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My first tow...

Pat Grant

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Pat Grant Enthusiast

Pat Grant

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A refresher - 2014 Silverado HC Crew Cab, Short Bed w/6.2 with 4,500 miles - My trailer is a 24' Carson Funrunner weighing 5,300# dry (800# tongue weight)- I had a HD Fat Bob in it and the water tanks were all dry. I was thoroughly impressed, I had towed this trailer in the past with a 2000 LS with the 285hp 5.3 and a 3:42....It struggled with power and the weight before on anything other than flat land. Though todays' trip was only 25 miles, the truck is a BEAST! And the trailer brake controller was as good or better than any aftermarket unit I've used. In August I will drag it up to Knoxville, IA (1420 mile roundtrip), and I am anxious to see how it does.

Jay700 Enthusiast

Jay700

Posted
Posted

They do pull good. Lat weekend I pulled a 20 foot car hauler with a lifted jeep and two utility quads over 400 miles no problem. Everything on the scales put us at just over 14,500lbs and it was a joy too pull. 5.3 3.42 crew standard box 4x4.

  • 2 weeks later...
Pat Grant Enthusiast

Pat Grant

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Here is a pic of the rig, it's leveled out pretty good, next time I will grab one more link on the load bars and I am thinking about coming up one hole on the hitch. The weight isn't an issue, but the wind drag definitely a factor. I consistently got 9.6 mpg in the "open air"....Hanging back 50 yards behind a semi got me to 12 to 13mpg....all at 65mph.

 

z01X6c.jpg

poitras.matt@gmail.com Enthusiast

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Hard to be 100% based on the picture, but I wouldn't grab another link on the chain. Already the bars are passed parallel which, depending on the manufacturer, is wrong. They should be parallel. Your trailer is sitting pretty level so I wouldn't adjust the height of the ball either. I would add some tilt to the hitch head. Start with one or maybe two extra washers.

 

I was in the same boat but after a couple hours at a scale when it was closed on a Sunday I nailed it with just the head tilt.

 

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Pat Grant Enthusiast

Pat Grant

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According to the MFG (Draw-Tite), I can take the bars to link #6, right now I'm at link #7. The ball is tilted a few degrees back as it sits...I need to spend a little more time with it to fine tune it...

ProModMike Enthusiast

ProModMike

Posted
Posted

Here is a pic of the rig, it's leveled out pretty good, next time I will grab one more link on the load bars and I am thinking about coming up one hole on the hitch. The weight isn't an issue, but the wind drag definitely a factor. I consistently got 9.6 mpg in the "open air"....Hanging back 50 yards behind a semi got me to 12 to 13mpg....all at 65mph.

 

z01X6c.jpg

Hope I'm not hijacking here. But I'm in the market for a toy hauler and I'm curious about the Fun Runners. I'd be loading a side by side in it. What are the garage dimensions for yours and do you think an Arcitc Cat Wildcat X 1000 will squeeze in there at almost 60"W x 10'L x 5'8"H?

Pat Grant Enthusiast

Pat Grant

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No worries, I don't have the exact dimensions for this, but any side by side would fit just fine with room to spare. This is an older one (2001) and it has held up pretty well considering it has always been stored in the open air. It is 24' long and wider than my truck.

ProModMike Enthusiast

ProModMike

Posted
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Sounds like it would work. I'm looking for a used unit as it's only outings will be to offroad parks and will get some dirt in/on it. So there's no way I could bring myself to pay new prices for one and then stab my muddy side by side off in it for the ride home. Thanks for the info!

Jon A Senior Enthusiast

Jon A

Posted
Posted

Here is a pic of the rig, it's leveled out pretty good, next time I will grab one more link on the load bars and I am thinking about coming up one hole on the hitch.

 

I'd recommend a bit of caution and encourage you to go to scales, or at the very least use careful measurements of your front fender height to set up the hitch. You can't completely level the truck with the hitch--that's way too much adjustment. GM says to use 50% FRONT AXLE LOAD RESTORATION, I wouldn't recommend going much over that. Your trailer is light enough your handling should be fine anywhere in the 50%-100% range, there's no need to overdo it. If you want it more level than that gets you, a set of airbags is a great help.

Pat Grant Enthusiast

Pat Grant

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Sounds like it would work. I'm looking for a used unit as it's only outings will be to offroad parks and will get some dirt in/on it. So there's no way I could bring myself to pay new prices for one and then stab my muddy side by side off in it for the ride home. Thanks for the info!

 

There will be a heck of a deal on this one when I get back from a trip in mid August....

Pat Grant Enthusiast

Pat Grant

Posted
  • Author
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I'd recommend a bit of caution and encourage you to go to scales, or at the very least use careful measurements of your front fender height to set up the hitch. You can't completely level the truck with the hitch--that's way too much adjustment. GM says to use 50% FRONT AXLE LOAD RESTORATION, I wouldn't recommend going much over that. Your trailer is light enough your handling should be fine anywhere in the 50%-100% range, there's no need to overdo it. If you want it more level than that gets you, a set of airbags is a great help.

 

As a Class "A" CDL holder for over 30 years, (and I used it for quite a few of those) and based off the hitch manufacturer's recommendations, I'm pretty confident in the way it is configured, sans a possible slight ball angle adjustment.

ProModMike Enthusiast

ProModMike

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There will be a heck of a deal on this one when I get back from a trip in mid August....

Perfect. PM me when you're ready. I'm gonna wait till later in the year anyway. And I'm in Houston, so I can come get it.

poitras.matt@gmail.com Enthusiast

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According to the MFG (Draw-Tite), I can take the bars to link #6, right now I'm at link #7. The ball is tilted a few degrees back as it sits...I need to spend a little more time with it to fine tune it...

Perfect. See, different brands and setups call for different things. Sounds like you know what you're doing and have done the research you need.

 

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Jon A Senior Enthusiast

Jon A

Posted
Posted

 

As a Class "A" CDL holder for over 30 years, (and I used it for quite a few of those) and based off the hitch manufacturer's recommendations, I'm pretty confident in the way it is configured, sans a possible slight ball angle adjustment.

 

 

Well, alrighty then. Carry on.

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