Dx3 towing

[KRedburn]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I've seen everything at least once, sometimes twice, so no deer in the headlights here.

I have seen that a few times and in all cases it has appeared to be tongue weight related. I have had guys argue up and down that they did not exceed tongue weight.

"I was well under my GCWR".
"OK, what about tongue weight?"
"tongue weight was fine, I'm not even close to a 20,000 lbs trailer"
"OK, so what was the tongue weight?"
"I just remember it was under the rated load"
I then find the CAT scale sticker and the tongue weight was over by 800-1,000 lbs.

I tell people all the time...just level with me on what you are doing. I think people are afraid if they tell the truth, I won't cover it. I need to know the truth, so I know the best way to fix it.

I'm not saying its abusive or that you don't know when you load, but loads shift and maybe the car in the trailer ends up a little further forward one time, or just the right angle and a bad road. (or maybe your trailer is failing, axles sagging, walls bowing in and we have no idea what loads are moving around

What we would do in those cases (same thing that many 5th wheels do from the start today on a bedroom slide in the goose neck) is to make a relief cut along the line, then we epoxy in a T-molding that is about 1" wide, paint that and you barely notice. But it will relieve that stress point if it is overloaded again. The other option if the coach is still under warranty, we would repair the glass, then make a vertical cut on both sides of the slide out...same trim to cover and paint. I've never seen that repair fail and I have never seen it get worse.

Thanks for the response Brian. It was not my intention to point a finger.
I have seen some really strange stuff in vibration testing in a "past life"
You explained your method of repair in the case of a stress break. My only intent was to raise the possibility that a greater issue could be involved and to raise your awareness of a possible greater issue. Maybe I could have expressed it better than the deer in headlight comment.

[FOURWHL]

I'll throw this in too.... it could also be the opposite - one of the many times I've drug the [emoji90] out of the rear end. I could see the upward load on the hitch surpassing 3k quite easily depending on how much of the 20k rear end it ends up carrying.

I can say with certainty my tongue weight is within spec. My weigh safe hitch has me covered there (even if my trailer falls apart)

I do like the idea of a t molding. I dont even care if its black honestly.

Personally I would steer way clear of those dollys. I bought a truck to tow, and tow I shall.

And I prefer to wait until my structural problems reach a more catastrophic level. Theyre easier to diagnose then [emoji38]

[bclemens]

No worries, I take no offence.

We have had them down to bare studs and have seen no structural issues. We did change how some of the studs/framing terminated just in case it was overloaded in the future.

One of the cases in question, he did not tell us he was towing anything so we repaired the glass (he demanded no relief cut). It cracked again. We added a 1/4"x12" aluminum plate at that spot, welded it in with additional framing. It cracked at the outer edge of the 12" plate. That is when we knew we were dealing with something else. We finally called the dealer and found out what it was being used for. Dealer said he tried to tell him what to get but the guy got a great deal and bought exactly what he said NOT to get, a steel double stacker. Dealer estimated 6-7,000 lbs of tongue weight.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by FOURWHL

I'll throw this in too.... it could also be the opposite - one of the many times I've drug the [emoji90] out of the rear end. I could see the upward load on the hitch surpassing 3k quite easily depending on how much of the 20k rear end it ends up carrying.

[emoji38]

I took pictures of one where they said the coach had "delam". lol...I said, no way. When it got here and we sent pics, they admitted they had jack-knifed a trailer (I think I have mentioned this one, it buckled the wall). "It barely jack-knifed". The frame of the trailer punched a hole in the 20k hitch.

[hines5000]

Here is a picture of my weight safe ball with the scale so i know my tongue weight. It is brand new this year. My vintage trailer is brand new this year with only one 700 mile trip behind the DX3. You can also see the wheels that we added to keep the hitch from dragging as talked about on this forum. I got rid of my old Renegade with the 40,000 lbs. hitch because i need more room for the kids. I like the DX3 and hope to have it for the next 5 years. I'm just trying to make sure that I have the best setup possible before I actually use this rig to haul my pro mod. I don't want to be stuck somewhere and have to leave my trailer.
I own my own business so Bclemens I understand that people make up all kinds of stories to put the blame on someone else. If you think the trailer toad would make my setup safer please let me know. My family is in this rig when the pro mod is in the trailer.

[bclemens]

I don't have enough experience with that trailer toad to make a call on that . One thing to make note of is the wheel on the hitch. I understand the purpose, but that "in theory" reduces the clearance. FOURWHL mentioned in the post above the other possibility and that is if the back is bottoming out, then it is creating stresses in the opposite direction.

[FOURWHL]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I don't have enough experience with that trailer toad to make a call on that . One thing to make note of is the wheel on the hitch. I understand the purpose, but that "in theory" reduces the clearance. FOURWHL mentioned in the post above the other possibility and that is if the back is bottoming out, then it is creating stresses in the opposite direction.

Not to mention that load is all transferred through the ball I think [emoji15]

[Orangecrush]

Originally Posted by FOURWHL

One more here with extensive towing. I tow a 12k lbs trailer, probably getting close to 50k miles at this point. I'm perfectly happy with the performance.

I run my tongue weight between 1000 and 1500. I also have the same fiberglass crack under the BH in the main wall. My understanding is there's a frame tie right at that point. I've hit some pretty hard whoops on the highway at 70 mph as well as tons of washboard roads. I can't say I'm terribly surprised. Attachment 243257

Can you take a pic further away so I can see exactly where it is? I’m not exactly sure where the crack is.

If you get in the Charlotte area in your ventures, I know a body shop.

😁
Mark

[FOURWHL]

Originally Posted by Orangecrush

Can you take a pic further away so I can see exactly where it is? I’m not exactly sure where the crack is.

If you get in the Charlotte area in your ventures, I know a body shop.

😁
Mark

If you're looking at the bunkhouse slide, its the bottom right corner of the cutout for the slide

We're headed East, but think we're gonna be further South than Charlotte for some time. Will let ya know if we do head up that way though.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by FOURWHL

If you're looking at the bunkhouse slide, its the bottom right corner of the cutout for the slide

We're headed East, but think we're gonna be further South than Charlotte for some time. Will let ya know if we do head up that way though.

Greg could knock that out pretty quickly next time you're through.

[hines5000]

If I remove the casters then how do I stop the rear from dragging? If I raise the hitch the rear becomes more exposed. My 2015 does not have the angle rear end. I have had the caster hit going into certain pilots for diesel. DX3 is 95% perfect for what I need just don't want to start bending/twisting things up when I tow the trailer.

[FOURWHL]

I don't think you're going to bother the truck any towing with it. I agree the casters are there to protect your body work. May just have to live with the fact that you have a joint there on the BH and allow it to flex.

[Dhall404]

I had same exact crack. I have never towed anything other than my Jeep. also had a crack in rolled edge of front cap.

[johndjmix]

Guys if you need a weigh-safe hitch dont pay full price, msg me!


No matter where you order from, most likely its coming from my warehouse anyways as we are the top distributor for Weigh Safe! Just shipped 10 Pallets of hitches yesterday.


--John

[Orangecrush]

Originally Posted by johndjmix

Guys if you need a weigh-safe hitch dont pay full price, msg me!


No matter where you order from, most likely its coming from my warehouse anyways as we are the top distributor for Weigh Safe! Just shipped 10 Pallets of hitches yesterday.


--John

John,

Please check your inbox. I’m interested in your connectors to tow my Raptor but I also have some other questions.

Thanks,

Mark

[BKUHN]

I have a 19 dx3, and also had a problem with the hitch dragging on my steep driveway.
I had a kit installed that allows me to inflate the air bags with a dash mounted momentary switch. It allows me to raise the back end approximately 4".
I also raised the hitch up approx. 2 1/2", without modifying the body.
Thanks, Brian

[KRedburn]

Originally Posted by BKUHN

I have a 19 dx3, and also had a problem with the hitch dragging on my steep driveway.
I had a kit installed that allows me to inflate the air bags with a dash mounted momentary switch. It allows me to raise the back end approximately 4".
I also raised the hitch up approx. 2 1/2", without modifying the body.
Thanks, Brian

Who made the kit? Part numbers?

need more input

[BKUHN]

I had the kit installed at Force Engineering in Veneta, Oregon. Sorry, I don't have the part numbers.

[MAC D]

Would this be

Source Engineering
25375 Loten Way
Veneta, OR 97487 ??

I may need the extra lift and can't find a Force Engineering on a search.

Thanks

[Orangecrush]

Originally Posted by johndjmix

Guys if you need a weigh-safe hitch dont pay full price, msg me!


No matter where you order from, most likely its coming from my warehouse anyways as we are the top distributor for Weigh Safe! Just shipped 10 Pallets of hitches yesterday.


--John

John,

Just a reminder I still need to talk to you...

Thanks!

Mark