Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!!

   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!!
  • Thread Starter
#31  
Glad you enjoyed the post and found it useful to you VA Joe.

Ron,

Good suggestion for anyone who is towing in what they think is an unbalanced condition. Are most travel trailers equipped with WDH's because of the inability to just move the CG forward or back by as in a tractor buy simply adjusting the load? Is wind a factor since it pulls one way at speed and then can be rather suddenly reduced and countered with forward momentum under braking? Dont know but might be.

Your comments seem to suggest I may not believe in WD products. That is curious to me. They also seem to say it would help the motor pull a bigger. " its not just the ability to pull the load but braking bumps and uneven roads..." BTW I agree with your quote, and I like WD systems (but with a bad back I would not enjoy lifting them, and I certainly wouldnt/couldnt a longhorn rig like that attached for general purpose towing, hence the adjustable twin ball I have.

I would say the WD hitch improves all of those items you mentioned , but does almost nothing for the sheer ability to pull a load. Rather by improving the ability to control the load mostly by leveling out the tow vehicle and trailer, it enhances control, and therefore allows more load to be safely added. Wont help a weak kicker.

Again, if your butt saggs, or you feel like the rear axle is over loaded and the front axle is a bit too light, (most obvious by looking and second by driving) you might look into a WD. It definitely would be helpful.

Using one in all conditions for general improvement? I dont see the need for that personally.

Question. You mentioned what most people say about one, what do you think (aside from it being a big heavy son of a gun to install!!). Just curious. Sounds like you have expereince. What do you tow, with what and how does it behave? In other words what prompted you to buy one? That experience might be helpful to the group. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for all your thoughtful offerings, and remember I support anyone who needs or wants a WD, including myself. Right now I dont have a huge need. It is easy to forget I didnt buy an extra stiff trailer so I could load it to the gills (by adding 9,000 or 11,000# of load) and trying to walk that tight rope using a HD half ton.

I bought it to: 1. I could tow my tractor - think that one is within all reasonable base limits - I'll know more when it gets here; 2. So I could haul a ton or two material, and off load it with my FEL. - I think this one is easily doable since I dont plan to drive up the ramps without using blocked kickers and having my 7000# jack standing in support of the tonge weight AND having the trailer connected to my SUV on concrete during the process; 3. So I wouldnt have to ever buy another even if my load got bigger and/or I got a new bigger machine to tow it with.

I look forward to thoughts from you and others, Ron.

P.S. Didnt even occur to me to buy aluminum wheels. Interesting but I just got the ones they offered. Not trying to go for best dressed, only functional and safe. Dont worry, didnt take it negatively. Usually TBN member interaction causes me to spend more money : /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif (I think that is a good thing for those who pay to market here /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). Thanks for offering to help me spend some more /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!!
  • Thread Starter
#32  
Sorry for the delay kennyd. I paid $200 for the hitch, not counting a matching chrome lock twin set with a single key. You'll need one long lock and one short pin lock. I only had a short one (normal reciever lock pin), but I needed the long one and it wasnt available at my dealer as a single item. Also wanted / liked the single key idea. $50 more bucks, but it works perfectly. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!! #33  
Seasalt, just gotta add to the topic.

I tow a 10,000 pound rated lowboy trailer [ 2 - 6000 pound axles ] with a 96 Dodge 4x4 extended cab diesel that has air bags and usually a 2500 pound camper sitting in the box. Load distibuting hitch is used. The air bags allow me to keep the truck level. The steering is also alligned with the camper on.

Where I come from trailers rated at over 5000 pounds require the weight distribution hitch. No choice.

Seems there is a difference in towing requirements for different areas. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Think what I am trying to say is there can be a great variance in towing regulations from area to area. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I also have the white steel rims that are now showing lots of rust.

Egon
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!! #34  
"nine line cotton twine bind" of confusion, I like that, it explains much of my life. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!! #35  
Bart, thanks for all the info,
.......not to be too rude, can you tell us what you paid for that beautiful trailer?
Thanks again,
Max
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!! #36  
Bart,

I don't claim to be an expert but everything that I have read states that you want 10-15% of total trailer weight to be tongue weight. Based on your numbers </font><font color="blue" class="small">( Capable of 14,000 GVWR, derated by manufacturer to 12,000 as an added margin of safety (standard, not by my request), with a net stated hauling cap of 9000#. )</font> and </font><font color="blue" class="small">( But my tractor weighs 2900# before I start adding for implements)</font> you have total weight of trailer + tractor of 5900lbs. This would be 590lbs, at minimum recommended tongue weight. Or if you are hauling Gravel or Dirt at approx. 2000# a ton you end up with closer to 7000# total of 700# tongue weight minimum.

Now, I fully understand your point of trailer and vehicle being level as being a starting point for trailer loading. But, if you accomplish this with to much weight at the rear of the trailer this can lead to trailer sway. (You already indicated </font><font color="blue" class="small">( The rear of the truck sits way low, the front is way high, and the front wheels don't steer or brake worth a darn 'cuz of this. )</font> which can be caused by excessive tongue weight percentage or excessive payload - tongue weight is payload)

With all of that said, from my understanding, it is best to have a level trailer and tow vehicle with about 10-15% of trailer weight being tongue weight. With the size of vehicle that you are towing with, the manf. recommends a WD hitch. If you are willing to take the risk, then so be it, do as you wish.

For myself. Pulling a loaded trailer of around 5000# behind a 90 K-Blazer (full size) I use a WD hitch. Before I started to use the WD hitch I had, what I thought, was a properly loaded trailer start to sway. 70mph on a nice day, a bump and a light gust of wind I found myself requiring 2 lanes of roadway to get the vehicle back under control. (This was with a different trailer and load but less weight.) I have found that the price and weight of the WD hitch is cheap insurance towards quite a bit of safety.

Personally, do as you wish, but for the (as you put it) </font><font color="blue" class="small">( Joe Six Pack )</font> that might be reading this, the proper and safe way of trailering should be made clear.


BTW. Very good description on how a WD hitch works.

Kurt

Note: In my job, I have heard of plenty of stories of what happens when people do not follow some basic towing principles. When I started visiting TBN it was the accepted rule to use straps to secure tractors and if somebody mentioned chains it was usually “why spend the money, straps will be fine”. I can say that I bought chains before chains were cool /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif on TBN.
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!! #37  
That's a great trailer and I thought Big Tex was the best built manufactured trailer (I was wrong /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif)
Like you I wouldn't worry about WD till you see the need.
I don't worry about WD with my truck when I tow any bumper pull trailer, my airbags compensate for any weight changes. My Truck
I haven't added pics of tractor in tow yet.
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!! #38  
<font color="blue"> My Truck </font>
I guess I wouldn't worry about a WD Hitch if I had that truck either. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!!
  • Thread Starter
#39  
wushaw:

Yuk Yuk! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif That trailer could probably tow a house without a WD hitch!!
 
   / Got My New Trailer Today...SWEEET!!
  • Thread Starter
#40  
Egon,

Looks like you can roughly tow about 7000 net lbs of load on that trailer. If that causes your rear to be too low, I can understand the WD would be in order. I know 7k would probably cause my truck to sag.

I think the thing I dont hear people repeating of what I have said is that my trailer (12,000 minus approx wieght of 3000= 9000 lb load), WILL EASILY OUT CARRY WHAT MY TOW VEHICLE CAN DO without a WD and probabaly be shaky with one. I over bought for future needs (which would probably include a larger tow vehicle).

Having not yet loaded my trailer yet I know very little about actual performance, but with a combined weight rating (vehicle and trailer with cargo, passengers and ALL LOADS, it can do just shy of 13,000).

I certainly anticipate the very possible need for a WD. On the other hand I dont anticipate towing my tractor all over heck. Maybe out to the lake cabin (25 miles) or to my in laws (10 miles), or to the dealer (30 miles). Mostly I want to be able to haul material then put down my jack, fold down my kicker ramps, keep it hitched to the SUV and off load material without the trailer twisting all over.

I will definitely load my 2900# tractor, 800# FEL, first and test run that before attaching my 1400# BH = 5100 lbs call it 5500 with rounding. That is a good safe load for the trailer, and at the non WD recommended limit for a generic 1/2 ton GM product in a NON WD configurarion.

I hope no one thinks I am beyond spending another $300 to 500 to make it right if needed. Meanwhile I have a hitch to use for lighter loads (mulch dirt gravel, etc) which I dont anticipate needing a WD to handle.

One thing I forgot to mention is I am using a Jordan Ultima braking system, as was recommended by the forum, and I love its responsiveness and tunability.

Thanks for sharing the Canadian rule. Makes a lot of sense. Follows my theory that most rules are made to keep us from killing ourselves when we fail to make good common sense decisions (which a lot of people are capable of doing).
 
 
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