Weight distribution hitch for lifted truck

[Newbieatcamping]

I have a lifted 2003 Ford F-250-lifted 4inches on 35 inch tires.

Camer dry is roughly 7,500# went to the camp ground no issues. Without any sway control or weight hitch.

The issue isn’t with sagging out the truck. It barely squats with the weight but coming home it was windy and I didn’t even make it one exit before I decided to get off due to the camper sway.

Do I necessarily need a weight distribution hitch or would I be OK with just a sway control set up.

I may be trading this camper in for a 5th wheel within the next year or so.

So I’d hate to go all out if I can just get away with a sway control set up.

Thanks

[Hannibal]

Two family members tow 30’+ travel trailers with lifted 4x4 trucks. Worth the extra effort for them. Definitely not a deal breaker.

[ppine]

Form follows function. The first rule of good design.

[Newbieatcamping]

It’s how I bought the truck. The deal was good enough
For me.

[kellem]

ppine wrote:
Lifts and large tires create problems with suspensions, brake lines, ujoints, and lots of other things. They make towing more difficult. I have never understood the appeal.

They look cool.....functionality, performance sucks.

[ppine]

Lifts and large tires create problems with suspensions, brake lines, ujoints, and lots of other things. They make towing more difficult. I have never understood the appeal.

[BarneyS]

Experience, both personal and of many of the members here, is that the actual tongue weight of a trailer is usually about 200-300lbs more than the brochure listed weight after the owner weighs the tongue loaded and ready to camp.

I concur with the posts about using the Reese "Strait Line" hitch or the Equal-i-zer hitch. Both will supply the needed weight distribution with added sway control. You do need the WD properties to satisfy the weight specifications of the receiver on that truck.
Barney

[kellem]

Hannibal wrote:
Our Jayco 28RLS advertises 710 lbs tongue weight. Actual weight has ranged from 980-1,071 lbs. RVs get fat pretty quickly with one or two more things added each trip.

Very true and the most obvious storage option is the big compartment just behind the tounge.

[Hannibal]

Our Jayco 28RLS advertises 710 lbs tongue weight. Actual weight has ranged from 980-1,071 lbs. RVs get fat pretty quickly with one or two more things added each trip.

[Newbieatcamping]

According to manufacturer specs on my camper the hitch weight is 720#

[blt2ski]

Steve,
Not sure how big your trailer is compared to my old one. I think I was in the same area with my 88 ex cab and 96 CC SW 3500's. Trailer was 6500-7000 loaded, typically about 650-750 HW. I lost maybe 60 lbs of wt off the front axel with no WD, so put 40 lbs back on, called it a day!
I barely lifted the front and the back might have gone down an inch with that trailer.
My equipment trailer with 1500 lbs of HW, 11-11.5K lbs total, did take more wt off the front, lifted it, and sunk the rear more. Weight wise off was in the 350-400 lbs relm with 6400 lbs springs, 250-300 when I put 8500 lbs springs in the 96, same as my 05 DW CC.

Marty

[Hannibal]

As far as setup with our F250 and only 3/8” rise up front without the bars, I set ours up so that with the coupler on the ball and just enough lift with the tongue jack to take up the slack in the receiver, I can push the bars onto the brackets and put the clips on. Then raise the tongue jack and it tows like a champ. Initially, the ball is 1” higher than the coupler with the trailer level. Hitched up, the trailer is 1” down in the front. I like using as little WD as I can. I don’t like the stress it puts on the trailer. The bars bring the front of the truck back down about 1/2 of that 3/8”. Barely measurable. Just my opinions based on my experience. Others may disagree.

[Hannibal]

Here’s a link to Equalizer.
https://www.equalizerhitch.com/how-equalizer-works

I found mine on eBay barely used for $375. Picked it up locally. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a Reese Straight Line either. Maybe even better with the cam notches. If you don’t have an inverted coupler.

https://www.reeseprod.com/products/weight-distribution/strait-line/xDqAUvNOHeKtsUlhKkqrPpp1KSMoYS1U

[blt2ski]

I've been towing with a Cooper "AT" version of some sort for over 30 years. Never had an issue with them! I currently tow with my C2500 245-75-16 AT3, Son has some 285-75-18s on his lifted 1500, no issues towing either. Both of us use LR E tires. Both of us are usually around 40-50 lbs per tire, just due to the fact, neither of us have more than 4000 on an axel!

ANother hitch you might look at, is a dual cam. I have one, I like it compared to just a WD system. Its on par from what I can tell to the Equilizer Steve is suggesting. If you want to go upwards better yet, then you need to go with a Hensley.

as some of us have noted, verify hitch weight, that it is above 10%, or 700 lbs if your trailer total is 7000 lbs. You want at least 800-900 lbs for a 7K trailer, leaving you 6300-6100 on the axels.

Marty

[Newbieatcamping]

Hannibal wrote:
If it only gave you some sway with the strong winds, but towed fine otherwise, it's likely tongue weight and alignment are ok. The 35" tires with I assume aggressive tread probably contribute to the unstable condition in the wind. A 2003 F250 I think has a 500 lb dead weight, 1,000 lb WD rated receiver. A 7k lb trailer is going to likely have over 900 lbs of tongue weight. I would recommend a WDH to satisfy the weight rating of the receiver and sway control for the wind. My choice is the Equalizer 4-point. But they are noisy. I keep mine quiet with grease on the ball, at the sockets and a dab on the L brackets. With only a 4" lift and 35's, the standard shank "should" have enough drop. Just my humble experience.

Yes. I had no problems towing it otherwise. Like I said towing there with no winds it was fine. 68mph the whole way.

On the way home with winds I wasn’t comfortable on the highway.

My parents have a Ford Expedition with all the proper hitch equipment and once my father got home he called and told me he was surprised how windy it actually was and he noticed it towing his camper.

Do you have a link to that hitch? I want to get it set up properly wether we trade it in or not. Safety is #1.

The tires are cooper At3s not super aggressive but not a highway tire per say