Towing - Weight Distribution Hitch needed? Advice please.

[ScottD]

Looking for advice on this this…
Just bought a Futura trailer (1400 lbs, Aluminum). Figure the mustang is 3800lbs, approximately. So total will be around 5,200lbs maybe 5,400lbs with fuel and some gear. Towing with F-150 (3.5ecoboost), FX4, max tow package. Pulling power isn’t an issue. Pulls just fine. And with 10% weight on the tongue, the rear of the truck barely squats at all and front stays pretty much level. Still, Ford docs say use a weight distribution hitch if over 5,000 lbs. I called Futura Trailers and they said a WDH wasn’t really needed. Said, lots of people in Australia pull heavy cars with lighter trucks and have no problems. Still, I’m a little nervous about Fords 5000lbs WHD statement. On the other hand, I seem to have read about some concern of using a WDH on an aluminum trailer. What are others doing? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you very much.

 

[DaveW]

I spent about 10 years right out of school working as a construction superintendent for a company that did hotel remodel work all over the country. Lots of trailers and lots of towing. And not a WDH in sight. This was the early 90's so trucks didn't have the power they do now, but we never weighed anything and just loaded things by judging how much the back of the truck drooped.

Two wrongs don't make a right, but we/I towed 10's of thousands of miles with various trucks and never had any type of hitch issue.

If you have the proper tongue weight and the truck isn't squatting (and unloading the front) AND tows steady without being twitchy, I would roll with what you have.

DaveW

 

[TMSBOSS]

Can you get by without, yes.
How does the truck with trailer feel going down the road? If you load the trailer and the front of your tow vehicle feels light, wants to push. A WDH may be a good idea.
I have towed with a WDH and without. The feel is definitely different. The nose can bounce/float. The rear of the truck squat. ABS be a bit more active on the front of the truck.
An 8000 lbs hitch from Reese starts around $300.00. That’s about the cost of a short track weekend fees. You pay that once. You can move the hitch to another trailer assuming it fits the weight class and frame size.
Running without is a WDH can be like running without sway bars. You can do it. The less you ask from a vehicle, the better. If the front of your tow vehicle feels light, pushes or bounces, go and buy the hitch. Follow the manufacturers instruction and you can install in a few hours.

 

[Stan Whitney]

WD setups put a lot of force into the trailer tongue frame rails, which might explain the reluctance to apply that on aluminum trailers. At your weights it should be a non issue. More concerning as you get closer to 10k and 1k of tongue weight and really stress the tow vehicle. An external friction sway plate would not hurt, but open trailers are not as affected by the aero induced sway.

Just watch your speed, run at the max end of your rated tire pressures, and enjoy that cool trailer.

 

[Fabman]

A lot has to do with the wheelbase of the truck. I have a 2014 F150 ecoboost tremor. Short cab/short bed.
No way I could tow my 10,000 lb 24' TPD without a WDH and air bags.
My buddy has a LWB 4 door F150...same year/same motor and he tows a 26' TPD without a WDH or airbags.
Other than the wheelbase the trucks are identical.
The recommended towing capacity of my short cab truck is 8200 lbs (Which I flagrantly violate on a regular basis)
That same truck with the longer wheelbase is 11500 pounds towing capacity.
If you have the LWB truck you should be good to go without one.

 

[TMSBOSS]

I don’t think I would worry about aluminum. It’s either well built or it ain’t. Being a top of the line manufacturer the trailer should of best quality My ATC is all aluminum and is solid as any steel trailer I have used. If you have concerns, call the manufacturer.

 

[xr7]

A WDH may improve the handling a bit. Open trailers less affected by aero. The issue with damaging trailers and WDH comes down to how the trailers are built. Barely adequate material size and poorly designed A frame to main frame rail attachment. The best frames have the main rails bent in to form the A frame the hitch attaches to. Most trailers have a separate A frame that is welded to the main frame rails. The good trailers have the A frame attached to the main rails on the same plane. Others have the A frame attached under the main frame rails, this method is the cheap way to go and is the type that most likely will have problems with a WDH especially if they have gone to light weight with the materials. The loads are very concentrated in small areas, welds fail, material deforms or cracks.

 

[Jet One]

I've been towing with my Futura Trailer and 08 F150 for two years now with no issues. Bumper barley moves when loaded up. Estimating I'm at about 4900lbs with the 350R.

 

[OX1]

My 79 Bronco, rated to tow 6K (and generally said to be a horrible towing platform, mainly due to WB) has no issues with my 5500 lb boat and trailer.
A new F150 EB with tow package should not even know 5K lbs is back there.

 

[Paul McWhiskey]

One other point of concern, and not one for many, is exceeding the manufacturers towing specifications. Many, many, do it. Especially we diesel drivers. But should you ever be involved in an accident and get into a pissing contest with either the other persons insurance company or your own and they determine that you were over the tongue weight or towing capacity it could be a problem. I think that many folks think that because the trailer has brakes there are no worries. Or don't consider the capabilities of the vehicle doing the towing. You know, when you see the F150 SB towing the 37' fifth wheel toy hauler with water and fuel tanks? It is all good until the accident happens. Right?

Do the homework and be safe on the road. Protect yourself, others, and your toys.

 

[Fabman]

One other point of concern, and not one for many, is exceeding the manufacturers towing specifications. Many, many, do it. Especially we diesel drivers. But should you ever be involved in an accident and get into a pissing contest with either the other persons insurance company or your own and they determine that you were over the tongue weight or towing capacity it could be a problem. I think that many folks think that because the trailer has brakes there are no worries. Or don't consider the capabilities of the vehicle doing the towing. You know, when you see the F150 SB towing the 37' fifth wheel toy hauler with water and fuel tanks? It is all good until the accident happens. Right?

Do the homework and be safe on the road. Protect yourself, others, and your toys.

Yup that’s me. Lol. The truck is the same as the longer bed model so the drivetrain/chassis/brakes/suspension is capable, it’s just not as stable on the road at speed. As long as I don’t get in a hurry it tows fine. But I would never tow any farther than a few hours away and 80 mph is no bueno. I hadn’t thought about the insurance aspect of it…very valid point. Now I have one more thing to worry about. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Super350R]

I tow 6500 lb combined trailer/vehicle with a 2019 F150 Supercrew 3.5L Max Tow. When placing my 350R on the trailer (front to back), I used a trailer tongue weight scale and watched not to exceed Ford's maximum tongue weight of 500 lbs on the hitch. I also saw the segment in the manual about 10% of trailer weight, but read on... The maximum is 500 lbs. Excess of the 500 lb max can lift the front tire causing reduced braking and drivability (tail wags the dog). I was able to stay under the maximum tongue weight, by moving the vehicle rearward on the trailer inches at a time. Make sure you load up the gas cans and spare tires. Good luck!

 

[blacksheep-1]

Absolutely agree with Fabman on this, I've towed with everything from shortbed stepside chevys with coil springs (Very, very bad idea) to long wheelbase dualies to my current crew cab f150.
Wheelbase is your friend, pretty much everything else, even brakes is secondary, and speaking of brakes, try to get a trailer where both axles are braked. Ditch the bumper hitch and use a Reese style.

 

[EF1]

I am still towing with my almost antique Dodge. It is a 1999 2500 Cummins with the extended cab and 8 ft bed. I special ordered it in the fall of 1998. I have an 20 ft R&R aluminum trailer customized to my taste. It has 7 ft ramps, a removable fender on the drivers side, a tire rack across the front and both brake axles riding on torsion axles. The car and trailer come in at about 5,200 lbs with a spare set of wheels/tires on the rack, which is well below what the truck is rated for. Most of the time I don't know the car is back there.

 

[Paul McWhiskey]

I am still towing with my almost antique Dodge. It is a 1999 2500 Cummins with the extended cab and 8 ft bed. I special ordered it in the fall of 1998. I have an 20 ft R&R aluminum trailer customized to my taste. It has 7 ft ramps, a removable fender on the drivers side, a tire rack across the front and both brake axles riding on torsion axles. The car and trailer come in at about 5,200 lbs with a spare set of wheels/tires on the rack, which is well below what the truck is rated for. Most of the time I don't know the car is back there.

Hey, just a couple more years and we will both be driving classics. I tow an 11,000lb TT with my 2001 Cummins powered Dodge, I use a Hensley hitch and take it offroad. First addition I made after my very first trip with my old Artic Fox 26' TT was an exhaust brake. Use it ALL of the time. Money well spent.

 

[EF1]

Absolutely agree with Fabman on this, I've towed with everything from shortbed stepside chevys with coil springs (Very, very bad idea) to long wheelbase dualies to my current crew cab f150.
Wheelbase is your friend, pretty much everything else, even brakes is secondary, and speaking of brakes, try to get a trailer where both axles are braked. Ditch the bumper hitch and use a Reese style.

I agree, a longer wheel base always tows better. Tongue weight is also important. Too much tongue weight and the tow vehicle doesn't steer correctly. Too little and the trailer gets squirmy. A friend tows a 5,500 lb camper with his 2020 F250 4 x 4 Power Stroke with the big cab and short bed. He had to go to a weight distribution hitch to keep it under control on the highway even though it is well under what the truck's towing capacity. The camper was designed as 1/2 ton towable and is tail heavy. There is so little tongue weight that it was all over the place without the weight distributing hitch.