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21' TailGator with a dry weight of 5190 being pulled by a F-150 4x4 with factory tow package 13,500lb gcvw and 8200lb towing capacity.
I need to know if the leveling setup is "required", or if I'm just getting the typical upsell at the close. A couple of friends have indicated that we should be fine without it, but I figgured I'd bounce the question off the masses as well.
On a separate note, how well do the sway control setups work and can they be used separate from the load leveling setup?
Thanks,
Chris
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I have a 26ft Weekend Warrior +/- 6000lb empty, that I tow with a Chevy 2500HD and I definately need the load leveling hitch. It depends on how much tounge weight the trailer has. My neighbor up the street has a 21 ft TailGator too and he had to sell his 1/2 ton because the trailer was too much weight for the truck. Chances are you're going to need it but buy it aftermarket, I paid a lot less at a local RV shop than what they wanted to charge me when I bought the trailer. The sway control attached to a small ball hitch next to the regular hitch. Most Load Leveling hitches have a spot already for it but I think they sell an adapter for a standard hitch.
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Originally posted by flat broke
21' TailGator with a dry weight of 5190 being pulled by a F-150 4x4 with factory tow package 13,500lb gcvw and 8200lb towing capacity.
I need to know if the leveling setup is "required", or if I'm just getting the typical upsell at the close. A couple of friends have indicated that we should be fine without it, but I figgured I'd bounce the question off the masses as well.
On a separate note, how well do the sway control setups work and can they be used separate from the load leveling setup?
Thanks,
Chris Hey Chris, I have towed travel trailers for the last 20 years, many shapes and sizes. I would definitely go with a good weight distributing hitch and additional sway bar. It will make it easier on your truck and safer for you. You will be happpy you did, I don't think they are trying to oversell you. Your trailer tongue weight will probably be over 500lb with your stuff. On a class III hitch thats the max with out a weight distributing setup. First bad wind day on the highway with alot of big trucks and you will want a sway bar of some type. Sometime you may have to disconect the sway bar if you need to backup into a really tight spot or angle, but no big deal, safety first. You can't really over buy on that kinda stuff.
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Chris defintly go with the load leveling hitch.Esp with a 1/2 ton truck.5190 HEAVY for dry weight add bikes,gear,water,food beer,wood and you will be even heavier.On my old 3/4 ton burb i had a load leveling hitch for my 18ft baja toybox prob 6500 loaded and ready to go.It helped out and have used it even towing empty.Now i have the 2500hd which will also use the load leveling.
IMO the tow ratings of new trucks is overated and recomend a bigger truck if frequent towing is going to be done(safety and wear and tear) but if this is a rental for the weeknd i think you will be fine
I never had the sway control thought i try without it on my old burb also and it did fine.I had bad wind going to pismo the first time just past gaviota,passed big trucks,and very windy coming back from glamis.At times i would be going 70 but most time around 65
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This is kind of what I figgued, but didn't want to get rolled at the dealer either.
Anybody have a hookup on the load leveling/sway control setup?
Thanks,
Chris
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Originally posted by flat broke
This is kind of what I figgued, but didn't want to get rolled at the dealer either.
Anybody have a hookup on the load leveling/sway control setup?
Thanks,
Chris
You do need a load distributing hitch, fer sure.
Any muffler shop will hook you up. I don't think a load distributing tow hitch setup could cost too much...
I use Guarantee Muffler/ Guarantee Hitch and Welding here in Riverside, they're very reasonable and do top quality welding. Never had any problems with any of the work they have done.
Thanks
CA Stu
