Will Suspension Enhancement Help While Towing 5,500 lb Trailer with 2013 Ford F-150
Question:
I have an f150 and I pull a travel trailer with an equalizer hitch the trailer weighs approximately 5500 loaded. I get some squat with with the trailer but within the range of hitch set up. My problem is bounce. I installed Belsen 4300 shocks. Which helped. But is still get some bounce or porpoising which causes some sway when it occurs. Ive changed load around for more tongue weight with not much help. Would timbrens or sumo springs help? I do have a bit of squat.
asked by: Walt B
Helpful Expert Reply:
Adding suspension enhancement like the SumoSprings Solo Custom Helper Springs # SSR-117-40 to your 2013 Ford F-150 will help with towing or hauling, but since you're already using a weight distribution system and you've installed some suspension enhancement I think we need to start from the ground up first to make sure that everything is set up correctly.
The first thing you need to check out is what the towing weight rating is for your F-150. According to the Ford towing guide it looks like a 2013 F-150 rating can range from 5,500 lbs to upwards of about 11,000 lbs depending on what your pickup is equipped with. If your F-150 is at that 5,500 lb weight rating then you're likely going to be getting some squat, sway, and porpoising until you either put some major money into your regular suspension or get a bigger pickup.
Second is to make sure that you aren't overloading your trailer and that you have your trailer tongue weight within 10-15% of the loaded weight of the trailer. Anything more or less than this will affect the control of your trailer. If you don't already have a portable tongue weight scale then I recommend picking up part # e99044 so that you can get your tongue weight correct every single time.
The last piece is to make sure that your weight distribution (WD) system is rated and set up properly. One of the biggest mistakes people make when choosing a WD is that they choose based off of the trailer weight and not the tongue weight. This is important because a WD tongue weight includes the loaded tongue weight of the trailer, as well as any cargo behind the rear axle of your pickup. This means that if your WD is rated for your trailer but you put a lot of stuff in the truck bed then the WD won't be doing squat (pun intended).
If you have checked off all of these boxes then I do recommend adding the SumoSprings to the mix to help improve your towing experience. I like the SumoSprings over the Timbrens because they tend to offer a better ride quality while not towing.
Products Referenced in This Question
etrailer Tongue Weight Scale for Campers and Utility Trailers - 2,000-lb Capacity
- Tongue Weight Scale
- Analog Scale
- 2000 lbs
- etrailer
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Product Page this Question was Asked From
SumoSprings Solo Custom Helper Springs - Rear Axle
- Vehicle Suspension
- Rear Axle Suspension Enhancement
- Jounce-Style Springs
- Light Duty
- SuperSprings Intl
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