Dave...I had your issues when I pulled my heavy car trailer made of diamond plate with a single cab short bed truck...wheelbase was too short. Anything over 50mph and I was scared to death...then I bought a crew cab 2500 and never had the issue again.. I don't know why your long van should be having issues ...depending on your weight of trailer....

 

RC thanks again for coming up and for the hand with the Bronco. Was great to talk trucks and hang out, wish the rain help off more. At least we were not in the JY when it let loose.

Unk Bob, RC has you a dash already pulled and I have a good blue dash pad. You will need to come up with Tim and pull it though.

John T I have a few extra 78/79 grill inserts setting around that are almost free. Does he need head light bezels also?

 

Home safe and sound. We abandoned the interstate as soon as we made Rolla and went the backroads where no one cared if you went 50 mph.

Not sure what my next step is, but I'm going to stop by the van section and see how others control the sway from a large trailer before making any decisions.

Jeff - while wheelbase helps, the greater distance between the center of the rear axle to the hitch pivot gives the trailer more leverage on a van than on a truck. Combine that with a high profile vehicle towing a high profile trailer with cross winds and the problem gets even more complicated.

While I had the hitch set up right, I could help but feel as though I couldn't get enough weight transferred to the front to keep the front end from feeling loose. I may have to do a lot more research on setting up a WD hitch to see where my set-up has gone awry.

 

good evening all.. made it back from rich's safe and sound, mostly ha ha ha .. got pulled over by the fuzz they thought i had expired plates. i guess i did in a way, i still had the stickers stapled to the registration.. then he asked me the year of my truck and i was off by a year so he had to run my info.. luckily my papers were all in order so they didnt haul me to the internment camp....

other than that had fun today just standing around watching rich work.... talking trucks and the such.. i even had a fish dinner in the middle of the day...

 

Discoveries so far...

First, my current hitch is probably not set up correctly which is why I can't get the weight transfer right. It was from the dealer I got the first camper from and never received installation paperwork to reference so figuring it out is going to be hit and miss.

Second, the friction system I currently have is great for lightweight models but not so much for the heavier units. I suspected this when I got it, but was hoping it would be enough to get us home - which it was.

We're upgrading to a dedicated weight distributing/sway control hitch and I have a couple of units that I'm looking at...

Reese Stedi-Flex WD system w/ sway control


or

Curt TruTrack WD system w/ sway control


Once I get the new system figured out, I'll sell the old system and recoup some of the cost.

 

good morning missouri.. creeks sure are flowing.. but not quite high enough that i have i have good excuse not to go to work... but who needs excuses.....

i would sure like to see that blue bronco roll out of the shop this week so i may just have to go do some work anyway..

 

Morning folks, glad I did not have to come bail you out RC. Thanks again for coming up and the help with the Bronco.

Dave Sounds like some work ahead of you but "means to an end" so hang on there. How is your dad, home and settled?

Going to be a busy weekend here rain or shine. Craigslist run, daughter and son in law visiting, Horsefest, rodeo this evening with the grandson riding.

So I have tons of excuses on why I can' get in the shop and work on ol red.

 

Good Morning Everybody!

I also have a dash, cluster, good non A/C bezel, and '79 grill insert.

This week has been slow getting stuff done. My back has been VERY upset with me lately. I'm getting stuff done, but only little by little. I decided to get the job in the shop right now out, then focus solely on getting everything ready for the crush. I have ten spreader bars to make, the truck to finish and more cars to get. It's gonna b e close.

 

Hello Alan, you hang in there too with the back issues. April 10-14 I will try to get a day or afternoon off work to come down and lend a hand hauling cars. What day is the best for you or what day are you planning all that?

If by chance this guy does not like that one I have, any way I can get that one from you?

 

Rich - Dad's home, settled, and doing pretty good considering. Mom was very impressed with Phelps County Memorial Hospital. They took great care of Dad and didn't seem to dawdle around about getting things done. They've also set up for their home health care and occupational therapists to start coming out here to check up on him and hopefully strengthen him up a little to help make moving around easier for him.

As for the work ahead - I'm focusing on improving the stability of the trailer first and then modifications to the van. I'm still a little under the limits for current set-up so it's not like I'm overweight or anything. I'll be making some measurements soon to see if my current hitch set-up is close to what is recommended for similar hitches of this style.

 

Rich. Yeah. If you come down to help, I can just give you whatever you need then. ...or if you want to make a special trip, that's fine, too. As far as moving everything goes, I told the scrap metal place I would need to start moving cars on the 8th. I plan on having Mongo hauling, so that's two or three cars at a time, and my buddy is gonna help out with his car trailer. Hopefully, I'll only have 20 or 25 cars to move by then, because I keep getting them in as I can.

Dave. Does the van have a rear sway bar? Maybe you need a beefier one?

 

dave i dont know a lot about equalizer hitches.. the few (cheap) ones i have used would usually adjust until you just about pick the trucks rear tires off the ground (maybe a little exaggerated).. i towed a big camper trailer with my 73 f100 swb from california to louisana at speed limits + with no problems

 

Dave maybe an add-a leaf/overloads or air bags on the rear would help stability?

Alan I will try to get there on the 8th.

 

alan i am planing on making it up there on the 8th also.. was thinking of bringing the flat-bump so i can help move a car or two if that would help

 

I don't think suspension is the problem as much as incorrect hitch set-up or possibly Chinese steel fatigue in the lift arms. I need to get the van out to a level surface to see what the current ball height is at and compare that to the trailers.

I don't want to drop $500 on a new setup until I determine that it's not an adjustment issue.