Options to combat sag during towing/hauling

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richm

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Hi, I tow a 6000lb (loaded) travel trailer with stock SCAB. I use a weight dist hitch (just switched to Anderson) and that has worked well. I did recently add a set of Timbren SES (FR150R) bump stops. These are Rubber support springs that replace the factory bump stops. With the trailer connected, I'm just on the new bumps. They seem to help prevent any additional sag, etc. I would start with a WD hitch first, then look at something like the timbren. They are pretty inexpensive, work well, easy to change out for serious off road, or can be left on all the time without affecting on road ride.
 
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cgibs89

cgibs89

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So I just got the Deavers installed and holy shit. I should have done this 40k miles ago.

Not only does the truck feel more planted, I no longer get the stutter bumps when hitting cracks and divots in the road and I can already tell the wheel hop is gone. Took it on a back access road and flinging the ass out around turns is a no brainer no.

As for towing, it's perfect with the +3 for my setup (2000lb trailer, 3 sleds totaling 1500lbs or 2-3 quads totaling around the same). The truck sits ever so slightly above level now and it no longer porpoises like it did with the stock leafs. Those stock leafs are complete junk. They already started bowing where it sat on the blocks, almost making the entire leaf into an elongated "w".

I'll have to see how the quad sits in the bed. Didn't feel like dragging that out after yelling and swearing for 5 hours.
 

Raven13

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So I just got the Deavers installed and holy shit. I should have done this 40k miles ago.

Not only does the truck feel more planted, I no longer get the stutter bumps when hitting cracks and divots in the road and I can already tell the wheel hop is gone. Took it on a back access road and flinging the ass out around turns is a no brainer no.

As for towing, it's perfect with the +3 for my setup (2000lb trailer, 3 sleds totaling 1500lbs or 2-3 quads totaling around the same). The truck sits ever so slightly above level now and it no longer porpoises like it did with the stock leafs. Those stock leafs are complete junk. They already started bowing where it sat on the blocks, almost making the entire leaf into an elongated "w".

I'll have to see how the quad sits in the bed. Didn't feel like dragging that out after yelling and swearing for 5 hours.
Deavers make a huge difference, should have made them my first mod!!!!
 
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cgibs89

cgibs89

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We try to tell you guys this!! :ROFLJest:

No kidding.

Just pulled my trailer 800 miles round trip to my buddy's cottage up north with mine and my other buddy's quads in the trailer and all of our gear and hardware in the cab. Absolutely zero porpoising the entire drive and smooth as glass the whole way through construction and rain. My buddy made a comment of "I can't believe how smooth this truck pulls your trailer with it being a half ton" after I told him about the new leafs. He has a 2010 FX4 and complains about trailering his fox body to and from storage every year on an open trailer. I seriously cannot get over the difference in towing, absolutely night and day.
 

Trick.Raptor

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So this past weekends trip to ROC Fest II it appears I was at least 380lbs over the GCWR limit of 14,700lbs. It might have been more going up to the event as I had 5 25lbs boxes of oak wood.

Full tank of gas, nobody inside the truck during the weighing. In the bed I had a chase rack, two tires and gear along with my oak pit BBQ which accounts for so much weight on the rear. The toybox still had about 50 gallons of fresh water, roughly half full on grey and 1/3 on black tanks and 18 gallons of gas in the fueling station.

I did weigh my Raptor last year while going to Death Valley and we had four people in the Raptor and only a few things in the bed (less than 100lbs) 3/4 tank of gas. The weight was much different then but still slightly over...

Back in 02/2015

Front axle - 4040lbs
Rear axles - 3840lbs
Trailer - 6940lbs
Total - 14820lbs.

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Weight on 10/09/2016...

Weight_zps4rukai2n.jpg

Towing with +3 and the load leaf was amazing. The rear was very stable and no back and forth motions. I didn't hit the bumpstops once while on the road and the Raptor felt much smoother and less stressed at max weight. I was very impressed with this run. Gas mileage sucked at 8MPG on average over 1100+ miles...
 
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I have a similar setup: 4500 lb Travel Trailer with 500 lb tongue weight. This is all setup with an Andersen WD hitch. I started with mid perch and stock leafs. I now have upgraded to WSI HD springs which have helped some, but not as much as I want them too. I can level out the truck and trailer, but at the cost of really cranking down on the weight distribution hitch and transferring so much weight forward that the ride suffers. When I have the cash flow I want to upgrade to SVC adjustable bumps and see if I can take some force out of the WD system. (I always wondered if I actually got WSI SD leafs by mistake... Unfortunately I had painted them before noticing, so I was unable to get the number off the top when talking with Jimmy about this)
 
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