- Joined
- Nov 30, 2001
- Messages
- 6,924
- Reaction score
- 514
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Gnaw Bone, Indiana
- Vehicle Year
- 2007
- Make / Model
- Toyota
- Engine Size
- 4.0
- Transmission
- Manual
First, I've done it and they don't ride bad. They are better because the sidewall is stiffer and the rear doesn't squirrel around.It's going to ride like a lumber wagon. And with the right amount of tongue weight, or a WD hitch, there won't be that much extra weight on the tires. Also, with the heavier tires, his gas mileage will suffer. I already had horrible MPG's when I was hauling my Cobra and stuff back.
Next, a WD hitch isn't safe if you don't need it. It unloads the rear tires of the truck. It can screw with the anti-lock brakes and some owner's manuals tell you not to use it. It's great if you are unloading the front axle. A gooseneck trailer is better for that though. For those who don't know what an equalizer does--it tries to close the bottom of the truck and trailer together like a jack-knife, with the hitch being the hinge. It directly unloads the rear tires of the truck because they are close to the hinge. If the rear tires don't need to be unloaded, then it isn't safe or proper to unload them.
That's why I recommended a sway control device as a solution for an unstable feeling trailer. A sway control is a friction device that resists a pivot motion of the hitch. It really helps to keep the trailer in a straight line behind the truck. These are generally included on equalizer setups, but are easily added to a trailer that doesn't have an equalizer. A trailer with 10-15% of tongue-weight, and that doesn't have an unusual amount of mass behind the trailer axle doesn't need it. Travel trailers are built in an unregulated industry--they claim self regulated. The fact is, these devices are for crutching improper tow setups. You don't see stuff like this on commercial trucks.
Set your truck up correctly and have zero issues. That's the bottom line.