Towing, again, for the 397th time... ;-)

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

Got the new hitch. It's about twice as heavy as the factory one. Valley Class IV/V. Rated to 10K/1K without weight distribution. Install was a snap once I lowered the spare tire.

Reminder folks: Check the air pressure on your spare in the truck and trailer.

I ended up with the upgraded Tekonsha P2. The P3 was out of stock and too long a wait. The P2 is a breeze to setup and works just fine with an empty trailer. Next test will be with the car on.

The hitch bar with 2" drop is not even remotely close. Since the trailer has 4" drop axles it also means the nose of it is 4" lower. I ordered a DT adjustable bar that has a range of 2-6" with 10K rating and 2" and 2 5/16" built in. It also has an anti-rattle feature. Solid aluminum.

For anyone who is considering a drop axle trailer. The ramp holders will drag on most anything, like your angled driveway... With the right nose height I suspect this will be less of an issue. I'm considering having the holders removed and putting the ramps under the car on the trailer bed. I'm thinking custom ramps with a better surface. The ones that come with the trailer are those construction style with big spaces. They're also too heavy.

Thanks to Steve for the loan of his Sherline Tongue Weight scale. Instead of using blocks of wood or cinder blocks. I just put it on my larger jack and used it that way. Quick and easy. 200lbs tongue weight with empty trailer. 500lbs with Vette loaded.

I also learned another lesson. The guy I got the trailer from threw in some tie-downs that are double J-hooks with open ends. Seemed like they would work ok. Again talking to Steve I got told to never use those open J-hooks towing a car. So I sent them back. Ordered the G-Force ones with closed ends and some T-hooks.

Jim... yeah the gas station thing I thought about. Getting trapped in some mom and pop place doesn't seem pleasing. Same for stopping to eat. I'm going for easy with big open spaces to start

Bernie I'll bring an extra quart of oil for the truck. I suspect it won't burn too much since it is all flat land. I don't need to add oil between changes so it doesn't normally burn any like the Z06 does.

Power washed the wood deck and treated it with some Cedar tinted Thompsons WaterSeal. Looks pretty good.

If anyone is interested the trailer is from Sweet Rivers Trailers in SC. Actually built to his specs by Down 2 Earth Trailers in GA. He has the fenders all removable, brakes on both axles, LED lights, stake pockets, adds D-rings wherever you want at no charge, moves the trailer jack back from the nose and welds it so you can open your tailgate without hitting the crank handle, welds on a good spare tire holder, plenty of that white/red reflective tape all over. These are not options. They're included and his price is still competitive with others. All I bought was the spare wheel/tire. They also deliver so I didn't have to waste another day.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Keep em coming if you have more.

Graham

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:32 pm

Graham...

You might want to put together a simple check list:
Trailer connected
Hitch locked down on ball
Lights plugged in
Safety chains on
Emergency brake attached

Then one for when you get there:
Trailer unhitched
chains off
lights unplugged
emergency brake unhooked.

Sounds simplistic....but I have forgotten to lock the trailer down (second time towing and it came off the hitch and into my tailgate at Rocky Mount when unloading the MR2.

Plus I have forgotten the chains when pulling the truck away and the emergency brake. Those things can happen cause it is late at night and you are tired.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:37 pm

don't forget the break-away box connection. the wife has pulled away from a trailer with that still attached in the past.

i have a routine also.

hitch closed
break-away cable
safety chains
lights / brakes cable
remove wheel chocks

reverse order when un-hitching.

it helps to be slightly OCD when towing. :oops:

Charlie Guthrie · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 8:14 pm **Posts:** 832

Just one comment on what Donnie said about load distribution hitches caught my attention:

Quote:

load distribution. But I'd avoid it if at all possible, .... AND those stupid things are kind of dangerous to "arm" anyway.

The "arming" of the distribution hitch load bars is a snap and very effortless if you follow the following sequence:
1. Lower hitch onto the ball and lock down.
2. Raise the hitch using the trailer jack until the tow vehicle is slightly above where you want it.
3. Attach the load bars and "arm" them. They should be very easy because the load bar does not need to deflect with the tow ball raised.

Of course, the reverse process is good if you don't want to release the load bar violently. Just raise the hitch with the jack before releasing the load bars.

You get to build up your arm muscles turning the jack crank instead of straining with the load bar. Of course, if you pump iron regularly, you don't need this method. (I obviously do not pump iron, except tire irons)
Charlie G

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:54 pm

steve remchak wrote:

don't forget the break-away box connection. the wife has pulled away from a trailer with that still attached in the past.

i have a routine also.

hitch closed
break-away cable
safety chains
lights / brakes cable
remove wheel chocks

reverse order when un-hitching.

it helps to be slightly OCD when towing. :oops:

I'll add one more to the "things to remember" lists....

-> check your breakaway battery / functionality often. Mine went bad after ~2 yrs, and unless you actually test it, there's no way to know whether it's working. Replacement batts are ~$12 at Batteries Plus, iirc.

RichardNuss · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 3:38 pm

Dustin Fredrickson wrote:

I'll add one more to the "things to remember" lists....

-> check your breakaway battery / functionality often. Mine went bad after ~2 yrs, and unless you actually test it, there's no way to know whether it's working. Replacement batts are ~$12 at Batteries Plus, iirc.

And check to see if your breakaway battery is being charged when you have your trailer lights connected. Some trailers are set up that way, and some aren't. If you can set it up to keep that battery charged, it will be safer (more likely to be charged if you need it) and last longer.

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:18 pm

RichardNuss wrote:

And check to see if your breakaway battery is being charged when you have your trailer lights connected. Some trailers are set up that way, and some aren't. If you can set it up to keep that battery charged, it will be safer (more likely to be charged if you need it) and last longer.

Uh, I think the trailer *has* to have a charging system for that battery. Usually it's wired from the brake connection, but sometimes it's a solar cell or something. But the catch here is SOME TRUCKS don't supply voltage on the wire that it would use to charge, so you don't get it. IIRC, the difference between the 6 wire plugs and the 7 wire system is that constant voltage line (lots of construction trailers use a smaller six wire plug, most RV applications use the same big 7 wire plug as most of your car trailers).

Just because you have a 7 wire plug doesn't necessarily mean they are all connected properly, so check that.

--Donnie

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:25 pm

Donnie Barnes wrote:

RichardNuss wrote:

And check to see if your breakaway battery is being charged when you have your trailer lights connected. Some trailers are set up that way, and some aren't. If you can set it up to keep that battery charged, it will be safer (more likely to be charged if you need it) and last longer.

Uh, I think the trailer *has* to have a charging system for that battery. Usually it's wired from the brake connection, but sometimes it's a solar cell or something. But the catch here is SOME TRUCKS don't supply voltage on the wire that it would use to charge, so you don't get it. IIRC, the difference between the 6 wire plugs and the 7 wire system is that constant voltage line (lots of construction trailers use a smaller six wire plug, most RV applications use the same big 7 wire plug as most of your car trailers).

Just because you have a 7 wire plug doesn't necessarily mean they are all connected properly, so check that.

--Donnie

Good point. Right or wrong, I know I had to specially request the "charging capability" for that battery on my custom Kraftsman build 4-ish years ago.

RichardNuss · **Posted:** Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:25 pm

Donnie Barnes wrote:

Uh, I think the trailer *has* to have a charging system for that battery.
--Donnie

I would think so too. But mine (built in NC in 2001 and NC "trailer inspected" for the first few years of its life) does not. Just a battery hooked up to the breakaway wiring. No charging. I had one friend's trailer that came with some kind of charge controller built in. Then another friend added the controller after he discovered a dead battery because his wasn't set up to charge. I need to fix mine...

I guess you can either just hook it up to 12V through the trailer plug and assume the truck is going to charge it correctly, or have some kind of charger like this:
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Breakaw ... 20011.html

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

Tire pressures?

So I'm running 35lbs when not towing. Do I add 5 or 10 lbs in the rear tires when towing? Help stiffen the sidewalls maybe?

They look a little loaded down when I get the car loaded and I haven't thrown my stuff in the bed yet.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sat Oct 02, 2010 8:26 pm

Graham Jagger wrote:

Tire pressures?

So I'm running 35lbs when not towing. Do I add 5 or 10 lbs in the rear tires when towing? Help stiffen the sidewalls maybe?

They look a little loaded down when I get the car loaded and I haven't thrown my stuff in the bed yet.

oh hell. forgot about that. what load range are the tires on the rear of that truck? my guess would be C load range. all of my tow vehicles are on E loads. overkill on a 1/2 ton but if you tow enough it is good to have the flexibility. i would add some air, yes.

Jason Tower · **Joined:** Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:31 pm **Posts:** 1173

Graham Jagger wrote:

Tire pressures?

So I'm running 35lbs when not towing. Do I add 5 or 10 lbs in the rear tires when towing? Help stiffen the sidewalls maybe?

They look a little loaded down when I get the car loaded and I haven't thrown my stuff in the bed yet.

wouldn't be a bad idea to upgrade to a higher load rating on your tires if they're not D or E rated. my truck has E tires and with 70 front and 80 psi rear it feels perfect.

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:14 am

[quote="Jason Tower"wouldn't be a bad idea to upgrade to a higher load rating on your tires if they're not D or E rated. my truck has E tires and with 70 front and 80 psi rear it feels perfect.[/quote]

That seems to be overkill for a 1500 series truck. Plus, you will destroy the ride quality.

My 2500HD ran the E rated tires. Anything less, the tire sidewalls would flex from the weight of the truck. I did not even have to have a trailer hooked up.

I am running the Goodyear LS2 20" tires on my 1500 Vortec Max with no problems towing the 24' trailer.

ColinOConnell · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:40 pm

Any issues with a 2003 F350 that has a 7.3l diesel?

steve remchak · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:46 pm

ColinOConnell wrote:

Any issues with a 2003 F350 that has a 7.3l diesel?

none whatsoever as long as you keep the OEM load range when you replace the tires. when do you pick it up Colin?

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Towing, again, for the 397th time... ;-)

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