F150 Towing

[JDHasty]

Add airbags. Lets the springs and trucks sway bars work. I haven't used sway bars or load distribution torsion bars on any of my trailers for years. Used with and without and found no difference except another thing to hook up and an accessory for the salesman to sell you. At my prior job we had 20 equipment trailers which rolled at 12k. Never used them on a single one and pulled them probably just under a 800,000 miles +/- a year.

Do you have a preference on brand for air bags?  I just started looking into getting some.  My trailer is right around 6000 dry and my ecoboost has power to spare, but I do get tossed around a bit in strong winds.

Be careful who you get advice on towing from.  Your life may depend on it.  Here is a good place to start. 

http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/blog/weight-distribution-versus-air-bags

[doubletall]

Add airbags. Lets the springs and trucks sway bars work. I haven't used sway bars or load distribution torsion bars on any of my trailers for years. Used with and without and found no difference except another thing to hook up and an accessory for the salesman to sell you. At my prior job we had 20 equipment trailers which rolled at 12k. Never used them on a single one and pulled them probably just under a 800,000 miles +/- a year.

Do you have a preference on brand for air bags?  I just started looking into getting some.  My trailer is right around 6000 dry and my ecoboost has power to spare, but I do get tossed around a bit in strong winds.

Be careful who you get advice on towing from.  Your life may depend on it.  Here is a good place to start. 

http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/blog/weight-distribution-versus-air-bags

Just to clarify, the air bags would be in addition to my wdh.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kirkl]

I wouldnt waste the money on airbags myself, unless your hauling a camper. just get a good WDH.

[Happy Gilmore]

Yeah, load distribution bars don't do much unless you have a vehicle too small for what you are towing and then, yes you have made a mistake by hauling more than you truck can handle.

I've towed a lot of miles. Had an F-150(1998). Had an F-100. Have a F-350 and two 2500's. A car hauler, two horse trailers and a travel trailer. My three horse loaded behind a 9,500lb dog truck weights more than any camp and load distribution bars and a stupid little sway bar brake isn't going to help keep the rear in line and save you from a wind storm or heavy breaking.

Post up a pic of the little wimpy sway bar brakes which you turn tight by hand and tell me that little toy is going to control thousands of pounds of force moving side to side. Take it off and you'll never tell the difference.

An axle sway bar which most trucks now come fitted with stock makes a huge difference. I have firestone bags.

[kirkl]

I like the fact that now a days everyone says you need a diesel to pull a 5000lb camp trailer when back in the days when our parents pulled trailers they were twice as heavy and they pulled them with 1/2 ton chevys and fords with the V8's that half the torque and HP numbers we have now a days. My family has pulled a lot of camp trailers over the last 40 years and not one of them has ever had air bags.
Do what ya want, it's your money.

[Don_D]

It'll be fine. Been towing with my 99 F150 for 16 years. Just make sure your brakes are good and shocks aren't shot.

[JDHasty]

Our 2011 F150 SCREW 4x4 Max Tow is rated at north of 12k towing capacity.  It has a lot of stopping power, but that tow rating is only valid when the load is distributed.  I would not tow a heavy trailer w/o weight distribution hitch, they are not expensive and having weight on your front tires, that do most of the braking, and all of the steering, can save your life. 

[Happy Gilmore]

I like the fact that now a days everyone says you need a diesel to pull a 5000lb camp trailer when back in the days when our parents pulled trailers they were twice as heavy and they pulled them with 1/2 ton chevys and fords with the V8's that half the torque and HP numbers we have now a days. My family has pulled a lot of camp trailers over the last 40 years and not one of them has ever had air bags.
Do what ya want, it's your money.

Our F-100 had skyjacker air shocks and overload springs. And a built 302. Went up hills in second gear at 30mph...lol. 24' kit companion. No, you don't need diesels to tow 5,000 lb trailers but it makes it nice.

Airbags improved the ride on the duramax by 100% towing. The Chevy springs are notoriously wimpy. They bottom out which is no good. I don't have my f 350 bagged. The only time it gets buried is when I get a big load of 5/8- at the pit up the road.

Bag the 2500 duramaxs. They need it. Squishy ride and springs.

[Happy Gilmore]

Our 2011 F150 SCREW 4x4 Max Tow is rated at north of 12k towing capacity.  It has a lot of stopping power, but that tow rating is only valid when the load is distributed.  I would not tow a heavy trailer w/o weight distribution hitch, they are not expensive and having weight on your front tires, that do most of the braking, and all of the steering, can save your life.

Nobody has talked about a heavy trailer here. But, towing 12k on an f 150..... No way I'd do it. Most folks put on load distribution bars after they've pulled up the trailer jack anyways so, they might be moving a hundred pounds depending on strength and age. Most folks don't put them on right to start with. They think breaking their backs jerking on the chains and bars is they way the work. Too tight and they'll pop loose driving down the road unbalancing everything. Like I said, I don't believe they do much at all unless your vehicle is too light for the load. Or the tongue weight is too much for the tow rig.

[JDHasty]

Our 2011 F150 SCREW 4x4 Max Tow is rated at north of 12k towing capacity.  It has a lot of stopping power, but that tow rating is only valid when the load is distributed.  I would not tow a heavy trailer w/o weight distribution hitch, they are not expensive and having weight on your front tires, that do most of the braking, and all of the steering, can save your life.

Nobody has talked about a heavy trailer here. But, towing 12k on an f 150..... No way I'd do it. Most folks put on load distribution bars after they've pulled up the trailer jack anyways so, they might be moving a hundred pounds depending on strength and age. Most folks don't put them on right to start with. They think breaking their backs jerking on the chains and bars is they way the work. Too tight and they'll pop loose driving down the road unbalancing everything. Like I said, I don't believe they do much at all unless your vehicle is too light for the load. Or the tongue weight is too much for the tow rig.

Actually the Tow Cap is 11,300 lbs.  Before our Polaris Ranger was stolen we put it in the toy hauler and w/the rest of our gear it came in at ~ 8,000 lbs.  Our 2003 F150 FX4 SCREW w/heavy duty tow package (Rated 8,800 lbs IIRC) did pretty well with it.  Braking capacity is a big deal and w/out proper load distribution that goes south REAL QUICK.  The front brakes have to do their share or your rated capacity is greatly diminished. 

A runaway truck/trailer is not one bit funny.  I have been passed by two, one coming down White Bird Pass and the second coming down Homestake Pass.  W/o the front brakes pulling their weight it is not that difficult to overheat the brakes on the trailer (drums) and then the rear brakes on the tow vehicle (could be disc or drum) and then it's Katie bar the door if the fronts go away. 

The other concern when the load is not properly distributed is if you get into a situation where the roadway surface is rough or undulating, particularly on a curve, you can unload the staring axle and instead of following the curve you go where momentum takes you. 

We used to use pickups w/trailers to haul tires all over Montana, N & S Dak & Wyo.  We had tractor trailers too, but a lot of the time we were using light trucks. 

[Mudman]

You can never have too much truck but not enough truck is BAD!!  My trailer is 5500 dry, so about 7000lbs+.  I also load up truck bed with about 1000lbs.  I have dist bars but have towed without them too.  I have no issues, can pull Blewitt @ 100mph if I wanted and stops quite well.  Broke a shock and didn't even notice.  That said a smaller truck requires more caution but can do the job and use a weigh distr hitch please. Stopping and control at speed on rough road or corners is the worry.  I have hit the scales @ 22000lb with the dump trailer and have no problems pulling or stopping it but I don't think truck iis rated that high.  A concern with TT is the wind resistance as I notice a light TT much more than a heavy dump.  Lots of variables.  Light duty trucks tend to lack the larger brakes and suspension so be carefull.

[Happy Gilmore]

Stupid trailer brake systems overheat and fail in a hurry...thats a real good point. They get hot and get sticky. Cheap surge or bad controllers.

[kball4]

If you have a tow package the trailer brake wiring is already there behind the little cubby just to the right of the steering wheel.  Cost a little extra but is made for the truck and doesn't pop you in the shin when you hop in your truck.  Also I looked at airbags but they are $$$ so instead I bought Hellwig overload springs which gave my 14 screw ecoboost F-150 1 ton capacity.  I tow a 28ft 6300 dry weight TT and it pulls great and stops great.  I will upgrade the front brakes to ceramic rotors and pads when the stock ones are done.

[Happy Gilmore]

My firestone bags were under $400?? How much was the helwig leaf pack?

[Miles]

I like the fact that now a days everyone says you need a diesel to pull a 5000lb camp trailer when back in the days when our parents pulled trailers they were twice as heavy and they pulled them with 1/2 ton chevys and fords with the V8's that half the torque and HP numbers we have now a days. My family has pulled a lot of camp trailers over the last 40 years and not one of them has ever had air bags.
Do what ya want, it's your money.

Airbags improved the ride on the duramax by 100% towing. The Chevy springs are notoriously wimpy. They bottom out which is no good. I don't have my f 350 bagged. The only time it gets buried is when I get a big load of 5/8- at the pit up the road.

Bag the 2500 duramaxs. They need it. Squishy ride and springs.

I've never owned ford or dodge, so I can't really compare from personal experience.  However,  I think my duramax does just fine with a load and no air bags.  Sits pretty damn level considering what it's hooked to.  Now I have seen some dodge trucks with headlights pointed to the sky in several rv parks.