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Departing home soon to get the free trailer in MD, via Indiana. I need to get a brake controller and a hitch. What say you? Tekonsha P3 seems to be a unanimous choice. I'm not sure I'm ready to dump 2K on a Hensley or ProPride? Is that the final word or there other viable options?
P3 is a very good choice.
I don't think that you will "need" a Hensley or ProPride for that trailer size and weight. They are nice hitches and they do work very well, but finding one on the used market is much more affordable, that's what I did.
I think that you will be fine with a good WD hitch system with built-in sway control, something like the Dual cam, Straight Line, Blue Ox, etc. Just be sure to size the spring bars for 15% of the trailer's GVWR, that will ensure you are ready for even the heaviest long trip packing.
Good luck, I think it is a pretty cool TT, I hope it doesn't need too much work to bring it back.
I had no issues with my X pulling my TT at 5200 dry, 6200 wet/loaded. That being said I had a Centerline WD/AS hitch. I'm sure there's better hitch options though. When I can afford a Hensley I will get one, but I have other priorities at the moment. I use a P3 also. Front tires 45, rears 55. Pulls perfectly.
Well, it turns out my buddy is giving me his Reese WD hitch with the trailer. Don't know if it has any sway control or what kind, but there's something about looking a gift horse in the mouth. Glad I wasn't faster on the trigger.
Boat and Durango is prepped and ready to go (may give the Durango a bath), Excursion is ready, still getting stuff in the camper. Is my wife ready to tow the boat 100 miles+? I have been telling her that she needed to learn to tow the trailer.
So we have made 2 trips now with the Ex and new (to us) travel trailer. I adjusted the chains by one link to get a little more weight distribution, but I think I need to get to the scales to check tongue weight. Previous owner said that bars are only 800lb bars, but I am wondering if I need 1000lb bars. PO cautioned that you can do damage to the trailer frame if you use bars in excess of what is needed...can anyone confirm or deny that statement? So far towing experience has been good. I also tightened my sway control this last trip and I felt much less sway on the highway.
Here is my setup routine to get the TT out of its parking spot and to the road. The front hitch definitely makes this much easier, I just still have to have my wife as the spotter or I am likely to take out the garage/trailer on the passenger side of the truck .
I tow a lighter trailer than that Jayco, and have heavier bars. Type of hitch will be more important as the weight increases. Edit: and that is my twin I think except the front hitch
Front hitches are sooo cool! I gotta get one one of these days.
A good rule of thumb I like to use when specing out a WD hitch is to use the TT's GVWR (NOT the "dry" weight) then get spring bars that are rated for 15% of the GVWR. Since you will want to target 12/13% tongue weight it gives a little extra capacity for those longer heavier packed trips.
It could be possible to do damage with way too heavy of spring bars loaded way up on a light duty trailer frame but we are talking big differences in ratings. Not a common thing.
I think that you will need heavier bars than 800lbs with that size TT. The bars should have either a sticker or a stamping that shows their weight rating.
Finally went camping the last few days. Went to an area that was strip mined in the 60's to 80's that has been reforested and reclaimed. Power company owns the land and the camping is free in their campgrounds. They have tables, garbage cans, and some rank pit toilets. Huge sites, this campground stretched for a couple miles along a pond. No electric, good test for my new battery system. No dump station either, but it was free camping.
Also saw the shovel from the world's largest dragline they were using to mine the area. That's my wee lil EX in the parking lot.
Finally went camping the last few days. Went to an area that was strip mined in the 60's to 80's that has been reforested and reclaimed. Power company owns the land and the camping is free in their campgrounds. They have tables, garbage cans, and some rank pit toilets. Huge sites, this campground stretched for a couple miles along a pond. No electric, good test for my new battery system. No dump station either, but it was free camping.
Also saw the shovel from the world's largest dragline they were using to mine the area. That's my wee lil EX in the parking lot.
That looks awesome. I recently heard of a coal/power company that does the same thing with there land for hunting/ATV/ etc. but you must purchase a annual pass, seems like a awesome deal for the residents.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
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