*Truck and Towing thread........ask your questions here.*

[tripleb]

I generally steer clear of tow rating threads. They tend to go to the dark side pretty quick. That said, nice job keeping this one productive....

 

[tripleb]

I generally steer clear of tow rating threads. They tend to go to the dark side pretty quick. That said, nice job keeping this one productive.

j

I generally steer clear also Teamubr but sometimes "things" need to be said, especially if someone is unsure of what's what.

 

[PaHunter]

Question here to help me plan for the future-

My 2005 Chevy Suburban is doing fine with over 200k miles now but I know it won't last forever. I am looking for suggestions on a future tow vehicle with the understanding that my little Aliner doesn't require a lot of tow muscle. My Suburban is rated for 8,000# and a minivan, properly equipped, can pull 3,000#. Is there something in-between that I could consider for the future? I don't need to pay for a vehicle that can do 8k-10k# (got the Suburban during the Boy Scout years hauling backpacks and boys, lots of 'em-it did the job) but is there something in the 5,000# range? Expense seems to follow the weight limit with both going up as the numbers get bigger. I'd like to keep them smaller.

FWIW my Aliner has a 3300# gross weight so I don't think I would need more than 5k# or 6k# tow rate.

What say you?

Bama Ed

PS - I would plan to buy a few years used (4-5 yrs)

Well maybe by then there will be some of the new Colorado Diesels for sale, small engine supposed to have big power.

 

[PaHunter]

It is a family site, and we have kept it civilized and informative. Now i need to go find out if I have bug and tar remover, so I can wash my TV and get this stinking tree sap off of it. Anyone want 4 approximately 100 ft tall spruce trees ?? You dig them up, they are yours.....anyone....bueller....

 

[peg110]

Front axle, rear axle, combined weight, gross vehicle, hitch/tongue weight, payload, TT vs 5er, WD or not. Too much for most people to try comprehending.

.

Yeah... When we got our first TT, they asked if we had a Hitch.... "Well of course we do" I have had a hitch in some fashion ever since 1993. I have a 1 7/8" and a 2".... Errr.... What's a Weight Distributing hitch?

Yeah... DW is the one that purchased the first TT (Financed it of course) but we didn't realize we needed a WD hitch. Heck, I didn't even know what it was.... Well I found out though because it cost me almost $800 (Hitch, Sway bar, Electronic brake controller and Installation). Of course DW was "Tapped" with the down payment and the financing, so I had to step up and bite this one. (My credit card was not happy).

So fast forward to last year.... We "Upgraded" our trailer from the 27' TT to the 38' TT. So they asked about our Hitch. "Yup... We have a WD Hitch" No problem... right? Wrong..... My "spring bars" were only rated for 800 pounds (I guess that's 1 dollar a pound for when I purchased it? ) but this trailer needed spring bars rated for 1000 pounds. Ugh!

Long story short a "Trade" of bars and the cost of ONE new bar (but we did get 2) was all we had to pay.

So I have now learned more about hitches and other "Tow" stuff then I have ever wanted to know. Not that I am complaining, but to your comment is certainly on point.

 

[PaHunter]

I saw somewhere the other day someone welcoming a person to RV'ing. They said welcome to an expensive hobby, and they are right.

 

[Teamubr]

I saw somewhere the other day someone welcoming a person to RV'ing. They said welcome to an expensive hobby, and they are right.

But still better than boating or racing. Here's a couple of funny jokes to drive the point home.

Do you know what B.O.A.T. stands for? Break Out Another Thousand.

Do you know how to triple the price of an item? Put the word "marine" in front of it.
Do you know how to multiply the price by 5? Put the word "racing" in front of it.
Do you know how to multiply the price by 100? Put the word "medical" in front of it.



I'll take RV'ing stuff any day.

j

 

[tripleb]

I can attest to the boat and racing expenses ( R/C racing ).

 

[PaHunter]

So here are some pictures of my tires upon returning from camping the other day. These are thermal images, with white being hotter areas, orange being average, black being colder.

Highest temperature I could find was about 136 degrees, outside temp was 86 and it was sunny. This was after towing for 90 minutes.

 

[PaHunter]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155721267126336

Just lucky the tow vehicle did not flip, and the propane tanks did not leak, explode or catch fire.

 

[tripleb]

So here are some pictures of my tires upon returning from camping the other day. These are thermal images, with white being hotter areas, orange being average, black being colder.
View attachment 256136 View attachment 256137 View attachment 256138 View attachment 256139 View attachment 256140 View attachment 256141
Highest temperature I could find was about 136 degrees, outside temp was 86 and it was sunny. This was after towing for 90 minutes.

Those tire colors don't go with our color scheme on our FW PaHunter, have you done some research on what that means and if the temps are OK ?

 

[Teamubr]

Nice pics Chris. What did you use to take those?

136 is a decent temp. We would see 150-180's in the mid-summer heat on the race trailers TMPS.

j

 

[tripleb]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155721267126336

Just lucky the tow vehicle did not flip, and the propane tanks did not leak, explode or catch fire.

Once sway starts, you have to get control of it IMMEDIATELY ! It's hard to tell but it doesn't look as if there is a WDH.

 

[Teamubr]

PaHunter, have you done some research on what that means and if the temps are OK ?

I just did a Google search and can't find anything specific to truck, trailer, RV tires. I found one unsubstantiated claim of "less than 180". I can give you tons of tire temp data on race tires (135-155 and even across the tread, if anyone cares), but the construction and use is much different.

j

 

[PaHunter]

Those tire colors don't go with our color scheme on our FW PaHunter, have you done some research on what that means and if the temps are OK ?

Based on my previous trailer and a spot IR thermometer, yes those temps are about average for us towing.

 

[PaHunter]

Nice pics Chris. What did you use to take those?

136 is a decent temp. We would see 150-180's in the mid-summer heat on the race trailers TMPS.

j

I have a Seek handheld thermal imager, it has a camera function allows me to capture what I am looking at. I also have a thermal scope, that allows me to scan and can look at larger items like the whole trailer, but it does not have a camera function. The 136 temp was not too bad, was actually looking for abnormal hot spots. Gladly did not find any.

 

[PaHunter]

Once sway starts, you have to get control of it IMMEDIATELY ! It's hard to tell but it doesn't look as if there is a WDH.

No it does not appear that they had a WDH. That may have helped, may .

 

[sirenia88]

The video of the trailer flipping on the Garden State Parkway was filmed by a friend of a friend. The guy that filmed it posted it on a friend's facebook page. I commented yeah. The operator didn't slow down fast enough. Also the trailer looked a bit oversized for the tow vehicle which means there were less vehicle to assist in the control. Probably should had a WDH too. I know in my F250 I have the Trailer tow package. It has an anti sway function. I was towing out to Knoebel's one time without the bars but with a sway control on the hitch. I hit a bump in the road and I got a small amount of sway in the combo. The productivity screen lit up with sway warnings and the truck started to immediately slow down as I was just started a slow down procedure. Within I would say about 200 feet which would have been about 2 seconds or so. The whole combo was under control and with in 10 seconds back up to speed. DW and I were shocked and relieved how quickly everything took place and how well the truck performed. I know my late model Super Duty folks will be glad to know this feature exists in their trucks too. I am pretty sure it has been a standard feature since the MY 2008 and forward. The built in sway control function with the TBC package. Check it out. I don't know what the other manufacturers offer when it comes to this function if they have built in TBCs.

 

[tripleb]

... The built in sway control function with the TBC package. Check it out. I don't know what the other manufacturers offer when it comes to this function if they have built in TBCs.

My 2015 Silverado 2500HD has the anti-sway system "built in". I was never in a situation with my previous TT where it was activated though.

 

[tiggerdad]

Aight, I'm gonna vent and laugh about something here.

Mirrors on the bigger trucks are made to be let out. The point is to get you where you can see around your wide trailer. Now, when the mirrors are out it can make things kinda narrow on small roads but you gotta have it.

UNLESS you aren't pulling anything. Then having your mirrors out is just an annoyance and sometimes danger.

Today, while riding the tight curvy road from Townsend to Gatlinburg I found myself behind a Dodge 2500 with his mirrors out...not pulling anything. I made a comment to my wife about it but we followed on. Now, some of these curves are rounding the carved out rock which you can't see around and vehicles come around suddenly.

Well, at one of those curves...it happened. The Dodge with his Dumbo ears let out met a F-350 with his ears let out too.

Kabam! Plastic mirror parts going everywhere and both of them locking up the brakes. Which caused everyone to have to stop. No way to pull around them. They finally pulled forward, the Dodge pulling over at the next lookout.

Just something to keep in mind if you have your mirrors extended or have the mirror attachments on.