First Tow w/05, Lurching badly

[frunky]

First tow this weekend w/05 F250 w/towing and camper pkg. CC & SB. Reese slider hitch. 25 ft 5th wheel, weighs 8500 when fully loaded for summer run, but lightly loaded for weekend beach trip, probably 8,000. Loved the power, shifted, steered and stopped great. Only one complaint, and it bothers me. My 96 Dodge w/Cummins was Ext Cab & LB, same wheel base as new 05. I towed with it for 9 years, same Reese 15K hitch except for slider addition. The Dodge ride was stiffer, the Ford rides much better.

I was on a secondary road for 20 some miles, and the road was wavy. I've traveled this road several times with the Dodge, and although the trailer rear would swing up and down, moderated by the trailer shocks, the truck stayed pretty much nailed to the road. But with the Ford, as the trailer rear went up and down, it affected the truck. One time, the truck began to lurch up and down so badly, I had to slow down.[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] I hate to see upward movement pressure on the trailer hitch. I start to sweat thinking what would happen if the king pin pulled up out of the hitch. My copilot kept saying "what's wrong?" I was very happy to get off that stretch of road. It does it on all dips to some degree (to be expected, but I think it is excessive, and I gritted my teeth on every dip). The hitch centerline is 4 inches in front of the axle, it was 3 inches on the Dodge, and it would have been also 3 inches on the Ford, but adding the slider because of the short bed moves it one more inch forward. The trailer is almost level front to back, about the same as it was with the Dodge.

Any ideas? New shocks on the trailer? Replace the stock shocks on the truck with bigger ones? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] Any thoughts appreciated!

[Dieselgem]

I have an 04, one of the Guys here suggested Timbrens. They have worked great for me. I am pulling 11,000 lbs (toyhauler with two motorcycles. Only put a couple of thousand miles on it in the past month or so but have had no problems. Don't forget to torques your lugs on the truck and the trailer. Losing a wheel is never fun. Hope this helps.

[frunky]

Dieselgem, thanks for info. I see on your sig that your GVW is 8800, and you have the camper pkg. I also have the camper pkg and my GVW listed on the door jamb is 9800. What is the difference...because yours is 4x4?

[ThomasT]

[ QUOTE ]
What is the difference...because yours is 4x4?


[/ QUOTE ]
No, because every 99-04 F250 was rated at 8,800lbs... same years SRW F350 was rated at 9,900lbs. In 2005 the numbers changed.

Thomas

[TimC63]

Hey Frunky!

I don't tow a 5er so I may be looking at this all wrong.... Did you have the trailer loaded any differently? Sounds like symptoms you can get with a travel trailer when you load too much weight behind the trailer axles...

Seems that with a 5er, you should have a whole bunch of pin weight (What, 2k of an 8K 5er?) to prevent the weight from lifting off the pin assembly, ever... regardless of the road conditions?

Though came to mind so I offer it up!

God Bless,

TC

[frunky]

Thanks for info. I was lightly loaded for short trip, but loaded no differently than many other trips w/ the Dodge. When fully loaded, the pin weight is 1600 (weighed), don't know about lightly loaded. On my son's advice, who pulls a GN horse trailer w/living quarters, I ordered a pair of Rancho adjustable shocks. He said they are great, and rides great empty at low setting, and can dial up firmness for towing as necessary. Should have them next week. I also pulled one shock from the trailer and checked it by collapsing and extending it manually. It would slip about two inches and then resist normally, then slip again...so I ordered 4 shocks. By end of next week, I should have trailer and truck rear w/new shocks and will do test run (trailer empty, but that's OK, I will know if it's reacting normally). I will post results.