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towing a travel trailer cross country

Moend
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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.  

 

 

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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

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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.


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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.


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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

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