Do I need a WDH on a 2014 4x4 EL Expy if tongue weight is only 575 lbs?

[Sauropod]

Hello! First time poster, long time lurker. I might have missed this in the threads over the years, I did try to look but didn't see it (maybe because it is so obvious of an answer? ).

Do I need a WDH on a 2014 4x4 EL for a trailer who's tongue weight is 575 lbs (weighed with a Sherline scale and weighed at a scale)? The trailer, a TrailManor (a hardsided popup) weighs, fully loaded with water and gear, 5,100 lbs (it is a tongue-heavy trailer). It is only 23' long from the front of hitch to the rear of the trailer.

The Ford online guide http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...Owners-Manual-version-3_om_EN-USA_04_2014.pdf

on pg 232 states it has a weight-carrying maximum tongue weight of 600 lbs.

So I should be, all things being equal, good-to-go without a WDH, yes?

A follow-up question, if that is true how far back in time do the Expy's have 600 lb "dead weight" tongue capacities (presuming equipped with the HD tow package)? I ask because the 2011 brochure states 600 lbs as well, however it has this caveat, "The vehicle owner is responsible for obtaining the proper hitch ball, ball mounting, weight
distributing equipment (i.e., equalizing arms and snap-up brackets, sway control system) and other appropriate equipment to tow both the trailer and its cargo load". The 2014 advertisement states the same thing.

(The above quote was copied from http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/11FLMRVTT_ExpeditionNov18.pdf)

 

[Bedrck47]

you may be good to go BUT I would place the tongue on the ball and see what it does to the sag on your rear and how much it lifts the front. If your expy stays level or has less than an inch drop on the rear You may be ok anything more than that and I would go with a WDH wit equalizer bars

If you use a WDH with equalizer you can maintain the expy in a level position which puts load or the rear and make the front steer better. Then There is the cost of the WDH and equalizer's But that what price tag do you put on being safe

In MHO go with the weight distributing equipment (i.e., equalizing arms and snap-up brackets, sway control system and be safe

 

[RRILO]

Look on the hitch receiver itself. There should be a small placard/sticker that indicates the weight capacities. Also, do you know what your axle weights are when you are coupled up fully loaded with all gear and passengers in the truck? If you are nearing the rear axle weight ratings, you'd be smart to use weight distribution bars.

 

[Sauropod]

I'll have to hitch her all up and get her weighed. I'll see if I can find a CAT scale to provide me the axle weights. I'll check the placard/sticker ASAP and see what it says.

 

[Bedrck47]

Again save yourself the headaches and go with the
weight distributing equipment (i.e., equalizing arms and snap-up brackets, sway control system and be safe

in the long run you will be glad you did

 

[Bedrck47]

you should also consider a electric brake controller

 

[Sauropod]

One additional note. My original note indicated the trailer, fully loaded, was 5,100 lbs. In reality it is 4,100 lbs.

 

[Bedrck47]

Your expy will tow much more that that WHEN PROPPERLY EQUIPED.

Again what price do you put on safety.

I tow a pop-up camper that weight about 3500 lbs I have no idea what the hitch weight is But I will tell you this I have towed this camper with both a 4.6 and 5.4 with and without weight dist equipment I now use a 2 inch receiver with WHD and equalizer bars No sway control But I do notice a big difference in the way it tows when properly equipped I also have be towing rv's for over 35+ years and have had anything from 32 ft trailers to a pop-up designed to be towed by a motorcycle. I am by no means an expert But I do believ in being safe and that includes my equipment and passengers and the other people yhat I need to watch out for when on the road

The weights you have given especially the lounge weight is close to max without a WDH Now with a WDH and bars you can reduce that weight and put less stress on the expy and maintain a level attitude Makes for much better towing.

But no mater what you decide you will do what you want and I will say if you decide to go without WDH etc I am glad your in AZ and I am far away Just My Honest Opinion

 

[RRILO]

One additional note. My original note indicated the trailer, fully loaded, was 5,100 lbs. In reality it is 4,100 lbs.

That's quite a difference. All the more reason to get an accurate weigh. Here's a link to find your nearest CAT scale CAT Scale Locator | CAT Scale

Should only be a few bucks for the first weigh and any reweighs (during a 24 hour period) should be even cheaper.

Might have some luck checking recycling centers and city dumps too. My FIL uses a seed refinery's scale.

 

[Sauropod]

I appreciate your candor. I posted the question in hopes of receiving real world feedback.

The 2014 comes with sway control and I have a nice eletric brake controller. It is disappointing that such a light trailer has such a heavy tongue weight. I wouldn't think twice about a 300 or 400 lb tongue weight as the Expy is a more than capable towing machine from the factory. I'll look into various WDHs as tis better to be safe than sorry in the deer (and elk) laden mountains of the Rockies.

 

[Bedrck47]

Although I do agree that having the weights is very helpful. But then again having the tow vehicle and the trailer perfectly level when hitched up will make very little difference on the axle weight on the tow vehicle. But that can only be accomplished by use of a WDH and equalizer bars

 

[Bedrck47]

Although your expy is equipped with sway control that is totally different than the sway control that is connected to the trailer.

My Jayco is rated under 3000 lbs empty but loaded I would guess about 3500 lbs and again have no idea what the lounge weight is but I do know it is heavy.

I don't use sway control although I do have it if needed but normally for a pop-up camper due to the lower profile it isn't necessary unles you find you do have sway problems

 

[Bedrck47]

There is loads of information available on the net. Also some good videos on youtube about Weight distribution and hitching. Another very good source for information is trailerlife.com

 

[Sauropod]

The 5,100 pounds becoming 4,100 pounds was a typo on my part. The 4,100 weight is accurate, the typist? Not so much!

Thanks for that CAT scale locator link! The closest is 20 miles from me. My local Waste Management transfer station (but 3 miles away!) has a scale that provides total vehicle plus trailer weight. They've let me weight the TV+trailer, then unhook and weight just the TV, so I can get the trailer's individual weight. I'll ask if they can give me an axle weight.

I have used a WDH on a previous, much lighter, tow vehicle to great effect. I was amazed to watch the WDH, when properly set up on level ground, lower the front end of the car and making the entire towing experience a delight. I was hoping that the Expy, because it is big and heavy, would be able to tow such a light overall weight trailer w/o the WDH. Often my wife, a petite lass, tows this trailer solo and is less than thrilled with attaching the WDH. I'll spend some time on trailerlife.com.

 

[Bedrck47]

Once you set up a WDH and bars you shouldn't need to change it so for her to hook it up should be no other problem other than putting the bars in place.

When I hitch up I will place the tongue on the ball and make sure it is locked in place.
Then I put the bars in the holders and then jack up the tongue to raise up both the TV and Trailer. This make hooking up the bars much easier as the pressure is off the bars.
Once that is done I then retract the A-Frame jack. If you hook up the bars in this manner you can latch in the snap-up-brackets with very little effort.

 

[RRILO]

The 5,100 pounds becoming 4,100 pounds was a typo on my part. The 4,100 weight is accurate, the typist? Not so much.

You can never go wrong using a wdh, but if 4,100 is the actual weight, which is well within what the Expedition can handle, why not just see how your new rig handles without wdh for the first couple tugs and if you don't like how it feels then throw your old wdh on or pick up a new one. Good luck.

 

[Bedrck47]

You can never go wrong using a wdh, but if 4,100 is the actual weight, which is well within what the Expedition can handle, why not just see how your new rig handles without wdh for the first couple tugs and if you don't like how it feels then throw your old wdh on or pick up a new one. Good luck.

Although I may agree with your statement One thing I would check would be to measure the distance of the rear bumper from the ground Then hitch up and re-measure that distance and if the difference is more than a inch I would then use a WDH

 

[Sauropod]

I finally was able to try out the trailer and the Expy. I measured the change in height pre- to post-hitch, it moved less than a 1/2". I towed it sans WDH and one hardly noticed it back there. I put the WDH on and didn't notice a difference (the advantage of a low popup trailer that is overall light in weight I suppose). I imagine, though, that the WDH would come into its own in a panicky situation.

Thanks for all the advice!!!!