passport 2910bhs to much for my 1/2 ton??

[EcoboostKev]

Hello everyone, I am new here and my wife and i are very interested in upgrading from our 2006 Hybrid 21ss trailer to a Passport 2910bhs. After reading a few threads about 30'+ trailers being to much for a 1/2 ton truck has me alittle gun shy about pulling the trigger. My tow vehicle is a 2011 F150 Ecoboost with the Max tow pkg, 157" wheelbase and 1890# payload. I know the trailer has a dry weight of 5350lbs and GVW of 7200lbs with a hitch weight of 725lbs and is 32' 10" long. My truck has a tow rating of 11,200lbs and i should be fine with the payload but my concern is the length. Will i have a problem with sway?? Any input will be greatly appreciated! Kevin

[SteveC7010]

Your truck and trailer sound like a decent match.

I am going to presume that you are already using a decent weight distributing hitch system. You may need to step up to stronger weight bars for the new rig. Check all the weight ratings on your hitch components and receiver.

Most hybrids are setup with friction sway controllers, but a larger trailer like the one you are looking at is going to need a stronger anti-sway system. The Reese Dual Cam is an excellent choice.

Some folks jump right to the Hensley Arrow (or similar) which is truly maximum sway control. It does come with a price tag to match, however.

[f6bits]

Sounds like a nice setup. There’s the rule of thumb about wheelbase and trailer length: 110” can tow 20’. Every 4” can tow another foot. So 157” can tow up to 32 (not 34) feet, roughly, your mileage may vary, etc.

That tow rating on the F150 is impressive. SuperCrew?

[EcoboostKev]

Sounds like a nice setup. There’s the rule of thumb about wheelbase and trailer length: 110” can tow 20’. Every 4” can tow another foot. So 157” can tow up to 34 feet, roughly, your mileage may vary, etc.

That tow rating on the F150 is impressive. SuperCrew?Yes in deed! ;)http://www.keystoneforums.com/attachments/photobucket/img_26184_0_4a2154457eed5a9554db29b143430ecc.jpg

[hankpage]

Ahwwww come on, Who's gonna look at the truck with that cute kid in the photo. She does make the truck look really big though. :thumbsup:

[ldprice47]

Was there a truck in the picture of the cute one? Will have to go back and look again.
A lot depends are what you are comfortable with. I pull a Passport 3180RE which is 1" short of being 35" with a Chevy 1500 Xcab, 5.3 V8 and 3.73 rear end. I bought the Hensley (remanufactured) and have not looked back. I get no sway at all when passed or in high winds and my DW is at ease with the tow. She is one that will put her foot through the dashboard if she feels I'm not stopping fast enough. The other key is making sure you have a good brake controller.
Just do your research on the different hitches and brake controllers because you can not get too much information when it comes to putting the right combination together. After all, you will have your family in the TV.

[EcoboostKev]

Was there a truck in the picture of the cute one? Will have to go back and look again.
A lot depends are what you are comfortable with. I pull a Passport 3180RE which is 1" short of being 35" with a Chevy 1500 Xcab, 5.3 V8 and 3.73 rear end. I bought the Hensley (remanufactured) and have not looked back. I get no sway at all when passed or in high winds and my DW is at ease with the tow. She is one that will put her foot through the dashboard if she feels I'm not stopping fast enough. The other key is making sure you have a good brake controller.
Just do your research on the different hitches and brake controllers because you can not get too much information when it comes to putting the right combination together. After all, you will have your family in the TV.Thanks Larry! The hitch that came on the truck is part of the max tow pkg and is rated for 1300+ lbs and the brake controller in intergrated in the dash and has worked great so far!! You guys have set my mind at ease and now i have to do some research on a Hensley setup!!

[ldprice47]

Kevin,
Didn't know the Ford is now putting the brake in the truck now. That is a nice feature. Your hitch on the truck is more than enough. Besides Hensley, you can also look at ProPride and also do some research on the conventional WD hitches with sway control. There are a lot of people out there that are big fans of the conventional and a group that are big on the Hensley and Propride.
You will find YouTube videos on how the Hensley hitch works and installs. Good luck in your quest.

[michol02]

If you decide you don't want to spend too much on a WDH, the Equalizer 4point hitch is a good one(this is only my opinion). I pull a 35' with a GMC Sierra extended cab with the Equalizer and I love it. I had one of those cheaper ones with the chains on it, and it wasn't doing the job to my satisfaction. When I bought the Equalizer($800 installed), I noticed a hugh difference, and it was easier to hook up. I know the other systems mentioned earlier are better systems, but they were too expensive for my budget.
Love your truck.

[richf28]

I too have the 2011 ecoboost. Screw, with 5.5 bed. Max tow package. I tow A 2010 hornet whith a total length of 33'. I have the Reese dual cam with 1200 lb. bars, and airbags on truck. Will be truthful. I have had a good deal of sway problems. I have talk to 5 dealers, reese company, keystone, ford dealer, and people on various forums and haven't found a reason why. In the process now of putting money together for a Hensley. Last option. Before I tow back home to the north from florida. Sure do love both the truck and trailer though.

[ldprice47]

You won't be disappointed with the Hensley. Hooking up to the hitch is a learning curve. Also look at the ProPride hitch. Both hitches are designed by Hensley (the inventor of the hitch) just different companies and ProPride is a newer version.

[Paddler]

We use to pull a 35ft trailer with a GMC 1500 CC and the Equal-i-zer (tm) worked very well for us. When we were being passed by a big rig running 15mph faster than us, you could feel the push-pull as the rig passed. But we never experienced "white knuckle" levels of sway.

When I traded the 1500 for the 2500 we continued to use the Equal-i-zer and the sway issues were even more contained. (longer wheelbase on the 2500 and heavier suspension) I highly recommend the Equal-i-zer, I believe ours cost around $600 for a 1K/10K unit.

[EcoboostKev]

Well after finding out the price of the Hensley and Propride setups i think i will go with the Equal-i-zer!!!:eek::eek::eek::

[CampDestinations.com]

I think you'll be ok. Our trailer is just about 35' total and the Suburban, with a similar wheelbase as yours and a Reese Dual Cam Sway/WD setup doesn't have much of a sway issue at all.

In fact, last summer a on sharp left bend in Rt 97 near Crownsville, MD a work truck about a hundred feet ahead lost some of it's load right in front of me. About a half-dozen 2x4s went flying in the air. I reacted by swerving out of the way quickly, The truck and trailer went right back to straight and I had zero handling problems in that emergency situation. Speed was right at 65mph. That was the beginning of my trip and I felt a heck of a lot more confident in the rig after that. I come up short on power in the real hilly areas, but with the ecoboost you shouldn't have that problem :-)

Do make sure you have the right weight bars and your tongue weight is in-line with your limits. Also air up your rear tires. I found that the tires make a huge difference in overall handling, but especially any incidence of sway practically goes away when the sidewalls get stiffer.

That's my 2 cents. Enjoy your new toys!

[muddynoll]

I tow A Passport 2910BH With a 2000 Ram 1500 5.9ci With 160 in weelbase. It handles just fine and no sway issues so far. My Next Truck will be a 2500 though.Im very close to my weight capacity for my truck.