Ok, 2002 F150 SuperCrew, 5.4, auto, tow package, going with the Prodigy brake controller.

Trailer I'm looking at is a 24' Haulmark Thrifty enclosed with the hauling of cars 3-3,500lbs. I believe the Haulmark spec i found was 3,600 lbs curb weight.

So recommend a weight distribution system, manufacturer and possible places to get it at the best price. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Is that the empty weight of the trailer?

FWIW, I'm quite happy with my Reese W/D hitch.

 

Yes, from what I could find the trailer is 3,600 empty. So add a car we are at 6,600-7,100 lbs.

 

Wow, that thing weighs almost as much as our Airstream fully loaded.

Depending on how often you plan on towing this trailer, you may find that this towing combination is right at the upper limits of what your truck can probably handle. A F-250 with V10 or PSD would be a better workhorse...

Nobody else with suggestions for their favorite W/D hitch?

 

I pull a racecar with my 5.4, 4x4, FX4 '03 Screw. I use an open trailer right now, and I'm going to a Haulmark as well - same trailer. I will have the class-5 load leveling hitch, and I have air lift airbags installed already. When I was towing with the open trailer, all the gear was in the truck - it made for a good squat on the truck without even having the trailer/racecar hooked up. I know I'm going to be near the limit of the 5.4 power wise on the 401 - but that's life. I think the airbags offer just that extra security to get the truck level.

I have the husky hitch with 1000# bars, and the sway control

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/r...iler-hitch.htm

works great.

 

Hi,

I am actually looking at that same combo,

Haulmark TSR85X18WT2, TSR85X20WT2, TSR85X22WT2 or TSR85X24WT2

I think I seen where the TSR85X24WT2 is like 3300lbs so you add a 2800 lbs car, that is pushing 6100 lbs +.

Based on past experience though, while the numbers are well within the limits ford publishes, I am skeptic how well it would pull on steep inclines ect.

I do have the towing package with the 3.55 limited slip, 7050 GVWR.

To bad you cannot test it all first before you drop the $5200 on the trailer.

WHere are you looking to buy yours at guys?

Mac

 

As a follow up, I do have the Air Lift- Slam Air Bags on the Truck.

I bought the trailer used and towed it home the other night. I'm hoping a weight distribution system will help with the "bounce" that happened when going over dips, bridges, etc. Had about 40 psi in the bags and the truck sqautted a bit. I'm debating the onboard air compressor.

The truck didn't seem to have any issues pulling the trailer at 55-60 mph. But it did shift out of OD for any grades, so I turned this off.

Unfortunately with a used trailer I'm now working through all the previous owners poor repairs to get this up to par for towing.

 

A WD hitch will help with the bounce, but it won't eliminate it.......

Since the WD distributes the tongue weight among all the axles, it's just a "firmer" kind of a bounce. So, instead of feeling like you are going over a large "wave", with the WD, it make is feel like a small one.....

As an example, in the far right lane on a stretch on I-5 between Federal Way and Fife, the concrete is so uneven, you feel every expansion joint. It's timed so that when the front is going up the rear is coming down.... So, you can imagine what it's like with a trailer in tow!!

I've traveled that same stretch with my WD bars set at different tensions (I was seeing which setting rode the best). When the bars were set loose, it bounced a lot more. Made the waves seem very large.... When I ran them tightened up just one more link, the bounce was still there, but it was a stiffer bounce, so the rig did not go up and down as much so it made the waves feel smaller. My wife actually got a little "sea sick" on the first trip! Second trip, she was fine......

Don't worry about not being able to run in OD..... Maybe on a totally flat and windless stretch of road you can do it! I usually just keep OD locked out and cruise around 60 mph @ 2400 rpms... The only time it down shifts is on the really big grades, but most of the little inclines, it will stay in third.

Good luck!

Mitch

 

Bouncy while empty is all I can say. I have a small open trailer for the racecar, and it's awful empty. I think that most trailers are sprung for capacity. So that when they are empty, they are going to ride poorly. Towing always feels better loaded.

When I used to load down the bed of the truck with all our gear and then hook up the trailer to go racing, I would easily need 80lbs in my airbags to level off the rig. Mind you, I was putting a lot of crap in to the truck (generator, tool chests, tires/wheels, coolers, all the spares for the racecar, etc.. So I had a big load in the truck, and that alone would get a good squat going. Then to top it off adding the trailer the leveling bars alone on the hitch couldn't do it. I think that you'll need more air in the airbags than 40psi.

 

I pull with a reese W/D, single sway bar. I havent really tested it out on any long hauls, but it seems good so far. Dosent bounce at all, but the roads in SC are good. The Trailer is a 27' Wilderness with a slide out, aprox. 7300# loaded. The 3.55 does OK, but would prefer 3.73. The hills get me every time. I dont camp very much and use the larait for a daily driver. Of course getting a F-250 is an option, but if the F-150 does good, why change.

 

Ok so for the update. I purchased a Pro-eagle system off of Ebay added a sway bar and had it sitting on my front porch for $295. I did not have the time to get the sway bar mounted but I did use the distribution system on my trip. Since I'm not planning on doing long trailer hauls often I went with the cheaper less known brand versus a Reese or something.

I'm moving from Mo to Mi (780 miles)so I used the enclosed to haul some items up for me to temporarily live in an apartment. The truck did well with the trailer loaded and the air bags at 60 psi. I averaged 8-9 mpg with the OD turned off.

I'm still learning about the distrubution system and I'm guessing I needed another link or two of tension as the truck still had some squat when loaded, but not a lot.

On the empty return trip with 60 psi in the bags the truck barely squatted with the trailer and prior to hooking up the distribution system, so I hooked it up with just a litte tension.

The bounce was not anything like it was without the system. With the exception of the road around Indianapolis. I definately got a quarters worth on the bucking bronco ride on those crap roads.