Trailer Loading Question

[lts1ow]

Gonna be taking two cars to the race track on the 4th on this trailer.

Truck is all factory suspension, no air bags in the rear etc..

Plan is to have my car back on, and the other car face front onto the trailer, so both engines will be over the trailer axles. Now, other than that, how can I be sure I am not overloading the hitch? Just watch the leaf packs and try to shoot for something in particular?

My car is ~3200 and the other is ~4000 so I hope that if I have the heavy car farther on the trailer, some hitch weight will be lessened, seem right?

Wanna have a decent plan on loading so its not a last minute "oh shit, how do I do this right?" kind of morning.

Sorry for the novel, thanks!

 

[hondarider552]

that's a good plan. even when I tow my single cab, I like to have more tongue weight on the tow truck than normal, yeah it tows worse, but it doesn't start to even sway.

 

[gmduramax]

With that much weight I would say you want your rear of your truck to drop 2-3 inches. That should get you in the ballpark. Better way is to load up and hit the scales.

 

[durallymax]

Id say drive them both on and see how much it squats. Too much over the traiker axles will make it sway.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lts1ow]

Just looking for how much of a drop on the rear of the truck I am shooting for, not much experience at all with this sort of tow so le n00b status.

 

[Big Block 88]

I always ditch the factory hitches for tow beasts V. So I'm not even sure what the capacities are stock hitches.

Your plan is excactly how I would do it. Front car back in and rear car on forward. I would cheat the front car toward he truck as far as possible to get weight in the truck

3/4 ton I would say 5-6 inches for me or an 1-2 below level.

 

[malibu795]

definitely going to be nose up with a leveled truck once loaded.. i would expect 4-5" of squat... also another thing.. the trailer hitch adjustable? can use that to offset some of the squat which is normal. i'd load the trailer so the further most part of the deck is about 1" lower than over the trailer axles.... probably have to adjust the hitch height to compensate for the squat
nice trailer btw



edit: once you get it loaded like you want.. paint lines where to park the cars via the wheels make loading it a breeze next time

 

[lts1ow]

definitely going to be nose up with a leveled truck once loaded.. i would expect 4-5" of squat... also another thing.. the trailer hitch adjustable? can use that to offset some of the squat which is normal. i'd load the trailer so the further most part of the deck is about 1" lower than over the trailer axles.... probably have to adjust the hitch height to compensate for the squat
nice trailer btw

edit: once you get it loaded like you want.. paint lines where to park the cars via the wheels make loading it a breeze next time

The truck is not leveled, so should I shoot for a level truck once loaded up?

Hitch is just whatever came on the truck, not really sure what it is but def not adjustable AFAIK.

Even if both cars were totaling 8k and say the trailer was 5k, thats well within what the truck should be comfortable with correct?

 

[gmduramax]

Not from a bumper pull. 10,000lbs max with bars. Unless you upgrade your receiver.

 

[lts1ow]

Not from a bumper pull. 10,000lbs max with bars. Unless you upgrade your receiver.

Oh, crap...

So, how badly am I ****ed towing two cars then..?

 

[gmduramax]

How much does your trailer really weigh?

 

[lts1ow]

Honestly do not know, its a 32ft Appalachian two car, my car probably weighs an honest 3300lb and my friends will be around 3800lb.

 

[AKlowriderZ71]

Not from a bumper pull. 10,000lbs max with bars. Unless you upgrade your receiver.

Factory hitch ratings decal.

 

[gmduramax]

It should have a tag on it that says or on your registration. My 22ft 10,000lb GRoss weight trailer weighs 2800lbs. I couldn't imagine yours weighs more than 3500lbs. I would say you're ok.

 

[gmduramax]

Factory hitch ratings decal.

That's from an OBS? I thought only the LMM+ could do 12,000 at the bumper?

 

[JoshH]

I hauled two Jeeps across Idaho on a similar bumper pull trailer before. I had weight distributing bars on it though. It handled it with no problems. Maybe go to a camper dealer and see if they have any weight distributing hitch setups they can sell you.

 

[AKlowriderZ71]

That said, I towed over 15K with 1500 pounds in the bed of my truck from Alaska to Wyoming with no problems at all using the factory hitch & WD bars. I think the OP will be just fine.

 

[lts1ow]

Ok, I will be extra careful, guy whose trailer it is says it should be ok as well, just you guys have me worried now :rofl:

Gotta toss back on the baby level 1 tune tonight too

 

[AKlowriderZ71]

That's from an OBS? I thought only the LMM+ could do 12,000 at the bumper?

Yep, that's my '01 LB7 hitch. The wife's '01 Yukon reads the same.

EDIT: I should add (for the OP) that in those pics of my truck & trailer, I had 100 psi in the air bags, and WD bars.

 

[gmduramax]

It will definitely be fine. Legal