I am guessing you did not order the HD payload package as it would have came with LT tires. The cost may not have been much more than what you will shell out for the new tires plus you would have got a little heavier everything you need to tow.sorry for your probs. I have owned a HD150 and my son a standard 150 their truly is a big difference.good luck I think the tires will help you.
While I always had LT tires on my F-150's, I would recommend ensuring the cam is centered on the lobe before spending $1000 on new tires. When I replaced the LT tires on my F-150 with new LT tires, the TT handling was terrible. I thought it was from the soft compound of the first 1000 miles or so. It ended up being the Reese DC needed to be adjusted because I changed the tire size.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009 2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS 2012 VW Passat TDI
We can guess and give recommendations all day. But until you get your system on a set of scales such as the local CAT scales you are wasting time and may be spending money and energy on things that will not help your problem.
RCMAN46 wrote: We can guess and give recommendations all day. But until you get your system on a set of scales such as the local CAT scales you are wasting time and may be spending money and energy on things that will not help your problem.
x2!
Had an '07 F150 pulling the rig in my sig which weighs almost 7000lbs on the axles and another 900+ on the tongue with the OEM General "P" rates tires aired to max side wall presure(44psi) and never had issue with handling using a very basic Eazi-Lift system and friction sway control.
lcirelli wrote: Hi, I have a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with 3.73 axle, max tow, Plenty of towing power for a new to me Sunnybrook Edgewater with a dry weight of 5600lbs. I have the Reese dual cam hitch. Driving on back roads at 45 is totally fine, but when I go on the highway, the front end feels like it drifts. Checked the before and after wheel well height. With 6 links, it is half way between the loaded and unloaded height. With 5 it is equal to the unloaded height. Both ways it doesn't feel right. I still have the original P rated tires that the truck came with. Could it be the tires giving me trouble? Should I get LT tires? Any ideas what the problem could be?
and
lcirelli wrote: The measurements I was using were in the front. The ford manual says that the front height with the WDH should be between the Unhitched and the hitched measurement. Which is the setup with 6 links. I put it on 5 links to try driving it that way (yes we readjusted the cams), this brought the height back to the original unhitched height. The front seemed a little more responsive but still had the same drifting problem. I plan on weighing the trailer setup this weekend to check all my numbers. There is no sway at all, it is totally fine that way, even when a truck passes. The truck and trailer are totally level.
Towing setup and the components are a COMPLETE SYSTEM.
'Fixing' one component may do it, but in most cases misses or only
'helps', as the rest of the 'system' is out of adjustment or sized
incorrectly FOR THAT SETUP/TV
I'll add a few more component and adjustments, but first the goal is this:
There should be enough weight WD'd back onto the TV's front to keep
the steering geometry as close to the unloaded position as possible, +/- a bit
The setup should be level and the trailer point level at it's highest
pointing. Pointing a bit down is preferred (my opinion)
Then understand the various limits/ratings and decide whether you
believe in 'ratings' or not. If not, then do whatever and/or wait
for the 'you are good for it', 'have been exceeding the ratings for
decades with no problems', etc, etc, etc...
Or if you do believe in 'ratings', then understand what they are for
YOUR TV and understand how the ratings system works. I'll post a diagram
at the end that my help you visualize how they play together as a system
Going to the next higher class tire does help a lot. Note that 'P'
(passenger car) tires must be de-rated a min of 9% when used on
a pickup/SUV. The OEM has already done that with whatever size tire
it sold that TV with.
Going to the next higher class tire has some re-engineering work to do
The wheels and valve stem are also sized for the class of tire it is
sold for. Going to the next higher class tire will need a wheel and
valve stem capable of handling the higher loads and PSI's. One more
thing that will need to be adjusted, if possible, is the TPS system.
It is dialed in for 'P' class tire pressure and the higher 'LT' PSI's
will have it signal a fault on some TPS systems
'Next higher class' tire from 'P' are 'LT'. They (LT) are standard
in the next higher class truck, +8K GVWR
Also consider lowering the trailers pointing along with dialing in a
bit more WD spring forces. That can be accomplished with either or both
the hitch head tilt backwards (towards the trailer) and taking up more
chain links.
I'm old school (even drop on the TV), but the new TV's have all kinds
of different and new systems that dictate the new front TV drop to about
unhitched/unloaded height. The issue there is that the headlamps now
be aimed too high and blinding to oncoming drivers
Once you weigh your trailer (suggest the whole thing, axle by axle)
we can see and therefore help a bit more on your setup.
Here is the diagram showing how the whole setup weights and ratings/limits
all play together as a system. Note that the 'bottom line' trumps the
various ratings above it...
howmuchcanitow diagram
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...
lcirelli wrote: snip...
Plenty of towing power for a new to me Sunnybrook Edgewater with a dry weight of 5600lbs.
Side note that towing isn't all about how fast to speed (acceleration)
and what the top speed is
Your thread is smack on that topic...performance...and most think
performance is all about HP. It is NOT !
Manhandling the whole setup is a bigger performance attribute for me
As is braking. Both of these are higher on my have to have list than
HP and Speed (both acceleration and top speed)
'Dry' is another bogus thing. I've never come across one, but doesn't
mean there aren't any out there. That is the stripper model with no
battery, spare tire, rear bumper, AC, appliances, etc, etc...
Ditto 'curb' for the TV...that is the stripper model
Both those weights along with MTWR are marketing positioning ratings
BenK wrote: The setup should be level and the trailer point level at it's highest pointing. Pointing a bit down is preferred (my opinion)
Ben, can you explain what you mean by, "setup should be level"? For example, if the front wheel well height is 36" and the rear wheel well height is 38" when unloaded, should both heights be at 36" when loaded with WD applied?
Quote: There should be enough weight WD'd back onto the TV's front to keep the steering geometry as close to the unloaded position as possible, +/- a bit
I'm old school (even drop on the TV),---
If you drop the front of the TV, you compress the front suspension. And, if you compress the front suspension, you will change the steering geometry.
Quote: ---but the new TV's have all kinds of different and new systems that dictate the new front TV drop to about unhitched/unloaded height.---
I don't know that new TVs have different and new "systems". I believe that TV and WDH manufacturers have changed their WDH adjustment specifications in response to new information about the effects of excess load on a TV's front axle.
Quote: ---The issue there is that the headlamps now be aimed too high and blinding to oncoming drivers.
I wonder how much of an issue this really is. Perhaps it would be good to estimate the effect of rear-end squat on headlamp angle and then try to determine what amount of increased headlamp angle is too much.
Rear-end squat of up to 2" is considered by some to be acceptable. If the front end has zero squat and the wheelbase is 130", the TV would have an inclination of about 1.5%, about 0.9 degrees.
I've not found any US regulations pertaining to headlamp aiming angles. However, the UN Economic Commission for Europe has adopted Regulation No. 48 pertaining to
UNIFORM PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE APPROVAL OF VEHICLES WITH REGARD TO THE INSTALLATION OF LIGHTING AND LIGHT-SIGNALLING DEVICES.
If I interpret the document correctly, for vehicles towing trailers, the allowable variation in dipped-beam inclination is about 2.6%.
Therefore, it appears a typical US tow vehicle with a rear-end squat of 1-2" would not result in an unacceptable headlamp angle per the ECE regulation.
Just for information check distances on your axles. Friend of mine had issues with drifting, tire wear, etc. After all was said and done the axles were found to be out of square 1/2". One went one way and the other went the other way. Just a thought.
2012 Ford F-450 CCDRW 6.7L
2013 Heartland Cyclone 300C
howmuchcanitow diagram
Offline
