F150 pulling a 21. Do I need a WD hitch? And other questions.

[flatpick]

Full sized Ford E-250 here. Having towed our E-19 with and without the WDH it's a no-brainer that it's a better (and safer) ride with. We do ride with alot of gear in the van.

steve

[Rossue]

I took the advice of a GM dealer to use WDH even with 8400 lb. tow capacity and RWD. ETI installed an Andersen & It was fine, however it was wearing out on us so I switched back to what I had previously with our Highlander/17 combo which was a Pro Series w/round bars. Easier to use than the Andersen and don't miss having friction for sway that the Fastway E2 has. Was considering it until I read about the need to replace the friction pads over time. Had enough of that with the Andersen with different components wearing out. Having towed without either as well sway is not an issue for us without a WDH. Even semi-trucks passing us don't seem to give us the feeling of being vacuumed towards them like it felt with the 17B/Highlander. Maybe the extra ton of combined weight helps now. The primary reason I use WDH is for better compliance- that is less bucking and rattling around on the ball. While I can't explain the physics the Pro Series seems to do this better than the Andersen.

On the topic of sway there is a decal ETI places under the VIN decal that reminds those with tandem axles that the trailer needs to be towed in a level attitude to insure even loading of the axles and that tongue weight should be 10-15 percent of the gross trailer weight. Too low of a percentage of tongue weight can cause sway. The OP asked about drop/rise which is very important to have a level towing attitude. Being out of level can be an issue and if too nose high the rear axle is loaded disproportionately and reduce tongue weight. Our Andersen was fitted at ETI and is was a bit nose high. You only have so much adjustment with the shanks and Dennis told me when fitting up my new 11" shank that you could be up to 2" high. I do see a little more wear on the rear tires due to this and with the 11" shank I needed to set up the Pro Series it is a little nose high like the Andersen ETI set up but within 2" of level and tows great.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by grump

We just got back October 7 from picking up our 21, coming home thru South Dakota we had 35 - 40 mph winds blowing diagonally, hitting the front passenger side, a diagonal cross wind I guess. I was glad to have the WDH for the stability it provided. That wasn't a fun day. You might be okay most of the time without but when you need it it's nice that it's there

Grump, Debbie and I may have been caught in the same wind tunnel! We were coming across Wyoming a few days earlier and had sustained high winds with 50 mph cross-gusts. Our Explorer towed with 'Aplomb' and the WDH gave the feel of a single unit. Glad we had it too!

[War Eagle]

Steve, Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind me asking, what brand/model of WDH are you using? I've never used one before, but I'm intrigued. Price seems to vary a LOT. Are WDH's an example of "you get what you pay for"? Or are some just commanding a higher price because of their brand name? Again, just curious at the moment...

[float5]

You mention the sway control feature which should be great if you have sway. I would be interested in anyone's experience having had sway corrected with that feature.

Just to mention that to avoid sway, need 10-15% weight on the tongue, of total loaded weight. Many use a Sherline 1000-lb. scale to check for that 10-15%. We have had to move weight more than once.

Originally Posted by Jill

We have a 2016 F150 2.7L Ecoboost 2WD and need to set it up to tow our 21. The specs say the truck has a sway control feature so do we need a weight distribution hitch? We are new to all this so want the safest, smoothest, easiest experience possible. Any recommendations on which brand we should get?

Also while I'm here, I'm a bit confused as to the drop we need. i saw another thread talking about a 2" drop for a 19. I would think the 21 would be the same right?

Our truck has a tow package but did not come with a brake controller (that seems weird to me!) so we must get one installed. As I understand, the proportional controller would be best right?

Thank you in advance for your input.

[H46Driver]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

We should realize a lot of the new people are asking questions because they have no experience and answer their questions accordingly. I know sometimes the same questions are being answered over and over and it gets old but thats what this forum should be for. Maybe we should be telling them that depending on your setup you may need one and be very careful until you know how it will tow.

Hitting the "LIKE" button multiple times! GREAT post!

[cpaharley2008]

Also while I'm here, I'm a bit confused as to the drop we need. i saw another thread talking about a 2" drop for a 19. I would think the 21 would be the same right?

I had mine set at one height and upon arrival in Chilliwack had to lower it. I have an adjustable height hitch, something I highly recommend since you may have several tow vehicles during your Escape ownership. I have one of these, it also eliminates the "clunk" you hear sometimes when stopping or starting. Convert-A-Ball Dual-Cushioned, Adjustable Ball Mount - 7" Rise to 9-1/2" Drop - 5,000 lbs Convert-A-Ball Ball Mounts CAB-UM
but there must be 3 dozen other adjustable models also.

[Jim Bennett]

There seems to be a fallback position of everyone should just get a WDH regardless of tow/trailer combo. A WDH has its place, and can help with the ride, BUT is not always necessary as a requirement for safety.

Firstly and foremost, folks need to ensure that the trailer is loaded properly, with the weight distributed to give near 10% of the weight on the hitch. f the trailer is properly loaded, and the rear of the vehicle drops too much, then a WDH will help with this, distributing the load to the trailer and front tow axles.

If the trailer is loaded properly, there is no need for sway control. If there is an issue with sway, more than likely your trailer is not loaded correctly.

I towed my 19 with my 4,500 lb capacity Pilot for 4 years without a WDH. There certainly were towing nuances I felt, with the hitch bobbing a wee bit on bumps, but never did I once feel safety was compromised. I did finally get an Anderson WDH, mostly as I wanted my wife to drive some, and wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible. The WDH did smooth out the ride on rough stuff, making the trailer and tow feel more like one longer unit.

I also towed a lot with an F250 and F350 when I just needed power and not a runaround vehicle. I would never consider using a WDH with either of these trucks, as even on rougher roads you could barely tell a trailer was back there.

I also cringe a bit at the forces that a WDH can exert on the trailer frame, the hitch receiver, and on through the vehicle. Just try to imagine the amount of torque required to raise the weight at the hitch, especially when bumps are encountered.

A WDH is definitely a good thing is some cases, just make sure to first ensure the trailer is loaded properly.

[Dave Walter]

Happens quite often with herd mentality on this forum where some optional item through unending discussion suddenly becomes an absolute necessity in the eyes of many. As Jim, Brian and others have very effectively stated, an F150 is very capable of safely and effectively towing a 21 without resorting to using a WDH. My advice would be to try without the WDH for a while and then decide if you want or need one.