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Old 08-18-2016, 08:07 PM   #1
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Help fix my white knuckles!!!

Sorry for the long post but here it goes....Just purchased a 2017 Salem 27RKSS pulling with a 2015 Nissan Titan with a 9300# towing capacity. I have a brake box installed and am using a Fastway e2 hitch. The dealer set up the hitch and put his "best guy" on it lol. I have experience pulling trailers so I know how they should feel. We took our camper out for the first time and it worked me to death,could not safely go over 50 mph without getting a lot of sway and bounce. My truck weight with me and my wife and a full tank of gas not with the camper was front axle 3320# and rear axle 2700#. Today with camper attached, me and the wife, two fur babies 70# each in the back seat, and maybe 250# of stuff in the bed of the truck with almost all of it in front of the rear axle my weight was front axle 3080# and rear axle 4080#. The trailer axles are 6160# and GVW was 13,320 with is about 1880# below my trucks ability. So my question is if the WDH is set up properly shouldn't the front axle weight increase? With the above weights, after hooking to the camper my front axle weighed 240# less but my rear axle was 1380# heavier. Just wanting to confirm what I think I know before I go back to the dealer to have a um...conversation. Oh, and thanks in advance for you help and input.
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Old 08-18-2016, 08:12 PM   #2
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I'm not a fan of the E2 for trailers of your length and longer.
IMHO, you should have asked the dealer for the more capable 4pt Equal-i-zer.
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Old 08-18-2016, 08:26 PM   #3
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I'm not a fan of the E2 for trailers of your length and longer.
IMHO, you should have asked the dealer for the more capable 4pt Equal-i-zer.

I traded a pop up in and he exchanged the bars from it for this one and did the installation for free. Kind of odd, I asked about buying the equalizer hitch and he told me to not spend the money. Never seen a dealer that didn't want a parts sale.
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Old 08-18-2016, 08:37 PM   #4
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I don't think there is anything expressly wrong with the e2 hitch. I got one as part of the deal when we bought our TT and towed over 4,500 miles in 15 days on our first big trip last year. It performed well but I could not stand the squeaking and squawking in turns and when backing up.

You did not say how it towed when taking it home from the dealer. I suspect that if this is your first camping trip, you have added things (weight) to places in the truck and the TT that were not accounted for when the hitch was set up at the dealer and some adjustments may have to be made.

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Old 08-18-2016, 08:40 PM   #5
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That's a lot of trailer for that truck, way to heavy for a 1/2 ton IMO.
I am assuming you have the king cab if it has the 9300lb towing capacity? (If not it's only 7600lbs)
Does it have LT or P series tires on the Titan? LT tires will help with the sway, along with getting your hitch setup a little better.
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Old 08-18-2016, 08:45 PM   #6
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It didn't tow very well coming home from the dealer. They set it up with all tanks full while doing the PDI. I emptied the tanks and put in very little stuff for this trip, well under 500#. Here is a picture of it, just looks like the front is high, what do y'all think?

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Old 08-18-2016, 08:50 PM   #7
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That Titan has the Pro4x package?
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Old 08-18-2016, 08:52 PM   #8
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That Titan has the Pro4x package?

No, 4x4 with big tow package but not the Pro4x.
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Old 08-18-2016, 08:58 PM   #9
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The front of the truck looks very light in the picture
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:14 PM   #10
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Sorry, you are in 3/4 ton territory with that trailer. A equalizer 4 point will help but the tail will keep waging the dog.
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:19 PM   #11
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Sorry, you are in 3/4 ton territory with that trailer. A equalizer 4 point will help but the tail will keep waging the dog.

I appreciate your input on the 3/4 vs 1/2 truck. But what is your opinion on the hitch set up? Do the numbers I posted above look correct? Does the front end look to high in the picture?
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:29 PM   #12
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Hope this helps. I'm towing 9,000 with 1,200 tung weight and its 2006 Titan.
I use equalizer 4 point. Self modified friction sway , and air bags ... Truck does good, wish I had more but I am content with these mods. Be glad to share more info if you want, let me know...Click image for larger version

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Old 08-18-2016, 09:31 PM   #13
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by your numbers it looks to me like your are not distributing enough weight to the front axle of the truck. not sure of your rear axle capacity but I 4080 is alot on a half to rear end.

i would be concerned about that
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:32 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fastalkintn View Post
I appreciate your input on the 3/4 vs 1/2 truck. But what is your opinion on the hitch set up? Do the numbers I posted above look correct? Does the front end look to high in the picture?
Maybe I'm misunderstanding......but you stated your truck's towing capacity is 9,300 lbs and your tt's GVW is 13,320 lbs. You then stated that made it 1,880 lbs BELOW your trucks capability, which in fact it puts your truck's towing capability UNDER by 4,020 lbs.
Am I missing something?
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:34 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john5646 View Post
Hope this helps. I'm towing 9,000 with 1,200 tung weight and its 2006 Titan.
I use equalizer 4 point. Self modified friction sway , and air bags ... Truck does good, wish I had more but I am content with these mods. Be glad to share more info if you want, let me know...Attachment 117748Attachment 117749Attachment 117750Attachment 117751


That does help! Thanks for the pictures. I'm well under the 80% cushion as far as tow limit and 1800# below CVWR. As far as power goes I had plenty to spare. Your picture reinforced that my hitch isn't set up correctly.
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:35 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by fastalkintn View Post
I appreciate your input on the 3/4 vs 1/2 truck. But what is your opinion on the hitch set up? Do the numbers I posted above look correct? Does the front end look to high in the picture?
I did not see what size bars you had on the E2. It definitely does not seem like you are transferring enough weight back to the front axle. Yes, your front end looks light. Is the E2 heavy enough to match your rig?
Sorry to blast you with the 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton right of the bat, we have had this conversation 100's of times and the answer is always the same. Most 1/2 ton guys read the tow ratings and believe they are under, they then try to add air bags to help the rear end sag, go with LT tires, ect... Soon the Anderson hitch guys will chime in and suggest you spend 2K on a newer hitch and the bottom line is always the same. Short wheelbase, 1/2 ton trucks are not ideal for towing trailers over 25'.
We are here to help you, let us......
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:39 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by grhodes50 View Post
Maybe I'm misunderstanding......but you stated your truck's towing capacity is 9,300 lbs and your tt's GVW is 13,320 lbs. You then stated that made it 1,880 lbs BELOW your trucks capability, which in fact it puts your truck's towing capability UNDER by 4,020 lbs.

Am I missing something?

Maybe I said it wrong. Towing capacity is 9300# for my truck. Combined weight rating (truck and trailer combined) is 15,200. My camper GVWR is 7700# and weighed today together my CVW was 13,320. So that puts me 1600# below tow rating and 1880# below CWR.
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:45 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by fastalkintn View Post
Maybe I said it wrong. Towing capacity is 9300# for my truck. Combined weight rating (truck and trailer combined) is 15,200. My camper GVWR is 7700# and weighed today together my CVW was 13,320. So that puts me 1600# below tow rating and 1880# below CWR.
Okay....gotcha. Sounds like the set up on your hitch needs to be re-done or maybe a different hitch.
Wish I could help you with your hitch set up, but I am not familiar with the Fastway E2 Hitch.
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:45 PM   #19
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I did not see what size bars you had on the E2. It definitely does not seem like you are transferring enough weight back to the front axle. Yes, your front end looks light. Is the E2 heavy enough to match your rig?

Sorry to blast you with the 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton right of the bat, we have had this conversation 100's of times and the answer is always the same. Most 1/2 ton guys read the tow ratings and believe they are under, they then try to add air bags to help the rear end sag, go with LT tires, ect... Soon the Anderson hitch guys will chime in and suggest you spend 2K on a newer hitch and the bottom line is always the same. Short wheelbase, 1/2 ton trucks are not ideal for towing trailers over 25'.

We are here to help you, let us......

I completely understand about the length issue, I discussed that with myself several times before pulling the trigger on this camper. I know I will always have to drive very conservatively with a trailer that long. And I also understand this will not pull like my pop up and I think once I get everything set up that I will be able to safely drive over 50 mph. I was just looking for input to make sure that it isn't set up properly so I don't waste my time tweaking something that isn't going to get better.
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Old 08-18-2016, 09:50 PM   #20
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by your numbers it looks to me like your are not distributing enough weight to the front axle of the truck. not sure of your rear axle capacity but I 4080 is alot on a half to rear end.

i would be concerned about that

My rear axle is actually rated for 4200#. I am closer than I like but I'm thinking if I adjust my WDH that should decrease some. Am I wrong in that thought?
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