First Big Job

[patrick3319]

Hey guys,

Heres the job I mainly bought my truck for.... To haul my car around! This is the car i'm starting out with, but would like to be moving up do the next series in time, but for the moment this will do! This was the first time hooking up and pulling something. Seemed to pull it very well, and without issues.

I got my nuts busted about the "squat"... Should I look into adding bags or something to help with the squat, or is this really not that bad?



Thanks,

Patrick

 

[BoldAdventure]

Bags wouldn't hurt, but that whole setup looks tongue heavy for sure.

 

[patrick3319]

This is my first truck, and first time hauling. Its my friends trailer I borrowed, but its exactly how he uses it with his smaller truck (its a v6 chevy). Is there anything I should be looking for/watching out for when I go to look for a trailer? or is it something i'll just have to kinda deal with. (I would be towing this like once a week in the summer; to the track and back)

 

[Turbo Brian]

bags would help some. springs are an option too, but may affect ride quality when not towing. if you dont need the storage thing on the front like the one you borrowed, i'd look at just a plain flatbed to remove some of that tongue weight. also, get electric brakes on your trailer. and if you have a car that sits low like mine does, watch out for high fenders. dont want to load the car and find you cant get out except through the window.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Bags would help. If that's not your trailer I'm not sure if I wold do anything right away. You might pick up a trailer that isn't quite so tounge heavy due to the storage up front. You could also move that car back some that would help.

 

[avolnek]

a weight distribution hitch would be a better bet... the weight distribution hitch helps send some of the tongue weight to the front axle of the truck as well to the axles of the trailer... Most campers have these installed for this purpose...

 

[ExpressRules]

Any way to have the car sit a little further back on trailer?

 

[toofart]

For $100 just buy the bags and be done. You don't have enough weight to necessitate a WD hitch and in any case, you can just move the car forward or back.

 

[patrick3319]

bags would help some. springs are an option too, but may affect ride quality when not towing. if you dont need the storage thing on the front like the one you borrowed, i'd look at just a plain flatbed to remove some of that tongue weight. also, get electric brakes on your trailer. and if you have a car that sits low like mine does, watch out for high fenders. dont want to load the car and find you cant get out except through the window.

I would like my trailer to look similar to his, as I want to keep my tools/spare parts all together and I don't have to run around, or load/unload the bed every week for race day. I will be driving mainly unloaded so I don't want to go towards not as nice ride quality. Towing will prob be to the track and back to where i'll be storing it (other then when I gotta take it to go work on it). I race this car on dirt, so rules state that my doors are to actually be welded shut, so I have NO choice but to climb thru the window. LOL. So thats an easy decision, not too worried about fender height. This one had electric brakes, AND I already had the mopar brake controller installed before I even debated pulling a trailer.

Any way to have the car sit a little further back on trailer?

Ya I could easily just sit it further back, I just drove it on, and had the tire sit against the thing welded onto the bed of where you're supposed to stop (didn't help it had a flat tire either). I'm assuming he had it added on in a specific position. He drives a v6 Chevy, and for all I know, has stiffer springs or something. I actually think he has a WD hitch.

For $100 just buy the bags and be done. You don't have enough weight to necessitate a WD hitch and in any case, you can just move the car forward or back.

A proper, good set of bags is only about $100? USD I assume... Even a WD hitch, is that expensive? I gotta tow my car back up to the track by the weekend, maybe i'll see how it looks/feels just sitting a bit further back on the trailer before I jump too high.

 

[Andy578]

too much weight up front really. getting the car back further will help a lot but even better would be a bigger trailer. i have a 18ft and it works pretty good

 

[14hemiexpress]

Your cheepest option is the airlift 1000 bags they run just under 100 bucks I think moes has them for around $95 last time I checked. The bags will not effect your unloaded ride as you only leave 5psi in them and you won't even knowtice a difference with that.

The perment solution is tuff truck cpils but they will give you a harsher ride. The air bags over time tend to leak or get chaffed up(don't get me wrong they won't leak in a year or anything they are worth the cash) the only down side with the air lifts is the fact you have to air them up witch isn't a big deal IMO hope that helps.

 

[patrick3319]

too much weight up front really. getting the car back further will help a lot but even better would be a bigger trailer. i have a 18ft and it works pretty good

Ya, this was a 16' trailer. My friend actually mentioned to get like a 18' or 20' (mainly to have more room in the toolbox/storage area on the front of the trailer).

Your cheepest option is the airlift 1000 bags they run just under 100 bucks I think moes has them for around $95 last time I checked. The bags will not effect your unloaded ride as you only leave 5psi in them and you won't even knowtice a difference with that.

The perment solution is tuff truck cpils but they will give you a harsher ride. The air bags over time tend to leak or get chaffed up(don't get me wrong they won't leak in a year or anything they are worth the cash) the only down side with the air lifts is the fact you have to air them up witch isn't a big deal IMO hope that helps.

Ya, by the sounds of it, i'd rather have the small hassle of throwing air in the bags rather than a harsher ride, because as I mentioned, 90% of the time, i'll be unloaded (for now at least). But even with the trailer on, with the squat, I didn't feel it as a horrible ride.

 

[toofart]

Plenty of places in Canada to get the Air Lift 1000 kit... look for part number 60818. If you have an Action Truck store, or any truck parts store nearby, that would be your first call.

Air Lift Air Lift 1000 Coil Spring 60818 - Truck Caps & Automotive Accessories from Action Car and Truck

I've never ordered from them, but they are $126 CAD
2009-2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Rear Air Helper Kit

I've ordered plenty from autopartsway, more expensive but free shipping:
Fuel Injection Throttle Body Mounting Gasket in Canada - AutoPartsWAY.ca
^^ Gotta wonder about that page title though

 

[stoney]

Start with the air bags, if you move to a larger trailer that is enclosed, you for sure want the WD hitch set up, and the air bags will simply assist that set up & make it better all around.

When I towed a open trailer years ago, all I used was air bags, worked great with zero issues.....as soon as I bough the enclosed, I also bought the WD hitch.

Had the bags with min air in them when not towing, if it affected the ride quality, I never noticed...add air when you need to, takes all of 2 minutes, or opt for the on board compressor kit.