I have a 2005 Excursion with a 6.0 and a 36' overall travel trailer. I weighed it today and would like your input. Truck without trailer: steer axle 3980 lbs and drive axle 3860 lbs. Travel trailer: front axle 3580 lbs. and rear 3620 lbs. for a total of 7200 lbs. Truck and trailer combo: steer axle 4000 lbs. drive axle 4820 lbs. trailer axles 7300 lbs. Truck was no passengers and 1/2 a tank of fuel and the trailer was pretty much loaded for a weekend, no water or waste though. Any thoughts? I'm thinking I need to drop the hitch a notch to place more weight on the front axle of the trailer to get a nose down towing stance, am I correct in this thinking?

 

The typical approach is to use the WD to return the front to its non-towing stance. You seem pretty good there.

Water/waste may change things depending on where the tanks are. The further from the trailer axles, the larger the change.

If you can hit the scales again, go for 3 passes:

Tow Rig only
Tow Rig and trailer with WD hooked up
Tow Rig and trailer with NO WD hooked up (Bars in the back).

 

At these weights are the truck, WD bars, and trailer level? If things look good, my first thought is to leave it alone. I am not sure I am following your question.

Steve

 

Yeah, everything looks pretty level. The trailer might be a hair nose up and with there being a little more weight on the rear trailer axle instead of the front I was wondering if I should adjust the hitch down one hole.

 

First off, I am impressed you considered weights and level!

Now this is just me, but so often I think it is possible to think this stuff to death and sometimes when I read what some say has to be done to tow, I think to myself "if I had to do all that, I would never own an RV."

It looks to me like you have a very reasonable starting point. How does it feel on the road? I would be surprised if you gained anything by dropping your hitch.

Steve

 

Seems to be a little bit of sway around 50-55, but evens out around 60. I've read nose down is a better stance than up to help with sway. I'm sure it will throw off everything else though.

 

Normally you do not want to run tail high. Your tow vehicle looks a little squatted. Did you, by chance, measure at the wheel wells before you hitched and then after you are hitched with the WD bars pulled up to compare where you are hitched to after you are hitched?

 

I did, I think I threw it away though because it was good from what I read. The back list about 3/4" and the front was put right back to unloaded height.

 

That should be good. 1/2" to 1" at the back fenders usually works pretty well.

 

Make sure that the cams are centered on the bar crook. That may have changed if the orig adjustment was done unloaded. That may be some of the sway feel. The dual cam is somewhat fussy as to the best adjustment, loaded or empty. It will change slightly either way. Find the best feeling.

But then agin', a long trailer is more prone to some wiggle or push from other vehicles. Our new 34' oal Timber Ridge is a bit more "touchy" than our last 27' oal TT. Both are very solid, but still will move a bit in certain winds and road conditions, normal trailer feel.

 

I think your comment on size differences is a good one. You have much bigger sail to catch the wind with a longer towable.

Steve

 

Personally I think you are good just as it is.


With people and full tank of fuel that will probably make it level.

 

Took e heights today from ground to fender well. Unloaded: DF 38 1/8", DR 39", PF 38 1/4", PR 39" Loaded with WD bars in place DF 38", DR 38 1/4", PF 38 1/8", PR 38 1/4"

But now I have a new issue, I went to bring the trailer back to storage and there was a lot of popping and creaking with normal turns, no backing. Brought the trailer back home instead and found this.




drivers side cam

I just put this on yesterday to replace the original the dealer put on incorrectly. What could cause this? I'm starting to think the hitch is not allowing full swing of the trunnion bar on the drivers side. The trunnion bars don't appear to be bent. The bolts were all tightened to specs from Reese and we're still tight when checked today.

 

It is hard to tell from the picture, but I know you can get into clearance issues with this hitch if this step is not followed:

Raise trailer tongue and rear of car with
jack. Lower yoke of snap up bracket until
it is parallel with the ground, and slip the
closest link over the hook (If there are
less than 5 links between hook and u-bolt
adjust ballmount angle rearward, and repeat
procedure). With the snap up bracket
handle over the yoke, raise until yoke
has passed “over-center”. Slide the safety
pin through the small hole to lock the

I bolded the 5 links as that is very important for clearance, and that is probably the most common problem folks have setting up this hitch, at least by self-report. I did have a customer one time who had too much tension on the bar and when he pulled up, he actually snapped the part on the tongue right off, even though when I saw it hitched, it all looked pretty good.

Other than those things I have no idea, and I am not saying you did either one of these things. I just don't see anything else in the instructions as I reviewed them.

Steve

 

This is a hint that suggests the the bar might be binding on the cam arm:



I would inspect the bar and cam arm closely for evidence of contact.