Hey Terry, Obviously no trailer towing experience, just my pontoon boat!
Thanks for the advise and happy camping..

 

The stock rear shocks are terrible for towing. Get a set of bilsteins or rancho adjustables and you will see a lot of that go away. Im very happy with a rancho's but i have a bit more tongue weight.

 

boats, even pontoons are much more aerodynamic and they tow a lot easier at the same weight. You will get used to towing with the camper, they are a different animal.

 

Thanks Beechkid, what gear ratio would you recommend?
I had already considered this change but unsure of the best way to go about it..

 

The other game changer is the transmission. Having 5+ gears and a tourque converter that locks in multiple gears is a *huge* and positive advantage over the 3 - 4 speed transmissions where at best the TCC locked in OD (unless an aftermarket controller was installed to lock while in lower gears). Now, the computer can select a gear that keeps the motor in its sweet-spot much better than when there were fewer gears to chose from.


Toward shorter gearing, not sure that I agree about reflexively lowering the differential ratio or a shorter tire is beneficial in all situations. Not looking to start a battle, just sharing a perspective. In the SUV, I just went from a differential of 3.73 to 3.42 and a 4 speed tranny to a 5 speed. Sure, the rig is a tad slower off the line, but I am truly loving the change as it allows me to put the motor right in its sweet spot for towing (at 55 mph in direct gear) and highway cruising at the speed limit (70 mph in OD). Besides, what am I going to get back in life by quicker acceleration, maybe 2 - 4 seconds that will get eaten-up by the next red light?

 

Prior to going this route, might consider checking the tires on the trailer to see if there is room for lowering the drag. From there, check with a tuner to dial-in the truck's behavior. Reasoning is that unless you are doing the axle work yourself, it is far more economical to do the other things first than re-gear the differential. Just say-in

Edit: Just noticed that the trailer tires are Load D, so I'd start by checking with a tuner to see if there is room to adjust the shift patterns. And, at the risk of insulting, I'd do a lot of homework first though.

 

 

Yes I have read this before about rear shock upgrades.
Also going to an LT tire might help... Thanks

 

If you experienced porpoising with that rig I think you're on the right track to check your hitch settings. My experience was that the dealer who set mine up did not apply nearly enough lift to the equalizer bars. Adjusting the hitch head angle and tightening the bars made a world of difference.

 

No insult, we're never too old to learn which is why I'm here..

Researching rear suspension and tuning.. seems like a good start.
Also read that LT tires are recommended for towing, don't believe mine are..

 

 

RS9000XL shocks are adjustable. I have them on my F-350. Better than stock, for sure.

 

LT tires on your truck, trailer tires on your trailer.

 

yep, 9000xl's. I crank them up to 9 and the ride is much better, unloaded i leave them at 5 and they are bit firmer than stock. my campers tongue weight is 950 dry, not sure loaded my guess is 1000-1100.