Scary towing experience

[drvred]

I bought a Wolf Pup 16HE Saturday. It weights 3500ish empty with 420 TW according to FOREST River.
The dealer installed a E2 WDH, with 8000 lb bars for some reason, and lowered the L brackets down all the way.
Left there and went straight to the campground. Every time a truck passed us, it saved like we were getting sucked into his lane, and the rear of the truck seemed to randomly dart around. It didn't bounce around, which was good.
I have a 2021 FX2, and I didn't pump the tires up any, I did when we left coming home. It helped some but not alot.
I am thinking that I need to look at the WDH adjustment to see if it's way off.
Or is this just how towing a single axle trailer with the Ranger will always be?
If so, I may be camping in my yard alot.

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[AzScorpion]

I'm not expert by any means but it seems like your WDH isn't adjusted correctly. That and a single axle trailer will sway more then a double but it should be more stable than it is now. Steve @Grumpaw knows a lot more about these and will hopefully see this and give you more advice.

 

[Chris M]

since i'm an ass, both online and on the highway....my solution to solve the problem would simply be to not allow anyone to pass me.
be the leader of the pack, cut people off so they cant pass and cause disruptive airflow to your ride.

I'm so glad you're always "here for us", man.
Never a dull moment!

 

[brroberts]

Personally, I don’t have an E2, but do have a WDH. I’d pull out your E2 manual and set the hitch up carefully yourself. I’m not overweight or size based on Ford’s specs, but I use up most of it and tow just fine. I bought this truck specifically for towing my travel trailer. After your WDH is set up correctly, weigh everything and make sure you really are what you think you are. Get plenty of tongue weight and keep the truck and trailer loaded correctly. Make sure your brake controller is set up and adjusted properly. Make sure your trailer brakes are adjusted. After that, enjoy your travels.

 

[Grumpaw]

I bought a Wolf Pup 16HE Saturday. It weights 3500ish empty with 420 TW according to FOREST River.
The dealer installed a E2 WDH, with 8000 lb bars for some reason, and lowered the L brackets down all the way.
Left there and went straight to the campground. Every time a truck passed us, it saved like we were getting sucked into his lane, and the rear of the truck seemed to randomly dart around. It didn't bounce around, which was good.
I have a 2021 FX2, and I didn't pump the tires up any, I did when we left coming home. It helped some but not alot.
I am thinking that I need to look at the WDH adjustment to see if it's way off.
Or is this just how towing a single axle trailer with the Ranger will always be?
If so, I may be camping in my yard alot.

I looked up the specs for the WolfPup 16HE, and it is well within the area that the Ranger can tow.
I looked at pics of the 16HE, and being a single axle trailer it will be a bit "squirrily" on windy roads and when being passed by a large vehicle, either passing you or coming at you. Just the "nature of the beast". When being passed by a large vehicle, even a trailer being towed by a heavier truck will still exhibit being "sucked" over a bit....everyone who tows has felt it.
I just have one issue with what your dealer did...he went way over as far as the hitch is concerned...me personally, I would have gone with a hitch rated around 6000 lbs. 8000 lb bars seem a bit "stiff" and won't flex enough to do a proper job of weight transfer. Also, a stiff set up won't allow the rig to 'flex'.
When properly set up, the bars should have a slight curve/bend in them....I'm almost willing to bet that when your rig is hooked up, the bars are straight, which means the tongue weight is always being transfered to the front of youe truck...almost like the entire truck/trailer combo is under constant tension.
If it was me, I would see if the dealer has a set of 6000 bars he could let you try (only difference in hitches weight ratings are the bars....the hitch heads are the same) on a trip, and if he does, make sure. the hitch head is set up right as far as height. A bit hard to explain, but if you go to ETrailers web site there is a lot of info on properly setting up a hitch properly. That company is the best and most knowledgeable on hitches.

 

[drvred]

I will check it Sunday, and weigh it next weekend.
I drive tractor trailers for a living, close to 3 million miles hauling gasoline, and it's feels similar to a dry 5th wheel on a tractor-trailer.

 

[Fritz]

The bars are rated up to 8,000lb, they are likely not adjusted to nearly that much. I think the bars are fine.

I would guess the bars aren't adjusted/"tensioned" enough.

There's a bit of guessing involved with setting up those hitches. Trailer weight, truck suspension, truck height, trailer height, they're all variables that affect proper setup of the hitch.

The RV techs who set them up don't always have the necessary experience to get it right the first time. Also they get paid flat rate not hourly so it's in their interest to not spend too much time on it.

I'd find a manual for that hitch and check things out yourself.
It goes something like this.
Make sure the trailer is level, and checking to see if the tow ball is the right height. Then you measure the front and rear of the truck for your baseline measurement. Then you hook the trailer to the truck and measure droop. The rear of the truck will droop but the front shouldnt lift too much.

 

[Dayton86]

I have a Wolfpack 16bhl and pull it with a fx4. I don't seem to have the same issues as you, so I would assume something is just off on the setup. I have pulled mine with a WDH and sway bar. I would try different setups as when the dealer set it up, it was definitely wrong and took several different attempts by me to get it right. Good luck with it.

 

[Fritz]

I will check it Sunday, and weigh it next weekend.
I drive tractor trailers for a living, close to 3 million miles hauling gasoline, and it's feels similar to a dry 5th wheel on a tractor-trailer.

Pulling on to the truck scale and getting two weights, one with the bars installed and one without would get you a good idea of how much weight is being transferred off the trucks rear axle and onto the trucks front axle.

 

[Danager]

Tough to properly set up a WDH when the trailer is new & empty.
Get your gear in it, load it like you are going camping.
Give yourself time to get it right. Measure. Set it up again, adjust, rinse & repeat.

 

[AdamHarris]

We have a Colman 18RB, 18’ box, 21’ overall. 3200lbs dry, 4000lbs full. 2020 Fx4 Screw w 2.5 level. Firestone rear bags to level the truck while towing, rear tires at 45lbs when towing. No WDH at all and the setup tows perfectly. Wouldn't change a thing. Plenty of weight at the front of the trailer helps.

 

[CODave]

Also check your tongue weight. It should be 10%-15% of your trailer's total weight. If you're below that, the trailer can seem really 'waggy' and unstable.

 

[Big Blue]

Lots of good suggestions here. I tow a R Pod about the same dimensions and weight as your Wolf Pup. I use a Husky Centerline WDH and have none of the issues you are reporting. We did a 4700 mile trip from Wisconsin to the west coast this last spring ran 70 mph with lots of semis trailer was solid as a rock. Felt the trucks of course but trailer did not sway at all. I'm running 600 pound bars and the hitch has 4 point sway control built in. Definitely get some lighter bars and and do a proper setup on the hitch. Get your real weights and make sure you trailer is balance properly with correct tongue weight. You shpuld be able to tow that rig like it almost wasn't there with your Ranger. Except for you mileage being cut in half.

 

[fslec]

Sound like not enough tongue weight and/or tongue to high

 

[drvred]

Lots of good suggestions here. I tow a R Pod about the same dimensions and weight as your Wolf Pup. I use a Husky Centerline WDH and have none of the issues you are reporting. We did a 4700 mile trip from Wisconsin to the west coast this last spring ran 70 mph with lots of semis trailer was solid as a rock. Felt the trucks of course but trailer did not sway at all. I'm running 600 pound bars and the hitch has 4 point sway control built in. Definitely get some lighter bars and and do a proper setup on the hitch. Get your real weights and make sure you trailer is balance properly with correct tongue weight. You shpuld be able to tow that rig like it almost wasn't there with your Ranger. Except for you mileage being cut in half.

12.5 ish

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