Scary towing experience

Gil-galad

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The only real place the frontal area affects is fuel mileage. The side area is what really affects handleing. Thats where winds and traffic affect you the most. As a side note, frontal area is the total area expose to a direct head wind. So, it just take the high of your trailer from the ground including ac and multiply by the width. Not even a Rpod falls under the 55 sqr ft number. Travel trailets are big bricks being pulled through the air. 60 to 65 seems to be the sweet spot between mileage and not getting run over or causing road rage on the freeway. Over that and you milage goes south exponentually. Weight doesn’t seem to make a big difference as long as you within the ratings...
I've discovered my least optimal towing experience is when the relative wind is coming from the forward quarter (i.e., about 45 degrees off from straight ahead). I actually get slightly better mileage and performance with the wind coming from dead ahead, when the trailer is within the wind shadow of the truck.

Even with the friction anti sway device employed, a little bit of lateral motion when large trucks pass on the highway is just a fact of life. As the passing truck's bow wave starts to impinge on the side of the trailer I can feel the front of my truck deflect to the left, towards the passing truck. This gives me confidence the anti sway device is working and the trailer and truck are working together as one connected unit. It's not disconcerting when you know what's happening and are able to anticipate it. Plus, I have never experienced bad trailer sway with my setup.*** A gust of wind might momentairly knock the trailer slightly to the side but it always recovers immediately and tracks straight and true.

***Curt 600/6000 WDH, Curt friction anti sway bar; and on the truck, OEM ETB, Eibach Rear Sport Shocks, Hellwig RSB, +5 psi in all tires
 
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drvred

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Update:
I received the 6000 lb bars, and took 1 washer out of the spacer pack, then raised the L brackets 1 notch.
Took it camping this weekend, and it was good until I got on the interstate and tried 65, then the truck was very squiggly.
Stopped at the truck stop on the way home to find a flat spot to do my measurements.
Turns out the front fenders were 1"+ below where they are with no trailer, plus the dealership had set the brackets uneven from side to side, like 3 inches difference.
I moved the brackets and lowered the L brackets back down all the way and the nose came back down to where the were with no weight.
At 65 on the way home I could take my hands off the wheel and it was stable.
 

Montana Ranger

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Took it camping this weekend, and it was good until I got on the interstate and tried 65, then the truck was very squiggly.
I found that anything over 65 was uncomfortable. I now generally cruise at 60 for an extra margin. Plus, the mileage goes to hell after 55, and especially after 60.
 
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HAMMERTIME

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The 55 sq ft frontal area is not realistic with my trailer, or most trailers. That said, the Ranger can still pull it. Does it slow me down in a head wind - for sure it does. Days when it is really windy, I stick to secondary highways and that helps with the lower speeds. I do need to get to the campground but do not need to be the first one there. Ha Ha
I have over 30,000 miles on my Ranger and it has preformed well above expectations as a trailer tow vehicle. There is lots of information on this site. Do the
Truck & Trailer.jpg
research and make sure your set up is safe and have fun towing.
 


Big Blue

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Update:
I received the 6000 lb bars, and took 1 washer out of the spacer pack, then raised the L brackets 1 notch.
Took it camping this weekend, and it was good until I got on the interstate and tried 65, then the truck was very squiggly.
Stopped at the truck stop on the way home to find a flat spot to do my measurements.
Turns out the front fenders were 1"+ below where they are with no trailer, plus the dealership had set the brackets uneven from side to side, like 3 inches difference.
I moved the brackets and lowered the L brackets back down all the way and the nose came back down to where the were with no weight.
At 65 on the way home I could take my hands off the wheel and it was stable.
Sounds like you found and corrected a major issue with your hitch setup. Still might need some fine tuning so get it weighed so you can properly balance it. The uneven tensions on your bars was a big no no. Probably the reason for your "squigglyness" at speed. Granted anything over 55 mph and your mileage takes a nose dive, but the trailer should still be stable.
 

CODave

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I have a 2020 Ranger XLT Sport and pull a 21 ft TT with tandem axles and loaded weight of 6000 lbs.
My first trip out I was all over the road due to a bad dealer set up. Re-set it myself per the Husky WDH instructions and it made a big difference. Get the instructions and follow them to do your set up. Watch trailer loading, keep 15% of trailer weight on the tongue. Run tires at marked air pressure and use a sway control. I did a 6000 km trip last summer with this set up and no issues.
Truck & Trailer.jpg

I like this setup, but I had a question or clarification needed. You said that your trailer is 6k, fully loaded, but you recommend keeping 15% on the tongue. If that's what you're doing, then your tongue weight would be 900lb., and that's clearly too heavy. So, was that a typo, or is your weight distribution different?

I have my '19 SCrew Lariat, and my wife and I are this >< close to buying a TT. We currently have a '07 Winnebago View, but it the layout isn't really serving our needs now that we have 2 kids. So away it will go. We're looking at a Winnebago Micro Minnie 2100BH. 3,860lbs. dry, with a 430 tongue weight. Well, we WERE looking at one. Then, sales guy had us look at a 2306BH. Better bathroom, larger kitchen, north-south queen vs. east-west in the 2100. As all here who are married, once the wife sees something, it cannot be unseen. :curse: I have to admit, it did have some nicer features. So, the bigger unit it may be. That puts us at 4500lbs. dry with 495 on the tongue. Still not horrible. Fortunately, we're past the 'bring everything you own' stage or travel. Some clothes, a BBQ grill, a camp chair, and I'm a happy guy.

When we unloaded our View, I think the entire contents were only about 500lbs. But, the View's CCC is only about 800lbs. (super wimpy) With water, propane, food, the four of us and our two dogs, I can guarantee we did tens of thousands of miles overloaded. Not a great situation.

With the trailer, I'm guessing loaded up with water, and stuff, we're going to b around 5300lbs. I'm driving my wife nuts with getting fanatical about weight and how things are loaded. The two of us, our kids, 2 dogs, a topper, and tongue weight, we'll be within 250 of max payload. I'm planning on a WDH, a tongue scale, and weighing everything that goes into the trailer to make sure it's loaded properly to get the tongue weight. From what I'm reading, we're still within spec on everything, and at 70% of towing capacity. Golden rule is not to exceed 80%, right?

From my RV experience, I know that the most important part of the whole equation is the nut behind the wheel. :crazy: So I won't be in a hurry, and keep it at 60-65 max.
 

Grumpaw

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I like this setup, but I had a question or clarification needed. You said that your trailer is 6k, fully loaded, but you recommend keeping 15% on the tongue. If that's what you're doing, then your tongue weight would be 900lb., and that's clearly too heavy. So, was that a typo, or is your weight distribution different?

I have my '19 SCrew Lariat, and my wife and I are this >< close to buying a TT. We currently have a '07 Winnebago View, but it the layout isn't really serving our needs now that we have 2 kids. So away it will go. We're looking at a Winnebago Micro Minnie 2100BH. 3,860lbs. dry, with a 430 tongue weight. Well, we WERE looking at one. Then, sales guy had us look at a 2306BH. Better bathroom, larger kitchen, north-south queen vs. east-west in the 2100. As all here who are married, once the wife sees something, it cannot be unseen. :curse: I have to admit, it did have some nicer features. So, the bigger unit it may be. That puts us at 4500lbs. dry with 495 on the tongue. Still not horrible. Fortunately, we're past the 'bring everything you own' stage or travel. Some clothes, a BBQ grill, a camp chair, and I'm a happy guy.

When we unloaded our View, I think the entire contents were only about 500lbs. But, the View's CCC is only about 800lbs. (super wimpy) With water, propane, food, the four of us and our two dogs, I can guarantee we did tens of thousands of miles overloaded. Not a great situation.

With the trailer, I'm guessing loaded up with water, and stuff, we're going to b around 5300lbs. I'm driving my wife nuts with getting fanatical about weight and how things are loaded. The two of us, our kids, 2 dogs, a topper, and tongue weight, we'll be within 250 of max payload. I'm planning on a WDH, a tongue scale, and weighing everything that goes into the trailer to make sure it's loaded properly to get the tongue weight. From what I'm reading, we're still within spec on everything, and at 70% of towing capacity. Golden rule is not to exceed 80%, right?

From my RV experience, I know that the most important part of the whole equation is the nut behind the wheel. :crazy: So I won't be in a hurry, and keep it at 60-65 max.
Don't over think it. We have a Jayco on order that when loaded out will be around 6000 lbs, maybe a bit more, with somewhere around a 700 lb tongue weight. Yeah, one can play with numbers, moving this and that around, ect ect ect. I wouldn't think twice about what your planning.
Read thur the towing section and simply see what everyone else is towing.
 

HAMMERTIME

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My weight may be a bit misleading. With 42 years in the trucking industry, loading a trailer correctly is sort of my thing. I do have my trailer loaded with all sorts of items but have them placed so the tongue weight is 10% of the total. The 15% would be the max on any trailer but most will run lighter.
My point is the Ranger while an amazing trailer puller, make sure you don't overload it. The other trailer I was looking at was a 23 ft Starcraft with one slide which weighed 1000 lbs more than my trailer. I am glad I did not buy this trailer as I feel it would have been to much for the truck.
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