(Not so) Mad at trailer.

[LONE-STAR]

Ok so when we bought our trailer I asked the dealer the weights of the trailer and everything checked out no problem. Well I was on a diesel forum last night and started reading a post on toy haulers they where talking about tongue weight . Well I was told my trailer had a 1100 lb tongue weight when we bought it. No problem the hitch on my truck is rated for 1250lb. Well after reading the weight of these other toy haulers I thought I would weight mine. Empty 1700lb loaded with 2 golf carts inside 1540lb . SO I searched the manufacture website and they say it has a tongue weight of 1340lb . So now I need a new hitch for my truck to the tune of $500.00 with me doing the labor. Any ideas . Not to mention I have already pulled the trailer on 3 trips for a total of 600 miles. To top it all off the fuel pump was leaking on it today I fixed it but still this thing is a 2009 and only a few months old.

 

[stacktester]

Get used to it Michael. I've had several issues with mine and they basically told me they're not going to fix it. My slide won't go out in the back all the way. About 3 inches short. Some bracket is bent. My shower door keeps falling off the hinges and I keep having to fix it. Lot's of problems. I called the manufacturer's rep and basically ended up telling him and keystone and the dealer where they could go. Dang sure liked me when I was sitting at the desk doing my closing. Oh well. Next time I won't by a Keystone. Had 3 already and they don't stand behind their product.

 

[des1954]

Ok so when we bought our trailer I asked the dealer the weights of the trailer and everything checked out no problem. Well I was on a diesel forum last night and started reading a post on toy haulers they where talking about tongue weight . Well I was told my trailer had a 1100 lb tongue weight when we bought it. No problem the hitch on my truck is rated for 1250lb. Well after reading the weight of these other toy haulers I thought I would weight mine. Empty 1700lb loaded with 2 golf carts inside 1540lb . SO I searched the manufacture website and they say it has a tongue weight of 1340lb . So now I need a new hitch for my truck to the tune of $500.00 with me doing the labor. Any ideas . Not to mention I have already pulled the trailer on 3 trips for a total of 600 miles. To top it all off the fuel pump was leaking on it today I fixed it but still this thing is a 2009 and only a few months old.

I know this doesn't help your situation, but this is a perfect example of why you need to do your homework before buying a unit, and NEVER trust the dealer or salesperson. Their goal is to make money, and they will do whatever it takes to acheive their goal.

My DH worked at an RV dealership exactly 2 months and walked out because the owner/manager demanded he tell the customer what they wanted to hear and not what they needed to hear. His job was to sell & not to educate. This was the new RV dealership on I-4 just down the road from Lazy-Days right after they opened. Economic times were good then. I'm sure most RV sales people will lie thru their teeth at this point just to be able to buy groceries. Rick can't sell things to people using underhanded tactics.

 

[LONE-STAR]

The few things I have found wrong with our TT I have called the dealer and they just ship me the parts under warranty. I just fix it my self it takes less time doing it my self then driving 70 miles to a local dealer. We bought ours out of state and had it delivered. Really I love our trailer I just don't want to buy a new hitch for my truck. Just tired of spending money to go camp(love camping would not have it any other way) . We could own a DVC or 2 by now. Trailers, trucks, golf carts, when dose it end ??? NEVER !!! Sorry for the rant just been one of those days.

 

[homebrew2]

Michael;

Don't know how you had the carts loaded, but keep in mind that any weight
loaded BEHIND the center of the axle combo takes weight OFF
of the hitch. The more weight and the further aft you place it the lighter the
hitch weight will be.

 

[LONE-STAR]

I know this doesn't help your situation, but this is a perfect example of why you need to do your homework before buying a unit, and NEVER trust the dealer or salesperson. Their goal is to make money, and they will do whatever it takes to acheive their goal.

My DH worked at an RV dealership exactly 2 months and walked out because the owner/manager demanded he tell the customer what they wanted to hear and not what they needed to hear. His job was to sell & not to educate. This was the new RV dealership on I-4 just down the road from Lazy-Days right after they opened. Economic times were good then. I'm sure most RV sales people will lie thru their teeth at this point just to be able to buy groceries. Rick can't sell things to people using underhanded tactics.

It just never even entered my mind that the hitch on a 1 ton diesel may not be strong enough to pull a 36' bumper pull toy hauler. Whats funny is that no normal pickup could tow this trailer with out upgrading the hitch at least by the numbers. The dealer should know this and tell you but oh well.

 

[LONE-STAR]

Michael;

Don't know how you had the carts loaded, but keep in mind that any weight
loaded BEHIND the center of the axle combo takes weight OFF
of the hitch. The more weight and the further aft you place it the lighter the
hitch weight will be.

Yeah thanks for the reply one cart sets on top of the axles and the other behind the axles. Its the only way they fit.

 

[AuburnJen92]

Michael,

I know your agony. We just spent 1200 on a tranny repair and I have to call the radiator guy tomorrow to pull the raddie out to get to the turbo to have it welded back together again. It took us three miles to get to 60mph today. With all the fools driving back to Miami, we almost killed several people. Here, watch this, it will at least bring a smile to your face...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK-QIDzTdso

 

[LarryJ]

Ok so when we bought our trailer I asked the dealer the weights of the trailer and everything checked out no problem. Well I was on a diesel forum last night and started reading a post on toy haulers they where talking about tongue weight . Well I was told my trailer had a 1100 lb tongue weight when we bought it. No problem the hitch on my truck is rated for 1250lb. Well after reading the weight of these other toy haulers I thought I would weight mine. Empty 1700lb loaded with 2 golf carts inside 1540lb . SO I searched the manufacture website and they say it has a tongue weight of 1340lb . So now I need a new hitch for my truck to the tune of $500.00 with me doing the labor. Any ideas . Not to mention I have already pulled the trailer on 3 trips for a total of 600 miles. To top it all off the fuel pump was leaking on it today I fixed it but still this thing is a 2009 and only a few months old.

I think you might be in for a surprise on the cost since I think you're going to have to go to something like THIS and then you have to buy a new drawbar/shank and ball ~$140 and then you will have to upgrade your receiver to a Titan Class V and those run in the neighborhood of $360. Thus it appears the min cost might be around $1200.

While a lot pricer if you can get one to fit your vehicle is the 2/20K version of THIS. Not sure but these run IIRC in the $2,000 to $3,000 range and present some unique turning conditions that are much different than normal towing setups.

There might be other options out there that I'm just not familiar with.

In any case because of all the loading options in a TH I would recommend in any event to get the following for around $100 or so.

Larry

 

[Us3]

The few things I have found wrong with our TT I have called the dealer and they just ship me the parts under warranty. I just fix it my self it takes less time doing it my self then driving 70 miles to a local dealer. We bought ours out of state and had it delivered. Really I love our trailer I just don't want to buy a new hitch for my truck. Just tired of spending money to go camp(love camping would not have it any other way) . We could own a DVC or 2 by now. Trailers, trucks, golf carts, when dose it end ??? NEVER !!! Sorry for the rant just been one of those days.

You're right about this....camping can be expensive!

 

[Shan-man]

I'm wondering if having water and carts on-board would lighten the tongue weight? I'm not a tow'er so this is just a guess, I just can't imagine how else the mfg could get away with a bald-faced lie about specs!

 

[lisa8200]

I know this is may not be relevent or requested but, remember that if you load in such a way as to reduce tongue weight you can get "squirrely" if you take too much off. Doesn't sound like you have that option and that you are probably more trailer savey than me but, thought I would mention it.

 

[LONE-STAR]

Thanks for all the replies. Well did some calling around today. Called the dealer spoke to the owner and he said don't worry about it that he has a F250
(I have a F350) with the factory hitch and pulls that much weight all over the country. He said they never change out the factory hitch on Ford Superduty trucks. So then called Forest River. The guy there in the tec. dept. also told me not to worry about it that the factory hitch on my truck would be enough to handle my trailer. Well I figure they built the trailer they should know what it takes to haul it. So what do yall think??

 

[LarryJ]

Thanks for all the replies. Well did some calling around today. Called the dealer spoke to the owner and he said don't worry about it that he has a F250
(I have a F350) with the factory hitch and pulls that much weight all over the country. He said they never change out the factory hitch on Ford Superduty trucks. So then called Forest River. The guy there in the tec. dept. also told me not to worry about it that the factory hitch on my truck would be enough to handle my trailer. Well I figure they built the trailer they should know what it takes to haul it. So what do yall think??

They may have built or sold you the trailer, but Ford built your vehicle and there are different hitch/receiver ratings so there must be a reason for this and that tells me that there is no one size fits all and this is what the hitch/receiver manufacturers are telling us and that implies you shouldn't be doing what you are. One or two might exist, but ask yourself why normal hitches/receivers that are rated above 1400lbs have 2 1/2" systems vs. the normal 2" systems.

Also, you need IMHO to have the properly rated WD and Sway system.

You haven't said, but what is the year and model of your TH and what WD and Sway system and it's ratings are you currently using?

Larry

 

[stacktester]

I wonder if ambulance chasers watch this thread lol. I'd hate to see it break on you Michael. If FR is so cool with you towing with an underated hitch tell them to put it in writing.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Does the hitch on your truck have a rating tag ?
I am within the limts on my OEM hitch on my 2500HD but the hitch is definetly marginal. The problem with the GM units is that their design and mounting doesnt transfer weight effectively into the truck chassis. The torsion from the WD bars on mine is taken up in flex in the hitch. Even though I am within my limts I am still eyeballing a new class 5, mostly for the better weight distribution.

 

[LONE-STAR]

The trailer is a 2009 wolf pack 30wp and my WD system is a 14,000lb equalizer. Forrest River said that the 14,000lb equalizer was more then enough for the trailer.
I have been thinking about this all night and all our minds seem to be going the same direction that I am going to replace the hitch. Thanks for the replies.
Still open to your input.

 

[LONE-STAR]

OK update forgot I had filled the water tank for hurricane Ike 100gal. So I drained 2/3 of the water and reweighed the trailer. This gave me a tongue weight of 1280lb. Then I loaded both carts and added 150lb in the kitchen to represent food and 350lb to the bedroom for clothing. Giving me a total tongue weight of 1220lb and if I need to decrease my tongue weight more I can fill my gas tank at the rear of the trailer which is 25 gal. So about an extra 150lb to the rear of the trailer. So I think we are good. Just had to shift the load around and loose all that water about 66 gallons.

 

[TxTink :)]

Yeh- no worries anymore.

 

[LarryJ]

The trailer is a 2009 wolf pack 30wp and my WD system is a 14,000lb equalizer. Forrest River said that the 14,000lb equalizer was more then enough for the trailer.
I have been thinking about this all night and all our minds seem to be going the same direction that I am going to replace the hitch. Thanks for the replies.
Still open to your input.

You should be fine since the GVWR is only 11.5K and both your hitch and receiver exceed that. You just have to watch that hitch wt. and not load unevenly.

How are you determining your hitch wt. and remember the draw bar and WD/sway system wt. which can easily approach 100+ lbs has to be added to the pure trailer tongue wt since those go against your receiver's tongue wt. rating.

Larry