Had a good tow day today...pics

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Michael McC

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If you have trouble with trailer sway, first make sure that you have enough tongue weight. It should be around 10% of total weight (trailer and load), although I have towed 9,000 lbs. of boat with only 550 pounds of tongue weight (around town and short 20-mile highway jaunts) the past few years without sway issues. Did this with my 2003 Exp. FX4 and the new 2016 King Ranch 4x4.

If the trailer sways while you are driving, you should reach up on the dash and activate the trailer brake carefully (i.e. slow down using the trailer's brakes). Hitting the brakes on the tow vehicle might worsen the sway, especially if your trailer brake setting is too low.

Set your trailer brakes so that it surprises you a little how quickly you are decelerating. The trailer should feel a little like it is stopping the tow vehicle, not the other way around. First time I towed with the King Ranch the trailer brake was set on 10. I hit the brakes and the trailer brakes locked up and skidded until I came to a stop, even after I let off the brake! I find that 4 or 4.5 is about right with my horse trailer and with the boat.
 

07xln

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I got mine set on 8 for my toy hauler. I need to adjust the brakes on my trailer. They haven’t been adjusted in a couple years and are due I’m sure
 
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Muddy Bean

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Set mine to 10 for the hauling I’ve shown in the pictures. Trailer does stop quickly but without any tire skidding.


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07xln

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Yeah even at 10 I can’t get my trailer wheels to lock up and they should with that much gain set. I believe the procedure to set it right is to get the wheels to lock up then back off the gain just enough where they almost lock up then your good. I love that about the Expedition how you can setup multiple trailers with different settings. I have my toy hauler at 8 and my flat bed car hauler on 5.
 

chuck s

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If you can't lock the trailer brakes at full gain they're not adjusted properly or perhaps worn out.

I have my travel trailer wheel bearings cleaned and repacked every other year. Every year proved unnecessary but the routine maintenance is vital. With the brakes adjusted gain in the Expedition is 4.5. Set procedure is in the manual. With the brakes warmed up run a steady 25mph speed and activate the brake override. Increase until they lock at that speed then back off a bit. Start at mid range or where you were last year. See pages 209+ in my 2017 owners manual. Lots of good information there including what's displayed on the dashboard. A very slick system.

Note you use the manual override when setting the brakes, not the brake pedal.

-- Chuck
 

nonsense

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While I’m in no way knocking the equalizer brand of wd hitches. I don’t see the issue with traditional bar & chain setups and a separate sway control. Both do their jobs and do them well. Plus my setup is about $300 less than the Equalizer.

I didn't either until I got an Equal-i-zer when my old system started to wear out. It's like night and day towing with it vs the old chain and friction sway setup. I got mine for under $500 shipped.
 

nonsense

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WHat exactly wore out?

It's a really old Reese WDH where the round bars go through slotted holes. The holes in the head were getting oval from wear (it was old when I got it and I put maybe 5000 miles on it). This would cause it to clunk when turning or braking.
 
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Muddy Bean

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It’s snowed 6 inches here in Michigan so I realized after cracking the whip a couple of times that I need to always remember to reduce my gain a lot on snowy roads!!


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