Safe towing?

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Chap, remember that the WD does NOT reduce the tongue weight. The forces on the hitch ball never change. The weight gets distributed from the rear AXLE to the front and trailer axles; that is all.

If his tongue weight is over the limit, a WD hitch will not change that.

Lou, I understand that the tongue weight does not change. But with using a a WDH to take the weight off of the rear TV axle, and put some of the weight on the front axle, it also transfers some of that weight back to the trailer axles. In my case, 140 lbs. is taken from my truck weight and thrown back on the trailer axles. That much allows me to take the missus along with me without exceeding my truck GVWR......she gets mad when i leave her behind.

Just kidding about my truck GVWR.....I aint' quite that close.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

Lou, I understand that the tongue weight does not change. But with using a a WDH to take the weight off of the rear TV axle, and put some of the weight on the front axle, it also transfers some of that weight back to the trailer axles. In my case, 140 lbs. is taken from my truck weight and thrown back on the trailer axles. That much allows me to take the missus along with me without exceeding my truck GVWR......she gets mad when i leave her behind.

Just kidding about my truck GVWR.....I aint' quite that close.

You are correct. The issue I was trying to address was hitch weight not truck GVWR. You can take her along for sure

The WD hitch uses leverage on the ball to redistribute that weight. The ball and receiver actually "sees" the load even if the trucks wheels are not tasked to carry all of it. I hope that explains it better.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Barney1

I haven't been to the scales yet because I don't even have possession of the TT yet. It is at FR getting the leaky bunk-ends fixed. It has never even been hooked up to my TV yet.

Barney, i own the similar-sized 23SS and i pull mine with a smaller engine, the 5.3 with a 3.73 rear end.
and i tow over the Sierras, Cascades and Siskiyous with no problems.
so you should have no issues pulling the 233S with that Hemi!
unless you throw a 4-wheel ATV in the bed!

[Bandit7]

Ok, now I'm a little worried if I should get this TT

I want "US" to be safe

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

Ok, now I'm a little worried if I should get this TT

I want "US" to be safe

Bandit, you should be "safe" for sure. With careful loading you should be able to keep your tongue weight under 800 pounds. That should leave you plenty of leeway in the truck itself.

Might take a trip or two to the scales to fine tune everything, but as to "safe"; you and your driving habits are 90% of THAT equation.

Use due care and you should be just fine.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

Ok, now I'm a little worried if I should get this TT

I want "US" to be safe

Bandit,
You had a lot of good thoughts and recommendations in the replies to your first post.

Of course, you are ultimately responsible for your safety and (if I were you) I would use those weight calculators that Lou posted awhile back. I think you are good to go but the calculators allow you to personalize the equation for your own situation.

As mentioned, how much your cargo weighs and your loading will make a big difference

[Catman86]

We recently bought a Sabre 31CKTS. Will we be fine using a 2012 Silverado 2500 HD Diesel to pull this?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Catman86

We recently bought a Sabre 31CKTS. Will we be fine using a 2012 Silverado 2500 HD Diesel to pull this?

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ton-21557.html

Will show you how you can do the math by yourself. It is not difficult.
My guess is you will not be happy with your results.

Sabre 31CKTS Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer by Palomino

UVW 9,644 lbs.
Hitch Weight 2,020 lbs.
Axle Weight 7,624 lbs.
Cargo Capacity 4,376 lbs.
Exterior Length 35' 0"

[hatstomper]

As Herk says 3 times. Scale it, scale it, scale it.

[Bandit7]

I purchased the TT this weekend & bringing it home on Interstate 70 a lot of sway, it was quite windy though? Would it help if I added a second friction sway bar?


My TV is a 2009 Supercab XLT
Wheelbase 145"
4.6 3v EFI V8 6-SPD
3.55 Ratio Reg Axle Trailer Tow package

Looking at Rockwood Ultra Lite 27033ss
Length 31'11"
Hitch weight 594 lbs
Dry weight 6,048 lbs
Gross weight 7,474 lbs

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

I purchased the TT this weekend & bringing it home on Interstate 70 a lot of sway, it was quite windy though? Would it help if I added a second friction sway bar?


My TV is a 2009 F150 4x4 Supercab XLT
Wheelbase 145"
4.6 3v EFI V8 6-SPD
3.55 Ratio Reg Axle Trailer Tow package

Looking at Rockwood Ultra Lite 27033ss
Length 31'11"
Hitch weight 594 lbs
Dry weight 6,048 lbs
Gross weight 7,474 lbs

You did not mention what kind of hitch you have now.
I also think you might be overloaded.
Without a 3 times weigh there is no way to be certain.
1) Truck loaded for camping with family - by itself
2) Same EXACT truck above connected to camper but any WD bars in truck bed.
3) Same EXACT truck above connected to camper with WD hitch bars installed.

[Triguy]

Two sway bars for your setup would be wise.

Or, even a different WDH.

What is the weight distribution hitch you are using now?

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

I purchased the TT this weekend & bringing it home on Interstate 70 a lot of sway, it was quite windy though? Would it help if I added a second friction sway bar?


My TV is a 2009 Supercab XLT
Wheelbase 145"
4.6 3v EFI V8 6-SPD
3.55 Ratio Reg Axle Trailer Tow package

Looking at Rockwood Ultra Lite 27033ss
Length 31'11"
Hitch weight 594 lbs
Dry weight 6,048 lbs
Gross weight 7,474 lbs

By questioning whether you should add a 2nd sway bar, I would presume that you did not get a WDH with integrated sway control ?? That would be the best bet for that long of a trailer. A Reese Straight Line Dual Cam, Equal-i-zer 4 Pt., or Blue Ox Sway Pro would be good choices, or if you have the big bucks a Hensley or Pro-Pride would be ideal. I looked back through the posts here, and surprising enough there was little mention of WDH and sway control.

Adding a 2nd friction sway bar might help. But as I indicated in my post #18, that trailer has a really lite tongue weight compared to the total trailer weight (under 8%), at least indicated by empty weights at the Forest River site. Usually, the total trailer weights after adding options are about 400 lbs. more than the listed weights, but of course the tongue will come up some also after adding a battery and propane.

Ideally, that tongue weight should be over 12% (or at least 10%) of the total trailer weight to make that puppy tow without a lot of sway. You are going to have to really load that puppy front heavy to make it tow good. It looks like much of the storage (front pass through, wardrobes, under bed storage, etc.). The pantry and fridge appear to be over the wheels, so that is OK. Might want to keep store only lite things in the rear cabinets and pass throughs.

[Bandit7]

Reese
GTW 12,000
TW 1200

[OldCoot]

Cheapest way to help is tighten the sway control more and add another one on the opposite side and KEEP THEM TIGHT. They should make noise when making turns, but that is just letting you know they are working.

We've pulled racecar trailers/campers etc since 76 and found the second sway bar helps tremendously if they are kept tight. They are just a horizontal brake and use brake pad material on both sides of the sliding bar. Also, found a very light sanding with a disc sander on the sliding bar on the sway bars helps when they get glazed, which they will.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

Reese
GTW 12,000
TW 1200

There are 3 types of Reese Hitches:

The standard spring bars (either round or trunnion) and chains. There is no integrated sway control with that system........friction sway control bars are needed

The Pro Series SC with built it sway control.....that works on the same principal as the Progressive E2s.

The Straight Line Dual Cam HP. That system is considered top of the line for Reese. The dual cams can be added to the standard spring bar system, if those spring bars have "crooks" on the ends.

A photo of your system would be good.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

Reese
GTW 12,000
TW 1200

I agree with Chap that the Dual Cam, Equal-i-zer or Blue Ox are better choices than a standard friction.

With regards to his third choice mentioned above, you "might" be able to add the Dual Cam HP sway control onto your exiting setup. I believe that this can be added to an exisitng Reese as long as your existing spring bars have the cam end and the weight distribution is the type that uses chains. You need to speak with Reese first to make sure but it would be less expensive for you than buying a new hitch.

If not, I think a WDH with integrated sway will work better for your setup.

[Bandit7]

I have the Reese standard hitch with tunnion bars and 1 sway bar

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Bandit7

I have the Reese standard hitch with tunnion bars and 1 sway bar

Since you already have that setup, then adding a 2nd friction sway bar would probably be the cheapest way to go, and may correct some of the sway.

It would be good to get to the scales and get initial weights, although doing a weigh-in camping ready is probably more important. . Weighing your truck alone, then with the trailer, both with and without the spring bars in place will give you all sorts of information. You can see if you indeed do have a lite tongue weight, as well as if the WDH is setup correctly.....that is getting most of the lost front axle weight back to the front axle.

Ideally, it would also be good to get your weights when you have everything loaded for camping. You can see how loading the camper will affect the tongue weight, and making sure that you are not over any or your axle capacities, as well as the gross weights and combined gross weight.

I stopped by the local quarry before loading my camper just to get some comparisons. Come to find out, the dealer setup had only added 60 lbs. back to my front axle out of the 280 lbs. lost when the trailer was hooked up. Needless to say, I have adjusted the WDH significantly since then.

[Bandit7]

Thanx everyone