Towing our 28’ Jayco

[lldolls]

We have a 2009 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCab, we purchased a 28’ 2016 Jayco Jayflight BHBE. The tow weight on our truck is 9800lb and the camper weight is 6540. The truck came with 235 70R 17 passenger tires. We went to purchase new tires and they recommended a LT tire. They put on a size 265 70 R 17 Wrangler Adventure AT with Kevlar. We tried pulling our camper for a short trip and it was porpoisng (bouncing up and down) so bad we couldn’t hardly stand it! We have asked around to try and find out what to do about it and Ford told us that it is because we have the wrong size tire for our truck. They said an all terrain tire is too “meaty” for our truck. Goodyear told us the same thing but the tire store says it is not the tire. Please help if you have had this issue and found a resolution.

[handye9]

lldolls wrote:
We have a 2009 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCab, we purchased a 28’ 2016 Jayco Jayflight BHBE. The tow weight on our truck is 9800lb and the camper weight is 6540.

Forget about that 9800 lb tow capacity. That number doesn't include any passengers, aftermarket accessories (bed cap, bed cover / liner, etc), or any kind of cargo in the truck. As you add these things to the truck, it's available payload and it's tow capacity are reduced, pound for pound. Most cases, you'll run out of payload before you get close to the max tow capacity.

The 6540 is advertised dry weight. The advertised hitch weight was 660 lbs. That was when the trailer left the factory. That number doesn't include propane, possibly a battery, or any dealer installed options. It gain at least 100 lbs at the dealership. Most of that went directly on the tongue. It's GVWR is 9250.

Using average camping load numbers (dishes, pots and pans, bedding, camp chairs, BBQ, water, groceries, etc) of 800 - 1000 lbs and average hitch / tongue weight 12.5 percent, your real numbers on the trailer would be more like 75 - 7700 lbs with 925 - 960 lb hitch weight.

Things you should check:

1. What is the trailer's loaded weight? If it is close to it's GVWR, that could be a stretch for your truck.

2. What is loaded hitch / tongue weight?

3. What is your weight distributing hitch rated for? If it is rated for less than 1000 lbs, it's not heavy enough.

4. Is WDH set up properly? Including ball height?

5. Check tire / loading sticker (on drivers door post) for "max occupant / cargo capacity" (AKA payload). This is what your truck is rated to carry. It includes any aftermarket accessories, people, pets, and cargo. Your tongue / hitch weight and the weight of your WD hitch equipment count as cargo weight in the truck. Is your payload high enough for everything and everybody in or on the truck?

6. Is truck's suspension (shocks, springs, etc) system in good condition?

Getting actual weights and payload number, may surprise you. The weights add up really fast, and as they are adding up, your available payload and towing capacity are dropping at the same speed. If you're using unloaded weights, or just guessing on loaded weight, it's easy to not get the WDH right. If the truck is being loaded past it's payload / GVWR, that could also explain some of the unpleasant towing.

[goducks10]

The larger tires are 1.7" taller. The truck now sits 3/4" higher. If your TT was perfectly level then it's 3/4" higher in the front now. Or if it was slightly nose high then it's higher than 3/4" now.
I would readjust the WDH height to accommodate for the larger tires.

[bid_time]

Could be the shocks are wore out. Utube it and test them.

[Terryallan]

Honestly, The only time mine bounces, Is when we are on a worn concrete highway, or bridge that you can see the humps in. But then. My WDH is so tight, the bars are bent.

[hondapro]

Did the truck bounce when towing before you got the new tires?

[Sandia_Man]

X2, whether this is the issue you are experiencing or not, every time we put new rubber on our tow vehicle it made towing a bit squirrelly for the first 1K miles or so. Our truck is dedicated to towing our 10K TT, if your tow vehicle is a daily driver put some miles on your new treads, make sure they are aired up properly and your WD hitch is correctly adjusted. A slightly bigger, firmer tire should tow fine, we went bigger on our truck tires and they performed great after we were able to get some wear on them as the rubber was much harder than previous tires being that they were rated for more weight and significantly more mileage.

[lldolls]

camp-n-family wrote:
The taller sidewall and deeper tread can cause the ride to become squirrelly. It may improve a bit with time. Did you air the tires to the max pressure? That will help with the sidewall flex.

Actually the higher the psi and worse it got!

[lldolls]

Terryallan wrote:
While the taller tire could hurt tow capacity. It shouldn't make the truck bounce. I would look more at the WDH. to me. It sounds like it is not tight enough / not pulling enough weight, Letting the truck, and trailer tongue bounce on the springs. Pull another link or so in the chains, and see if it calms down.

Tried this but it didn’t help.

[lldolls]

Also we have tried adjusting the WDH but didn’t help.

[lldolls]

Not squirrlley just bounces! I feel like I’m in a horse and buggy ever time we hit a bump! We have tried adjusting the psi several times, the more air the worse it is!

[bluie5]

When my truck was new, with new tires, it was really squirrelly pulling our 37ft TT. After about 1k miles on the tires everything settled down.

[Terryallan]

While the taller tire could hurt tow capacity. It shouldn't make the truck bounce. I would look more at the WDH. to me. It sounds like it is not tight enough / not pulling enough weight, Letting the truck, and trailer tongue bounce on the springs. Pull another link or so in the chains, and see if it calms down.

[camp-n-family]

The taller sidewall and deeper tread can cause the ride to become squirrelly. It may improve a bit with time. Did you air the tires to the max pressure? That will help with the sidewall flex.