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Old 06-20-2016, 10:41 PM   #1
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Hitch and Sway Issue.

I purchased the Fastway E2 Round Bar 8000lb hitch when I bought my 2003 Dutchman 26qbs, last fall. Towed with a 2014 F150 with towing package. My dry weight of the trailer is 5400lbs. The dealer installed the hitch. After towing it home 30 miles and having some slight Sway & "WIGGLE" with the trailer, it was suggested I raise the 2 L brackets 1 more hole. I did that, I just towed again the first time and at 60mph with a 15 mph wind, I fought with sway and wandering the entire 75 miles. Also, I get alot of "pivoting and bounce". The "WIGGLE" is gone, but sway was bad. Any passing vehicle would move me upto a foot, even when I was ready to counter act it. Trucks would move me even more. I really expected that based on the marketing of this hitch, sway wouldnt be a issue. I know Im not over loaded or packed wrong. When putting the bars on the L brackets, I have to raise the tonque fairly high, and when in the driving and hooked up condition, the bars do have a slight upward bend or curve. The truck and trailer are almost 100 % level. If I take the L brackets down 1 hole, wont that make the sway problem greater? Do I need to have a aftermarket Sway Bar installed? My dealer doesnt seem interested in working on the problem, saying that it appears to be installed properly. I have a 350 mile trip in 2 weeks, and I dread it, due to how hard of a time I had this weekend. Any help is appreciated.
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Old 06-21-2016, 01:00 AM   #2
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I'm no expert, but have been chasing perfect "handling" my whole life. Dirt bikes, Road racing, street, Saturday night oval cars..........

My point being that getting the handling down is about tinkering and chasing a baseline that can be measured from anytime another variable is added.

So having said all that, and assuming that it is entirely possible to get considerable improvement beyond your two short stints, my advice is to establish a baseline. Simply document your current setup and be as precise as you can.
Then, what you need is to actually experience a change in ONE variable at a time.

I believe if you have the time and make the effort, you will get things dialed in and that upcoming trip will be something you look forward to instead of worrying.

Again, I'm no trailer towing expert, but you have the equipment and I think if you can keep that trailer from gaining too much weight, that 1/2 ton will be enough truck to pull with ample poise.

Do you have access to scales? I think the very first measurement you want to try to nail is tongue weight. Take the guessing out of that hitch and bar adjustments by KNOWING your tongue weight after each adjustment and driving to see how each change in settings affects the behavior. It could take half to a whole day of adjust, weigh, drive. Take notes and I am betting the picture starts to get in your head how each variable will affect the road worthiness.

I too just got a new Ultra Light TT and WD hitch and will be dialing this setup in with a 1/2 ton. I could just throw in the towel and hook it to a big fat F350 I have and avoid the learning curve. But I'm looking forward to learning how well I can get that kinder\gentler sissy truck to do a little work.

Good luck!
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Old 06-21-2016, 01:04 AM   #3
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You should not need a separate sway control with that hitch. I am not familiar with the e2, however I have used the EazyLift which is similar. I would try it one hole down and see what happens. Too stiff is almost as bad as not stiff enough. The other thing I would do is to get an accurate tongue weight. If you are running tongue light it can cause similar issues. Tongue weight ideally should be in the 10%-15% of trailer weight, 12% is ideal. A light tongue weight is what it sounds like.

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Old 06-21-2016, 04:37 PM   #4
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Dont forget to check you rear tire pressure on the truck. I have to run mine at the max allowed on the tire to get the back of the truck to stop wiggeling while towing heavy.
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Old 06-21-2016, 04:45 PM   #5
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Good point memgrove!

Actually, towing with a 1/2 ton has far less margin for error. So before even hitching up, I'd get good load rated tires and the best shocks possible.
(The 2014 F150 has lots of shock options. The 2015-2016 are still waiting for the big-guys to adjust to the lighter weight Aluminum truck)

And although the WD hitch does what a WD hitch does, it is still not a bad idea to equip the truck with one of the other payload enhancement devices like airbags or helper springs or other similar products.

Basically get that 1/2 ton equipped to be a pack-mule.
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Old 06-21-2016, 05:07 PM   #6
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When I towed command post trailers for a law enforcement group, all of out trailers were equipped with WD hitches and Sway controls. Some of our less experienced users tried to tow without both items being installed and had major difficulties until they were properly trained on correct setups. I would recommend highly that you also invest in a quality anti-sway devise. Using both items dialed in correctly will greatly enhance the safety and security you are looking for. But remember, you are towing a trailer and no matter how good your setup is, you will always want to be driving at a safe and appropriate speed. Good luck on your future travels.
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Old 06-22-2016, 09:58 PM   #7
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Hitch issue

After receiving a email, then speaking with a tech from Fastway, I was advised to lower the L Brackets 1 inch. I may have been over lifted. And when doing some measuring I discovered that the installer at dealer had the left l bracket 1/2 inch farther back on the tongue.
I then went on a 20 mile tow down the freeway. Pivoting is less violent, and closer to what i would expect, and the excessive movement "SHIMMY" of the rear of my truck and the excessive sway of the trailer is all but gone. There was only a 5 mph wind, so that doesn't help the comparison. Still get a slight sway when I pass a semi, or they pass me, more than i would like, but maybe thats the best i can expect. The truck only has 9000 miles on it, the tires are factory, the trailer has brand new tires. So, I doubt I can improve on those items, and since the truck is a lease, I wont be changing anything on it. I will post any responce I receive from the tech.
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Old 06-22-2016, 10:02 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alsdas88 View Post
When I towed command post trailers for a law enforcement group, all of out trailers were equipped with WD hitches and Sway controls. Some of our less experienced users tried to tow without both items being installed and had major difficulties until they were properly trained on correct setups. I would recommend highly that you also invest in a quality anti-sway devise. Using both items dialed in correctly will greatly enhance the safety and security you are looking for. But remember, you are towing a trailer and no matter how good your setup is, you will always want to be driving at a safe and appropriate speed. Good luck on your future travels.
Some WDH have the sway control built in. Others require a separate sway control.

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Old 06-22-2016, 10:35 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
Some WDH have the sway control built in. Others require a separate sway control.

Aaron
The Fastway E2 that I am using Has sway control built in.
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Old 06-22-2016, 11:58 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Xcessive Carts View Post
The Fastway E2 that I am using Has sway control built in.
Fastway E2, Equal-i-zer, Anderson and Blue Ox are the WDH/Sway control hitches that I am aware of. I have used Equal-i-zer and the round bar Eazylift hitches a fair bit. I have had a couple of old Reese hitches too. The Eazlift and the Reese hitches required the separate sway control.

There are a lot of variables in setting them up and if you change one, you may have to change a couple of others too. I have never had a dealer set one up properly. I have always done my own set up to get them adjusted correctly and even then it sometimes took a couple of go arounds.

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Old 06-23-2016, 08:11 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
Fastway E2, Equal-i-zer, Anderson and Blue Ox are the WDH/Sway control hitches that I am aware of. I have used Equal-i-zer and the round bar Eazylift hitches a fair bit. I have had a couple of old Reese hitches too. The Eazlift and the Reese hitches required the separate sway control.

There are a lot of variables in setting them up and if you change one, you may have to change a couple of others too. I have never had a dealer set one up properly. I have always done my own set up to get them adjusted correctly and even then it sometimes took a couple of go arounds.

Aaron
What type of adjustments did you make, and why?
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Old 06-23-2016, 10:40 AM   #12
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What type of adjustments did you make, and why?
On the last go around the idiots at the stealer put too heavy a set of spring bars on the hitch. 1,000# bars on a trailer that had a GVW of 3,800#

So first chore was to find the correct weight of bar. Then I took everything completely off, parked the truck and trailer on flat ground and started over.

Most of the time any changes I made were minor tweaks to adjust for handling or load changes. In the case of the EazLift it was usually as simple as dropping or adding a link in the chain. I also would adjust air pressure in the tires based on load. Typically with a trailer hooked up I would be at max pressure.

With the Equal-i-zer once it was set up properly I never had to mess with it. I was using it to tow a 31' Airstream with an F150. Airstream had a tongue weight of around 650# and was the best towing trailer I have ever owned. I set it up initially when I picked the trailer up. IIRC I did have to adjust the brackets up one notch once we got the truck and trailer loaded for our first trip.

It sounds like you are on the right track.

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Old 06-23-2016, 05:18 PM   #13
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Aaron,

I have the Equalizer too and correct me if I am wrong, but for a minor (and initial) adjustments, meaning less adjustment than a complete move up\down of one bolt hole on the L-bracket, you would add or remove "spacer-washers" to adjust the hitch angle according to tongue weight. (All this according to the manual)

So with the WD hitch that uses chains instead of the bars, does that hitch setup also use the spacer-washers?

I too feel that my initial installation and adjustments rendered a completely level result with the truck and trailer. It LOOKED beautiful. But I think it had the tongue weight a bit light and I want the truck to have a little squat to it. (More tongue weight) But I don't want to increase it as much as a full drop of the bar bracket. (Or chain link if the other hitch design is similar)

Like I said earlier, I actually ENJOY chasing the bull's-eye on things like this. I feel rewarded when I'm at the wheel and the improvement is tangible.

Also, I love hearing your comment that a F150 pulling a 31'er was a dream after getting everything dialed in.
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Old 06-23-2016, 07:37 PM   #14
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I think all WDH hitches use something to tilt the ball, whether it is washers, spacers or some sort of screw assembly. That plays into the adjustments too.

The F150 with the 31' was an Airstream and they tow much differently than the big square brick shaped trailers. In fact Airstream owners refer to anything else as an SOB... as in Square Old Box. I have towed both and have to say that the Airstreams are pretty much in a class by themselves when the come to towing. They are pretty aerodynamic and have torsion axles for a very soft ride. The newer ones are pretty heavy compared to the vintage. It is highly unlikely you would tow one of the newest big Airstreams with an F150 today. My 1975 grossed at 7200# and only weight about 5400# dry. Extremely well balanced too.

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Old 06-27-2016, 08:06 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
I think all WDH hitches use something to tilt the ball, whether it is washers, spacers or some sort of screw assembly. That plays into the adjustments too.

The F150 with the 31' was an Airstream and they tow much differently than the big square brick shaped trailers. In fact Airstream owners refer to anything else as an SOB... as in Square Old Box. I have towed both and have to say that the Airstreams are pretty much in a class by themselves when the come to towing. They are pretty aerodynamic and have torsion axles for a very soft ride. The newer ones are pretty heavy compared to the vintage. It is highly unlikely you would tow one of the newest big Airstreams with an F150 today. My 1975 grossed at 7200# and only weight about 5400# dry. Extremely well balanced too.

Aaron

I think the Blue Ox has a fixed head. I watched an installation video and they guy basically just bolted it to the shank, and that was it.

I also pull with a 2014 F150, and whoever said shocks were easy to get, hasn't looked. Rear shocks, yes, front, no, only OEM and Monroe are available. Ford in their vast *cough* wisdom *COUGH* decided to change out the front shock mounts to something difference, so now all previous shocks no longer fit.

First trip home with my 274BH was a sway nightmare. Strong gusty 30+ MPH winds had it all over the road. Turned out to be not enough spring bar, so all that weight was on the bumper. I did some adjustments, have the rig as close to level as possible, and a decent curve on the SB along with a friction anti sway bar. It pulls so much nicer now, passing trucks have little influence, and no more sway. There is still some weird oscillations, but I think those are the shocks, I have 41K miles on them, and I notice the truck dips when I stop, so they are showing some wear. I also discovered my spring bars are too light, they are only 800, and I am over 800 TW, so need 1000# bars. I came up with 940# on the tongue.


All I can say that can help the OP is weigh everything, many times. Dont go over Axle ratings, and make darn sure you have enough tongue weight as well as verify you are pushing weight to the front axle and trailer with the WDH. Weighing is crucial, you wont know if you are over gross unless you do. As mine sits with the family in the truck, I am 250# over axle rating, and 500# over GVWR. This is with the trailer at travel weight and full FW tank. We will be taking two vehicles for our long distance trips.
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Old 06-27-2016, 09:33 PM   #16
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2014 F150 changed front geometry?
Didn't know that. I thought 2015 is when aftermarket shock choices dried up.

I have a 2012 and there were much more choices. Didn't know 2015 was different than 2012. I put the Rancho adjustables (9000?) front\rear with Firestone Airbags. Tamed that beast.
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Old 06-27-2016, 09:44 PM   #17
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I wouldn't say the geometry, more like the mounting of them. Imagine my surprise when I went to get a set of Bilsteins and couldn't find them. After much research I found that Ford went from single bolt front shocks to 2 bolt mounts. I had found a set of adjustable Bilsteins for under $350 for 2011-13 F150 and thought, maybe they didn't update the listing, so went to Bilstein and found out why.

The rear 5100 shocks still fit the 14 models, but other than OEM, only Monroe makes a set, @ $85 each.
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Old 06-28-2016, 01:33 AM   #18
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Same here, wanted Bilsteins for my new F150. Nothing offered, front or rear. And the rumors "they're coming" is a year old.

If you want to build a monster truck, there are tons of crazy engineered stuff available. But if you're just trying to get your truck sorted for doing some real work.........pack mule style, .......silence.
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Old 06-28-2016, 05:39 PM   #19
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Welcome!
This site is a good site for valuable information on the Dutchmen brand products. While I do enjoy this site, and there are many others as well, I also participate in the IRV2.com website. More generic camping information, but lots of ways to drill down to more specific RV information as well.


Keep us up on your adventures and please post a picture or two.
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Old 07-04-2016, 11:44 PM   #20
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Same here, wanted Bilsteins for my new F150. Nothing offered, front or rear. And the rumors "they're coming" is a year old.

If you want to build a monster truck, there are tons of crazy engineered stuff available. But if you're just trying to get your truck sorted for doing some real work.........pack mule style, .......silence.
Apparently end of august, early September is when the front struts will be available for 2014, which should also fit the 15 and up models. I thought they were just shocks, until I looked closer and found they are struts, and will be a PITA to replace, so going to wait until the Bilsteins are out. The rears are the same from 13, so I ordered a set and will have them on Monday.
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