RE: Brave New World- Sway, Weight Distributing Hitches and Air Lifts

[kathybrj]

 TomToCamp

ORIGINAL:  TomToCamp
 
 Does anyone weight the stuff they carry?
 

 
 Absolutely! Better to just get the whole thing to a scale and know exactly what you are dealing with. We did this twice last season, fully packed, and with everyone in the tow vehicle. We found out we were too light on the tongue weight and adjusted accordingly. It was amazing how much better it towed once we made a few simple changes in where cargo was placed.

[AustinBoston]

 SactoCampers

ORIGINAL:  SactoCampers
 
 
 

What I can t understand (not necessarily in your case, Tom) is why when a TV manufacturer says " Don t use air bags"  and " Do use a WDH"  why some people insist on using air bags anyway.

 Probably because the trailer specifically prohibits against a WDH and they want to tow as level as possible. I ve never seen a TV that says don t use air bags. I m sure they exist, though. Care to share?
 

 Any GM vehicle with ABS brakes.
 
 Any Chrysler vehicle with ABS brakes.
 
 They don t name air bags specifically, but do say " no suspension changes"  which an air bag definitely is.
 
 Austin

[wynot]

 dlind
Our Utah weighed 110 lbs on the tongue unloaded.  If you can get the weight up to around 250+, with Friction sway, it will be behave much better.  10 percent is a goal, which is hard to get to with a Utah.

[MtnCamper]

 dlind

The rack does add to the receiver weight I do beleive.

Yes it does, But I thought we were working in the trailer s tongue weight? And a W/D Hitch. If you put the bike rack into the receiver, then another drawbar goes into the bike rack, Bike rack wouldn t count (on trailer tongue weight). But the farther you stretch things out the more problem towing. Best thing is to redrill the bike rack and get it as close to the TV as you can. Thus shortening the drawbar.  But you have to be careful when backing or turning, you will crunch the bikes.

[TomToCamp]

 dlind

Yes it does, But I thought we were working in the trailer s tongue weight? And a W/D Hitch. If you put the bike rack into the receiver, then another drawbar goes into the bike rack, Bike rack wouldn t count (on trailer tongue weight). But the farther you stretch things out the more problem towing. Best thing is to redrill the bike rack and get it as close to the TV as you can. Thus shortening the drawbar. But you have to be careful when backing or turning, you will crunch the bikes.

 The Class II receiver says 300 max tonque weight.  The bike rack foot is welded to drawbar  1  1/4    and the rack is removable. I don t have a tongue weight problem, besides that it starts out heavy. The bikes add to the max receiver tongue weight. The 1 1/4 bar is long but I have not had any problems towing with it.
 
 Look here
  1 1/4   Tow bike rack