Scottman70, what air pressure you running in them tires?

the advantage to a add-a-leaf is that it strengthens the spring pack. Airbags do not. They simply adjust for height. One of the things the leaf springs do is locate the axle on two planes. Vertical and horizontal. The vertical part can be compensated for with the airbags but they don't do anything on the horizontal plane. The rear axle can actually steer the truck and make it wander.

Two choices to cure it really. We've all heard of Landyot's Radius Rods right? He's over at fordexcursions.com. Ken's rods look to be second to none in quality and the testimonials are large in number and always positive. It keeps the axle solidly located on both axes.

Second choice really is the add-a-leaf. (or new stonger spring pack) My gallery has the info on my install. I could in no way describe the ride as harsher than stock. Best way for me to describe it is "controlled". I don't feel I need a sway bar or radius rods. It tracks straight and true loaded, unloaded or pulling a trailer. In fact, I think the ride is actually more compliant. Wait: I don't think, I know.

Another solution may be a panhard rod. This will control the axle's movement on that horizontal plane. Nobody makes one that I know of but I did just have a discussion about it a week or so ago. So maybe a search will turn something up.

 

Monsta when you did the add a leaf, did it add height to your ride to?

 

Yes, the info & pics are in my gallery.

 

how about a 4 wheel alignment? maybe your ex got banged-up or ?? it wouln't hurt. don't like to just throw money at it but this is a stumpper

 

Ken go down to this thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...ft-in-2wd.html

The guy down there wants to add some ride hide with out makeing the ride quality rough. I mentioned ur name to him.

So what exactly did you do and how many did you add to the stock leaf?

 

scottman,

not sure if we talked about this on your TH or someone elses...I believe in a thread housedad suggested looking at the TH as the possible cause...mis-aligned axles, under-inflated tires on the TH, dragging brake, wrong size ball on the hitch head???

I know that some Ex's have the "wander" issue...but there are many folks pulling large heavy trailers with them...perhaps it is easy to target the Ex?...my bud had a BRAND NEW TT delivered from Forrest River with axles that were not aligned...it made for a constant fight when towing with his 3/4 ton burb...

Also what size Equalizer WD bars you running?

Monsta thought of something I was thinking...are your LT Ex tires aired up to 75psi?

Last thing I can think about is that perhaps you actually have a tie rod bearing up front that is going bad?

Have you been over to RV.net to the towing forum?

Something is obviously NOT right here...have you towed another trailer of "similar" weights? Have you been to the CAT scale and if so, what are the weights of the axles of the Ex and TH PLUS do you have the weights of the Ex and TH UNHITCHED with a TH tongue weight?...it is hard to decipher all the numbers when HITCHED due to the WD effects...if you have the weights perhaps we can spot something you may have missed?

You should be able to sit back and relax when towing...it should NOT be as you describe and I know you know that...folks do want to help you out...and I can tell you WANT help!

 

I have my tires at 80 psi and they are E-rated BFG's. The Equalizer hitch is the hitch and bars for the highest capacity towing, I don's recall the weight but I know they exceed my trailer's max GVW of 11k.

 

Have you tried the front tires at a lower psi? I've found that the steering is much more twitchy at higher psi because only the center part of the tire was contacting the road. My tires actually started wearing unduly in the center because of the high psi I was running while towing. I ran the fronts at around 60psi last time out with the trailer. Backs were at 75.

Doug

 

I will try that with the front tires a little lower on the PSI. I am heading out April 30th on a long road trip with the toy hauler from here in Phoenix, going to Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore and then Iowa I will be towing the trailer around 3600 miles. I hope I get it figured out. If not, you all here in this forum will have 1st dibs on my 2004 Ex when I sell it!

 

Thanks for the great info. I haven't got an Ex picked out yet but I do have an idea what I am looking for after having a 99 super duty for almost 2 years now. The sububan I have has the 6.5 turbo diesel in, it has good power but a lot of issues with the motor that I am getting tired of dealing with. So I am looking for an Ex with the 7.3 because I like its power and reliabilty and I can work on it myself thanks to FTE. I use a Equilizer brand hitch and really like the way it performs, and I have a Teshonka brake controller and it has worked great so far. I haven't ever driven and Ex, but I thought if it worked anything like the Duper Duty it would be a great tow vehicle. I had also read of the soft springs in the Ex and was concerned of "white knuckle experiences'' with the family on board so than is why I am asking these questions. From the sounds of all the good info I think I will be happy with an Ex with maybe sway bars or airabags. As much as I like wrenching on my rigs I didn't want to spend money or time with things like spring swaps and the like to make a $20,000 vehicle do what it is supposed to do from the start.

Thanks again for everyone who shared their advice , this place is great.

 

pbr (like pro bull rider or pabst blue ribbon?!?...sorry)

I do not think you would regret the Ex ESPECIALLY with the 7.3L...that was one BULLETPROOF motor (albeit LOUD as all get out!)...you would end up (I believe) with the same 4 spd tranny as I have...I'd sure like another gear but that's life I guess! I just installed the air bags yesterday...a bit of a fight on the upper bracket TOP hole...I tried both brackets on each side and the issue was the same...so I had to "drill" the no-drill install!...but I had to do the same with the Hellwig as it came with a 1/2" u-bolt and the factory 3/8" u-bolt holes just wouldn't work no matter what the directions said!

When you find a candidate...I KNOW there are many here that can help you out. I use the Drawtite Dual Cam with the Prodigy brake controller...very stable setup and smooth braking...

I wish you the best of luck...in my search...PSD Ex's STILL command HIGH dollar...for me I'm too cheap! LOL...had I been able to find one at what I would consider reasonable...I would own one...

Sorry there has been somewhat of a side thread in yours...scottman is having some real issues...I'm gonna continue with a side thread...I hope you don't mind...slap me if you do!

Scottman,

I've had some thoughts...and dbtx just gave me one of them. Last week when I had them change my gears...I asked them to rotate my tires front to back since they had the wheels off and it was time...since they did that I was noticing a slight steering difference...well I checked and they did exactly what I asked them to do...BUT I always run the front at 65-70 and the rear at 75-80...well NOW I've got 78psi up front and 67psi out back...! On the way home tonight...I'm stopping and correcting that...I think that should reduce some of the "feel" that is different...so when I tow I DO keep the fronts lower psi...

Next on your WD setup...couple of questions...

1) have you ever towed this setup without the airbags?
2) what is the tongue weight?
3) when you set up the WD, did you use a scale?
4) how much "pressure" do you need to engage your WD bars? (I am NOT familiar on how to load up the equalizer so you may have to school me...I'm used to a DC)

My questions are centered around the "tension" in the bars. For a WD and sway control to work "properly" they require tension or load in the bars. I'm thinking if you set this up with the airbags, that perhaps you don't have enough tension or load in the bars?...I'm just throwing out ideas here.

What got me thinking about this is now that i have installed airbags...how am I going to "tweak" my WD? Well if you install the WD withOUT the bags inflated or just lightly inflated, you can achieve "proper" WD shifting...IF you then air up the bags, that lifts the rear of the Ex and actually will UNLOAD the bars...BAD...

If you aired up the bags to 60 (which is alot but I don't remember your tongue weight), the rear of the Ex will likely NOT move, when you drop the tongue on the rear the bags will be stiff and maybe TOO stiff...the WD shifting will be minimized...BUT that is because you won't be unloading the front axle either...BUT you STILL need to have load in the bars...

On my DC, I can tilt the hitch head to increase the tension OR I can drop one link on my chain from being in tension...either of which will put MORE tension in the bars...

I think we need to focus more on your setup...

If you like, PM me with your email address and we can try and work this off line...I'll email you back.

pbr,

Sorry again for the sidetrack...and GOOD LUCK with the search!...You are on the right track for sure!

 

Sounds great I wil get with you after work and E-mail ya. I really want to get this thing setup

 

PBR! huge bull riding fan here

No problem with getting sidetracked when people can get the help they need. What's a good thread without at least one hijack.

 

Scottman,

I'm a newbie here. Just picked up our '01Ex (14K miles on it) about a month ago. We've made one run to Baja in it. Love it except for the soft rear springs which is why I'm at this thread.

With regard to your problem here's what happened with us and our '04F250SDPSD and our trailer--a 19' Komfort ATRV (heavy little sucker with five batteries in the forward hatch).

The ATRV was made to go off-highway and we have taken it over miles and miles of dirt roads and back trails. We had towed it with two other TVs before the PSD and hadn't had any problems whatsoever.

Then, one day I noticed that there was a lot of wandering while towing at a constant speed on the fwy. I thought about tire pressures. Checked all eight and they were on the money, so no problem there.

I took the trailer to a shop that could check axle alignment and found that the trailing axle had shifted--probably on the Dempster Hwy in the Yukon Territory.

No problem with wandering after the axle was re-aligned.

Allen R

 

Ok guys I finally got the Ex towing much much better! I changed the PSI in the front tires to 60 and the rear to 75psi. I also adjusted the the WD bars and put quite a bit more tension on them and it did wonders for the swaying and the ride too! Now I know that I had way too much tongue weight and that's what was moving my Ex all over the place! I originally had a lot of tension on the WD bars but I guess not enough?? Thanks again all of you with your suggestions it has helped a lot!

Now I can keep the Ex and don't have to sell it! WOO HOO!