Ford F 350 Travel Trailer Towing Issue

[ZRrrr]

Looking for feedback from 2008 to 2010 F350 owners regarding travel trailer towing/hitch setup. We have a 28 foot, 30.6 foot overall, TT weighing in at about 7800 loaded. Middle kitchen and we try to load the trailer over the axles and in front as much as possible. Hitch is a Reese Dual Cam weight distribution/anti sway system with 1200Lb bars.

I had my Nissan Titan setup perfectly to haul this trailer and it worked amazing in all conditions. For the life of me I cannot get this F350 to stop wandering from side to side in the lane. It's not sway from what I can tell, just casual wander between the lines. Had the front end inspected when I bought the truck and a couple parts were replaced. Steering box was adjusted and I replaced the dampener with a bilstein unit. There does not seem to be any play in the front end whatsoever. I am not a newbie at setting up the hitch. Without load the truck front end measures 42 1/2", rear at 43 1/2". Snapped up with the trailer level, the front can be 42" with the rear at about 42" as well. I have an 80Lb dog that rides in the back in his kennel, along with the usual extra jerry can, some firewood and other small stuff.

Have read that some of these F350's can be a challenge to set up right. Some suggestions have been that it's due to the all terrain tires (Toyo AT II), or that I need to really crank the weight distribution up (this from a hitch shop owner). That doesn't seem right as never had to "really crank it up" on other trucks, just equal distribution and level all around. Tire wear on the trailer looks fine but I will be measuring to make sure axles are straight. Pretty confident they are.

Am I missing anything? I'm baffled and tired of driving with it like that. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[plio7]

its because its not a titan......just sayin

 

[Summitric]

its because its not a titan......just sayin

or a big dodge......... Just sayin'

 

[Summitric]

What's your tire pressures set at?

 

[ZRrrr]

its because its not a titan......just sayin

I hear you brother! Although the diesel is a monster and fun to drive, I do miss the Titan.

 

[ZRrrr]

What's your tire pressures set at?

Need to recheck, and that may be part of the issue. Thought I had set them to spec which I believe to be 65 front and 80 rear.

 

[Summitric]

I would go 70psi all 4 tires.....

 

[LinkTank]

Are you sure it's not road conditions. Like the right lane gets rutted out from all the traffic use and big trucks usually. The Ford is wider than the Titan and when it's riding the ruts it will tend to cause the truck to sway. I know I notice this when hauling and just use the left lane (flatter usually). I maybe completely off on this. Lol. But that's the only time I notice a sway. I haul using no stabilizers also. But ya if its on all surfaces then there is more obviously


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[CrankShop910]

I have a 07 F350 with a 31BHDS, I run my bars on the looseist setting just to take the rock out of it.. If I take more weigh off the truck with the bar, the truck is all over the road..
Really with a f350 you really dont need to run a WD hitch..

 

[medler]

Just taking a wild guess but I would try with out the spring bars or eq bars hooked up

 

[campingnut]

I had the same problem with my 08 and I do not think I really fixed it. First fix was a very stiff sidewall set of tires, that helped a lot. Second, and this might not help at all a Propride/Hensley hitch. I never had this problem with my 06.

 

[barefooter]

I am with the boys up top. I had the same trailer before I went to a 5th. If you crank your eq hitch like a half ton, you are going to take too much weight off the front. These things are front-end biased because of the wieght of the diesel engine. I notice that especially with my Ford, my GM's not so much. As Ric said 70 PSI all round on the tires. With that hitch - just barely have it engage.

 

[T-GUY1978]

I have the same problem with mine and I new to hauling travel trailers. I usually put the stabilizer bars on the hitch and put the chain on the the tightest setting. So your saying that may be causing me to have more issues with the sway problem? Good to know next time I pull it I'm gunna try the chains on the lightest setting and see if that helps. I also noticed since I put my duratracs on it felt a lot worse also. All tires at 65psi


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[Bnorth]

I have the same problem with mine and I new to hauling travel trailers. I usually put the stabilizer bars on the hitch and put the chain on the the tightest setting. So your saying that may be causing me to have more issues with the sway problem? Good to know next time I pull it I'm gunna try the chains on the lightest setting and see if that helps. I also noticed since I put my duratracs on it felt a lot worse also. All tires at 65psi


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duratracs are well known for having soft sidewalls and a fair bit of squirm especially in the wider aspect ratios.

I pull a 26' with my dually and don't use a WD hitch at all. No issues and it only sits the truck down maybe an inch.

 

[eclipse1966]

I have an 06 F350 and just put on Toyo AT II and noticed they are considerably softer on the side walls compared to the Toyo Mud on previously. So, I am getting some wondering that I never had before with and without pulling the trailer (32 ft bunk).

 

[ZRrrr]

Are you sure it's not road conditions. Like the right lane gets rutted out from all the traffic use and big trucks usually. The Ford is wider than the Titan and when it's riding the ruts it will tend to cause the truck to sway. I know I notice this when hauling and just use the left lane (flatter usually). I maybe completely off on this. Lol. But that's the only time I notice a sway. I haul using no stabilizers also. But ya if its on all surfaces then there is more obviously


I have heard of this before and wonder......

 

[ZRrrr]

I am with the boys up top. I had the same trailer before I went to a 5th. If you crank your eq hitch like a half ton, you are going to take too much weight off the front. These things are front-end biased because of the wieght of the diesel engine. I notice that especially with my Ford, my GM's not so much. As Ric said 70 PSI all round on the tires. With that hitch - just barely have it engage.

Too much weight "off" the front cranking the bars? Cranking them up puts more weight on the front axle. I forgot to mention that the previous owner put a leveling kit on front. Not sure it makes a difference.

 

[ZRrrr]

I appreciate all the comments. Looks like I just may need to do some more experimenting. I have seen the truck perform a little better when I set the hitch ball with a slight drop and then crank up the bars. Will try running looser bars and see how that works, but based on current experimenting it seems tightening the bars made the truck wander less.

 

[ZRrrr]

I have an 06 F350 and just put on Toyo AT II and noticed they are considerably softer on the side walls compared to the Toyo Mud on previously. So, I am getting some wondering that I never had before with and without pulling the trailer (32 ft bunk).

Good to know. I will try playing with tire pressures as suggested as well.

 

[snopro]

The early super duty's would wander bad but the newer ones 08' and up seem to drive nice. Probably the equalizing bars.