beemerphile1
I'm only 54, I'm not a
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Joined: 04/20/2007
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Billy Big Rig wrote:...I hooked up my trailer and loaded the quads.
The trailer sits a little less nose down, but the truck still squats almost 2".
The squat at the rear is totally unimportant. The only thing important is that the front of the truck absolutely should not rise and should maybe drop a little.
...These are 1000 lb. bars. Should I try heavier bars?
Should I try a hitch head that angles more?
Before doing anything---weigh the tongue fully loaded.
I realize that we have different trailers and TVs but here are my tongue weights. You can use them to see how the weight changes with different configurations. I carry the BMW in my signature and it probably weighs about 800 pounds. The bike's front wheel sits over the front axle, much of the weight is behind the axles.
1,125#----full water/no bike
1,060#----full water/with bike
1,065#----no water/no bike
975#------no water/with bike
I use the 1,200/12,000# Equal-i-zer hitch.
BTW I get absolutely no sway in any configuration.
Tim (in NE Ohio)
"Okay, I admit it, the only thing I'm really good at is being me."
2006 Weekend Warrior FK1900 towed by 1998 Ford E150 4.6L
2009 Aliner Sport towed by 2009 Pontiac Vibe 1.8L
1996 BMW R1100GS
2007 Trek 7.2FX
2005 Trek Madone 9spd.
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TPLynch
Arizona
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Joined: 12/04/2006
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You need to ensure you're getting some trailer weight on your TV axles. I have a 14,000# Equalizer Hitch that I installed 2 weeks ago. My front wheel fender was 38 1/2 inches from the ground without the trailer hooked up, almost 40 inches off the ground with trailer hooked up. After adjustments and with the bars attached, the front wheel fender measurement returned to the trailer unhooked measurement of 38 1/2 inches. This is what you should be trying to achieve with a WD Hitch, to get the wheel well measurements the same with the trailer hooked up as it is with no trailer. This is more so with the front of the TV than the rear. Often, the rear of the TV won't go back to the unhooked measurement. Towed my TH this past weekend- lots of RV's and big rigs passing, fairly strong cross winds, no sway whatsoever!
2007 Chevy 2500HD 6.0L 4.10
2009 Jayco Octane ZX 26Y
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Billy Big Rig
Smack Dab in the Middle
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Well, I've solved the problem.
I did buy the Hensley hitch and it improved the handling with my GMC Sierra considerably. No sway whatsoever, which is what the hensley is supposed to do. But, it did still seem like the trailer was moving the truck around considerably. Not at all uncontrollable, just alot of weight behind it.
So, after much conversation with the wife and a ton of research I traded the GMC for a F250 6.4 GreaseBurner. I wanted to switch to a Ford truck anyway at some point in the future.
Now it's like nothing is even back there.
Thanks for all the advise guys!
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Paramedic08
Kansas
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Joined: 06/02/2009
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I read this one a little to late. I have a Salem Sport 29FBSRV and pull it with a 2004 Silverado 1500. I have an equalizer hitch and it pulls just fine. The first time I pulled it I pulled it 3 hours with absolutely no sway what so ever. Before I added some weight in the back I had 1400 lb tongue weight. I added 700 lb and now I have a 1200 lb tongue weight. With the 1000 lb bars I have, it is impossible to get my truck perfectly level, so I do sit a little nose high, but not much at all.
Now I'm trying to determine if I want to add air bags or just add springs. My dad talked to his spring guy and he said he could add springs to make it equivalent to a 1 ton. Granted I'd just have the springs of a 1 ton, but still engine of a 1500, I'd be able to pull it just fine. Highway, I cruise at 65 which is plenty fast for me being new at pulling a 33' overall length trailer.
When my engine goes I'll do an engine swap with a diesel.
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lincster
Mesa Az
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Joined: 01/27/2003
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Never mind, should have read all the posts first.
Good call on stepping up the truck.
2006 F350 PSD CC 4X4 Dually w/Tow Boss package to pull 2006 LE3905
Lincsters Truck/Trailer
Lincsters Rail
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JESTER7406
Northern California
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Joined: 12/02/2003
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Billy,
Im sorry to say that your truck is overloaded. It will probalbly burn up the rear end first. At least that was my experience on a "short trip."
As other guys have said the easiset way to eliminate sway on this setup is to fill your water tanks and put in the toys.
My 21' desert fox pulls really nice with water in the tanks and no toys. Even in a crosswind.
Unfortunately for you both options will overload your truck.
Just my 2 cents.
In either case have fun.
Happy Trails,
Jesse
[green}2006 Chevy 2500 Duramax LBZ 4x4
2003 21' Desert Fox toy Hauler
2005 Polaris Sportsman 500 4x4
2003 Polaris Sportsman 400 4x4
1 Great Wife
1 Energetic Boy
1 Lab
Note: Due to invalid formatting, all formatting has been ignored.
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JESTER7406
Northern California
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Billy,
Congrats on new truck. I should have read the last post.
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