Tow questions....newbie
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Tow questions....newbie
So I want to tow a small travel trailer...about 26FT and 6600 dry weight. I dont know a dam thing about towing...what do I need and can I do this with my '03 EB (5.4)???
I only plan towing in florida and flat terrains.....Thx!
I only plan towing in florida and flat terrains.....Thx!
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I've been wondering the same, how do I find out if it has one? I have the H6 3.73 rear end but there is only a 4-wire harness out the back which would mean it doesnt have it....but from what I read the two package is only a class IV hitch (which I think all have) and a tranny cooler.....
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Georgia
I am pretty sure all 03's had the tow package. If it has the 2" receiver and 7 pin round connector you have the package on an 03. (The 4 pin flat is also there.)
Next, you have to know your tongue weight of the trailer. I would assume a 6,600 lb. trailer would have a 700 lb. or so tongue weight. This will force you to use a weight distributing hitch so you don't overload the rear of your Expy. More homework for you to do.
Our 03 5.4 EB tows 7,000 lbs. just fine.
Next, you have to know your tongue weight of the trailer. I would assume a 6,600 lb. trailer would have a 700 lb. or so tongue weight. This will force you to use a weight distributing hitch so you don't overload the rear of your Expy. More homework for you to do.
Our 03 5.4 EB tows 7,000 lbs. just fine.
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Thanks, I actually have an '04 (duh!) but I only see the 4-pin flat connector, not 7.
I was planning on getting the following for help with towing.
1. Heavy duty transmission cooler (6-pass)
2. Equalizer weight distributing hitch
3. Electronic digital brake controller
4. K$N performance intake (is this really worth it or waste of money?)
Anything else I should be looking to do? Thx
I was planning on getting the following for help with towing.
1. Heavy duty transmission cooler (6-pass)
2. Equalizer weight distributing hitch
3. Electronic digital brake controller
4. K$N performance intake (is this really worth it or waste of money?)
Anything else I should be looking to do? Thx
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Tire failure is the bane of all trailer travel.
I assume that your trailer has a spare tire. If not, you should get one. You may also want to ensure that you carry proper jacking equipment compatable with the trailer, including wheel chocks and a lug wrench that you have personally verified fits the lug nuts for the trailer wheels. How old are the trailer tires? If over five years old, you may want to consider replacing them, regardless of tread depth. UV and ozone kill rubber, and the damage is not always obvious. While you're at it, verify that the tire pressure in all five tires on the Expy is up to snuff. You should consider buying a 12V air compressor and keeping it under the back seat.
If you haven't already done so, you need to buy an insert for the hitch receiver that holds the hitch ball. These inserts come in several shapes to accomodate differences in receiver height vs. trailer frame height. Ideally, you want to find the right configuration that allows the trailer to be level as you drive down the road. This is a little tricky to calculate as your truck will settle on it's springs under the load of the trailer and the load of passengers/cargo in the Expy. Hitch ***** come in more than one diameter and weight rating. Go undersize in either respect, and you risk having the trailer pulling out to pass you on the interstate, without proper signals I might add. Additionally, ensure that the safety chains on the trailer are long enough to be crossed under the trailer and connected to the slots on the Expy hitch. Don't forget that they have be long enough to accomodate the angles created between the tow vehicle and the trailer when tight turns are being executed.
I would try to find some info on the web about the ins and outs of trailering. I wonder if U-Haul has anything on their site? You should also consult your trucks owner's guide re: trailering instructions. IMO, a trailering novice is vulnerable to making three common mistakes:
1. Failing to swing out enough while negotiating a tight turn such as at an intersection, thus giving curbside pedestrians a new shoe size;
2. Failing to account for increased braking distance due to trailer weight. This can become an expensive mistake;
3. Failing to remember that the combined length of the trailer/tow vehicle is a heck of a lot longer than the tow vehicle alone. This omission usually shows itself while changing lanes on the highway, resulting in obscene finger gestures from bespectacled schoolmarms who just fishtailed their LeSabres while trying to avoid being punted into the guardrail.
Guess how I came up with this list?
I assume that your trailer has a spare tire. If not, you should get one. You may also want to ensure that you carry proper jacking equipment compatable with the trailer, including wheel chocks and a lug wrench that you have personally verified fits the lug nuts for the trailer wheels. How old are the trailer tires? If over five years old, you may want to consider replacing them, regardless of tread depth. UV and ozone kill rubber, and the damage is not always obvious. While you're at it, verify that the tire pressure in all five tires on the Expy is up to snuff. You should consider buying a 12V air compressor and keeping it under the back seat.
If you haven't already done so, you need to buy an insert for the hitch receiver that holds the hitch ball. These inserts come in several shapes to accomodate differences in receiver height vs. trailer frame height. Ideally, you want to find the right configuration that allows the trailer to be level as you drive down the road. This is a little tricky to calculate as your truck will settle on it's springs under the load of the trailer and the load of passengers/cargo in the Expy. Hitch ***** come in more than one diameter and weight rating. Go undersize in either respect, and you risk having the trailer pulling out to pass you on the interstate, without proper signals I might add. Additionally, ensure that the safety chains on the trailer are long enough to be crossed under the trailer and connected to the slots on the Expy hitch. Don't forget that they have be long enough to accomodate the angles created between the tow vehicle and the trailer when tight turns are being executed.
I would try to find some info on the web about the ins and outs of trailering. I wonder if U-Haul has anything on their site? You should also consult your trucks owner's guide re: trailering instructions. IMO, a trailering novice is vulnerable to making three common mistakes:
1. Failing to swing out enough while negotiating a tight turn such as at an intersection, thus giving curbside pedestrians a new shoe size;
2. Failing to account for increased braking distance due to trailer weight. This can become an expensive mistake;
3. Failing to remember that the combined length of the trailer/tow vehicle is a heck of a lot longer than the tow vehicle alone. This omission usually shows itself while changing lanes on the highway, resulting in obscene finger gestures from bespectacled schoolmarms who just fishtailed their LeSabres while trying to avoid being punted into the guardrail.
Guess how I came up with this list?
Last edited by PaulC; Dec 20, 2004 at 03:35 PM.
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Originally Posted by PaulC
Tire failure is the bane of all trailer travel.
I assume that your trailer has a spare tire. If not, you should get one. You may also want to ensure that you carry proper jacking equipment compatable with the trailer, including wheel chocks and a lug wrench that you have personally verified fits the lug nuts for the trailer wheels. How old are the trailer tires? If over five years old, you may want to consider replacing them, regardless of tread depth. UV and ozone kill rubber, and the damage is not always obvious. While you're at it, verify that the tire pressure in all five tires on the Expy is up to snuff. You should consider buying a 12V air compressor and keeping it under the back seat.
If you haven't already done so, you need to buy an insert for the hitch receiver that holds the hitch ball. These inserts come in several shapes to accomodate differences in receiver height vs. trailer frame height. Ideally, you want to find the right configuration that allows the trailer to be level as you drive down the road. This is a little tricky to calculate as your truck will settle on it's springs under the load of the trailer and the load of passengers/cargo in the Expy. Hitch ***** come in more than one diameter and weight rating. Go undersize in either respect, and you risk having the trailer pulling out to pass you on the interstate, without proper signals I might add. Additionally, ensure that the safety chains on the trailer are long enough to be crossed under the trailer and connected to the slots on the Expy hitch. Don't forget that they have be long enough to accomodate the angles created between the tow vehicle and the trailer when tight turns are being executed.
I would try to find some info on the web about the ins and outs of trailering. I wonder if U-Haul has anything on their site? You should also consult your trucks owner's guide re: trailering instructions. IMO, a trailering novice is vulnerable to making three common mistakes:
1. Failing to swing out enough while negotiating a tight turn such as at an intersection, thus giving curbside pedestrians a new shoe size;
2. Failing to account for increased braking distance due to trailer weight. This can become an expensive mistake;
3. Failing to remember that the combined length of the trailer/tow vehicle is a heck of a lot longer than the tow vehicle alone. This omission usually shows itself while changing lanes on the highway, resulting in obscene finger gestures from bespectacled schoolmarms who just fishtailed their LeSabres while trying to avoid being punted into the guardrail.
Guess how I came up with this list?
I assume that your trailer has a spare tire. If not, you should get one. You may also want to ensure that you carry proper jacking equipment compatable with the trailer, including wheel chocks and a lug wrench that you have personally verified fits the lug nuts for the trailer wheels. How old are the trailer tires? If over five years old, you may want to consider replacing them, regardless of tread depth. UV and ozone kill rubber, and the damage is not always obvious. While you're at it, verify that the tire pressure in all five tires on the Expy is up to snuff. You should consider buying a 12V air compressor and keeping it under the back seat.
If you haven't already done so, you need to buy an insert for the hitch receiver that holds the hitch ball. These inserts come in several shapes to accomodate differences in receiver height vs. trailer frame height. Ideally, you want to find the right configuration that allows the trailer to be level as you drive down the road. This is a little tricky to calculate as your truck will settle on it's springs under the load of the trailer and the load of passengers/cargo in the Expy. Hitch ***** come in more than one diameter and weight rating. Go undersize in either respect, and you risk having the trailer pulling out to pass you on the interstate, without proper signals I might add. Additionally, ensure that the safety chains on the trailer are long enough to be crossed under the trailer and connected to the slots on the Expy hitch. Don't forget that they have be long enough to accomodate the angles created between the tow vehicle and the trailer when tight turns are being executed.
I would try to find some info on the web about the ins and outs of trailering. I wonder if U-Haul has anything on their site? You should also consult your trucks owner's guide re: trailering instructions. IMO, a trailering novice is vulnerable to making three common mistakes:
1. Failing to swing out enough while negotiating a tight turn such as at an intersection, thus giving curbside pedestrians a new shoe size;
2. Failing to account for increased braking distance due to trailer weight. This can become an expensive mistake;
3. Failing to remember that the combined length of the trailer/tow vehicle is a heck of a lot longer than the tow vehicle alone. This omission usually shows itself while changing lanes on the highway, resulting in obscene finger gestures from bespectacled schoolmarms who just fishtailed their LeSabres while trying to avoid being punted into the guardrail.
Guess how I came up with this list?
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