is a wt. distributing hitch needed on f350?

[fgtex]

I am looking at a 25ft bumper pull travel trailer that has a dry weight of 4080lbs and a dry hitch weight of 510lbs (figures according to the sales brochure). I will use my stock F350 to pull this trailer. The dealer told me that I would not need a weight distributing hitch for this unit, that I could just use the factory setup. I will be using an electronic brake controller that came with the truck.

Is the factory setup ok, or do I need to invest in the weight distributing hitch with the anti-sway option?

I have pulled larger trailers with a different truck before but they were gooseneck, so it was a little different.

fgtex

 

[Tail_Gunner]

If you were pulling your camper with a mini-van, then you might need a weight distributing hitch. But with a F350, even without the weight dist. hitch, you won't even know it's there unless you look in the mirrors.

If you look in my forum pics or my webshot (link below), you can see, my Jayco is about the same size as your's, maybe a touch larger. My 99 F250 doesn't even break a sweat.

 

[WD40]

The factory setup should be ok, I would put the anti-sway bar on it. That will help if you are passing a big truck or one is passing you. You have the longbed truck, so it should pull great. , Camping is great.

 

[s d mills]

I agree....you're good to go.

 

[95_stroker]

Agreed with the above unless you are throwing a bunch of weight in the bed of the truck (motorcycles or ATV for example) but with the 510 lb dry hitch weight you should weigh in well under what the F 350 can handle for tongue weight.

Even if in the loading process you double the tongue weight of the trailer to 1000 lbs you are well under the GVWR of 9900 lbs (which would allow for nearly 1400 lbs tongue weight). And the same holds true for the trailer.... if you double it to 8000 lbs you would be well under the 20,000 lb GCWR that the F 350 is capable of. An anti-sway device would be a good idea though.

 

[scoutman77]

some states require the anti sway, but not the equalizers. My grandpa went from a 35 foot camper down to a 14 foot, pulls with a 1 ton cube van. but still uses the equalizers. Habit I guess.

 

[architect-builder]

JMO, whether it's capable or not, it's cheap insurance. My dealer recommended it and I would not even think of pulling mine with out my equalizer.

Keeps the truck level and straight. And you can see what extra I put on here.

Barrett

 

[95_stroker]

I agree with Barrett. I know good and well I dont need one on my F 350, but when I bought my TT is was part of the deal. Im sure somewhere in there my dealer recoops the cost of the hitch, but it was included and I use it. I have towed the TT across town before without the WD hitch and I can tell the difference.

But, the question of the thread was.... do I have to have a WD? Answer is still no.

 

[powerboatr]

mike touched on it...
what is your expected load on the trailer? whats its GVWR, and whats the max tongue Wt ?
if you do carry a 1k or higher tongue wt..... load equalizers will make it tow LEVEL and safer.
its going to squat with 1k or higher on the ball.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

I would say try it and see how well it handles.
My camper has a pretty good distance from the hitch ball to the axles which makes it steady as a rock behind the truck. The hearing testing trailer I used to pull around, didn't have as great of a hitch to wheels distance and was not as steady, but I lived with it. Give it a test drive, starting at a slower speed and gradually increasing to see how well the trailer follows your truck. If it does well like I think it will, you can forego the weight dist hitch.

Based on my experience with my camper which sounds pretty similiar, I think you'll be fine.

Word of advice: Soft (underinflated) tires can contribute or even cause a trailer to fishtail. That goes for the truck as well as the trailer.