Hitch Itch?

[Cougarfan]

Bottom line question:

Will even this (relatively) lightweight trailer not work for me?

Anne

You have plenty of payload for the hitch weight, conversions to your van, your dog, and you. The trailer is at almost half of your towing capacity even if you load it up to it's GVWR. I think your van will tow that trailer just fine.

Laura

[Cudedog]

Bottom line question:

Will even this (relatively) lightweight trailer not work for me?

Anne

You have plenty of payload for the hitch weight, conversions to your van, your dog, and you. The trailer is at almost half of your towing capacity even if you load it up to it's GVWR. I think your van will tow that trailer just fine.

Laura

Thank you, Laura!

I confess, all of this is really difficult to understand.

Added to all of this confusion, I found one of those online calculators that seems to suggest that the max I can tow with my van is about 2,600#, not the 3200# of the trailer I am looking at:

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml

I know most of the numbers the calculator is asking for, and these are the numbers for my van (below), if anyone would like to punch these (or your own) numbers into the calculator, I would be interested in what you come up with, Laura.

I have no idea how accurate this calculator is, and in fact it does not ask for the payload number (mine is 2135#) which should also figure in there somewhere.

Me:

GVWR 7300
GCWR 12000
Tow vehicle maximum loaded trailer weight rating 6800
Tow vehicle maximum tongue weight rating 500 (with WD hitch)
GAWR Rear gross axle weight rating 4000
Tow vehicle GVW - actual weight 6030
Trailer GVW 3200
Tow vehicle RGAW actual weight of rear axle (I don't know that, haven't weighed it)
Trailer tongue weight 325
Safety margin 10%

When I put in these numbers I get 2,667# for "Maximum Trailer Weight with Margin" using a 20% "Safety Margin".

I think I will go and talk to the local GMC dealer tomorrow, and maybe also go back to the scales in order to weigh that rear axle.

I got all of my "numbers" out of the GMC owner's manual that came with the van.

Thanks, Laura!!

Anne

[snowball]

Anne
I thought of you when I shared a post on FB I don't know if you are on it or not as
we aren't "friends" if you are find me ok sheila jean boyd I think any way it was a
hike in either Oregon or Washington that with your volcano liking thought you would like if you
aren't would someone please put the link to here...Beth??? pretty please just did it a couple days ago pretty much still being liked
sheila

[Cudedog]

Anne
I thought of you when I shared a post on FB I don't know if you are on it or not as
we aren't "friends" if you are find me ok sheila jean boyd I think any way it was a
hike in either Oregon or Washington that with your volcano liking thought you would like if you
aren't would someone please put the link to here...Beth??? pretty please just did it a couple days ago pretty much still being liked
sheila

Hi Sheila!

No, I'm not on Facebook. I'm always up for a volcano hike, though!! Please share.

Anne

[Cudedog]

Here is some more info from my van's owner's manual that I don't completely understand. Maybe one of you can help?

What I think it says is that I can carry more tongue weight with a WD hitch. (?)

Thanks!

Anne

__________________________________

The trailer tongue weight should
be 10 percent to 15 percent of the
total loaded trailer weight, up
to a maximum of 181 kg (400 lbs)
with a weight carrying hitch.

The trailer tongue weight should be
10 percent to 15 percent of the total
loaded trailer weight, up to a
maximum of 454 kg (1,000 lbs) with
a weight distributing hitch.

[Colliemom]

Yes dear, you are correct. A WD system will allow for more weight. A trailer that is hitched to a vehicle puts all the weight on the hitch and the rear of the vehicle, whereas, a WD system takes that weight and evens it out along the tow vehicle. You have probably seen vehicles pulling trailers where they look low between the trailer and the vehicle, like they are about to drag bottom and the front of the vehicle is riding up a bit high, kinda of looking like a rolling V. That’s what happens. It’s dangerous as all the weight is on that hitch, which you hope to heck doesn’t break off from the stress and also reduces your braking capabilities. The best rule of the thumb is to measure both the front and back of the vehicle from the top of the wheel wells to the ground before you hitch up, then after you hitch up, measure them again. They should be pretty close. Then you know you are level and off you go. After awhile you know your WD system and you don’t need to do it. Mine has the chains and that’s where a lot of people say they can’t lift the bars. Bars don’t weight that much, maybe 25 pounds. But you need hitch up and then raise the jack up high, lifting your vehicle with it till you think it’s high enough, attach those chains and then fasten them down. It takes practice to learn the point where it is easy to do without using brute strength and that’s where people run into problems. They don’t raise the jack high enough. I have an Eaz Lift hitch system if you want to look it up. Now that I have you thoroughly confused, I will let your brain attempt to absorb this and take my fur kids for a walk You have enough capacity to tow that Jayco. If it’s what you want, go for it. No rules saying you decide later it’s not for you, trade in or sell it. You might decide to change tow vehicles down the line, who inows.

[Colliemom]

Okay, I’m back. Dogs were bugging me too much to concentrate on what I wanted to say. Don’t bother going to dealer. They don’t know anything about trailer towing, although they think they do. They will just look up the same figures you do. I have the latest trailer towing guide from Trailer Life here, what’s your Make, Model, 1500,2500, 3500? Engine size etc., short or long wheel base etc.

I know you mentioned not. Eing on FB, but do you have a smart phone or IPad with Messenger on it. That’s great for instant communication. Use it all the time.

[Colliemom]

Check out this web site http://www.equalizerhitch.com. It’s got a great video in WD systems. Lyn, if you see this, Take a look at it too.

[BarbaraRose]

Yes, I did have an Andersen hitch for my trailer. It wasn't set up right to begin with so had some issues, but once it was adjusted and I was shown how to use it, it was very easy to hitch and unhitch it. I think I paid about $500 for it.

[snowball]

Anne
I thought of you when I shared a post on FB I don't know if you are on it or not as
we aren't "friends" if you are find me ok sheila jean boyd I think any way it was a
hike in either Oregon or Washington that with your volcano liking thought you would like if you
aren't would someone please put the link to here...Beth??? pretty please just did it a couple days ago pretty much still being liked
sheila

Hi Sheila!

No, I'm not on Facebook. I'm always up for a volcano hike, though!! Please share.

Anne

look for Skamania countys Ape Cave Trail in Washington the longest continuous lava tube in the continental United States located on the south side of Mt St Helen's
sheila

[MelissaD]

Anne, from what you have posted, you look good to go and have done far more homework than the average person. The thing to remember is the hitch weight given by the manufacture corresponds to the empty weight of the trailer. If you truck will pull your trailer by the numbers when fully loaded (which it will by the numbers you have given me). Towing it at any time less than max weight will give you extra wiggle room.

You have "cargo room" on you van to carry the hitch weight.
You are bellow the stated max towing capacity of your van
You are below you vehicle combined (van & trailer) weight.

Most people violate at least 1 of these limits so well done!

Melissa

[Cougarfan]

Most people violate at least 1 of these limits so well done!

Melissa

Ha ha ha you are SO right! My guess for the #1 violation is tow vehicle payload.

Laura

[Colliemom]

I second what Melissa said. Go for it, time to live your dream! You know we will be here and happy to help anyway we can

[Cudedog]

Bottom line question:

Will even this (relatively) lightweight trailer not work for me?

Anne

You have plenty of payload for the hitch weight, conversions to your van, your dog, and you. The trailer is at almost half of your towing capacity even if you load it up to it's GVWR. I think your van will tow that trailer just fine.

Laura

Thanks, Laura!

Anne

[Cudedog]

Anne, from what you have posted, you look good to go and have done far more homework than the average person. The thing to remember is the hitch weight given by the manufacture corresponds to the empty weight of the trailer. If you truck will pull your trailer by the numbers when fully loaded (which it will by the numbers you have given me). Towing it at any time less than max weight will give you extra wiggle room.

You have "cargo room" on you van to carry the hitch weight.
You are bellow the stated max towing capacity of your van
You are below you vehicle combined (van & trailer) weight.

Most people violate at least 1 of these limits so well done!

Melissa

Thank you, Melissa!

It was extremely helpful to me when you suggested that I weigh my van. After I did that, and re-reading the specs on my van and on the trailer (again!), I was able to better understand the numbers. Steep learning curve for someone who had never before looked into such things; even the terminology was a bit difficult to grasp, at least at first!

But I was sweating it - of foremost importance, for me, is to be safe!!

Not sure if I mentioned previously, but (after reading my owner's manual) I realized that my van came with some kind of minimal, pre-installed, "tow package" (which, if I am understanding it correctly, consists mostly of wiring underneath someplace). Also, my van has a button on the dash to push for "trailer tow mode", which changes how the gears shift (my van is an automatic transmission) that somehow makes it better for towing.

WooHoo!!

Maybe it's now time of a little "announcement". . .?

Stay tuned!

Anne