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What do you tow with for a travel trailer toy hauler

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  • #1

    What do you tow with for a travel trailer toy hauler

    Happy Memorial Day. We have a new Grand Design 29G Momentum Toy hauler that we have only towed a few times with our Ram 2500 with the 6.4 gas and 8 speed transmission. I have to say it handles the trailer very well when not in hurricane winds but the 1700lbs of tongue weight dry is a lot. We haven't loaded it with a motorcycle yet that I know will help. I was curious if anyone had experience with this or similar trailers using a 3500 single rear wheel? Even with the Blu Ox tightened up there is some sag. With the higher payload of the 3500 curious if there would be less drop. Under heavy acceleration especially up steep grades the current truck feels light in the front. I know the weight is what it is but thought maybe if the drop being less maybe there would still be little more weight on the the front axles. Or does the difference in the springs just an extra leaf that doesn't kick in until well loaded? With the current marked for trucks ours has extreme value for trade and I have actually found a few near by on lots. So we are considering pumping up to a 3500/350. Not concerned about what brand, have owned all of the big three and please with all of them over the years. Happy camping and thanks for any input.
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  • #2
    Originally posted by Silverram View Post
    Happy Memorial Day. We have a new Grand Design 29G Momentum Toy hauler that we have only towed a few times with our Ram 2500 with the 6.4 gas and 8 speed transmission. I have to say it handles the trailer very well when not in hurricane winds but the 1700lbs of tongue weight dry is a lot. We haven't loaded it with a motorcycle yet that I know will help. I was curious if anyone had experience with this or similar trailers using a 3500 single rear wheel? Even with the Blu Ox tightened up there is some sag. With the higher payload of the 3500 curious if there would be less drop. Under heavy acceleration especially up steep grades the current truck feels light in the front. I know the weight is what it is but thought maybe if the drop being less maybe there would still be little more weight on the the front axles. Or does the difference in the springs just an extra leaf that doesn't kick in until well loaded? With the current marked for trucks ours has extreme value for trade and I have actually found a few near by on lots. So we are considering pumping up to a 3500/350. Not concerned about what brand, have owned all of the big three and please with all of them over the years. Happy camping and thanks for any input.
    I'm sure others will have many replies but... We have a Reflection 297RSTS towing with my new F350 diesel SRW. 1300-1400 pounds of tongue. My "helper" spring never comes close. The rear of the truck does settle a bit though. I re-set up my Equalizer hitch myself (moved from my F250 to F350) per the instructions. At first I thought the hitch wasn't doing its job but the front of the truck doesn't move more than about 1/2 inch despite the rear settling a bit. So either that's how it goes or I need to look at my process again. I still need to hit the CAT scale to do some checks there go too.
    Terry and Patty (Dogs-Sophie and Tessa)
    2020 Reflection 297RSTS - bought Oct 2019
    2021 F350 crew cab, SRW, 6.7L diesel, 14K equal-i-zer hitch

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    • #3
      Originally posted by trkester View Post

      ... At first I thought the hitch wasn't doing its job but the front of the truck doesn't move more than about 1/2 inch despite the rear settling a bit. So either that's how it goes or I need to look at my process again. I still need to hit the CAT scale to do some checks there go too.
      I am curious, are you saying with the Weight Distribution engaged, the front of the truck moves less than 1/2 inch? or is that with No Weight Distribution?

      When I set up my Equal-i-zer, on my 2500 HD Sierra, my 1050 lbs tongue wgt, dropped the rear bumper by about 2''. At the same time, the front fender only came up by 1/4 inch from the unloaded measurement. When I engaged the WD bars, the rear bumper only dropped about 3/4" and the front fender only came up about 1/8". The front fender measurements were so close it was really hard to measure.

      If you are getting a rise of 1/2" at the front with the WD bars engaged, I would say you need a little more tension in the bars. I would start by raising the L-brackets by one hole and see how it goes. If that helps, you may want to go to the trouble to add a washer in the hitch head and lower the L-brackets. It may take some experimenting to get it fine tuned, and the CAT scale will give you the best data.
      Bob & Lynne

      2020 Imagine 2970RL
      2019 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD 4x4 Duramax

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      • #4
        Before I went to a 5th wheel, I towed a 10K lb tt toy hauler with both a Chevy 2500, and a RAM 3500 SRW. There will always be some kind of sag, trucks are built with the rear higher for that reason. The difference between the two was about an inch in sag without the WD engaged. Setting up the WDH on both, I was within about 1/2" front to back.

        Some may disagree, but as you get into heavier loads, the RAM 2500 with the coil springs, will allow the load to bounce more than a leaf spring. Not saying coil springs are bad, there are heavier trucks with coil springs, but for the RAM 3/4 ton truck, they use them as a compromise for a better ride. My 3500 also has 1,300 lbs more payload, so of course if you go to the larger/heavier truck, it will handle the trailer better, and of course the popular saying, will handle your next larger trailer. The ride is not much different, and size is the same.

        With the crazy values of used trucks, I would take advantage of it, and get the truck you want. I have been offered $5K more than I paid OTD for my '19 RAM 3500 with 20K miles on it, and has me thinking of a long bed, or dually.
        2021 GD Momentum 320G 8K Axle
        2023 Chevy 3500HD LTZ SB CC 4x4 Dmax

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        • #5
          I have the 21G (much smaller than yours). typical tongue weight is 1250#. I have an F250 with high capacity towing package which gives it different rear springs and rear axle (basically a F350 rear end...almost). When hitched without WD hitch the back still sags about 2.5" and front raises about .5" to .75". with WD hitch the back sags about 1.75" and front lifts about .5". I installed bags to see if that would help. I adjusted the WD hitch to the new setup and it did help a little. Apparently you do want a slight sag at the rear so I left a 1" drop on the rear and the front is up about .25". The WD hitch also puts over 500# back on the trailer and a couple hundred pounds on the front axle. I do prefer my new setup over my old setup.

          I agree with RJAPCOK to put more tension on your bars and see what happens. You can always move them back to where you had them.
          Allen

          2021 Momentum 21G

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by RJAPCOK View Post

            I am curious, are you saying with the Weight Distribution engaged, the front of the truck moves less than 1/2 inch? or is that with No Weight Distribution?

            When I set up my Equal-i-zer, on my 2500 HD Sierra, my 1050 lbs tongue wgt, dropped the rear bumper by about 2''. At the same time, the front fender only came up by 1/4 inch from the unloaded measurement. When I engaged the WD bars, the rear bumper only dropped about 3/4" and the front fender only came up about 1/8". The front fender measurements were so close it was really hard to measure.

            If you are getting a rise of 1/2" at the front with the WD bars engaged, I would say you need a little more tension in the bars. I would start by raising the L-brackets by one hole and see how it goes. If that helps, you may want to go to the trouble to add a washer in the hitch head and lower the L-brackets. It may take some experimenting to get it fine tuned, and the CAT scale will give you the best data.
            I didn't measure how far the rear went down since the instructions didn't call for it but the front rose an inch or less with no weight distribution and then with weight distribution, brought it half way back per the instructions.

            I prob do need to tinker. I did add a washer (already had the base of 5). I didn't mess with the L-brackets.

            I'm just a tad confused cause it just didn't seem I should have to add washers and tension when going from my F-150 to my F-350. (not intuitively obvious to me)
            Terry and Patty (Dogs-Sophie and Tessa)
            2020 Reflection 297RSTS - bought Oct 2019
            2021 F350 crew cab, SRW, 6.7L diesel, 14K equal-i-zer hitch

            Comment

            • #7
              Did some tweaking this morning. Thanks for the L bracket advice. I bumped the L brackets up one hole. Frontend of the truck is now only 1/8" higher with the trailer on and WD engaged. The rear (measured at the bumper step) settles 2" which is less than before and the trailer sits dead level measured front and back from the frame to the ground. (was a tad nose down before)

              Took a drive to the CAT scale and there is a definate handling difference. Steering feels better and less of a porpoise over a particular set of bridges on I-94. (you really get to know how bad Michigan roads are when towing)

              At the CAT, steer axle of JUST the truck is 4780 (it's a heavy diesel) and with trailer and WD engaged is 4560. Not perfect, but given how everything looks now and once I get the DW and 200 pounds of dogs in the cab, we'll be close to the unloaded steer axle weight so I'm happy now.

              Thanks to everyone for the assist and sorry for kinda hijacking Silverram 's post.
              Terry and Patty (Dogs-Sophie and Tessa)
              2020 Reflection 297RSTS - bought Oct 2019
              2021 F350 crew cab, SRW, 6.7L diesel, 14K equal-i-zer hitch
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              • #8
                Originally posted by trkester View Post
                Did some tweaking this morning. Thanks for the L bracket advice. I bumped the L brackets up one hole. Frontend of the truck is now only 1/8" higher with the trailer on and WD engaged. The rear (measured at the bumper step) settles 2" which is less than before and the trailer sits dead level measured front and back from the frame to the ground. (was a tad nose down before)

                Took a drive to the CAT scale and there is a definate handling difference. Steering feels better and less of a porpoise over a particular set of bridges on I-94. (you really get to know how bad Michigan roads are when towing)

                At the CAT, steer axle of JUST the truck is 4780 (it's a heavy diesel) and with trailer and WD engaged is 4560. Not perfect, but given how everything looks now and once I get the DW and 200 pounds of dogs in the cab, we'll be close to the unloaded steer axle weight so I'm happy now.

                Thanks to everyone for the assist and sorry for kinda hijacking Silverram 's post.
                Sounds like it made an improvement. For what it's worth, my setup leaves the steer axle a little light also. I can't remember for sure but I think it's somewhere around 250-300 lbs. lighter with the trailer connected. My apologies to Silverram also, as we got away for the original question.
                Bob & Lynne

                2020 Imagine 2970RL
                2019 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD 4x4 Duramax

                Comment

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