Buying a larger Trailer and I have a few Questions

yamahas · October 16, 2013

Hello,

I am buying a 8.5x20 enclosed trailer.

I will be needing a brake controller. Are all the wires already there or do I need to run wires all the way to the back? If it is all pre wired I would do the install myself.

Second question is would I need a WD hitch? I will have approx. 2000lbs of cargo in there. I am still waiting for info on the empty weight of the trailer.

I have a 2011 Sierra 5.3L with the towing package.

SouthCo · October 16, 2013

My 2010 with towing package has a factory brake controller. You sure you have the towing package? If so, it should have a factory brake controller, unless I have something above the towing package... That trailer probably weighs 3500lbs. I have a 8.5x18 (including the vnose) and I believe that's around the unloaded weight.

yamahas · October 16, 2013

Came with hitch, 7 way plug, all that good stuff but the factory trailer brake control was another option that I am sure I don't have.

NEFisher11 · October 16, 2013

Just becuase you have to tow pakage dosne't mean youg et the intergrated brake controller.

Yamahas your truck should be prewired. There is a bundle of wire under the dash above the brake pedal where you wire your brake controler onto. There are also 2 red wires by the fuseblock under the hood on the drivers side fender you need to hook up. The best thing to do is watch the how to video on e trailer and decide if you could do it yourself.

http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/GMC/Sierra/2011/90885.html?vehicleid=2011106213

yamahas · October 16, 2013

Thank you very much!

yamahas · October 19, 2013

I got the controller installed and it would great, picked up the trailer yesterday and I do not like how much it sways.

Is it because it was empty? I would like to get a good set of sway bars if anyone has any suggestions.

The toung weight empty is 300 lbs

Bassboats · October 21, 2013

No need for W-D hitch until you pass 5,000 pounds trailered weight on 1/2-ton. Keep at least 12-15% tongue weight. Use scale when you have trailer loaded to double-check TW. Good article on this: http://www.digitalmagazinetechnology.com/a/propickup/11/08august/page35#page=31

Keeblertex · November 10, 2013

Yamahas - Not sure what your trailer weighs. But, a poster said it is likely 3500lbs. That puts you at 5500lbs fully loaded. My TT is about 5500lbs loaded and I use a WD hitch. I think it has sway control built in. It's the bar and chain setup. I just bought a 2011 Silverado with the 5.3L and 3:42 ratio. Just got back from our first trip and it pulled like a charm. I was pulling with (don't laugh) a Frontier. It is like night a day. I didn't feel hardly any sway when the trucks passed and held 65-70mph no problem. Get the WD hitch if it's in your budget.

yamahas · November 12, 2013

If I can get away without a WD for a bit I would like too because I am a student and it is not currently in my budget but I will not tow it again until I have a sway bar on it. It did not feel 100% comfortable, I have no idea how people pull these kinds of trailers with small SUV's. It did not feel unsafe just there could be a lot of improvement in stability.

It was an extremely windy day and my sister was following me in a car she she said the wind was even pushing her around.

The specs said the empty weight is about 3000-3300LBS, one of the 2 I just can't remember at the moment.

scooby5121 · November 12, 2013

Yamahas, make sure also as stated in this forum that your trailer ball is also at the correct hieght.

Double axle trailers should run level. Not on the front or rear tires differrently(weight wise).

That will reduce sway significantly.

Scooby

yamahas · November 13, 2013

Thanks for the reply,

It is fairly level (The back of the trailer drops down to the ramp). It is a bit high at the front, not a lot, so with some weight it should be pretty close to level.

scooby5121 · November 13, 2013

Thanks for the reply,

It is fairly level (The back of the trailer drops down to the ramp). It is a bit high at the front, not a lot, so with some weight it should be pretty close to level.

Measure between the axles to the trailer frame and the same at the ball of the truck to make sure within 1'inch.to be safe

yamahas · November 13, 2013

Measure between the axles to the trailer frame and the same at the ball of the truck to make sure within 1'inch.to be safe

Thanks for the tip, will do!

c4cruiser · November 25, 2013

I would suggest saving up for a good weight distributing hitch. I got my Curt WD hitch from Amazon for about $250 delivered. I tow a 20' enclosed trailer for my Corvette race car and the total weight of the trailer, the car and equipment is about 6800 lbs. My '08 Silverado half-ton extended cab with the 6.0L engine, Z71 and the trailer package does a good job for me. It doesn't have the power of a DuraMax but for flat roads or even hills, it works.

The trailer tongue weight should be 10-15% of the total trailer weight. With a standard hitch, all of that weight is concentrated at the bumper. A WD hitch spreads the weight across the frame of the truck. My Curt WD hitch is set up so that with the loaded trailer hooked up, the nose of the truck is about 1/2" higher and the rear height does not change compared to empty. The WD hitch also took away any swaying issues. On the freeway, I can get passed by big rigs doing 10-15MPH faster than me and I don't feel any sway.