Jump to content

towing a travel trailer cross country

Moend
 Share

Recommended Posts

redwngr Senior Enthusiast

redwngr

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Moend said:

Interestingly I only have the one sticker. They must have forgotten to put the other one at the factory.

 

I read that GVWR is higher than adding both front and back. Also, found that I should have weight the truck un hitched. Guees I Have to go back to the scale

Tire sticker is usually on on the side of the post facing up/front.

The vin specific towing label is usually on the same post, but on the side facing outwards, at the very bottom.  

 

 

  • Replies 59
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

calgator73
calgator73

What's the tongue weight dry?  Shoot for tongue  at least 12% of your wet weight.  I rented a 27ft TT that swayed just like that until I realized the tw is not enough.  Fresh water tank is up front fi

randomledders
randomledders

Bash me if you like but you need a quality weight distribution hitch with built in sway control, like a blue ox or a 4 point equalizer brand hitch. As previous noted tongue weight has to be correct a

bshort
bshort

The passing vehicle "suck" is normal.  Nothing can be done about that.  Too bad you couldn't get a bigger fuel tank, as stopping every 200 miles will surely get old fast.  

Posted Images

redwngr Senior Enthusiast

redwngr

Posted
Posted

 

Gross Vehicle - truck and loads alone

Gross Combined - truck + trailer, and all loads 

RGA - rear gross axle

Curb - truck without passengers or payload

 

This is from an HD, but shows the second label, from the bottom of post. 

Trailering information label:

2020 AT4 2500 Towing guide door sticker | Chevy and GMC Duramax Diesel Forum

 

 

Tire labels look like:

image.jpeg.5c0d79ebac95603a211f0e841b13040c.jpeg

AlaskaErik Enthusiast

AlaskaErik

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, redwngr said:

 

Gross Vehicle - truck and loads alone

Gross Combined - truck + trailer, and all loads 

RGA - rear gross axle

Curb - truck without passengers or payload

 

This is from an HD, but shows the second label, from the bottom of post. 

Trailering information label:

2020 AT4 2500 Towing guide door sticker | Chevy and GMC Duramax Diesel Forum

 

 

Tire labels look like:

image.jpeg.5c0d79ebac95603a211f0e841b13040c.jpeg

There is a third sticker way at the bottom that has the front and rear axle gross weights.  It's the one with the QR code with the build data and the date of manufacture. 

BlueDMax Enthusiast

BlueDMax

Posted
Posted

I read through this whole thread. It sounds like the exact same issue I have when towing my camper. I just bought the camper late summer 2020. It's 34ft overall (30 ft box) and 6950 empty. We stayed local for the 3 or 4 trips we made so I could get used to the setup, driving and having kids/dogs and everything else going on in the truck. This is the first time in all my research I've found someone describing the EXACT same thing I feel when towing this thing.

 

I have a Blue Ox WDH and bags on the back with onboard air. I've tried the 8th link, 9th link and 10th link. I've gone from 15lb of air in the bags to 40 and everything in between. I can't get rid of what I call the tire wiggle. If you kick the side of the back bumper of your truck, the truck wiggles. These tires wiggle A LOT. Put 850lbs of tongue weight on it and it wiggles more. So when towing, the trailer doesn't "sway" in the definition of sway, but the back of the truck wiggles. The only way I can think to describe it is it feels like the back end starting to kick out when you hit black ice. Pretty unnerving. 

 

In speaking with some buddies who are more seasoned at towing than I am, it's a soft tire issue. The tires on these trucks are NOT meant for towing what I tow. So E rated tires are in my future before the first trip in the spring. 

 

Just wanted to share with the OP that I'm going through the same thing. 

 

Chris

  • Like 1
Jrodpic Enthusiast

Jrodpic

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, AlaskaErik said:

There is a third sticker way at the bottom that has the front and rear axle gross weights.  It's the one with the QR code with the build data and the date of manufacture. 


Yep mine has the 3rd sticker. 58DD380C-C0BD-4934-A5CE-6094C7B77B69.thumb.jpeg.ceb90edc0ad92fee8902c6462a32916a.jpeg

Jrodpic Enthusiast

Jrodpic

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, BlueDMax said:

I read through this whole thread. It sounds like the exact same issue I have when towing my camper. I just bought the camper late summer 2020. It's 34ft overall (30 ft box) and 6950 empty. We stayed local for the 3 or 4 trips we made so I could get used to the setup, driving and having kids/dogs and everything else going on in the truck. This is the first time in all my research I've found someone describing the EXACT same thing I feel when towing this thing.

 

I have a Blue Ox WDH and bags on the back with onboard air. I've tried the 8th link, 9th link and 10th link. I've gone from 15lb of air in the bags to 40 and everything in between. I can't get rid of what I call the tire wiggle. If you kick the side of the back bumper of your truck, the truck wiggles. These tires wiggle A LOT. Put 850lbs of tongue weight on it and it wiggles more. So when towing, the trailer doesn't "sway" in the definition of sway, but the back of the truck wiggles. The only way I can think to describe it is it feels like the back end starting to kick out when you hit black ice. Pretty unnerving. 

 

In speaking with some buddies who are more seasoned at towing than I am, it's a soft tire issue. The tires on these trucks are NOT meant for towing what I tow. So E rated tires are in my future before the first trip in the spring. 

 

Just wanted to share with the OP that I'm going through the same thing. 

 

Chris

7,000 empty is at max if not over max for a 1500. You can try some stiffer tires but my guess is you’re going to have some sketchy moments with that setup regardless of what you do with tires/bags/WDH/shocks/springs etc

redwngr Senior Enthusiast

redwngr

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

1 hour ago, Jrodpic said:


Yep mine has the 3rd sticker. 

3 hours ago, AlaskaErik said:

There is a third sticker way at the bottom that has the front and rear axle gross weights.  It's the one with the QR code with the build data and the date of manufacture. 

Good catch!  That's what I get for not checking mine? 

 

And I knew about the QR label for service parts.  QR code replaces the RPO code label that used to be in the glovebox.

(this was changed/they added prior to adding the new trailering info label)

 

Should have put 2 and 2 together when the picture  I scooped from the 'net didn't have the QR. code....:sigh:

 

QR sticker will be something like this. 

QR Code on Certification Label Offers More RPO Codes – TechLink

Edited by redwngr
Moend Enthusiast

Moend

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Aha found it. And it shows 3800 front and back which is compind is more that what is my truck compined. It kind of make sense in a way the axle can handle more that what the truck at max probably away to protect against over loading an axle over the other

Moend Enthusiast

Moend

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you guys for all of the input.

 

Chris, do you have a picture of your setup.

 

Also, i saw this guy on youtube he was towing I think 36ft trailer with and older F150 might been 2006 or so. He said biggest upgrafe was tires and shockes

BlueDMax Enthusiast

BlueDMax

Posted
Posted
Thank you guys for all of the input.
 
Chris, do you have a picture of your setup.
 


6d2819c9fc205263087679c073ca9d61.jpg

This is pre-bags. I also adjust the hitch down 1 notch to account for the truck raising up with the bags.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Moend Enthusiast

Moend

Posted
  • Author
Posted
56 minutes ago, BlueDMax said:

 


6d2819c9fc205263087679c073ca9d61.jpg

This is pre-bags. I also adjust the hitch down 1 notch to account for the truck raising up with the bags.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice looking rig. I actually found something that says airbags are bad if used to level the truck but okay to use to stiffen the suspension and to help with porpoising, that is why I am thinking of sumo springs instead of bags plus they are cheaper

Moend Enthusiast

Moend

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, BlueDMax said:

 


6d2819c9fc205263087679c073ca9d61.jpg

This is pre-bags. I also adjust the hitch down 1 notch to account for the truck raising up with the bags.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just realized we have an almost identical truck. Do you have max tow package

BlueDMax Enthusiast

BlueDMax

Posted
Posted
Nice looking rig. I actually found something that says airbags are bad if used to level the truck but okay to use to stiffen the suspension and to help with porpoising, that is why I am thinking of sumo springs instead of bags plus they are cheaper

The only time porpoising is not utterly awful is when the truck is sitting still. Lol. Buddy of mine has a 2012 Sierra 1500. 130000+ miles of abuse and it rides better than my truck loaded, unloaded or otherwise. Too many folks these days want trucks to ride like Cadillacs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Moend Enthusiast

Moend

Posted
  • Author
Posted
15 minutes ago, BlueDMax said:


The only time porpoising is not utterly awful is when the truck is sitting still. Lol. Buddy of mine has a 2012 Sierra 1500. 130000+ miles of abuse and it rides better than my truck loaded, unloaded or otherwise. Too many folks these days want trucks to ride like Cadillacs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Actually that is one of the things I thought it was unpleasant about the T1. I even compared it to Uncle Buck car.

 

https://youtu.be/OA-FmsSdSMY

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Atlas
      Gas Prices

      By Atlas · Posted

      87 down as low as $5.14 here... winning!
    • Atlas
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By Atlas · Posted

      Progress... sort of.   Intake is disassembled, spider is out, fuel lines removed. Used a torch on the stripped screw with the lower intake off, much easier when I've got the intake sitting on my workbench, I made it talk. Walked right out with a pair of vice grips once it was nice and toasty hot.   New parts are piling up on my service cart waiting to be installed. Distributor, temperature sensor, new gaskets, fuel line kit, themostat, water neck.   My new pickle is I don't want to spend $600 on a replacement spider. I'm not sure IT is bad. I'm probably splitting hairs. Or it's $300 to send mine away and another 3 weeks of the truck just sitting. I have half a mind to assemble everything with the old spider to see if I can get away with just replacing the fuel pressure regulator to be safe. The obvious issue was the gushing high pressure fuel line which will be replaced. Getting to the spider really isn't that hard, and now I know what I'm doing , swapping it would be a breeze should it absolutely need one. Stupid, or smart?   The part that gives me pause is replacing the distributor. Well, it's already out. And I didn't mark it, whoopsie! Engine was at TDC when I removed it, I know that, so upon correct reinstall the metal tip on the rotor should point to the TDC mark on the distributor because that's where it was pointing on the old distributor. Worst case I'm a tooth off and have to re-stab it.   But then, what? I assume the truck will start. It doesn't appear the timing can be set. Here's the problem: These distributors can't be rotated but a degree or two, by design. What I read is Cam ****** needs to be -2 to +2 degrees, ideally at 0 (and checked/set above 1000 rpm). There should be enough wiggle to get that properly set, but checking the reported value is another potential issue. My Actron 9185 scanner says it supports enhanced GM PIDs and Cam ****** is one of them but it's unclear that I'll be able to correctly see it over OBD 1.5. I can see why people end up junking these things with life left in them. They're an absolute nightmare with tweener-year diagnostics/electronics and unobtanium parts.   Fingers crossed it starts and idles nicely. There can be hope, right? I'ma buy a lottery ticket the same day just in case.   Next steps..DO IT. I have not installed an intake before so I've been reading and watching a lot. Some say NO RTV except on china walls, some say DO RTV on water ports but not fuel/air intake. 1/4 or 3/8 bead on China walls? I think my strategy will be, obviously, RTV china walls with overlap on the gasket corners. Chapstick-style RTV the water ports. Leave intake ports dry. The only set of intake gaskets I could find locally are Edelbrock performance gaskets (uh...for an asthmatic 190hp V6? LOL) so we'll see how they do.   #NoToolLeftBehind. It took an hour, but my recovery mission for my deep 10mm socket was successful. It had rolled down the bellhousing and wedged itself between what I think are the fuel lines? I couldn't see it at all, but with a junk antenna I had laying around, I blindly went poking/sweeping for it, heard it clink, raised the truck, and caught a sliver glimpse of chrome with a flashlight way up there in Narnia. I had pushed it farther along the lines holding it captive, but within access of severely improvised tools, poking and cursing at it to finally knock it free to where I could get a fingertip on it to bring it home.    Not much to see.      
    • RyanbabZ71
      Gas Prices

      By RyanbabZ71 · Posted

      Thats crazy considering im right next door (Indiana)
    • Black02Silverado
      New Retail & Commercial Promo

      By Black02Silverado · Posted

      For a limited time, retail and commercial accounts receive an AMSOIL Vinyl Tool Tray with their order of $500 or more when they use code TRAY726 at checkout. The promotion runs through July 21, 2026.   Order at https://syntheticadvantage.com   Want to use AMSOIL in your business or sell at your store, apply here.  https://www.amsoil.com/business-opportunities/?zo=521390  
    • KARNUT
      2027 GMC Sierra: Official Discussion

      By KARNUT · Posted

      It wouldn’t have happened if the government hadn’t mandated outrageous fuel mileage standards. It does very little for the consumer. It adds cost. Back during Covid there was a chip shortage. They gave a rebate for your truck if it didn’t have the chip to turn on cylinder deactivation. It was 50$ because at best you may see 1/2 a mile increase per gallon. Splitting hairs each fuel mileage trick wasn’t mandated. The government doesn’t do the engineering work and say use this until it’s already in use and they like it. The fuel mileage was mandated. And those add ons the results. There’s a mandate and they are the results.

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...