Tire Inflation for Grand Design Reflection Related to Chucking When Towing

Question:

Just purchased a new Grand Design Reflection 150 series 5th wheel. 230RL UVW Weight 6945 Dealer installed BW 18K Patriot slider hitch. Truck is 2017 F150 Platinum 4x4, 3.5 Ecoboost engine with 12,200 tow rating. On 14 mile trip to storage lot I experienced continuous fore and aft jerking - what is apparently referred to as chucking Contacted dealer and their solution was to increase psi in rear truck tires to 50 psi. Truck has original tires with psi recommendation of 35psi. Is increasing truck tire psi a valid solution? If so new tires would be on the to do list Is there any other solution you can recommend? The trailer tracked straight and true. No side to side motion. Truck had no difficulty towing

asked by: Al J

Expert Reply:

With trailer tires you need to keep them inflated to their max PSI rating at all times otherwise you diminish their weight capacity and also run risk of them failing due to heat build up. I'd try inflating the tires to the max rating first as that could possibly be the issue and is basically free!

The B and W hitches are not known for chucking so this is interesting to us. Is the trailer sitting perfectly level?

Can you have a passenger watch the hitch while you are towing and notice if you see any movement in the hitch assembly when you hear noise?

expert reply by: Jameson C