Help! Towing Question

I am using my single rear wheel, 2015 F-350 King Ranch to tow. I have towed small trailers before with no problem. Last night I picked up a friends deck over axle flatbed (it is 18 plus a dovetail) to tow a 5K tractor. The trailer has a wood deck but is heavy duty (10 tons I believe, has dual axles each with 4 tires). It is a bumper pull.

When I was driving it home (empty) I felt like I was constantly bouncing up and down to the point it made me a bit sea sick. Is that shocking to those of you with more experience towing bigger items? Will it improve when I put the tractor on the trailer? The truck pulls it just fine, I am just worried I'm going to puke before I get the tractor home.

Yes it will most of the time those trailers with pintle hitches tend to bounce and bang around on the hitch but when you load it and balance the load correctly it should take care of that

I always try to go slower than I think I should when towing a badly behaved trailer. That fancy new truck will move that trailer fast but it can get you into trouble quick.

Some trailers tow like that empy. They're improperly balanced and the lack of tongue weight can sometimes make them a handful until you get them loaded. I've found skid steer trailers and dump trailers are most often the poorly pulling trailers until you get them loaded. They go from pulling like crap and beating up your hitch to smooth sailing once there is some weight on them.

The trailer will stop bouncing when you put a load on it. Place the load over the axles, so that the trailer balances out if possible. It will pull just fine. Good luck

Someone suggested to me that maybe the trailer is too much for my truck to handle. My truck is rated to tow 15K off the bumper. Is there any chance that an 18 foot deck over axle with dual axles and 8 tires is anywhere near that limit with a 5K pound tractor on it?

This same guy said my problem is from too much tongue weight and too much trailer for the truck. I can't imagine that is the case, but figured I would ask those of you with more experience and knowledge. I was guessing the trailer empty probably weights 4K?

How was the tractor loaded, and what is the tongue weight (loaded)? That is the question.

Assuming your hitch and suspension, and the trailer tongue, suspension and tires (and axles) are all in good order.

I coast down the highway with my 12 ton empty (or partially loaded) on my 2500 Dodge, or in any manner on my 6500 or 8500 Topkicks.

I think you are fine with the trailer and load you describe. Your bouncing problem likely comes from either too much or too little tongue weight.

If it is large movements, it is too much weight, or worn shocks on the truck.

Small movements, like the pintle ring bouncing up and down, slapping in the hitch is caused by too little weight. I have fixed this at times by stopping and loading the tongue of the trailer with rocks from the side of the road, or any other way to weigh the tongue down.

Too much tongue weight is remedied by moving the load back, unless it is of the perfectly wrong dimensions to load where it will balance out.

I judge tongue weight by the drop I get at the bumper. Measure it empty, and when loaded I look for 3 to 4" drop, with a truck like you have.

Ok, I'll mention this cause no one else has...

Was the trailer level? An improperly leveled trailer, loaded tail heavy (incorrect) will make the tail wag the dog, its not a lot of fun and can cause you to loose control rather easily.

stumpjumper83 said:

Ok, I'll mention this cause no one else has...

Was the trailer level? An improperly leveled trailer, loaded tail heavy (incorrect) will make the tail wag the dog, its not a lot of fun and can cause you to loose control rather easily.

Click to expand...

That is another way of asking the tongue weight, or if the trailer was improperly loaded...mentioned several times above.