HydrogenCyanide
Fort Erie
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I have a 2017 3.5L Ecoboost. Per the door sticker, its payload is 1670 pounds. I have always used a Equalizer hitch
Prior to this past summer I had a 2014 28RBS Cougar that had Dry Weight of 6700 pounds and a hitch weight of 955 pounds. This combination towed perfectly. Close to 6000 miles without an issue.
This summer we purchased a 2020 Sporttrek Touring312VBH. Dry Weight of 7800 pounds and hitch weight of 1,020 pounds. Using same tow vehicle and same hitch.
The experience towing between the two is night and day difference. The dealer re-setup the hitch but that may be where my issue is. Nothing to do with power, I just feel much less stable and feel the trailer tossing me all of the road.
Could it be the hitch? Would I be better of going to an Anderson? Could the hitch just need further adjustments? Is this relatively minor increase in trailer size enough to warrant me needing a larger tow vehicle?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Marc
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enblethen
Moses Lake, WA
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Joined: 01/05/2005
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Yes, it could be hitch or truck setup.
What is make and model of hitch?
Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow
2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker
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bgum
South Louisiana
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It is most likely you have exceeded the capacity of the tow vehicle.
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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bgum wrote:It is most likely you have exceeded the capacity of the tow vehicle.
Could be a combination:
- How many people and what cargo is in the truck?
- How is the hitch set up.
Since you have the rig already, next time out (fully loaded ready for camping), swing by a CAT scale and get the real weights. Take the time to get 3 weights:
- Hitched with the WDH connected.
- Hitched with the WDH disconnected.
- Unhitched just the truck.
The compare that to the weight ratings to see where you really stand.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
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enblethen
Moses Lake, WA
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Another thing to check is tire pressures. Close to gross vehicle comnination would need tires maxed out on air.
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naturist
Lynchburg, VA
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enblethen wrote:Another thing to check is tire pressures. Close to gross vehicle comnination would need tires maxed out on air.
X2
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wowens79
Georgia
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Not sure about the equalizer hitch, but my Blue Ox has different spring bars for different tongue weights. Could you need to change those out??
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD 6.0l 241k miles and climbing
2016 Heritage Glen 29BH
2003 Flagstaff 228D Pop Up
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learntorv
Fulltimer
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valhalla360 wrote:Since you have the rig already, next time out (fully loaded ready for camping), swing by a CAT scale and get the real weights. Take the time to get 3 weights:
- Hitched with the WDH connected.
- Hitched with the WDH disconnected.
- Unhitched just the truck.
The compare that to the weight ratings to see where you really stand.
For HydrogenCyanide, here's a write-up about getting these 3 weights and what to compare them against from a ratings perspective:
https://learntorv.com/weigh-rv/
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Lwiddis
Near Bishop, California
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X3. Truck tire pressure....should be max.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AMP Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
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KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
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It could be that the new trailer does not have enough tongue weight. Less likely but still possible is too much tongue weight. Have you actually weighed it? Dry and brochure weights are meaningless, you need to go to a truck scale.
If your dry weight is 7,800 you are likely pushing 9,000 fully loaded. If your tongue weight percentage stays the same that will be nearly 1,200 pounds on the tongue leaving you with only about 500 pounds for passengers and whatever else you put in the truck.
You may need more air in your tires on both the truck and possible the trailer; have you checked the air pressure?
Do you now have more weight in the cab or bed of the truck then you did before? More people, loaded tool box, generator, firewood, etc?
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