Am I overthinking towing?

[bofa]

Hey guys - it's been a while. Life is keeping me busy. I've spent some time looking through the various threads on towing and am still on the fence for my plans. We're going to be driving the 16 LE (3" lift) straight through from Colorado to Florida (1800 mi) in a few months with a 5x10 enclosed cargo trailer playing caboose. I won't know how much the thing will weigh until it's time to go. If I had to guess, maybe 2500 lbs total.

Note I said "we're" above, so the Mrs will be doing some of the driving. I need to make this as... uneventful for her as possible plus I figure it's a good idea to keep things safe in general.

Here's where I'm on the fence:

• Should I go ahead and plan on getting a weight distribution hitch? It seems that if the 4R wasn't lifted and it was a shorter distance, that would definitely be overkill. But the lift and distance has me thinking this might be a good idea.
• Is sway control really necessary or is that mostly for trailers with a larger profile? From what I gather, properly distributing the weight and the hitch above would likely negate the need for this most of the time, especially for a smaller trailer.
• The trailer seems light enough to not require brakes but I'm wondering if I should plan on adding electric brakes and a controller just to keep things easier and a bit safer. The plan is to take it easy and cruise in the right lane the whole way and I think the 4R is plenty capable of stopping the load. But again, long distance + wife driving + other idiots on the road

I want to do this right but I also don't want to overbuy when it's not necessary. I have a tendency to over-engineer things and am trying to keep things reasonable this go around. :biggrin1: Thanks for any input you have.

 

[4RN4FUN]

Have you thought about adding these? I’m installing mine next month in time for summer towing. Have a safe trip. https://youtu.be/PNH9GjFz51I


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[WallyT4R]

Yeah I'm not sure about the lift and needing sway control but it definitely can't hurt. However, I would add a brake controller for sure. The main thing is to load the trailer properly and keep the speed down. If it was me, with the wife driving I would add sway control and the brake controller. The safer you can make it the better. And your lives are worth a few hundred dollars in my opinion.

 

[Bodhi327]

Towing

2500 is under the max capacity but it’s a far distance. Single or double axle trailer? Brakes would be nice to add. Tongue weight is important, if the trailer is set up right it should tow nicely. If I was the only driver I would do nothing, if my wife where to drive and i wanted to take a nap peacefully i would consider the brakes at a minimum. If there are uneven roads or wet roads the brakes will help if there are any issues.

 

[TRUSTYAXE]

To answer your question, yes. You don’t need any of that, just remember to brake early. 5x10 sounds like a single axle to me, distribute the load evenly and don’t bury your spare.

 

[philsey]

To answer your question, yes. You don’t need any of that, just remember to brake early. 5x10 sounds like a single axle to me, distribute the load evenly and don’t bury your spare.

Concur completely.

Very important to understand tongue weight, and load trailer accordingly. With a lift, be sure you have the right ball mount to level the trailer.

Personally, assuming you'll have the 4R loaded, plus 2-300# on the hitch, I might be inclined towards the airbags. But that comes from owning SR5 -- don't know how your LE is sprung.

Good tires? Good brakes? Good coolant? Good battery? Check spare? Teach wife how to properly use outside mirrors? Teach wife how to use S-mode?

 

[e60ral]

make sure your trailer is okay with a load distributing/anti-sway hitch, some manufacturers of small trailers say not to use them because it can damage the frame. if it's okay with your trailer, i would get one for that many highway miles. air bags are hard not to like because of how inexpensive they are.

beyond that i would service the trailer axle before your trip and stop occasionally to check the temps on the hubs.

 

[honda99ex]

Only you can determine the cost/value of piece of mind...

But that load should be handled easily by the T4R. Just load evenly, tongue weight good, tire pressures within limit and personally driving slow is the hardest part cause it'll tow that no problem.

Personally I wouldn't add a single thing if this is a one time tow.

 

[1jzgte]

weight distribution hitch + sway control + trailer brakes + air bags

small price to pay for the safety of your family's life and everyone else's life on the road

after a few videos of trailer sway on youtube.. i was sold on getting those items in combination.

EDIT:

add a Transmission cooler as well

 

[bofa]

Thanks guys - appreciate the input. So the consensus is... there is no consensus.

It's a single axle, 5x10 v-nose. I'm going to do my best to distribute weight and keep tongue 10% of the load. We're definitely going to have some practice runs to get her comfortable with trailering and using manual mode.

For airbags, we have a spacer lift and I recall those being hit or miss when used together. I might need to find that thread again.

I don't mind going all out if it makes sense. Just don't want to waste a ton of $$ if it's unnecessary.

 

[bofa]

Concur completely.

Very important to understand tongue weight, and load trailer accordingly. With a lift, be sure you have the right ball mount to level the trailer.

Personally, assuming you'll have the 4R loaded, plus 2-300# on the hitch, I might be inclined towards the airbags. But that comes from owning SR5 -- don't know how your LE is sprung.

Good tires? Good brakes? Good coolant? Good battery? Check spare? Teach wife how to properly use outside mirrors? Teach wife how to use S-mode?

Hey Philsey - those all check out and I'm getting it serviced the week before we leave. Also going to go ahead and get a fresh alignment and road-force balancing too since it's been a while. I was wondering about the LE rear suspension vs SR5 too. This thing definitely isn't nearly as soft as our old SR5. I've loaded a couple hundred pounds of stuff in the back before and sag was minimal. Just hard to know until its time to head out.

ETA I've been looking at ball mounts too. Either way I'll probably need 4-6" of drop depending on how much her ass sags. Will probably just get an adjustable.

 

[honda99ex]

Thanks guys - appreciate the input. So the consensus is... there is no consensus.

hahaha i was just going to say there are a lot of divergent opinions on this... I'm all for safety but some of this is over the top...

 

[Muzzle of Bees]

Stay away from the edge of the road. That trailer will get pulled right off the edge if you are not careful.

 

[bofa]

make sure your trailer is okay with a load distributing/anti-sway hitch, some manufacturers of small trailers say not to use them because it can damage the frame. if it's okay with your trailer, i would get one for that many highway miles. air bags are hard not to like because of how inexpensive they are.

beyond that i would service the trailer axle before your trip and stop occasionally to check the temps on the hubs.

I didn't even know that was a thing. I'll check with the places I'm looking at around here to make sure it can handle the hitch. Unless I can find a decent deal on a used trailer, it will likely be brand new.

 

[Elite130]

Yes... you are over thinking this. And so are others. There is a lot of misinformation being passed around here, so lets break this down...

First... do you have specifications on the trailer?

Weight Distribution Hitch - WDHs are typically used on larger and heavier trailers, typically weighing 5,000lbs and greater. Typically travel trailers, but are also used on large car-haulers. Considering the length of the trailer, 10ft long, and a total weight of 2500-3000 lbs, a weight distribution hitch is not required. Sway control is also not required as well, and not needed if loaded correctly. With a trailer of this size, it is all about load distribution. Put majority of the weight over the axles with more weight up front than in the back. Too much weight behind the axle will induce trailer sway. Again, In my opinion, you don't need WDH or trailer sway control.

Trailer Brakes - Trailers with GVWR of 3,000lbs and over REQUIRE trailer brakes. That being said... does your trailer have brakes? If not... you don't need to do anything. No need to add brakes. Just connect the 4-pin harness and head out. If it does have brakes, are they electric or hydraulic? If they are hydraulic, you don't need to do anything. The brakes are applied by a hydraulic piston located in the tongue of the trailer. Again, just hook up the lights and go. If they are electric, you will need to add a trailer brake controller (highly recommend the Tekonsha P3).

As for air bags... that is your call. They cant hurt. You can remove all rear sag, but some sag isn't bad. I have run airbags in the past and would recommend them.

Also... like others have said, choose the correct drop for the hitch. Keep the trailer level.

If the trailer is loaded correctly and set up properly, you will have no issues with the cross-country trek. Check the tires. If they are new(er) and in good shape, and the air temperature is not ungodly hot, you should have no issues cruising down the highway at 65mph. Check the trailer hitch, hub temperatures, harness, and lug nuts at every stop and you will be good to go. Relax and enjoy the drive.

 

[bofa]

Yes... you are over thinking this. And so are others. There is a lot of misinformation being passed around here, so lets break this down...

First... do you have specifications on the trailer?

Weight Distribution Hitch - WDHs are typically used on larger and heavier trailers, typically weighing 5,000lbs and greater. Typically travel trailers, but are also used on large car-haulers. Considering the length of the trailer, 10ft long, and a total weight of 2500-3000 lbs, a weight distribution hitch is not required. Sway control is also not required as well, and not needed if loaded correctly. With a trailer of this size, it is all about load distribution. Put majority of the weight over the axles with more weight up front than in the back. Too much weight behind the axle will induce trailer sway. Again, In my opinion, you don't need WDH or trailer sway control.

Trailer Brakes - Trailers with GVWR of 3,000lbs and over REQUIRE trailer brakes. That being said... does your trailer have brakes? If not... you don't need to do anything. No need to add brakes. Just connect the 4-pin harness and head out. If it does have brakes, are they electric or hydraulic? If they are hydraulic, you don't need to do anything. The brakes are applied by a hydraulic piston located in the tongue of the trailer. Again, just hook up the lights and go. If they are electric, you will need to add a trailer brake controller (highly recommend the Tekonsha P3).

As for air bags... that is your call. They cant hurt. You can remove all rear sag, but some sag isn't bad. I have run airbags in the past and would recommend them.

Also... like others have said, choose the correct drop for the hitch. Keep the trailer level.

If the trailer is loaded correctly and set up properly, you will have no issues with the cross-country trek. Check the tires. If they are new(er) and in good shape, and the air temperature is not ungodly hot, you should have no issues cruising down the highway at 65mph. Check the trailer hitch, hub temperatures, harness, and lug nuts at every stop and you will be good to go. Relax and enjoy the drive.

I appreciate the perspective. I found myself adding all of these things and wanted to take a step back to re-evaluate. The trailer doesn't come with brakes but it looks like I could add electric and a controller for a couple hundred. I'm not terribly worried about sway and plan to get things properly distributed, just moreso worried about my wife overcorrecting if she encounters a little along the way. For hub temps, do you just check by hand?

 

[Decipher]

Yes... you are over thinking this. And so are others. There is a lot of misinformation being passed around here, so lets break this down...

First... do you have specifications on the trailer?

Weight Distribution Hitch - WDHs are typically used on larger and heavier trailers, typically weighing 5,000lbs and greater. Typically travel trailers, but are also used on large car-haulers. Considering the length of the trailer, 10ft long, and a total weight of 2500-3000 lbs, a weight distribution hitch is not required. Sway control is also not required as well, and not needed if loaded correctly. With a trailer of this size, it is all about load distribution. Put majority of the weight over the axles with more weight up front than in the back. Too much weight behind the axle will induce trailer sway. Again, In my opinion, you don't need WDH or trailer sway control.

Trailer Brakes - Trailers with GVWR of 3,000lbs and over REQUIRE trailer brakes. That being said... does your trailer have brakes? If not... you don't need to do anything. No need to add brakes. Just connect the 4-pin harness and head out. If it does have brakes, are they electric or hydraulic? If they are hydraulic, you don't need to do anything. The brakes are applied by a hydraulic piston located in the tongue of the trailer. Again, just hook up the lights and go. If they are electric, you will need to add a trailer brake controller (highly recommend the Tekonsha P3).

As for air bags... that is your call. They cant hurt. You can remove all rear sag, but some sag isn't bad. I have run airbags in the past and would recommend them.

Also... like others have said, choose the correct drop for the hitch. Keep the trailer level.

If the trailer is loaded correctly and set up properly, you will have no issues with the cross-country trek. Check the tires. If they are new(er) and in good shape, and the air temperature is not ungodly hot, you should have no issues cruising down the highway at 65mph. Check the trailer hitch, hub temperatures, harness, and lug nuts at every stop and you will be good to go. Relax and enjoy the drive.

Said absolutely everything I was thinking. This is all you need to know.

Anyone recommending the other stuff isn’t necessarily wrong. It would add an element of peace of mind, but none of it is necessary in this circumstance.

OP, this has been over analyzed. Follow the above quote, make sure your rig and trailer are in good condition, and you’re good to go.


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[e60ral]

I appreciate the perspective. I found myself adding all of these things and wanted to take a step back to re-evaluate. The trailer doesn't come with brakes but it looks like I could add electric and a controller for a couple hundred. I'm not terribly worried about sway and plan to get things properly distributed, just moreso worried about my wife overcorrecting if she encounters a little along the way. For hub temps, do you just check by hand?

for worrying about your wife overcorrecting, in something big the electronic stability control is going to be doing more than a wdh/anti-sway hitch.

i've always used hands to see if one hub is running hotter than the other but i guess IR thermometers are cheap enough now that you might as well grab one

 

[Jetboy]

I'm with Elite130 on this. 2500lbs is no problem if your trailer is loaded properly. No need for trailer brakes.

No need for sway control - it's a bandaid for poor trailer design/loading anyway and should be avoided regardless of trailer size. If your trailer needs one - you need a new trailer.

I also don't see any reason to even want a load equalizing hitch on a trailer that size. They're common for RVs primarily because RV trailers have very poor trailering dynamics. The loads are not well centered about the axle and the axle is placed relatively far forward to reduce tongue weight as much as possible. The result is a trailer that has poor dynamic function and the weight distributing hitch helps manage it. You'll notice that the only place you routinely see WDH used are on camp trailers. They're great to have on the right trailers. But totally not necessary on a 2500lb trailer.

Just keep your speeds reasonable and make sure your hitch is about the right height. Otherwise it should be smooth sailing. It's a small trailer. The biggest problem you'll find is that your MPG will probably be around 12-14 and the gas tank is too small so you'll have to stop a lot for fuel. The biggest thing I can think of that's a PITA on the road is to have a flat without a spare. Some trailers will not have a spare - double check and buy one if it doesn't have one. You're probably more likely to get a flat tire than any other issue along the way.

 

[baldrik78]

If it's just a 5x10 U-Haul trailer, you don't really need to worry about most of this. You'll want to position the majority of the weight (60/40ish) towards the front - that'll help the most with sway. Also, if it is a U-Haul, the 5x10 should have a hydraulic brake built in. It's that weird spring contraption on the tongue/hitch.

If you end up driving through mountain passes, just be prepared to feel like your sucking wind going up and getting pushed as you're going down. I was a flatlander up until a couple years ago, when I made the 3k mile trek from Baton Rouge to Seattle. If you haven't done it before, pulling trailer in the mountains your first time is definitely something you'll remember.