I have a 2004 f150 XL 4.6 auto, 2wd.My truck has regular bumper hitch.I tow an enclosed work trailer total weight about 4000lbs.It seems to tow ok.But I seem to get a lot of jerking motion .Is there any advantage with the reciever hitch set up over the bumper hitch type.Will it stop the jerking or is this normal.

 

Lots of good info. here, so some thoughts.....

Seems those bumpers are rated to tow 5K #. If so, then your obviously under ratings.

However, if you were to install a frame mounted hitch, with ball carrier, that will allow you to install a weight distributing hitch.

That will help level out your load and distribute wt. to axles of tow vehicle. WDS can be adjusted to level up rear end (yours is probably down alittle) If your having any sway problems, then you may want the sway control. But, first try the WDH, as this maybe all you really need.

WDH should help w/bouncing/jerking you maybe feeling in the rear end, if that's what your asking. It helped w/my old 99, but my t.wt was around 400#, still got some bouncing in rear end, but not as much w/WDH.

Hope that helps. Good luck...OT

btw...suggestion..WDH w/tongue wt. 750# model..more than you really need, but should work just fine w/your load + allows for heavier load if need be. JMO!

 

Is the trailer level when hooked to the bumper?

If it isn't, a hitch receiver w/ the right size drop hitch will help make it level and will probably help the jerking. And if it rides too low on the bumper (I'm guessing it doesn't), a drop hitch came be turned upside down to raise the ball.

 

I've towed with the bumper hitch on my 2000 F150 with now problems as long as you stay in the towing limit you should be fine.

 

The other nice thing about a receiver style hitch is that you can purchase shock absorbing draw bars. (West Marine and Northern Equipment sell nice ones.) The "jerking" motion generally comes from the trailer coupler / brake actuator. Without some sort of shock absorber, it gets transferred directly to your truck - no matter what kind of hitch you use.

One problem nobody mentioned about using the bumper hitch is "notching" your bumper when you turn sharply. This is caused by your trailer coupler hitting the bumper. It's much harder to do with a receiver style hitch since the ball is much further away from the bumper.

 

You did not say how high your truck is but that could have something to do with the jerking. If the trailer tongue is pointed up at the truck rather than parallel to the road, you will get more clanging and banging because of the vertical movement at the hitch when you speed up/down and brake.

You may also consider the need to increase tongue weight by loading differently or moving the trailer axle rearward.

Scott D

 

If you have a 4,000lb load on a single axle trailer it may be overloaded as the axles on most enclosed trailers are Dexter Torflex and are rated at 3,500lbs. If it is a tandem axle then the two axles should be level to distribute the weight evenly. As others have said a receiver will do this easier than a bumper hitch.

You did not say whether the trailer has brakes and if that is when it is jerking. If so then it might need a brake controller adjustment. 4,000lbs is pushing the limit of should be safely towed without brakes.

I suspect the trailer load weight distribution is the biggest factor here. It is much easier to balance the load inside the trailer than to move the trailer axle(s?). And this is not really a heavy enough load to require a weight distribution hitch or shock absorber.

Also is there a load of equipment/toolchests/ladders in the bed of the truck as well? If your tongue weight is too high and the bed of the pickup is loaded, that would cause some jerking.

Good luck.