New truck, new trailer, new to this!

Waaazooo · March 17, 2018

The current WDH will not work with this setup I am looking at we are moving up from a Jayco X17Z that i was using with a jeep that's is to small about 13' closed and 18 open.
The payload that is on my truck says 1795# the truck has a tonneau cover on it extang Revolution with built in cross bars I am also looking at adding Ada-Rack to carry the Kayaks they are sit on tops and are about 60-70 # each plus gear the topper I mention is one of those that you would use tailgating that weighs about 40# 2 dogs about 60# chairs about 20 . When we looked at at the camper I beloved the unloaded was about 6400#.
What my wife's cousin mentioned need to get the tongue weight and figure that with the truck capacity weight if hitch and full propane tanks they are 30#s each 2 that dds just over 100 for full tanks.
I have been looking at all the different WDH out there and see it will need the 1200#.
Yes it is long and that is were I have the concern as we do most of our travailing in Vermont and New Hampshire currently and were hoping to do more as I get closer to retirement.
The model were looking at is the Wildwood 27RKSS.
Thanks again for the info.
Don

So a couple things that I’ve learned about this. Yellow sticker on your trailer when you read the fine print should include the weight with your LP tanks and a battery. Your tongue weight will always very based upon how you have the weight distributed throughout your trailer. As far as your truck is concerned, the fine print from GM is that the yellow sticker weight includes average driver wait at a full tank of gas.

Unfortunately, half ton trucks just are marketed for these types of tow jobs but really are not meant for them in terms of inertial control of the trailer. If you think about it in simple terms a truck that is towing its own weight will have better control over it then a truck that weighs 20% less trying to control the trailer weight. I only bring this up because in a half ton truck you feel that way when you brake and when youHave a car pass you and that high-pressure wind resistance moves along side of your trailer.

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Jon A · March 18, 2018

It should be mentioned in this discussion, especially for those with 1500's, if the truck isn't "handling" the trailer as well as you'd like, you are much better off improving the truck (airbags, LT tires, etc) in addition to using a WDH rather than exclusively relying on bigger and bigger WDH bars to transfer more and more weight.

If you have a newer GM 1500 and you transfer more than 50% of the weight back to the front with a WDH, you are violating your tow ratings just the same as if you violate the max trailer weight in your owner's manual or violate the payload sticker. There are very real safety reasons the TRUCK manufacturers have for giving their guidelines on how much weight to transfer with a WDH. Too much might feel better but is less safe.

Improving the truck means you don't need to rely on an over-adjusted WDH so much to get the ride and handling with the trailer you want and is a much safer thing to do.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Jon A