TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

06-26-2010, 06:59 AM

I agree about the brake controller first and foremost - don't tow it out of wherever it is currently parked until you get it installed. It's not tough to install it, your F150 probably has a harness for it under the dash somewhere (assuming you have the towing package), which means it literally just screws into some piece of the dash and plugs into the harness - no advanced technical knowledge is needed. I tow with an F250, which I believe has larger brakes than an F150 - we had a minor brake issue on the way to our current campground (this dumbhead forgot to plug the trailer lights in). Fortunately, it's extremely obvious to me that I had no brakes when I came to the first stop sign and was shocked at how much distance it was taking to slow down - enough to be dangerous. Obviously I immediately stopped, yelled at myself for being in too much of a hurry to do things right, and plugged in the loose connector.

With the brake controller, the F250 stops in about the same distance with the trailer as it does without. That's a good thing when someone on the highway in front of you does something dumb.

After that, I would look into the tow vehicle - does it have the towing package from the factory? If not, you might want to look at things like a transmission cooler. Hopefully your tow vehicle does have it. Also make sure you have LT tires, not P tires, on your truck. If you don't have the LTs now, you'll be amazed at the difference.

I think you can go either way with the WDH - if your vehicle seems to "bonce" a bunch, look into it - but after you make sure you are running max sidewall pressure in your rear tires. I personally didn't feel like I needed a WDH on a 1/2 ton Chevy truck, but I'm sure it would have been a better ride/towing experience if I had one. But I don't think it is a safety issue on a full size truck to not have one.

As for the TM tires, unless they are a few years old, I personally wouldn't, although if I was using a WDH, towed with full tanks, and carried a lot of stuff, that might change my mind - you do transfer some weight from the tongue to the tires if you use a WDH.

One other thing you should get: a good quality (dial-type, not pencil-type) tire gauge. And use it.

06-26-2010, 06:59 AM	#12
grakin Guest Posts: n/a	I agree about the brake controller first and foremost - don't tow it out of wherever it is currently parked until you get it installed. It's not tough to install it, your F150 probably has a harness for it under the dash somewhere (assuming you have the towing package), which means it literally just screws into some piece of the dash and plugs into the harness - no advanced technical knowledge is needed. I tow with an F250, which I believe has larger brakes than an F150 - we had a minor brake issue on the way to our current campground (this dumbhead forgot to plug the trailer lights in). Fortunately, it's extremely obvious to me that I had no brakes when I came to the first stop sign and was shocked at how much distance it was taking to slow down - enough to be dangerous. Obviously I immediately stopped, yelled at myself for being in too much of a hurry to do things right, and plugged in the loose connector. With the brake controller, the F250 stops in about the same distance with the trailer as it does without. That's a good thing when someone on the highway in front of you does something dumb. After that, I would look into the tow vehicle - does it have the towing package from the factory? If not, you might want to look at things like a transmission cooler. Hopefully your tow vehicle does have it. Also make sure you have LT tires, not P tires, on your truck. If you don't have the LTs now, you'll be amazed at the difference. I think you can go either way with the WDH - if your vehicle seems to "bonce" a bunch, look into it - but after you make sure you are running max sidewall pressure in your rear tires. I personally didn't feel like I needed a WDH on a 1/2 ton Chevy truck, but I'm sure it would have been a better ride/towing experience if I had one. But I don't think it is a safety issue on a full size truck to not have one. As for the TM tires, unless they are a few years old, I personally wouldn't, although if I was using a WDH, towed with full tanks, and carried a lot of stuff, that might change my mind - you do transfer some weight from the tongue to the tires if you use a WDH. One other thing you should get: a good quality (dial-type, not pencil-type) tire gauge. And use it.