Community Forums

SmokeyWren · 03-28-2016, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keen Family

Our TT is a 2017 Crossroads Z1, 328sb. Dry weight is 7800 lbs, and loaded for camping is around 8600 lbs. It has a 32' box, and is 36' long overall. I'm using a Blue Ox Sway Pro weight distribution hitch, which has been properly set up, with 1500 lb torsion bars.

Tongue weight is probably about 1,100 pounds. Your hitch is about as good as it gets for a cost of less than $1,000, but you must adjust the spring bars so they don't take too much weight off the rear axle of the truck. IOW, don't tighten the spring bars as tight as they will go.

To be certain your hitch is properly adjusted, you must know your wet and loaded tongue weight, plus you need two trips across the CAT scale. One trip with the spring bars tightened to where you think they need to be, and another with the spring bars loose. Notice the difference in the weights on all three axles (front, rear, and trailer). When properly adjusted, the Blue Ox should distribute 40% to 50% of gross tongue weight off the rear axle, and add 20% to 25% of gross tongue weight to both the front and trailer axles. The tightness of the spring bars determines how much tongue weight is distributed off the rear axle. The angle of the hitch head determines how that distributed weight is split between he front and trailer axles.

Quote:

When I had the truck and TT weighed, loaded for camping, we are 2000 lbs under the truck's GCWR, but are pushing the maximums for GVWR and rear axle weighing.

GCWR indicates the power and torque of your drivetrain to PULL the load, and has nothing to do with handling or payload capacity to HAUL the hitch weight of the trailer. rGAWR on a Ford should not be a problem if you don't exceed the GVWR of the tow vehicle. So concentrate on GVWR and actual payload capacity. With 1,100 pounds of tongue weight, plus another 100 pounds for the Blue Ox, that probably doesn't leave much unused payload capacity for people and stuff in the truck. From the CAT scale ticket, add the weight on the front and rear axles of the F-150, and compare to the GVWR of the F-150. Be sure your rear tires are pumped up to the max cold PSI on the sidewall of the tire and the front tires pumped up to the cold PSI on the door label. Don't ignore that word "cold". Check the PSI in the tires only when they have not been on the road for at least a few hours.

If that doesn't reduce the white-knuckle driving in cross winds to an acceptable level, then the next step it to replace your Blue Ox hitch with a ProPride. The investment in a ProPride will be a lot less than trading tow vehicles.

The ProPride weighs a lot more than your Blue Ox, so you'll need to reduce the weight in the truck even more.

If even that expensive ProPride hitch doesn't satisfy you, then the next step is to trade for more truck. The investment in the ProPride won't be wasted because it goes with the trailer not the truck, so you will have it to use with the heavier-duty truck.

Quote:

My question is will there be a difference in side wind handling between MY F150 (ie. a 2015 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost) and an F250 diesel with a 6.7 powerstroke diesel.

Yes, because of the stiffer load range E tires, and the weight of the tow vehicle, and the length of the long-bed CrewCab compared to your F-150. But for the most dramatic upgrade, get the long (8') bed, not the shorty. That `2' difference in wheelbase makes a big difference in handling in cross winds. (Yes, I owned an F-250 CrewCab diesel with 8' bed for over 10 years, towing a25' 5er for over 100,000 miles all around the USA - plus another 100,000 miles not towing. DW and I decided to downsize the trailer and it's a perfect fit for my EcoBoost tow vehicle.)

caissiel · 04-03-2016, 07:28 AM

If you did ok on the road and hills with your truck I would keep it. Side wind has a lot of drag effect on our 40ft 5th wheel to. If I drive in those conditions I will fill my fresh water tank for trailer weight.
More weight in the truck is also a big advantage. The 1500 has a big advantage over the heavier F250 unloaded.
I would load the truck and not overload the rear tires and inflate them properly.

I have s friend that towed a long TT. He had a GM 2500. He carried little load in the trailer for gas savings and his unit overturned in a gust of wind. The truck stayed upright. These light and long trailers are dangerous, and they need to be load to be safe.
Be safe and enjoy.

Happy Prospector · 04-03-2016, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keen Family

Our tow vehicle is a 2015 Ford F150

Our TT is a 2017 Crossroads Z1, 328sb. It has a 32' box, and is 36' long overall.

I don't understand how a 36' trailer could push around a F150 in a crosswind. Something must be wrong. You should talk to the trailer salesman and ask him what he thinks the problem might be.

The information is out there, all you have to do is let it in.

raineman · 04-03-2016, 08:48 AM

A 36 foot trailer will absolutely push a F150 around. Just simple physics. Also NEVER rely on a salesman's for advice on towing safety.

smurfsofwar · 04-03-2016, 09:27 AM

raineman · 04-03-2016, 10:15 AM

ok - got it. never good at sarcasm

NFlcamper · 04-04-2016, 08:58 AM

36 foot long x 8 foot high = 344 square feet of sail to catch wind with. Some trailers are 10 foot tall and that would be 360 square feet to catch wind.
Stick your hand out of your window at 30 mph then at 60 mph. Your hand and arm are about .5 sq.ft. and you can feel the strength of the wind on .5 sq. ft. 344 is 688 times the force!

Gordon Dewald · 04-05-2016, 10:10 AM

There are a couple effects to consider.

One is the straight loading on the side of the trailer. Assuming a straight blow with no obstacles the total effect of the wind will be the sum of the force. Assuming a pound or two of force per square inch can soon overcome the total weight of the trailer. Gusts will increase the force dynamically.

Two is the same effect but with something breaking the force of the wind. A tree on the side of the road or a car passing will disrupt the pressure. The uneven application of wind pressure will cause the trailer to fishtail. A lighter tow vehicle is more susceptible to the forces than a heavier one.

There is a point when even OTR trucks will stay in the truck stop even though they weigh around 80,000 lbs.

Highway 4x4 · 04-05-2016, 03:26 PM

Think how much fun it would be trying to cary a 4x8 sheet of ply in a 60MPH wind, now that x9. Ever watch a pit move by the cops, takes very little side pressure to spin a vehicle that is moving.

caissiel · 04-05-2016, 08:51 PM

The faster speed forward the less side wind have effects but gas mileage tanks. Side forces are more dangerous at low speed like doing an intersection turn as my friend found out.
others have told me that longer trailers have more stability as I also found out.

Highway 4x4 · 04-05-2016, 09:22 PM

So, you want to drive as fast as you can with a long TT in a strong side wind for safety? Very interesting.

chertz · 04-06-2016, 03:07 AM

Please explain more caissiel.... I don't understand

motojavaphil · 04-06-2016, 10:20 PM

Wind will take out a semi, seems like a TT would be more prone to react to the wind.

caissiel · 04-07-2016, 10:41 PM

NASCAR uses the same thing. When an object cuts the wind the side forces tend to keep it straight. I would rather tow a long wall keeping me straight then a short one that can flip flop easily.
An old truck driver that has some million of miles towing long trailer explained it to me. When driving forward the long wall help in keeping the trailer straight.
NASCAR crew chiefs alway try to find ways for side shapes of the cars to keep the car straight. The flaps are an example though they are much smaller. Also the right side fenders are often pulled to create side push to keep the car on the track in curves. I would prefer carrying a sheet of plywood lengthwise then standing up for better stability while cutting the wind forward. Look at the hull of a boat. Its must harder to steer a longer boat because it wants to stay straight.
Enjoy.