Trailer sway issue f150

[rustcrust]

I can only speak from personal experience. tail loaded trailers always sway for me. i get picky when loading and place a car or truck on a trailer. I watch how the truck loads as I drive one on the trailer. i often have the other experience from having too much tongue load. it unloads the front axle on my shortbed and steering gets light and braking is hazardous. there is a real reason why trucks have a duty weight rating!!!

i build trucks that can pull almost whatever you need them too but that does NOT mean they can control it.

The f350 is the main work horse but I don't like owning trucks that can't work I wonder does anyone have any suggestions how to add weight to these light weight trucks to where they might be usable as a truck ?

[mat in tn]

The f350 is the main work horse but I don't like owning trucks that can't work I wonder does anyone have any suggestions how to add weight to these light weight trucks to where they might be usable as a truck ?

we are probably getting more into preferences more than anything else. there are many tools for many jobs and one size does not fit all. one of my favorite tow vehicles was an excursion 4wd with a v10. if the antique bullnose is not up to the task that you set it to then you may need to move up from its weight class to the one better suited. many of us use them routinely without fault. I myself have pulled trailers loaded with concrete blocks. roofing shingles, railroad cross ties, gravel and on and on. regarding other trucks, even fords continued line of f series is upgraded with heavier box frames, wider tracks, larger brakes, etc. know the duty rating you truly need and choose trucks accordingly.

[rustcrust]

we are probably getting more into preferences more than anything else. there are many tools for many jobs and one size does not fit all. one of my favorite tow vehicles was an excursion 4wd with a v10. if the antique bullnose is not up to the task that you set it to then you may need to move up from its weight class to the one better suited. many of us use them routinely without fault. I myself have pulled trailers loaded with concrete blocks. roofing shingles, railroad cross ties, gravel and on and on. regarding other trucks, even fords continued line of f series is upgraded with heavier box frames, wider tracks, larger brakes, etc. know the duty rating you truly need and choose trucks accordingly.

But that's the question why does a 07 1500 pull it I was hoping someone had a suggestion of how much weight to add to make the f150 at least pull a trailer without fishtailing I had a 1970 f100 same drive train it went off road without a issue this truck also with a 9" 355 gears is worthless on wet grass . I guess I will have to scale a older better built truck to see where weight is positioned.

[Nothing Special]

But that's the question why does a 07 1500 pull it I was hoping someone had a suggestion of how much weight to add to make the f150 at least pull a trailer without fishtailing I had a 1970 f100 same drive train it went off road without a issue this truck also with a 9" 355 gears is worthless on wet grass . I guess I will have to scale a older better built truck to see where weight is positioned.

The problem is that, a least in most of our experience, it's not about adding weight to the tow vehicle to prevent sway. It's usually about getting the trailer balanced correctly.

Sorry we can't help you.

[FuzzFace2]

Sway is a hot topic on camping trailer forums.

Impossible to give advice without knowing EVERYTHING about your set up.

I’ll leave 2 thoughts here for you.

1. What are the hitch heights for all these vehicles? Is the trailer level with all of then?

2. Anti sway with a friction bar can help, but without know everything of your set up with good pictures it is hard to say.

That is the big one to start with, level trailer.

Then weight on the front of the trailer, front heavy / rear light of trailer.

What do you have the rear & front tire PSI at on your truck?

When ever I pull my trailer vary far I max the PSI on the rear tires and up a little on the front.

This will stop tire side wall flex.

Check that 07 Dodge and I bet it has sway bars front & rear, what dose your truck have?

Also what size and load range tires dose it have? I am guessing 16" and maybe a LT tire load range and bet you have a 15" car size load range tire on yours.

What is the wheel base of his & your truck?

I seen a post where a user had issues, vibration, pulling a open deck trailer with a newer Ford but did not with the his older trucks and a buddies. I dont remember what the outcome was.

Maybe a WD hitch may help? Could add the sway control to it.

I have yet to pull my car trailer with my F100 with a 300 six and NP435 trans but I plan to use the same WD hitch that I use with my 02 Dodge Durango when the time comes. The Dodge dose not use sway control but the WD hitch dose help in that some.

Dave ----

ps I am also a steering wheel holder LOL and have pulled all kinds of trailers from when I started driving (16) and never had one that swayed really bad.

[Bruce moose4x4]

Sway is a hot topic on camping trailer forums.

Impossible to give advice without knowing EVERYTHING about your set up.

I’ll leave 2 thoughts here for you.

1. What are the hitch heights for all these vehicles? Is the trailer level with all of then?

2. Anti sway with a friction bar can help, but without know everything of your set up with good pictures it is hard to say.

That is the big one to start with, level trailer.

Then weight on the front of the trailer, front heavy / rear light of trailer.

What do you have the rear & front tire PSI at on your truck?

When ever I pull my trailer vary far I max the PSI on the rear tires and up a little on the front.

This will stop tire side wall flex.

Check that 07 Dodge and I bet it has sway bars front & rear, what dose your truck have?

Also what size and load range tires dose it have? I am guessing 16" and maybe a LT tire load range and bet you have a 15" car size load range tire on yours.

What is the wheel base of his & your truck?

I seen a post where a user had issues, vibration, pulling a open deck trailer with a newer Ford but did not with the his older trucks and a buddies. I dont remember what the outcome was.

Maybe a WD hitch may help? Could add the sway control to it.

I have yet to pull my car trailer with my F100 with a 300 six and NP435 trans but I plan to use the same WD hitch that I use with my 02 Dodge Durango when the time comes. The Dodge dose not use sway control but the WD hitch dose help in that some.

Dave ----

ps I am also a steering wheel holder LOL and have pulled all kinds of trailers from when I started driving (16) and never had one that swayed really bad.

I'm with Fuzz, check your tire pressure, my bronco pulling a trailer would sway till i started airing up the tires like Fuzz said.

[Machspeed]

I think the F150 is a bit light for towing, but it shouldn't sway like you say it does. So there's something wrong.

You don't have the F350 in your sig so I don't know what it is, but if it is a 460 or IDI and you don't have at least a locker in the rear, better yet 4wd, you can have traction problems. The massive engine causes there to be little weight on the rear wheels so there's not much traction if you are trying to drive with one wheel.

I've never had an issue pulling with my shortbed F150 and I can assure you I've abused it with some of the things I've pulled. I'd blame the trailer but you said your friend pulls it without issue. Do you have good shocks on that truck?

I pulled the below car with a very heavy trailer loaded with engine blocks and other heavy parts from San Antonio Texas, through the Hill Country, to Oklahoma. The bed of my truck was even full. Never had a problem. Pulled several U-Hauls across Oklahoma, utility trailers, and just about everything that can be hooked up to a truck and did it without issues.

[Rembrant]

But that's the question why does a 07 1500 pull it?

I didn't see where anybody else asked, but does this 1984 F150 have front or rear factory swaybars? My 1984 F150 did not have any swaybars originally, and I found the truck to be really unstable even without pulling a trailer (the body roll was terrible). Combine that with worn spring bushings, worn twin i-beam and radius arm bushings, and a steering box with a ton of slop and these trucks are sketchy on anything but the best straight and flat roads.

That '07 1500 would more than likely have factory front and rear swaybars. In the 80's they were still options, but they were mostly standard equipment by the early 90's. I would say that the 07 1500 is likely a much more stable truck.

 

[FuzzFace2]

But that's the question why does a 07 1500 pull it?

I didn't see where anybody else asked, but does this 1984 F150 have front or rear factory swaybars? My 1984 F150 did not have any swaybars originally, and I found the truck to be really unstable even without pulling a trailer (the body roll was terrible). Combine that with worn spring bushings, worn twin i-beam and radius arm bushings, and a steering box with a ton of slop and these trucks are sketchy on anything but the best straight and flat roads.

That '07 1500 would more than likely have factory front and rear swaybars. In the 80's they were still options, but they were mostly standard equipment by the early 90's. I would say that the 07 1500 is likely a much more stable truck.

You missed my post Cory

Sway is a hot topic on camping trailer forums.

Impossible to give advice without knowing EVERYTHING about your set up.

I’ll leave 2 thoughts here for you.

1. What are the hitch heights for all these vehicles? Is the trailer level with all of then?

2. Anti sway with a friction bar can help, but without know everything of your set up with good pictures it is hard to say.

That is the big one to start with, level trailer.

Then weight on the front of the trailer, front heavy / rear light of trailer.

What do you have the rear & front tire PSI at on your truck?

When ever I pull my trailer vary far I max the PSI on the rear tires and up a little on the front.

This will stop tire side wall flex.

Check that 07 Dodge and I bet it has sway bars front & rear, what dose your truck have?

Also what size and load range tires dose it have? I am guessing 16" and maybe a LT tire load range and bet you have a 15" car size load range tire on yours.

What is the wheel base of his & your truck?

I seen a post where a user had issues, vibration, pulling a open deck trailer with a newer Ford but did not with the his older trucks and a buddies. I dont remember what the outcome was.

Maybe a WD hitch may help? Could add the sway control to it.

I have yet to pull my car trailer with my F100 with a 300 six and NP435 trans but I plan to use the same WD hitch that I use with my 02 Dodge Durango when the time comes. The Dodge dose not use sway control but the WD hitch dose help in that some.

Dave ----

ps I am also a steering wheel holder LOL and have pulled all kinds of trailers from when I started driving (16) and never had one that swayed really bad.

Dave ----

[Rembrant]

You missed my post Cory

Indeed I did. I know a lot of lower optioned Bullnose half ton trucks had no swaybars at all, and I have to say, I wouldn't want to tow anything with one.