Towing to Storage Question

[Scorn]

I live 2.5 miles from the Storage facility where I am taking my camper this week to store it for the winter.

The dry weight is 5,350 lbs and 27 feet long. Do I need to put the sway bars on just to take it there?

I am towing it with an F150 Crew cab with max tow.

[chuckster57]

I say a good way to remember is to do it EVERY time you hook up.

[Eastham]

My hitch says 500 lbs without bars
1000lbs with bars I don't know if it really matters going that little distance.

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by Scorn

I live 2.5 miles from the Storage facility where I am taking my camper this week to store it for the winter.

The dry weight is 5,350 lbs and 27 feet long. Do I need to put the sway bars on just to take it there?

I am towing it with an F150 Crew cab with max tow.

I'm with Chuck. Fully hook it up every time you hook up.

[LarrySharon]

I suppose you can look at like seat belts, no matter the shortness of the trip you still put them on. SAFETY FIRST

[texas-traveler]

350 to 400 lbs on a bumper hitch without the load levelers/sway bars will make steering exceptionally unstable. wheels may lose contact with the pavement. then there will be a real/unsafe sway problem. seen that, experienced that and done that.

[notanlines]

My opinion follows that of the previous posters. Put 'em on every single time.

[JRTJH]

Most accidents happen within 5 miles of home. Not using the WD bars can (probably does) put excess weight on the receiver. It may not be rated for the weight of the hitch unless the bars are installed. Even if the receiver is rated to carry the hitch weight, it will likely "unload" the front suspension which can cause steering problems. You probably won't notice anything "out of the ordinary" unless you find yourself on the "extreme edge" of a maneuver. Something like a kid on a bicycle, a dog runs in front of the truck, a car pulls out in front of you, a pothole "appears" and you try to avoid it. Any of those could cause you to "jerk the steering wheel" and with the front suspension "unloaded" might cause you to lose control.

Just like "wear a seatbelt all the time" is good advice. Hitching an RV "all the time" is also good advice. Why take a "half-a**" approach to towing? It only takes a couple more minutes to do it right.

If you're asking, you probably have some concern with whether it's appropriate. So, heed your own "intuition"...

Grandpa's advice, to me, long ago was, "Son, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right."

[fatcatzzz]

You got them, use them.

[Scorn]

I will hook it up just like usual. Thanks everone.

[Scorn]

I will hook up like usual, better safe than sorry. Thanks everyone

[mfifield01]

I'm about 5 miles to my storage. I always put the bars on when going to storage.

On two occasions, I have towed without bars. Both were to move sites inside an RV park. I didn't go over 5 MPH and not very far.