Solving Trailer Sway and Payload Limits with Half-Ton Trucks

[tthescorp]

After trying different hitch and weight setups I have yet to find one that makes it comfortable to tow our trailer. I still have too much wiggling going on and I believe it is from not having enough tongue weight. The majority of the cargo is in the pass-through storage with everything inside forward of the axles. As you can see in the table below, I have exceeded the drive axle weight rating by 20 pounds and 175 pounds shy of exceeding gross on the trailer. Any suggestions?

Ford F150 King Ranch		CAT Scale	1st Weigh​	2nd Weigh​
Curb Weight	5389	Steer Axle	3240​	3360​
GVWR	7000	Drive Axle	3820​	3040​
GCVWR	14400	Trailer Axle	6660​
GAWR - Front	3525	Gross	13720​	6400​
GAWR - Rear	3800
Payload	1611	Hitched
Towing Capacity	9100	Truck GVW	7060	​
		Truck & Trailer GCVW	13720​
GD Imagine 2400BH
UVW	6150	Unhitched
GVWR	7495	Truck Weight	6400	​
Hitch Weight	642	Trailer Weight	7320	​
		Tongue Weight	660​
Estimated Payload
Passengers	350
Cargo	200
Weight of Hitch	75
Total Payload	550

 

[NB Canada]

What hitch are you using?

What do you mean by “wiggling”

The suck /push from faster rigs is inevitable

My 2400bh has around 850 lbs of weight on the tongue and tows behind my Sierra like it is on a rail
My Sierra has a couple hundred pounds more payload than you
Are you running LT tires?
What is your speed? I stay at 63 or under

 

[tthescorp]

BlueOx SwayPro. I understand the semi push-pull. I’m just not wanting the white nuckle feeling going down the road.

 

[tthescorp]

Running Goodyear endurance tires and I don’t go faster than 65 miles an hour.

 

[dbarks]

My previous rig was a 2021 22MLE and 2021 F-150 Platinum Eco. Payload on the F-150 was 1550. Husky Centerline hitch.

I too disliked the way it moved around (no sway, just this sense of moving in different directions while towing).

So did you weigh with the bars on and then weigh the truck only? Bars off tells you your actual tongue weight. Bars on will tell you how the weight is being distributed. 660 is obviously not enough tongue weight so I assume this was weighed with the bars on.

I played around with the hitch setup and found that slightly nose down on the trailer worked best for me. As far as hitch/bar tension, Ford recommends returning at least half of the front fender rise when the WDH bars are on but NOT returning it all the way back to its original position. I needed to be a bit more than halfway but adding more tension didn't improve the ride. Some folks report that adjusting this has had an impact as well.

 

[MtnGuy]

1st off, kudos for the OP for taking his combo to the CAT scales for weights !!

What we are seeing here is the limitations for a 1/2 ton truck. Even though it can tow 9100 lbs, the cargo capacity is at the limit. Also, the Blue Ox Sway Pro might not be the best WDH for sway control. The Blue Ox Track Pro is rated better by Wandering Weekends on his "Hitch Battle", as several others. Hitch Battle

Dbarks posted that 1/2 of the weight should be put back on the front axle.....but that is for Super Duties.......a heavier pickup that is meant to carry some weight on the rear axle. Not sure what the current F150 manual suggests, but on my 2006 it was something like "make sure the front bumper is within x" of stock when adjusting WDH"......not sure of the exact height. I got that measurement by putting most of the weight back on the front axle, and my 28 1/2' trailer pulled decent, with not the best hitch for the job.......a Reese Straight Line Dual Cam.

My suggestion is for the OP to refer to the owners manual of his F150 and setup the hitch according to that. If it says get most of the weight back on the front axle, or getting the front bumper within X" of stock, then see if that does better.

Just my $.02

 

[Joe43230]

I would like some clarification of the numbers under "Unhitched." Is the trailer weight inclusive or exclusive of the tongue weight? In any event, you are under 10% of the trailer's weight on the tongue which means you probably will have major sway issues and this could be dangerous. Way too much weight behind the camper's axles.

 

[TimtheToolMan]

• The 10–15% figure is pre-WDH, based on how much weight is pushing directly down on the hitch.
• After WDH installation, measure both actual axle loads and weight distribution for optimum performance—some setups aim for restoring front axle weight as close to unloaded condition as possible.

I do not have experience trying to get half ton TV to settle down with a 7000-pound trailer--clearly a challenge (added: NB Canada is solidly getting good stability with proper tongue weight). To obtain the underlined, you may need stiffer bars. I have some BlueOx SwayPro 1000-pound bars that I am not using, if that helps.

This removes weight from rear axle and adds to front. Does this mean that you could add more hitch weight (assuming that trailer is not over rating)?

 

[OldCarBum]

I don’t know the design of the OP’s WDH but I do know that a Trunnion is better for controlling sway than a Round Bar and that’s better that the old chain design.
The OP may want to look at the design of the different hitches available to aid in controlling sway.

 

[TimtheToolMan]

OPs Blue Ox SwayPro is indeed a trunnion-style weight distribution hitch with flat bars. It does have chains.

Added: One end of bar is round and tapers to a flat bar. BO is a passive (not active) WDH and not friction based.

 

[TimtheToolMan]

Running Goodyear endurance tires and I don’t go faster than 65 miles an hour.

What about the truck tires, are they LT?

I wonder if NB Canada has lead acid batteries and more propane on tongue to help get 850 pounds and OP has LFP inside camper, getting excessively low (mid 600 pound) tongue weight, <10%.

 

[Riverbug]

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet...not familiar with your WDH and whether or not it is also anti-sway type. If it is and you have your electronic sway control turned on in the truck (assuming it has that feature), try switching it off. Our pushes and pulls left/right when the electronic sway control is on because they fight one another. Turn it off and it makes a noticeable difference.

 

[MtnGuy]

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet...not familiar with your WDH and whether or not it is also anti-sway type. If it is and you have your electronic sway control turned on in the truck (assuming it has that feature), try switching it off. Our pushes and pulls left/right when the electronic sway control is on because they fight one another. Turn it off and it makes a noticeable difference.

That is an excellent post, which might be affecting the OPs towing.

My Eaz-Lift TR3 instructs owners to turn off the truck trailer sway control when using their WDH. I can tell when I forget to turn that off.

The problem with that on my 2017 F350 is it needs to be done every time I start the truck, and it cannot be done unless the truck is not moving. So when I realize I forgot to do it at the last stop, and it is noticeable on the way the trailer tows, I need to pull over somewhere to disengage the trailer sway control. 1 of Fords better ideas.

 

[TimtheToolMan]

FORScan can turn off Ford trailer sway control permanently.

 

[XLS24]

I have a similar set up as the OP with an ’05 F150 and a 29’, 7K lbs. XLS TT. The uncomfortable “wiggling” is from not having enough weight on steer axle. But you can’t do that without dialing in the WDH. I had good luck with my E2 Trunnion WDH using 800# bars. Once the WDH was dialed in I could load up more on the hitch without exceeding the drive axle limit - enough to get over the 10% recommendation. No swaying and no wiggling.

 

[Riverbug]

FORScan can turn off Ford trailer sway control permanently.

That is an excellent post, which might be affecting the OPs towing.

My Eaz-Lift TR3 instructs owners to turn off the truck trailer sway control when using their WDH. I can tell when I forget to turn that off.

The problem with that on my 2017 F350 is it needs to be done every time I start the truck, and it cannot be done unless the truck is not moving. So when I realize I forgot to do it at the last stop, and it is noticeable on the way the trailer tows, I need to pull over somewhere to disengage the trailer sway control. 1 of Fords better ideas.

Ideally, Ford would allow you to save the setting for each trailer rather than have to turn it off each time you start the truck. Using FORscan means it wouldn't be on with other trailers where I actually want it on.

I have enough of a routine now that when towing the RV before putting it in Drive there are four items I set; sway control off, mirrors extended, auto exhaust brake on, tow/haul mode on.

It used to bug me when I realized I forgot to turn off sway control and couldn't change it until my next stop. Now, I'm pretty good at remembering.

 

[redfernclan]

"some where" in my manual, I was looking up the anti sway option on my 2022 Sierra. You can deactivate the traction control, that is tied to the anti sway function, but it also says something about coming back on over 35 mph. Anyone have specific info on this? Could be the core of his problem.
My Canyon never felt real solid towing, till I turned the traction control off. But it stayed off, "I think"

 

[tthescorp]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I believe it’s time for a bigger truck! A better WDH might solve my issue.

-Truck trailer sway control IS deselected during startup
-What address in FORScan to turn off sway control?
-1k pound bars on the WDH. The drive and steer axle measurements are right after I hook up the chains. I’ll try tightening up by adding another link.
-Two 20 lb. propanes and two lithium 100 Ah on the tongue
-ST 205/75R15 Goodyear Endurance @ 65 psi

 

[NB Canada]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I believe it’s time for a bigger truck!

Although a “bigger truck” may mask the “wiggle” if the trailer is improperly loaded ( low tw) a sway situation can still occur even with a one ton

Fixing the core issue is the first step

Huge front pass through so load it up

I carry a full tool set, socket set,wrenches drivers 4 way lug wrench and bottle jack for tires etc plus lots of maintenance items like dicor Eternabond valves whatever
Lots of weight
I also use glassware and correll dishes and cast iron
It isn’t hard to put tw on
Now will your truck handle it?
Have you weighed your truck alone with all the passengers and gear ready to camp?
This is your base to start the investigation

If you are just going by the numbers on the door frame isn’t good enough
Need the true weight of how the tow vehicle sits with people and gear

Good luck

 

[tthescorp]

I’ve got the pass through completely full. The truck weighed 6400 across the scales with passengers and cargo for trip.