH that has worked great on my 22MLE. I have about 14% tongue weight an my truck sits level. The Reese using a brake pad material that the bars ride on to control sway.
    Roger & Debbie
    2020 XLE 22 MLE
    2021 Chevy 1500 LTZ 4x4
    Crew Cab with, 6.2L V8 With HD Tow Pkg

  4. #24
    Seasoned Camper Rovers's Avatar
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    I have the exact trailer and tow it with a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. I have gone to the cat scale several times this year to confirm my numbers, but with a properly set up WDH the truck and trailer handle just fine. As others have mentioned, the key is to load the front of the trailer heavy… from the factory it is too light up front.

    Our hitch set up has returned all but 40 pounds of weight to the truck’s front axle compared to the unloaded weight, with approximately 12% on the tongue. When traveling we are sure to place food, clothes, and camp supplies in the kitchen, front bedroom or in the pass-through. We also typically travel with half a tank of freshwater, though that is more for use at rest stops, etc. on the way to our destination rather than for weight though it does help because the tank is forward of the axles.

    Large trucks are still felt when they pass us, but our trips are typically very comfortable. Strong Crosswinds are felt no matter what so we typically limit our speed if it is windy.

    In my opinion your truck is plenty for that trailer if, and it is a big if, the hitch is set up properly and you take care when loading the trailer for your trips. Re-read your hitch manual and set aside a fair bit of time to experiment and adjust your hitch and it will pay off in comfortable trips for future camping. You’ll do fine!

    Bob

  5. #25
    Setting Up Camp
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    Upgrade to at least a 3/4 ton

  6. #26
    Setting Up Camp
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    Truth is high cross winds will affect any vehicle with a high, large, flat side. Thus the reason Emergency Management Agencies close long bridges to tractor trailers when wind speed reaches a certain point. If you are not getting sway or being pushed by 18 wheelers when they pass on calm days then it sounds like you have a good set up. I've towed a 315rlts with a crew cab, 8 foot bed 2500 Silverado and never had issues with sway, but in flat areas in the mid west I felt the wind pushing me around, but the 18 wheelers were having the same issues. Not bad enough to park it, but enough to heighten my awareness.

  7. #27
    Big Traveler Calbar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
    Upgrade to at least a 3/4 ton
    Really??? With a 7500 lb trailer there is no need for anything bigger than what the OP has. I towed a similar weight trailer that was 3' longer for 11 years with a 1/2 ton and for well over 50,000 miles and then towed my 297RSTS with a 1/2 ton for 1 year and 7000 miles comfortably and without any issues. With the 2400BH loaded properly and a good WDH with sway control the OP should have no issues with his truck.

    Rob
    Rob & Barb
    2022 Solitude 378MBS
    2022 RAM 3500 SRW HO Aisin 4x4
    Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

  8. #28
    Setting Up Camp
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    I've had the Equalizer E4 and the Husky Center Line TS and neither can compare to the ProPride. The difference is night and day. We camp to relax and white knuckleing it to and from camp grounds was not relaxing. I considered the value of safety when I spent the money for the ProPride, along with the fact that I can put it on the next RV and TV. We currently have an Imagine 2800BH on order. The ProPride hitch does not require you to drill holes into the trailer frame like the Hensley hitch does.

  9. #29
    Rolling Along
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    Having pulled a 38 Foot Layton trailer (7000 Lbs) for 25 years I had the same issues. When I pulled with 3/4 ton Dodge Maxi-Vans (two, sequentially) I had stirrup-style anti-sway leveling bars. That seemed to handle most of the sway. However, when I inherited my grandfather's '72 Chevy Suburban (3/4 Ton 2-wheels drive, four coil springs) things got much worse...

    Not knowing that a bushing had fallen out of the "Panhard bar" that keeps coil spring axles from moving side-to-side, AND the fact that I was about to lose a tire on the trailer because I didn't think checking bolt torques was important, when a Class A blew by me at 85 Mph I lost control and ended up rolling the truck on its right side underneath the trailer which was still upright and suspended between the mangled hitch of the truck and the trailer rear bumper with all four wheels 18 inches off the ground!!!

    Long story short: $6000 to fix the truck (passenger door, fender, and fender skirt, bodywork and paint..it had only 53K miles on it). The RV shop totaled my trailer because they charge $120 per hour for teenagers to work on RV's. I was paid $2800 by the insurance company. We bought a new hitch and propane tank mounting parts...$800. I used a one-ton "come-a-long", a big pipe, and a sledge hammer to straighten the frame corner to corner, replaced some aluminum trim and other things, and then insured it again and used it another 7 years.

    The moral of this story is this: If you don't want this type of tragedy in your life, BUY THE ABSOLUTE BEST SWAY CONTROL YOU CAN FIND! I ended up with new stirrup anti-sway leveling bars and then bought two of the friction-type sway controls (not to mention a new bushing for the Panhard bar ad a new rim for my wheel because the lug threads were destroyed from the loose wheel). When big trucks and Class-A's blow by at 80+, it "can" start a chain reaction that "may" not be recoverable. Also, make sure to check the lug nuts for proper torque. Don't make my mistakes. Lessons learned!
    Last edited by fez111; 11-09-2020 at 09:19 AM.
    Frank and Char + Maya, Newport, Michigan. 2016 Solitude 379FL/2006 F250 6.0 diesel w/dually conversion. 4th rain-sense roof vent, two ceiling fans, Kodiak disc brakes, Carlisle G 14-ply tires, Water Miser x2, final dump valve, water header tank, fridge cond fan switch, outside range exhaust, elec hot water anode, filtered drinking water, triple battery box,

  10. #30
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by sande005 View Post
    You'll get a lot of "buy a new truck" guys chiming in. But, in more or less order of cost, try first:

    1. Reading about how to, and going to, a truck scale. Simply has to be done to validate the reality of your numbers, and to verify any changes you might make.
    True sway is only due to too light on the tongue. Wind (or truck) pushes are not really sway, although they can be causes in initiating true sway - back-and-forth oscillation. Get your tongue weight above 12%, better to be 12.5-15%. Check this, and fix if needed, no matter what else.
    2. Ford generally recommends restoring 50% of the weight lost on the steer wheels when towing. Many of us have found that going back to almost 100% can greatly improve things. Again, truck weights rather than fender height is a much better means of determining what is lost/regained. Adjust your WD hitch bars to change this.
    3. Go to max sidewall pressure on your current truck tires.
    4. Change up to load range E tires, and go to max (80 lbs) pressure on them when towing. Shop for ones with the greatest sidewall stiffness.
    5. Spend the big $$ and buy a ProPride hitch.

    I had to do all 5. Yes, I still know it is windy out, but on the last 4,500 mile trip, where cross winds gusted to 35+ on some days, I was still steering one handed.....
    Sande005,

    Finally got to the CAT scale. Used the 3 weight method and the cheat sheet from towingplanner.com and determined my tongue weight is 680, camper weight 6340. Camper was winterized and the only thing not in it was food and clothes/linens, but with a family of 4 with two little kids, we aren't taking too much food on weekend trips (maybe 20 pounds or so which all sits on the axle where the fridge and pantry is). Looking at 10.7% right now. I am not carrying anything in the rear besides linens on the bunks and two bags with clothes when we travel. Everything else is on the axle or in the front pass through storage (hoses, chairs, rugs, tools, etc).

    Tips for getting that tongue weight up besides putting barbels in the front storage? Ha!

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