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phebus
06-24-2005, 06:09 PM
My trailer has 8 lug hubs, with some big ass tires. The tongue sits real high, and any vehicle I've ever hooked it up to so far has had to have the hitch bar in the raised position from 2"-5". I just got a new truck (Chevy 2500HD 4X4, no lift but 285 tires), and have no idea what hitch bar to bring to Havasu to even be close. I measured our old towing vehicle, and know the difference, but I can't just subtract the difference, and go buy a hitch. The old vehicle was a 1/2 ton, and when the trailer was hooked up, the tongue weight really brought the rear end of the tow vehicle down, and I don't expect anywhere near the sag I had.
I guess I could go buy one of the Rapid Hitch adjustable hitches, but I don't really want to drop $200.-, but I also dont want to run around looking for the right one in Havasu, especially when I don't know what kind of sag the truck will have when the trailer is on.
Anyone else have 8 lug hubs on their trailer, and have any idea what their tongue heigth is?

Havasu Hangin'
06-24-2005, 06:19 PM
Anyone else have 8 lug hubs on their trailer, and have any idea what their tongue heigth is?
Just use the jack to level the trailer (measure the distance from the main beam to the ground in the front and back).
Then, hook up the trailer and measure the distance to the ground without any weight on the tongue, then measure it with the tongue fully loaded- that's the sag distance.
Then, buy a hitch that will get the trailer back to level (+ or - your current hitch).

Froggystyle
06-24-2005, 06:19 PM
My trailer has 8 lug hubs, with some big ass tires. The tongue sits real high, and any vehicle I've ever hooked it up to so far has had to have the hitch bar in the raised position from 2"-5". I just got a new truck (Chevy 2500HD 4X4, no lift but 285 tires), and have no idea what hitch bar to bring to Havasu to even be close. I measured our old towing vehicle, and know the difference, but I can't just subtract the difference, and go buy a hitch. The old vehicle was a 1/2 ton, and when the trailer was hooked up, the tongue weight really brought the rear end of the tow vehicle down, and I don't expect anywhere near the sag I had.
I guess I could go buy one of the Rapid Hitch adjustable hitches, but I don't really want to drop $200.-, but I also dont want to run around looking for the right one in Havasu, especially when I don't know what kind of sag the truck will have when the trailer is on.
Anyone else have 8 lug hubs on their trailer, and have any idea what their tongue heigth is?
I keep the bottom of the hitch right at 18 inches. Put the loaded weight there and you should be fine.
If it is set up higher because of the bigger tires, I would measure level frame height on the trailer and bump it up an inch or so for the inevitable sag with weight and gas.

Dusty Times
06-24-2005, 06:23 PM
I've got the ugliest beefiest 8-lugs I've ever seen and mine sits at 23"
Doesn't sag much. If any it's compensated with air bag pressure.

phebus
06-24-2005, 06:24 PM
I keep the bottom of the hitch right at 18 inches. Put the loaded weight there and you should be fine.
If it is set up higher because of the bigger tires, I would measure level frame height on the trailer and bump it up an inch or so for the inevitable sag with weight and gas.
I would bet on the 1/2 ton we were towing it with, there was at least 4"-5" of sag. Hence, the new vehicle (and that bastard Photoglou made me too good a deal, and I was weak).

phebus
06-24-2005, 06:30 PM
I've got the ugliest beefiest 8-lugs I've ever seen and mine sits at 23"
Doesn't sag much. If any it's compensated with air bag pressure.
I'd be willig to bet mine sits up about there, and I just went and measured the truck, and it's 18 3/4 inches to where the bar slides into the reciever. It seems hard to believe, but I bet I still have to run a hitch bar with it in the raised position.

Dusty Times
06-24-2005, 07:33 PM
I have an F-350 with 35" tires and my hitch bar is straight but flipped to give it a few inches of raise.

Squirtin Thunder
06-24-2005, 08:12 PM
My trailer has 8 lug hubs, with some big ass tires. The tongue sits real high, and any vehicle I've ever hooked it up to so far has had to have the hitch bar in the raised position from 2"-5". I just got a new truck (Chevy 2500HD 4X4, no lift but 285 tires), and have no idea what hitch bar to bring to Havasu to even be close. I measured our old towing vehicle, and know the difference, but I can't just subtract the difference, and go buy a hitch. The old vehicle was a 1/2 ton, and when the trailer was hooked up, the tongue weight really brought the rear end of the tow vehicle down, and I don't expect anywhere near the sag I had.
I guess I could go buy one of the Rapid Hitch adjustable hitches, but I don't really want to drop $200.-, but I also dont want to run around looking for the right one in Havasu, especially when I don't know what kind of sag the truck will have when the trailer is on.
Anyone else have 8 lug hubs on their trailer, and have any idea what their tongue heigth is?
What the Hell are you doing ???
Didn't you just have Back Surgery ???

phebus
06-24-2005, 08:45 PM
I have had two surgeries since February (which now makes three), all unsuccessfull. I was scheduled for a three level fusion this Monday, but I went to the hospital in severe pain last week, and they discovered I had discitis which is an infection of my discs. So, I have to go to a infectious control doctor on Monday, and be put on some special antibiotics for about a month until they can operate. So, if the antibiotics get my back feeling O.K. before my operation, I am heading out to Havasu one last time for a long time.
How is your health, I hope you are fully recovered, or are you still suffering the effects of your illness? I hope all is well,
Rick

phebus
06-24-2005, 08:47 PM
Here is a picture hooked up to an Expedition with the factory auto leveling air bags. I had to use a hitch bar that had about 5 1/4 inch rise. On a level surface, the trailer was level.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1753Carrera_driveway_002-med.jpg

phebus
07-14-2005, 07:04 AM
I leveled the trailer frame front to rear, and the reciever sat at 26". It's a good thing I ended up going with a Rapid Hitch set up. That's a lot higher then I expected.

dicudmore
07-14-2005, 08:06 AM
Here is a picture hooked up to an Expedition with the factory auto leveling air bags. I had to use a hitch bar that had about 5 1/4 inch rise. On a level surface, the trailer was level.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1753Carrera_driveway_002-med.jpg
sorry I missed you guys out there last week.
That's a good-looking pad in the background there, and a good-looking rig :D