TrickTruck
Member
I've been pulling this albatross for about a year now. We've put about 5,000miles on it, the other 7months I've had it it's been in the shop with a laundry list of problems - mostly sorted out. Forest River quality control gets a D- in my book. But wifey and I like it most of the time (when it's not in the shop).
Went with the Reese Straightline 17,000lb with the 1,700lb load leveling and anti sway feature. Not a friction system, they are cams in the leveling bars and seem to do the job fairly well once you get the silly things adjusted.
Truck is a short bed quad in my sig, trailer is a Work&Play w/ 8000lb axles G rated ST tires and it a ton of hitch weight. According to the CAT scales, when it's empty w/o the leveling bars it's putting 2500lbs on the hitch. Loaded with a couple toys it's much better, but still, one heavy trailer. We've grossed out at 25klbs several times. Truck is 8500lbs empty and full of fuel. That puts the trailer in the 16,500 range.
Box length is 34' and we can add a few feet for the aerodynamic nose and the hitch. Call it 40' tip to tail.
I've fiddle farted around with this hitch for a year now and IMHO it's as adjusted as it's going to get. Far, far better than it was when I left the factory when professionals did it and the darn thing was whipping me all over the road. Talk about white knuckle driving all the way back from Indiana!
Truck is now also sporting a set of airlift airbags which seem happiest right around 70psi.
I'm well aware that the speed rating on tires is 65mph so I've dropped back to a max speed of 70. Still, moving pretty fast.
Just got back from the outer banks and a 1000mi trip and I'll tell ya, it was one of the best tows this trailer has made yet. Virtually no wind and like I said above, I believe I've gotten all I can from this hitch.
It still sucks. No white knuckler, but passing semis (or getting passed) is done with both hands on the wheel and I am paying full attention in those moments when the semi sucks me in. Letting wifey drive it is out of the question. Going thru humps and bumps of I95, the bridges over the sound and all the other obstacles can be quite hairy.
It was 8hours each way of high stress, on your toes driving.
Yes, I know the tires on the truck are not suited for heavy towing by their specs, but I've put BFGs on there which are and the thing is a boat. The stock Michelin tires sucked azz, IMHO the Nittos when kept in their weight range are just fine. Maybe a little squishy but they are not the problem. The short sidewall of the 22s works well.
I do want traction bars as I feel that'll help keep the rear axle better planted.
Also would like to do a set of helwig sway bars front and rear.
IMHO the traction and sways will make the truck as rigid as possible.
But, I'm leaning towards ditching the Reese and going with either the Hensley or the 3p. But both of them max out at 14,000lbs and I'm a good bit over that. Do they make a 17k hitch and it's just not on their site?
So, what to do? All advise is welcome, I don't guarantee I'll take it, but I will certainly listen.
Went with the Reese Straightline 17,000lb with the 1,700lb load leveling and anti sway feature. Not a friction system, they are cams in the leveling bars and seem to do the job fairly well once you get the silly things adjusted.
Truck is a short bed quad in my sig, trailer is a Work&Play w/ 8000lb axles G rated ST tires and it a ton of hitch weight. According to the CAT scales, when it's empty w/o the leveling bars it's putting 2500lbs on the hitch. Loaded with a couple toys it's much better, but still, one heavy trailer. We've grossed out at 25klbs several times. Truck is 8500lbs empty and full of fuel. That puts the trailer in the 16,500 range.
Box length is 34' and we can add a few feet for the aerodynamic nose and the hitch. Call it 40' tip to tail.
I've fiddle farted around with this hitch for a year now and IMHO it's as adjusted as it's going to get. Far, far better than it was when I left the factory when professionals did it and the darn thing was whipping me all over the road. Talk about white knuckle driving all the way back from Indiana!
Truck is now also sporting a set of airlift airbags which seem happiest right around 70psi.
I'm well aware that the speed rating on tires is 65mph so I've dropped back to a max speed of 70. Still, moving pretty fast.
Just got back from the outer banks and a 1000mi trip and I'll tell ya, it was one of the best tows this trailer has made yet. Virtually no wind and like I said above, I believe I've gotten all I can from this hitch.
It still sucks. No white knuckler, but passing semis (or getting passed) is done with both hands on the wheel and I am paying full attention in those moments when the semi sucks me in. Letting wifey drive it is out of the question. Going thru humps and bumps of I95, the bridges over the sound and all the other obstacles can be quite hairy.
It was 8hours each way of high stress, on your toes driving.
Yes, I know the tires on the truck are not suited for heavy towing by their specs, but I've put BFGs on there which are and the thing is a boat. The stock Michelin tires sucked azz, IMHO the Nittos when kept in their weight range are just fine. Maybe a little squishy but they are not the problem. The short sidewall of the 22s works well.
I do want traction bars as I feel that'll help keep the rear axle better planted.
Also would like to do a set of helwig sway bars front and rear.
IMHO the traction and sways will make the truck as rigid as possible.
But, I'm leaning towards ditching the Reese and going with either the Hensley or the 3p. But both of them max out at 14,000lbs and I'm a good bit over that. Do they make a 17k hitch and it's just not on their site?
So, what to do? All advise is welcome, I don't guarantee I'll take it, but I will certainly listen.
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