blackdogon57
Addicted to ArboristSite
Maybe is missed it above but what type of trailer is this ? How heavy ? how many axels ? Any Pics ?
Towing set ups.
- Thread starter Sandhill Crane
- Start date
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The trailer is an rv trailer, so not really firewood related, except for the truck.
The dually in not a diesel.
It is an 2011, we found last February. I was looking for a one ton, reg. cab, 8' box, but not a dually. The diesels around this year were very high mileage and about the same price as what we found. Did not plan on spending as much as we did, but trucks a few years older were starting to rust up pretty good, and the driver seat in many were shot. Anyway, it is a gas job with a higher geared rear end, which reduces tow rating. 11 mpg empty, 9+ towing.
Trailer is about 4,000 give or take. I read it somewhere. 2005 27' or 28' Trail Cruiser rv. tandem axle that tracks the same as the outside dually.
Tongue weight depends on the water tank being full (30 gallons is all) which is located under the bed up front. Black water is also forward of the axles. But no real clue what the tongue weight is.
Going to a weigh station would be good.
Take the truck and trailer, then weigh truck separate.
That gives axle weight but not tongue weight.
How do I get tongue weight?
It is basically a foam core box on wheels, but nice size for two. One owner, and previously cottage type use more than towing. New tires.
My brother, who is nine years older than me, had a mild heart attack in January. He is good. There is more to the story but that's his business. He is in central California. I also have a sister ten years older in the S.F. Bay Area. I'm sixty four, for perspective. So, a friend is staying at the house, with the dogs, and we are going to take the truck for a drive.
The most towing we have done is maybe two hundred, two hundred fifty miles in Indiana and MI. Mostly flat, with some hills in northern MI. I'd like to get the towing set up as best we can for open windy flatlands and up and down mountains. (Valley mentioned tire chains in another thread for truck and trailer.) We are going to enjoy this so no long days push to get there. Firewood is going to get a late start, although I do have a delivery today.
Below, first photo. Margaret at the Allegan County Fair Grounds Fiber Arts Festival for a week late last summer. Not far from home but her first time solo, dump station and all. She took a girl friend. They took several workshops and had fun camping and meeting others with like interests. She has always been a great mom and inspiring role model for the kids too.
The dually in not a diesel.
It is an 2011, we found last February. I was looking for a one ton, reg. cab, 8' box, but not a dually. The diesels around this year were very high mileage and about the same price as what we found. Did not plan on spending as much as we did, but trucks a few years older were starting to rust up pretty good, and the driver seat in many were shot. Anyway, it is a gas job with a higher geared rear end, which reduces tow rating. 11 mpg empty, 9+ towing.
Trailer is about 4,000 give or take. I read it somewhere. 2005 27' or 28' Trail Cruiser rv. tandem axle that tracks the same as the outside dually.
Tongue weight depends on the water tank being full (30 gallons is all) which is located under the bed up front. Black water is also forward of the axles. But no real clue what the tongue weight is.
Going to a weigh station would be good.
Take the truck and trailer, then weigh truck separate.
That gives axle weight but not tongue weight.
How do I get tongue weight?
It is basically a foam core box on wheels, but nice size for two. One owner, and previously cottage type use more than towing. New tires.
My brother, who is nine years older than me, had a mild heart attack in January. He is good. There is more to the story but that's his business. He is in central California. I also have a sister ten years older in the S.F. Bay Area. I'm sixty four, for perspective. So, a friend is staying at the house, with the dogs, and we are going to take the truck for a drive.
The most towing we have done is maybe two hundred, two hundred fifty miles in Indiana and MI. Mostly flat, with some hills in northern MI. I'd like to get the towing set up as best we can for open windy flatlands and up and down mountains. (Valley mentioned tire chains in another thread for truck and trailer.) We are going to enjoy this so no long days push to get there. Firewood is going to get a late start, although I do have a delivery today.
Below, first photo. Margaret at the Allegan County Fair Grounds Fiber Arts Festival for a week late last summer. Not far from home but her first time solo, dump station and all. She took a girl friend. They took several workshops and had fun camping and meeting others with like interests. She has always been a great mom and inspiring role model for the kids too.
That's why you go to a CAT scale. You get weights on the axles, not just a total weight.
Tongue weight is the difference of rear axle weight with and without the trailer.
sent from a field
Tongue weight is the difference of rear axle weight with and without the trailer.
sent from a field
Beetlejuice
Addicted to ArboristSite
What a nice setup.. Wouldn't take long for me to have the truck bed buckled on one side and listing to starboard. Typical for a woodpecker like me.. Cheers. K
Aaron Mathewson
ArboristSite Lurker
If you have a standard Reese style class 3 hitch with a 2” hole, then the rated weight it can take is about 5-600 lb. That’s the way it’s designed.
But you can get a class 4 or 5 hitch that will handle up to 1200 lb. tongue weight, and still have a 2” hole.
If it’s got a 2&1/2” hole it probably is a class 5 or higher and has at least a 1200 lb. tongue weight rating.
*Most* trailers are built so that about 10-15% of the trailer weight will be on the tongue, though depending on how you load it it could be more. So if your trailer weighs about 4000 empty, then it should have about 4-600 on the tongue.
That’s already pushing the limit of the class 3 hitch, and where a weight distribution hitch comes in. Watch some YouTube videos on setting it up, and that will help. You will also want to use the anti-sway bar, if it’s to loose it won’t do much of anything and your vehicular can feel “floaty”. If it’s to tight or doesn’t have enough lube(yes a little dry lube helps), it will make noise with the typical clamp style and can be hard to back up. Properly set though, it’ll tow great and the only thing you’ll notice is the extra weight and/or wind resistance.
P.S. Don’t forget your corners when turning! Some trailers track worse than a semi in a turn!
But you can get a class 4 or 5 hitch that will handle up to 1200 lb. tongue weight, and still have a 2” hole.
If it’s got a 2&1/2” hole it probably is a class 5 or higher and has at least a 1200 lb. tongue weight rating.
*Most* trailers are built so that about 10-15% of the trailer weight will be on the tongue, though depending on how you load it it could be more. So if your trailer weighs about 4000 empty, then it should have about 4-600 on the tongue.
That’s already pushing the limit of the class 3 hitch, and where a weight distribution hitch comes in. Watch some YouTube videos on setting it up, and that will help. You will also want to use the anti-sway bar, if it’s to loose it won’t do much of anything and your vehicular can feel “floaty”. If it’s to tight or doesn’t have enough lube(yes a little dry lube helps), it will make noise with the typical clamp style and can be hard to back up. Properly set though, it’ll tow great and the only thing you’ll notice is the extra weight and/or wind resistance.
P.S. Don’t forget your corners when turning! Some trailers track worse than a semi in a turn!
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Being it's a 2.5" receuver, it's likely a class V hitch.
I did rip a hitch off a truck once. Put 9 yards of topsoil on my trailer.
Counter lady said it was 1000lbs a yard, well, later would out it was more like 2200lbs a yard!
So had 2000+lbs tongue weight on a ****** class 3 hitch.
I've towed plenty of equipment like skid steers, mini excavators, a backhoe once, trucks, cars, etc.
Trailer weighing in the 8k-20k area. I've never used weight bars, never felt I needed them.
If I was pulling the camper,
I did rip a hitch off a truck once. Put 9 yards of topsoil on my trailer.
Counter lady said it was 1000lbs a yard, well, later would out it was more like 2200lbs a yard!
So had 2000+lbs tongue weight on a ****** class 3 hitch.
I've towed plenty of equipment like skid steers, mini excavators, a backhoe once, trucks, cars, etc.
Trailer weighing in the 8k-20k area. I've never used weight bars, never felt I needed them.
If I was pulling the camper,
Nick Kent
ArboristSite Member
If you’ve got the duality and the Trailer only weighs 4K then you really just need the wd setup to get the anti sway control. I have a Reese dual cam sway control on my tool trailer. It’s a short trailer with plenty of tongue weight so no real sway issues anyway. But to get food sway control, you’ll likely have to buy a white or new setup. What you have, doesn’t offer great sway control.
Thanks guys...
Once we get loaded first stop will be the scales to see what the numbers are, although the trailer tanks will likely be dry.
May scale it with and without the spring bars just to see the difference.
I suppose with the water tank full, and plus loaded up we might add 1,000 lbs. max. overall. Any heavier stuff, like a small floor jack in a case, will be up front in the truck box in tubs under a tonneau cover and not pack ratted in the trailer. Traveling pretty light with just two.
Once we get loaded first stop will be the scales to see what the numbers are, although the trailer tanks will likely be dry.
May scale it with and without the spring bars just to see the difference.
I suppose with the water tank full, and plus loaded up we might add 1,000 lbs. max. overall. Any heavier stuff, like a small floor jack in a case, will be up front in the truck box in tubs under a tonneau cover and not pack ratted in the trailer. Traveling pretty light with just two.
mijdirtyjeep
ArboristSite Operative
Have you tried pulling it with a full tank of fresh water?
I have a couple of friends campers that I put on their seasonal lots for them that have the fresh water tank under the front queen beds. Both of them tow much better with the fresh water tank full. You wouldn’t think 240lbs would make much difference, but on those two campers it does.
I have a couple of friends campers that I put on their seasonal lots for them that have the fresh water tank under the front queen beds. Both of them tow much better with the fresh water tank full. You wouldn’t think 240lbs would make much difference, but on those two campers it does.
Nick Kent
ArboristSite Member
I’d fill all the tanks with fresh water, even the black water tank and weigh it as heavily as you can.
I have an 2 1/2” hitch on my truck that is rated at 2k tongue weight and 18k Trailer. I still use my wd bars on my equipment Trailer when towing highway. The truck and trailer air nice and level without the bars, but I will use the tilt feature on the ball to adjust the tension on the bars. I doubt you will need much bar tension with a dually. You need some tension for the bars to really steady things out, but you aren’t going to have saggy ass syndrome.
I have an 2 1/2” hitch on my truck that is rated at 2k tongue weight and 18k Trailer. I still use my wd bars on my equipment Trailer when towing highway. The truck and trailer air nice and level without the bars, but I will use the tilt feature on the ball to adjust the tension on the bars. I doubt you will need much bar tension with a dually. You need some tension for the bars to really steady things out, but you aren’t going to have saggy ass syndrome.
We have always towed it with full fresh water and sometimes half to two thirds black water. Temps are to low to flush and fill yet. Tank not so much, but traps, hot water, and 12 volt pump. I'll put a water bottle in it tonight and see what happens.
Cleaned and adjusted the hitch, greased spring bar pockets, but have not hooked it up yet to see where the spring bars are pointed.
I need an bigger wrench for the ball. 1 7/8".
Edit 1 7/8" across the nut, not the ball size. 2 5/16 ball.
Cleaned and adjusted the hitch, greased spring bar pockets, but have not hooked it up yet to see where the spring bars are pointed.
I need an bigger wrench for the ball. 1 7/8".
Edit 1 7/8" across the nut, not the ball size. 2 5/16 ball.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Hmm , not sure what happened, but it royalty goofed what I had meant to post! Can't edit it for some reason?
Should be:
Being it's a 2.5" receiver, it's likely a class V hitch.
I did rip a hitch off a truck once. Put 9 yards of topsoil on my trailer.
Counter lady said it was 1000lbs a yard, well, later found out it was more like 2200lbs a yard!
So had 2000+lbs tongue weight on a ****** class 3 hitch.
Didn't realize anything was wrong until I was backing in my driveway and the bottom of the ball mount was rubbing the ground. Got out to check and the hitch was only held by the last 2 bolts toward the front of the truck, all the other tabs had broken off!
I've towed plenty of equipment like skid steers, mini excavators, a backhoe once, trucks, cars, etc.
Trailer weighing in the 8k-20k area. I've never used weight bars, never felt I needed them.
If I was pulling the camper, I'd give it a try without the bars. I've only seen them on undersized trucks or with huge trailers.
Should be:
Being it's a 2.5" receiver, it's likely a class V hitch.
I did rip a hitch off a truck once. Put 9 yards of topsoil on my trailer.
Counter lady said it was 1000lbs a yard, well, later found out it was more like 2200lbs a yard!
So had 2000+lbs tongue weight on a ****** class 3 hitch.
Didn't realize anything was wrong until I was backing in my driveway and the bottom of the ball mount was rubbing the ground. Got out to check and the hitch was only held by the last 2 bolts toward the front of the truck, all the other tabs had broken off!
I've towed plenty of equipment like skid steers, mini excavators, a backhoe once, trucks, cars, etc.
Trailer weighing in the 8k-20k area. I've never used weight bars, never felt I needed them.
If I was pulling the camper, I'd give it a try without the bars. I've only seen them on undersized trucks or with huge trailers.
A one ton seems like a big truck, but not really. Been using a 5500 flatbed for firewood for several years now. When pulling a pop-up with a mini van we saw a lot of undersized/overloaded trucks towing rv's and did not want to make that mistake, and then have her driving white knuckle. It will obviously not pull like a diesel, but so far feels solid when driving and braking, with or without the WD hitch. Hitch rating: 
I use air bags and an Equalizer brand WDH
Truck is a 98 ram Cummins 3/4 ton.
Camper is 05 forest river Salem 30' double slide.
WDH set up now with bags at 50psi I have 3/8" sag on the front and 1/2" sag on the rear. I also have a leveling kit on the truck and as measured at the fenders it only sags in the rear 1/8" different from the front. I also haul my firewood and large cooler in the back.
Truck is a 98 ram Cummins 3/4 ton.
Camper is 05 forest river Salem 30' double slide.
WDH set up now with bags at 50psi I have 3/8" sag on the front and 1/2" sag on the rear. I also have a leveling kit on the truck and as measured at the fenders it only sags in the rear 1/8" different from the front. I also haul my firewood and large cooler in the back.
If it is a bumper tow, sounds like the perfect set-up with weight front and rear, and with 3/4 ton, tires and brakes are all heavier duty.
Gusting winds today and an extended cold front across the country. Couple more things to do yet. Bought a ball wrench. $30. and longer than my beard. Good thing too, as it took almost 3/4 turn to snug it up. Didn't feel loose but the split washer was not flat. Next thing on the list is an oil change. Then pick up the dead limbs in the drive.
Gusting winds today and an extended cold front across the country. Couple more things to do yet. Bought a ball wrench. $30. and longer than my beard. Good thing too, as it took almost 3/4 turn to snug it up. Didn't feel loose but the split washer was not flat. Next thing on the list is an oil change. Then pick up the dead limbs in the drive.
