Car trailer tow ?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 769
Likes: 3
Car trailer tow ?
Hello
I just got my new car trailer it is 20ft plus 1 foot 10 v nose. When I was towing it home empty I noticed that when a 18 wheeler passed me the trailer wanted to suck into his lane. It was scary a fetwtimes but I made it home ok. I am wondering if it will tow better with my car inside it. Also wondering about getting a decent hitch with stabalizer bar, The guy I bought the trailer from thought I wouldnt need them but I am thinking about getting them anyway. Also there is a pic showing that my trailer empty is not level with the truck (the front of trailer is a bit higher then the back)could that be why it was scary at times. The truck is a 2001 F250 V10. Also wondering about how much tongue weight with the car in it should I have. Any info would be appreciated as you can see I am not a trailer towing guru.
Thanks
I just got my new car trailer it is 20ft plus 1 foot 10 v nose. When I was towing it home empty I noticed that when a 18 wheeler passed me the trailer wanted to suck into his lane. It was scary a fetwtimes but I made it home ok. I am wondering if it will tow better with my car inside it. Also wondering about getting a decent hitch with stabalizer bar, The guy I bought the trailer from thought I wouldnt need them but I am thinking about getting them anyway. Also there is a pic showing that my trailer empty is not level with the truck (the front of trailer is a bit higher then the back)could that be why it was scary at times. The truck is a 2001 F250 V10. Also wondering about how much tongue weight with the car in it should I have. Any info would be appreciated as you can see I am not a trailer towing guru.
Thanks
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,992
Likes: 2
From: Lancaster, MA
First thing you will want to do is level the trailer out. I'd highly suggest a weight distribution kit. They are well worth the money. That paired with the correct trailer level should help lessen the trailer sway. There is no reason to feel scared while towing a trailer. It's a handful enough while towing a trailer, last thing you want to worry about is swaying all over the place. A properly loaded trailer will be less of a handful, but you are still going to want to do the two things that I suggested as well just to be safe.
Elder User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
From: SW Idaho
A Sway bar should help with the sway by 30%, it will be alot better when loaded also. Looking at your rig it appears you may not need a weight equalizer hitch. I have a car towing rig like yours and the WD hitch was usless because of my lighter tongue weight.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Frederick, MD
Don't think I add anything to this, just get it loaded and I would suggest placing the car in forward so more wt will be towards the truck. Then take a look. If it points down then you could always turn the car around. Just know there is alot of wiggle room to make it level.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,992
Likes: 2
From: Lancaster, MA
Don't think I add anything to this, just get it loaded and I would suggest placing the car in forward so more wt will be towards the truck. Then take a look. If it points down then you could always turn the car around. Just know there is alot of wiggle room to make it level.
I have to disagree a little on this. You want 60% (or as close as you can) of the total cargo weight to be in the front of the trailer leaving 40% in the rear. This is ideal for weight displacement and swaying as much as you can based on just the loaded weight. Turning the car around (so it's facing away from the truck) will make it sway more because most of the weight will be in the rear. I did that with a race car once. It only had reverse so I backed it onto my 28' enclosed car trailer. Once I got home I'd get it off the trailer with my tractor. Drove about 150 miles home. It was the scariest ride of my life. Tossed my F250 around like it wasn't there. JMO from experience.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 104
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From: Fayette County GA
When I got my 20' enclosed trailer a few years ago I felt the same way. I was driving up I-75 with trucks passing me feeling like I was about to be sucked into them. I realized that I kept looking in the review mirrors to see what the trailer was doing. I think that added to the perception that the trailer was moving around because I wasn't paying attention to what was infront of me and I was moving around in the lane. I decided to just look straight ahead the keep the truck in the center of my lane. Funny, from that point on the trailer didn't sway anymore.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
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From: Texas
If anything, you want more weight in the front. Even if its over 60%. You should really shoot for 10% tong weight. But its ok to go over as long as you dont go over the hitch rating. Just make sure its at least 10%. When you get less then 10% is when you start having problems with sway.
As long as the trailer is loaded right you shouldn't have problems with sway.
As long as the trailer is loaded right you shouldn't have problems with sway.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 769
Likes: 3
Thanks again guys I greatly appreciate it I will be towing not more then 8000 pounds ever but more like 7000. The trailer is rated for 10000 I bought the better axles just to be sure. Thanks again.
Luke
By the way I have a chance to buy this for 100 dollars is it woth the investment or should I go with Equalizer. I was thinking the price is rigght.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/round-bar-s.../p2011862.jcwx
Luke
By the way I have a chance to buy this for 100 dollars is it woth the investment or should I go with Equalizer. I was thinking the price is rigght.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/round-bar-s.../p2011862.jcwx
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,822
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From: Minnesota
I agree with cdrmotorsports, when pulling my brother-in-laws F250, we first put it on the trailer backwards (that's how it was in the inpound lot). After about ten miles of swaying we unloaded it ant put it back on the trailer front first. WOW no more sway! Just my experience!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,992
Likes: 2
From: Lancaster, MA
I agree with cdrmotorsports, when pulling my brother-in-laws F250, we first put it on the trailer backwards (that's how it was in the inpound lot). After about ten miles of swaying we unloaded it ant put it back on the trailer front first. WOW no more sway! Just my experience!
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