tow talk

[SolarAndWood]

What's the deal with receiver ratings that are significantly lower than vehicle tow ratings? My newly former truck with a downsloping receiver reads 5000/12000 on a truck with a bumper rating of 9600. Receiver on the new to me truck reads 7500/12000 and the truck has a bumper rating of 12K. Is the solution to go out and find a receiver rated for 12K that doesn't require a weight distributing hitch?

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Not sure I understand the question, but there's two ratings - tongue weight and total tow weight - which would be the 5000/12,000, no?

 

[SolarAndWood]

They have tongue ratings as well. Old truck is 600/1500 with weight distributing hitch...new is 1000/1500 with weight distributing hitch.

This is the etrailer description of weight distributing hitches: http://www.etrailer.com/faq-weightdistribution.aspx

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hmmmm. . . Bigg_Redd is out of his reckoning

 

[SolarAndWood]

Looks like I need to remove the factory receiver and install something like this?

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Chevrolet/Silverado/2004/C15321.html?vehicleid=200414103

Starting to realize why my old receiver has a downward slope

 

[fossil]

In my experience, the people at etrailer are experts and will work with you from start to finish to get you from where you are to where you want to be. I'd start up a convo with the tech support folks there. Rick

 

[MasterMech]

Is the solution to go out and find a receiver rated for 12K that doesn't require a weight distributing hitch?​

That's the first Class V receiver I've seen with a 2" receiver, Most are 2.5". I really like that receiver and I should upgrade the wimpy Class IV on my big truck..... (I don't exceed it's capacity, yet )

If you routinely get north of 7000lbs while towing, the WD setup isn't a bad idea at all. Handling of the tow vehicle improves dramatically IME. It's an extra expense for sure but it's a one-time hurt per trailer.

"Bumper Rating" means you are excluding 5th wheel/gooseneck tow capacity?

+1 on eTrailer being a 1st class operation.

http://www.etrailer.com

 

[mustash29]

I bought this hitch for pulling my 14 K GVW 16' trailer when the Jeep is on it. I installed a 25 Klb rated forged ball from tractor supply.

http://www.harborfreight.com/10000-lb-capacity-weight-distributing-hitch-system-67649.html

I have only used the basic hitch for pulling the trailer empty or with about 4500 lb of wood on it, have not needed to take the Jeep anywhere yet and have not installed the mounts for the spring bars.

It seems like a decent quality hitch though, it's all solid steel, good looking welds, decent powdercoat.

 

[mustash29]

I have a few friends who tow large off road play rigs, several of them have mentioned the stock GM hitch is a bit cheesy, they have a tendancy to bend downward even when used with a WD hitch setup.

 

[clemsonfor]

Are you talking about the tiny little box thing you bolt to the bumper to make a class 3 or whatever 2" receiver?? What does the bumper rating have anything to do with a hitch? I guess cause the frame has something to do with it, although the frame would be the same unless your talking about 1/2 and 3/4 tons?

The hitch is bolted to the frame???

 

[SolarAndWood]

What does the bumper rating have anything to do with a hitch?

I was talking bumper tow rating as opposed to 5th wheel. Seems lame to me to buy a truck with the factory tow package and have the receiver have half the rating of the truck.

 

[clemsonfor]

OK. Does see crazy. But that much weight out back just leverages the truck and makes it handle like junk. As u know the gn sits in the bed over axle but where more weight goes forward as well.

 

[swagler85]

Forget the mule load the wagon

 

[MasterMech]

OK. Does see crazy. But that much weight out back just leverages the truck and makes it handle like junk. As u know the gn sits in the bed over axle but where more weight goes forward as well.

I would want a gooseneck trailer to tow jet skis if they made such a critter. Ok, not really, but the handling differences are amazing.

A weight distributing setup actually throws weight forward to the front axle. It's not a 5th wheel/gooseneck but its as good as it gets towing off a rear receiver with a SUV/pickup.

 

[clemsonfor]

a friend of mines husband is a ferrier. U know they shoe horses. His work trailer is like a 12 long GN trailer. Its a tandem axle too. It just looks funny behind his duelly.

 

[Highbeam]

I know what you're talking about. My F350 had an OEM hitch that required WDH if I went over something silly like 5000 lbs. I like WDH and use it on my 30 foot RV trailer but not on my equipment trailer. I also decided that if this receiver is so weak that it needs WDH just to be able to tow the truck's rated tow weight then it is probably near its limits.

I replaced the perfectly good OEM receiver with a curt like this.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/F-250 and F-350 Super Duty/2000/14041.html?vehicleid=20009243

It is a 2" receiver that even without a WDH can tow more than what the truck is rated for. It still works well with a WDH but I can also throw non-WDH loads on and not worry about it. Checked last night and the receiver is rated for 17000 with wdh and 16000 without. Truck is only rated to tow 10,000. The receiver is not the weakest link. They call it a class V.

Now the next challenge is finding actual hitches (the stinger part) and balls rated for 10,000#. Balls seem easier but the hitches are lots of money.

 

[clemsonfor]

Cause there solid metal. Look at agrisupply.com they sell them for a fair price as anywhere.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Now the next challenge is finding actual hitches (the stinger part) and balls rated for 10,000#. Balls seem easier but the hitches are lots of money.

Check the local OTR shops. I got my adjustable height combo 2 5/16 & pintle hook rated for 12K a lot cheaper than online even before shipping.

I like how the goosenecks tow too. But, the truck is the family station wagon before it is a tow vehicle.

 

[Highbeam]

Check the local OTR shops. I got my adjustable height combo 2 5/16 & pintle hook rated for 12K a lot cheaper than online even before shipping.

I like how the goosenecks tow too. But, the truck is the family station wagon before it is a tow vehicle.

Goosenecks and 5th wheels suck at making corners. The trailers cut the corner badly and I've seen too many go into ditches. Not to mention backing them up requires a much wider road when making corrections. I'm a devoted bumper pull type guy since I live in a place with narrow roads, ditches, and trees.

 

[MasterMech]

Goosenecks and 5th wheels suck at making corners. The trailers cut the corner badly and I've seen too many go into ditches. Not to mention backing them up requires a much wider road when making corrections. I'm a devoted bumper pull type guy since I live in a place with narrow roads, ditches, and trees.

Where I grew up is the New England-ish part of NYS, about 10 minutes from the CT line. We have those narrow roads ditches and trees too. And I learned to maneuver 20-28ft gooseneck stock trailers through the maze. Never had any trouble but you're right about them needing a wider area to make corners in reverse. But they tend to be more stable and wander off course less while backing too.

 

[Highbeam]

Where I grew up is the New England-ish part of NYS, about 10 minutes from the CT line. We have those narrow roads ditches and trees too. And I learned to maneuver 20-28ft gooseneck stock trailers through the maze. Never had any trouble but you're right about them needing a wider area to make corners in reverse. But they tend to be more stable and wander off course less while backing too.

This is one of those debates (BP vs. GN) that is really about preference. There is no right answer. People seem to really like the way that 5th wheels roll down the road and it is pretty cool that you can turn past 90 degrees with them.

 

[MasterMech]

This is one of those debates (BP vs. GN) that is really about preference. There is no right answer. People seem to really like the way that 5th wheels roll down the road and it is pretty cool that you can turn past 90 degrees with them.

Absoulutely. Right tool for the job kind of thing.

(broken image removed)

LOVE this picture. (from a Colorado/Canyon forum)

 

[mustash29]

That's a pretty cool little setup.

 

[MasterMech]

That's a pretty cool little setup.

Don't see that one every day now do ya?

 

[mustash29]

There was a canadian guy from my 4x4 forum that picked up a nice used older 5th wheel that he was pulling with his S-10 ZR2. He was happy with the rig.

pg 3 has the pics: http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=17695