Bullet 308BHS and Sway

[RescueRam3]

I have a keystone bullet 308BHS. It is a long rig at 35'6". I am towing it with a F150 4x4 super crew cab which has a 154 inch wheelbase. When I am towing my trailer I am all over the damn road if I go anything over 45 mph. I am set up with a Curt weight distribution hitch which I know is set up right and one Curt friction swaybar. I need to buy a anti-sway hitch set up but I would really like to avoid spending nearly $3000 on a Hensley arrow. Anyone have any good recommendations?

[BirchyBoy]

You can try an Equalizer for much, much less.

[heatkits]

I have a F150 that tows a Cougar 321RET (35'+ long). I had a lot of sway problems at first, the Reese Duel Cam was installed by the dealer and supposedly set up to MFG specifications. It was all over the road, and the bow wave from passing trucks was downright dangerous. I kept tinkering with the hitch adjustments and things got better. However, when I put nitrogen in the tires and set the pressure to the max (65PSI) it ended the swaying.

I just return from a 4800 mile trip and now have over 12K miles logged on with this truck and 25K on the trailer. I just bought a new set of Maxxis 10 ply tires since I can see the ware bars on the "Tow Max" and feel it's just a matter of time before they become "Blow Max".

Here's what worked for me: trailer nose down by and inch, tires up to full inflation, keep moving the tong weight further forward on the truck (via the hitch adjustments) until you find the sweet spot. It now tows like it's suppose to, no sway and no being push around by passing tucks and busses.

[GaryWT]

We towed a 35 foot + premier bullet with a super cab 150. It towed with little sway for the most part. If we did not put enough in the front storage the sway could be bad but not impossible. We have an equil I zer which is great.

One of the issues with the 150 is payload and P tires. My 150 door said 35 psi max in the tires and my tire dealer told me that is where I had to run no matter what the tires said.

I did have to adjust the hitch a few times to dial it in to work better. I tow with a 350 now and what a difference.

[Ken / Claudia]

The weight police here checking in. Lots to check out to tow better, as others said hitch may need adjusted, you may need a better hitch, the trucks tires may not be enough or aired up enough, the trailer may be at or beyond the trucks ability to tow correctly. I would see what the trucks GVW and CGVW are, see what your weights are by going over a scale. Sounds like a accident waiting to happen as of now.

[Monstergolf]

I have the equalizer and love it. You can back up and never had sway issues. She's a big trailer but is designed for 1/2 tons. As always you have to be careful. Make sure you load the trailer in a balanced way and always check the tire pressure. Then have fun!

[JRTJH]

I have the equalizer and love it. You can back up and never had sway issues. She's a big trailer but is designed for 1/2 tons. As always you have to be careful. Make sure you load the trailer in a balanced way and always check the tire pressure. Then have fun!

If you're using the "designed for 1/2 ton" thought, you also need to consider the "design limitations". Most 35' travel trailers, when loaded for a trip have a tongue weight in excess of the payload capacity of "most" half ton trucks. Weighing the rig "properly" at a CAT scale is really the only way to know whether or not you're "within those design limits". Just because it has a sticker on the side "claiming it's half ton towable" doesn't mean that it meets the design limits of every half ton truck.

The old saying: "Caveat Emptor" definitely applies to "half ton towing" when it comes to the larger "lightweight trailers." Especially if you've got two or three "extremely precious children" in the back seat.....

[Monstergolf]

I appreciate your thoughts and perspective. Just stating my experience with my coach, tv and hitch. Drove in rain and wind without any issues. Sometimes it seems people are quick to jump on others that use 1/2 tons and SUVs. Sometimes its valid and others its not. I think in this case as long as this person uses the correct hitch and it is set up properly, there should be no issues. But we are all here to provide feedback and support so I appreciate all perspectives, even if I may slightly disagree.

[Ken / Claudia]

I understand what your saying. I do not put down 1/2 or suvs just to say you cannot tow. But, every vehicle be a f150 or f550 or what ever you name has limits. I believe in what I was taught many years ago thru seeing others fail in life, some doing things they thought was OK. "what you don't know can and will hurt you". The scale test is easy to do and will show you where your at regarding tires, axles, GVWR and CGWR. Compared to what you doing. Hope that if your over you fix it before it breaks etc. Example: The first f250 I got and put a in bed camper into it. I used it on a trip or two before scaling and man I wished I did before. I was over the rear tires max. wt. rating by 200 lbs each. Just getting better tires fixed that. I was still ok at the CVWR.

[tirnanah]

Andersen Weight Distribution is another one to look at... I have on my GMC 1500 HD and Outback 323BH and I absolutely love it. Towed back up to AK (including on I-5 just before rush hour) and have probably put close to another 6000 miles on it up here last summer... Simple hook up, no noise, and anti-sway, WD, and anti-bounce all in one... Trucks don't push me around, wind doesn't (truck doesn't like a head wind, but it handles it). Granted, I don't run much over 50, 55 miles an hour, but when I'm out camping, I ain't in a big hurry!

[sourdough]

I'm a little late on this but I would recommend the Equalizer hitch as well. As far as other items to consider: tires (passenger?), inflation (filled to max on sidewall), hitch setup?, weight distribution in trailer and yes, truck capacity.

You did not specify the year and other specs on your 150. If it isn't a recent model you will be overloaded on payload more than likely. You will also be close, if not over, the max trailer load etc. You can [B]pull[B] the trailer with the truck, it's just a matter of safety.

I've pulled my trailer, which is longer and heavier than yours, with my old Ram 1500 and it pulled OK; but it wasn't the experience I wanted nor did it provide the safety margins I wanted. My new 2500 does.

[Robin Mast3rs]

+1 Equalizer. My Outback is 37ft. and it handles like a dream. No sway. 70-72mph.

BTW I have a 2011 2500HD Diesel.

[dwayneb236]

When I first got my 35 foot trailer I had a F150. Had the tow package. 3.73. gearing. All that.Towed a few times and it towed great. Have an Equalizer hitch and no sway or other issues. But I could tell my F150 just needed a little more to it. Just a feeling that it was slightly struggling. Nothing I can pinpoint but just a feeling. I upgraded to an F250 and love it. It's a beast compared to the F150. Just my experience.

[Mynticelx]

I had some sway issues as well with my old hitch. Looked at the equalizer, but thought the sway control was a bit tough to get hooked up. In my searching, I found and ended up buying the Blue Ox hitch. For me (2500 Suburban + 34BHPR), it elimated 100% of sway and is SOOOO easy to hook up. My wife can even hook it without any real strength. Anyway, if you havent heard of Blue Ox - check it out.