Towing need advice on purchase of travel trailer - Page 3

Kevin B · #41 01-30-2005, 01:50 PM

originlly posted by drmiles:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>(note I have 38" tires which steals some of my torque)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OH MY. Are you running 38s with stock gears and components ie: brakes, roters, joints and arms?

PARAGON · #42 01-30-2005, 02:00 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by DennisAJC:
I'm just stating what the pros have told me. Obviously Super is correct on the issue.

As to my boat, I figured you knew with all your infinite sluething techniques what kind of boat I have.

It would be grossly misleading of you to say tongue weight doesn't matter. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>You must still be kidding. Towing a trailer eats through a limited slip differential faster than anything else? Come on Dennis, you said your "experts" were the GM techs at the dealership. And no where does any manufacturer stress to use weight distribution to be covered under warranty. If you are worried about warranty you keep your gcwr under 14K lbs and in doing that you will not generally have a properly loaded trailer with a tongue weight of more than 600-700lbs. So, in theory if the weight is transferred to the front tires of the tow vehicle, the amount it is negligible at 70lbs of load or less.

What it boils down to is that weight distribution is only really useful with heavy tongue weights. First you should not be overextending the towing ability of the H2 to begin with and to get to the weights where weight distribution systems come into play, your are doing exactly that.

Now with rear air, it's even more complicated. Someone pointed out that they could load the trailer with door open so that the rear air wouldn't kick in. Well this would bind the system needlessly and make the tow extremely unsafe due to fishtailing. You might can find a fine balance between the weight distribution and the rear air, but that system is no longer adaptable. Change the dynamics of the trailer load or the load in the H2 and it screws up the fine tuning that was done, all for no real improvement in safety or handling.

So, on vehicles with air suspensions, not only is weight distribution not necessary, it can be hazardous since, in effect, the two systems will be fighting against one another instead of working in conjunction.

drmiles · #43 01-31-2005, 12:08 AM

Yes running stock components except for the tie rods.. Trying to decide if I should regear the diffs or supercharge the engine!!!<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by N2ITNSD:
originlly posted by drmiles:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>(note I have 38" tires which steals some of my torque)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OH MY. Are you running 38s with stock gears and components ie: brakes, roters, joints and arms? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

drmiles · #44 01-31-2005, 12:17 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by PARAGON:
[quote]Originally posted by DennisAJC:

Now with rear air, it's even more complicated. Someone pointed out that they could load the trailer with door open so that the rear air wouldn't kick in. Well this would bind the system needlessly and make the tow extremely unsafe due to fishtailing. You might can find a fine balance between the weight distribution and the rear air, but that system is no longer adaptable. Change the dynamics of the trailer load or the load in the H2 and it screws up the fine tuning that was done, all for no real improvement in safety or handling.

So, on vehicles with air suspensions, not only is weight distribution not necessary, it can be hazardous since, in effect, the two systems will be fighting against one another instead of working in conjunction. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not true, the idea of the torsion bars on the equilizer hitch is to remove excess tongue weight. Not to remove all weight off the hitch. It also prevents excessive weight from being shifted to the tongue when traveling down bumpy and uneven roads.. If properly loade you can keep the tongue weight to the ideal weight and the air bags don't have to air up as much, or hold as much weight. Also the air bags cannot compensate for bumps and sudden shifts of weight as you travel down the road @ 60 mph.

DennisAJC · #45 01-31-2005, 03:12 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by drmiles:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by PARAGON:

Now with rear air, it's even more complicated. Someone pointed out that they could load the trailer with door open so that the rear air wouldn't kick in. Well this would bind the system needlessly and make the tow extremely unsafe due to fishtailing. You might can find a fine balance between the weight distribution and the rear air, but that system is no longer adaptable. Change the dynamics of the trailer load or the load in the H2 and it screws up the fine tuning that was done, all for no real improvement in safety or handling.

So, on vehicles with air suspensions, not only is weight distribution not necessary, it can be hazardous since, in effect, the two systems will be fighting against one another instead of working in conjunction. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not true, the idea of the torsion bars on the equilizer hitch is to remove excess tongue weight. Not to remove all weight off the hitch. It also prevents excessive weight from being shifted to the tongue when traveling down bumpy and uneven roads.. If properly loade you can keep the tongue weight to the ideal weight and the air bags don't have to air up as much, or hold as much weight. Also the air bags cannot compensate for bumps and sudden shifts of weight as you travel down the road @ 60 mph. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Jerry.

PARAGON · #46 01-31-2005, 03:28 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by drmiles:
Not true, the idea of the torsion bars on the equilizer hitch is to remove excess tongue weight. Not to remove all weight off the hitch. It also prevents excessive weight from being shifted to the tongue when traveling down bumpy and uneven roads.. If properly loade you can keep the tongue weight to the ideal weight and the air bags don't have to air up as much, or hold as much weight. Also the air bags cannot compensate for bumps and sudden shifts of weight as you travel down the road @ 60 mph. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Now, I do take offense here. What exactly is the comment of mine you are referring to as being not true.

You have made my point greatly. The object of torsion bars is to remove EXCESS tongue weight. With the H2, you either have the load improperly loaded or overloaded simply due to the GCWR.

And your comments about the air suspension is way off base. The air adjusts to the weight to keep the body of the truck level. It does not turn on and off through the course of driving from bumps and dips in the road. No more than it does that w/o a trailer. The system is not an instantaneous reponse, it is strictly for rear leveling. So that comments is just not apart of this.

I am tired of beating a dead horse on this issue. Do what you guys want to do, it's your stuff.

DennisAJC · #47 01-31-2005, 03:40 AM

Oh give it up man! Must you be right every single time?

OK, OK, YES, Thanks Paragon.

HeimenHummer · #48 01-31-2005, 04:10 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by DennisAJC:
Dug,

Bottom line is, I never take solid advice from anyone on the internet. Usually I'll go to the pros. GM service department made the same recomendations as Super only because the word, "_WARRANTY_" was involved.I have this thing with saying,"Will it be covered under warranty?"

I'll listen to the pros. It's unfortunate that Super was correct.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>A boat hardly has the tongue weight to even matter <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oh, it matters. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I get a similar question given to me when my dealership saw me towing my boat. Not as big as your(Is that a 35footer?). They told me to make sure my set-up was proper or warranty issues could arise. Nice boat Dennisaj.

DennisAJC · #49 01-31-2005, 04:20 AM

Thanks Hammer,

It's a 32 footer Bayliner.

In the end, I hired a towing company to tow it to dry dock across town. It's a bitch to maintain and it was sitting there for over a year. Hopefully we'll spend some time on it this summer.

Welcome to the Forum. Post pics of yer beast.

KenP · #50 01-31-2005, 04:27 AM

Happiest day of a boat owner is when they buy it. Or is it when they sell it?

DennisAJC · #51 01-31-2005, 04:31 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by KenP:
Happiest day of a boat owner is when they buy it. Or is it when they sell it?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

For $135,000.00 CAN, You can have it Ken! I'll even throw in a DVD player fer yer porn.

Twin 5.7 engines, loaded w/ its own generator, air cond/heat, sep. shwr in head, 2 staterms, full enclosed bridge, inflatable mounted w/ Sea Wise w/ davit & 8hp O/B, Sea-B-Que

drmiles · #52 01-31-2005, 12:38 PM

No offense intended!
If the equalizer hitch is properly tensioned it disperses weight evenly on the truck. Every time the truck hits a large bump in the road the rear air bags compress then rebound producing a bouncing. The torsion bars will lessen that bounce. Thus not being HAZARDOUS, but advantageous in smoothing out the ride, the two systems work synergistically with each other. That’s all I was trying to point out.

"<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR> So, on vehicles with air suspensions, not only is weight distribution not necessary, it can be hazardous since, in effect, the two systems will be fighting against one another instead of working in conjunction. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode