Question for the experienced towers

[Montana Ranger]

First, I'd suggest getting your trailer weighted at a CAT or similar scale. Disconnect the truck and have the axles on the rear pad and the tongue on the forward. Roughly 10% of the total weight should be on the tongue. If it's less than that, there's your problem. (as demonstrated in the video above)

It's difficult to say definitively by your picture, but it looks like your trailer is riding a big high on the hitch, and the back axle of your Ranger are a bit more compressed than preferable. I'd suggest adjusting the hitch. You may not be getting the maximum benefit from your weight distributing hitch transferring as much weight as possible to the front axle. In the perfect scenario, both the trailer & the truck would be near-level.

Second, embrace going slower. I tow a near 7,000 lbs trailer and cruise at a maximum speed of 60. 65 and beyond just doesn't feel as stable as I'd like, and your MPG with a trailer goes to hell after 55 anyway.

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[Stewthebassman]

I experienced the same scary swaying as you.

Here is my journey to solidity.
Towing my horse trailer | 2019+ Ford Ranger and Raptor Forum (5th Generation) - Ranger5G.com

Also, try towing in Sport Mode with the Cruise on. Turn off Tow Mode.

 

[Awg9Tech]

As @RangerTX said, if it's not a constant sway at the same speed, it's probably a load balance issue.

Here is a video (and there are lots more using treadmills and models) demonstrating how load balance can change the characteristics of a trailer.

Skip ahead to 2:20

Thanks for the video link. I don’t tow often, but that video series will make me stop and think.

 

[Dgc333]

Well with all the advice I got I went to the Reese web site and down loaded the instructions for the hitch I have as well as the instructions for the sway bar.

It's quite an involved process for setting up the hitch that requires you measure the height of the front of the truck that when you have the trailer attached it stays the same. There is a requirement for the distance from the tip of the load bar when hanging free in the trunion to the ground in relation to the top of the trailer coupler when level. You tip the head on the shank to adjust that. The chains are to stay +/- 1 link from link 5 or something is a miss. I suspect the 2" drop shank I have is not going to be enough, the top of the ball is still almost 2" higher than the step area in the bumper in the lowest set of holes.

I assumed the lever welded to the top bolt on the sway bar was for adjusting the tension. It is not and is to be used as an on off lever and adjustments are to be made with the bottom bolt. Since everything was rusted up I took it apart and cleaned the threads and applied antisieze. With the way it was I could move the bar in and out by hand with some effort which I suspect is to loose to provide any sway control. The instructions say to adjust in 1/4 turn increments so right now I tightened to I could not move it and added a 1/4 turn with the on/off bolt bottomed. They also recommend that the sway bar not be on when backing up. I am wondering if that was causing all the headache I have been having backing it up.

Anyway, I hope to find time this week to take the trailer up to the school yard this week and see where I am in relation to the instructions.

One question; is there a rule of thumb for choosing a shank? Something like the bal should be even with the coupler or slightly higher or slightly lower.

 

[Grumpaw]

As far as the shank...get longer than you currently need as it will have enough adjustment holes for later use/different trailers, ect.
My set up originally came with a 7 hole and I had to go to a 10 hole with a 7 inch drop to set mine up properly.
The difference in costs isn't that much. Look at the Curt 17123 on Amazon....currently $95 bucks, which is a good price for a quality piece.
The 7 hole is their # 17100, $92 bucks. Either one should get you into a proper drop.
The hole spacing is industry standard, so your current hitch head will fit.
And, don't skimp on the shank...do not get one that uses a hollow square tube for either the part that slips into the receiver, or the part that the hitch head attaches too.
A quality shank will use solid steel and will have a proper brace on the longer ones....like the Curt items.

 

[Dgc333]

Thanks, I ordered the 17123

 

[Grumpaw]

Simple picture of setting it up.....
You measure and set up before you attach the WD bars. When you set up and hitch up as indicated in the picture, the rear of the Ranger should drop several inches due to tongue weight.
Then you attach and set up the bars....set it up so the front of the trailer is level or, as I do, just a bit lower than level with the truck. You may have to experiment with different settings with your bar chains, but once you get it set up, from then on it's easy.

 

[Dgc333]

Simple picture of setting it up.....
You measure and set up before you attach the WD bars. When you set up and hitch up as indicated in the picture, the rear of the Ranger should drop several inches due to tongue weight.
Then you attach and set up the bars....set it up so the front of the trailer is level or, as I do, just a bit lower than level with the truck. You may have to experiment with different settings with your bar chains, but once you get it set up, from then on it's easy.

Thanks, that is how I have approached it with utility trailers in the past, just wasn't sure if it was the same for the lod distributing hitches.

 

[Dgc333]

I ordered the shank that Grumpaw recommended (boy is that a heavy mother). It allowed me to lower the ball to be even with the trailers coupler when the trailer is level. I get about 1.5" of squat in the rear and about 1" rise in the front. When I attach the load distribution bars the trailer comes back to less than 1/2 a bubble from level (nose down) and the truck is less than a 1/2" from its unburdened numbers. The sway bar was also not set right so it was all cleaned up and set to a more appropriate tension.

I just got back from a trip to Maine (~ 300 mile round trip) almost all hiway at 60 to 65 mph. Not a hit of sway.

Also, had my first experience driving through Boston traffic coming and going, not something I was particular thrilled about but the truck/trailer did great. Had one panic brake experience in the tunnel when a car cut off the person in front of me. The brake controller did it's thing and my rig slowed to a stop without any excitement.

Thanks to all for the advice, especially Grumpaw. ??

 

[Grumpaw]

Glad it worked out for you Dave.
If you want to make it easier to mount and dis-mount the hitch head and shank (very heavy stuff), get yourself one of these...an LMD HG712 Hitch Head Carrier.
Runs about $24 bucks on Amazon. One of the most useful tools I have ever bought for RV use. Highly recommend it....makes it very easy to remove and mount the assembly without getting your hands dirty.....

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