Just figured I'd make a post. I see questions pop up about the gasser and towing a lot. Especially on Facebook groups. We took a little trip this past weekend with the toy hauler with a 2k+ sxs in the back of it. About 560 miles round trip with the hauler up into TN and back to AL. So pretty decent hills, ect. Didn't take it by some scales, but trailer should be close to 11k and is 34'. Truck did great towing. Handled it Np with just the factory suspension. Mileage was pretty decent at 8 mpg running just 87. Considering I typically average around 12 unloaded. That seemed pretty reasonable while towing.
Gasser Towing
- Thread starter 8ball_99
- Start date
Kel
Active member
Thanks for sharing.
Not bad considering how high off the deck that TT sits, the drag has to be significant under the chassis since it's got so much gear hanging down. I bet it would be better with a 11k flatbed hauling concrete blocks
Did you add bags? Mine squatted like hell with 10k Toyhauler not loaded and no water, so it was front loaded. Leveled up good with bags.
Did you add bags? Mine squatted like hell with 10k Toyhauler not loaded and no water, so it was front loaded. Leveled up good with bags.
Attachments
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #4
That trailer is actually surprisingly tall. But I like that since I go on some unpaved curvy mountain roads or in fields sometimes. I actually needed some rise on my hitch with a ZR2 2500 HD lol. I drove to Mississippi a few weeks ago to buy the trailer and one of the guys in the back shop gave me a different reciever bar because the one I brought wouldn't work. I assumed I would need drop, not rise. This is literally the only trailer I've hooked the HD to that I didn't need a drop hitch.
No air bags or anything. I pulled it 3 hours home unloaded from Mississippi and pulled it 4+ hours to TN and back with it loaded. I did use my EQ hitch both times of course. The stock truck did great. Had np with squat or the ride. The 10 speed did great going down mountains. I didn't miss the exhaust brake at all. Had np maintaining highway speeds on hills with out having to get into the the throttle much. Trans temps stayed around 180. Trailer brake controller never acted up with disconnected messages or anything like that. I did have a pop up saying trailer brake gain settings not recalled when i restarted once. But they actually were and the gain was set like I had it previously. So I guess that was one minor glitch.
No air bags or anything. I pulled it 3 hours home unloaded from Mississippi and pulled it 4+ hours to TN and back with it loaded. I did use my EQ hitch both times of course. The stock truck did great. Had np with squat or the ride. The 10 speed did great going down mountains. I didn't miss the exhaust brake at all. Had np maintaining highway speeds on hills with out having to get into the the throttle much. Trans temps stayed around 180. Trailer brake controller never acted up with disconnected messages or anything like that. I did have a pop up saying trailer brake gain settings not recalled when i restarted once. But they actually were and the gain was set like I had it previously. So I guess that was one minor glitch.
I guess I've never really towed mine much unloaded and no water, so most of the weight is forward of the tires. I guess the pin weight was really heavy with no cargo. Also I only had 55 psi in the rear tires, so that didn't help. I only went about 10 miles, so just went with the bags at 85 psi to level it. Flat as hell for me, so nothing to challenge the rig.
- Thread starter
- #6
That was one goof I made. I was in a rush getting everything ready for our trip and I completely forgot to air up the trucks tires, lol. I realized after we were on the road. It felt fine so I just left them at 60. This trailer is also a little front heavy. Any toy hauler has to be really. When I pulled it 3 hours home from the dealer empty and with the wrong hitch. It was down in the front some. Bags would have helped some then, but I think just not having the right hitch with me was the main issue.
I very well might add bags at some point. I already have onboard air and I usually have them on my trucks. They usually help towing anything. I got a new SxS 6 weeks ago then decided to get a new toyhauler. Been busy trying to get both ready so the truck just sorta is what it is for right now, lol.
This is how it made the trip from the dealer. A little more squat, but definitely the hitch was to low. I had a 2" shank straight hitch with a bushing, lol. My 2.5" shank drop hitch I had brought wouldn't work flipped as a rise.
I run an equalizer hitch like this one. It has the ability to raise and lower the pin to get the trailer leveled. I really like this hitch as it makes for a very stable ride in wind and traversing grades and corners. If I have the trailer loaded right it'll get down the road 70+ mph quite nicely.
I might have to raise it if I pull it back south unloaded. I had a load going so it towed fine. Still thinking about getting a newer toyhauler trailer, but not sure I use it enough now to justify the costs. I've looked at some new ones with similar equipment and they want $80k. Hard to justify for 20 days of use a year.
I might have to raise it if I pull it back south unloaded. I had a load going so it towed fine. Still thinking about getting a newer toyhauler trailer, but not sure I use it enough now to justify the costs. I've looked at some new ones with similar equipment and they want $80k. Hard to justify for 20 days of use a year.
- Thread starter
- #8
My hitch is also adjustable. I just didn't have the right kind of drop bar. I have a few different ones. My hitch head needed to be above the hitch on the ZR2. A straight bar like you have can just be flipped so instead of drop it adds rise. I have a bar like that and its what I used on our trip. But the one I brought to get the trailer was curved and only works as a drop.
I sold my previous trailer back in 2021. The sxs I had then wouldn't fit. I was going to replace it, but covid hit and I just didn't bother with prices and availability problems. I got a new KRX and just decided I wanted a toyhauler again. Just makes it easier to go. I like not really having to pack. Just hook up and load the toy and your ready to go. Its also nice to sleep in your bed vs a rental, lol. Some of the rental cabins we see aren't much more then sheds for 160+ a night plus a cleaning fee.
Have you used a tongue weight gauge to adjust for loading configs?
- Thread starter
- #10
I haven't yet. I actually tried to buy a new eq hitch with a scale built in since my hitch is the old chain style and has no sway control. Unfortunately the one I want is on back order. But I have pulled a lot of trailers, actually grew up around them as my family had an Rv dealership for 26 years. I can kind of just tell if they are pretty close or not. Of course if you don't have enough tongue weight you get sway, especially at highway speeds. Same way you can tell if they are front heavy, especially when you put the distribution bars on. My bars are the old style with the chains. I kinda of just know how much pressure it should take to pull them up with how many links are hanging.
I could tell it was a little front heavy when it was new and completely stock. On our trip with the sxs loaded I could tell I was a little light on tongue weight. Not enough to sway at 75mph. But I did have to tap my trailer brakes a couple times on some big bumps. New trailer, so could just be how it is. But I think it needed a little more tongue weight. Haha, but we have since loaded more stuff in it, including a new grill, ect. Most of it went in the gear tunnel upfront. I'm thinking it will be about right now. Once I get done changing stuff and hopefully get my new hitch. I'll take the loaded trailer by some cat scales to know for sure.
Plus side BOOST actually weighs each individual trailer as they come off the factory floor. So I atleast know what the starting point was for total weight and available cargo capacity.
I love the boosts. You seem to have a great feel for weighting. I have a assortment forged drops 2 inch to 8 inch for hd. But was looking at something like this that goes up to 10 inch that eliminates extra hardware. What are your thoughts. Its around 400 for 10 inch max with locking pins 390 for 8 inch weighs about 19 lbs and rated for 18,500 on TT ball and 2.5 reciever comes with extra 2 inch ball but its 8 k and have some 12 k 2 inch ones already This one has built in scale for my knowledge to confirm the feel
- Thread starter
- #12
Weigh safe Heavy is the EQ hitch I want! They make good stuff. Down side with that drop hitch though is it will hit your tailgate if you have a multiflex. I use a B&W drop hitch for pretty much everything else. I only use a EQ hitch for campers or larger cargo trailers. The B&W clears the tailgate step but no scale. On a HD tongue weight isn't a big deal. When in doubt, try to have a little more than you need. Unless your towing pretty heavy. It's not going to matter if you have extra. The main problem is when you don't have enough. Our class V hitches are rated for like 2k of tongue weight. On a ZR2, I'm sure the truck squat would let you know pretty quickly if you were that front heavy.
I've always ran mine across the scales a time or two when new. I am mostly loaded the same all the time, so don't worry about it much after that. I do know one time I had a full sized quad, gear, and the whole fam damily in the truck and it was over 100 lbs on the rear truck axle. I was kinda suprised.
- Thread starter
- #14
Definitely should always check your stuff on scales. Most people are over somewhere and don't know it. I'll check mine once I get done with everything. Heck I replaced the Cage and roof on my sxs two days before we left. Also so far this is what I've pulled out of the camper lol. Not much point in checking it when I'm still changing stuff around so much. I did away with the rear patio railing and all it's hardware. Took out the included table and the upper bunk. I built a different bunk and got a different table. We are taking the trailer out again next week. Hopefully by then, I'll have everything sorted. I'm done with my SxS other than I'm going to change out the springs next week. That shouldn't really effect weight though. Camper is done for the most part. I'd like to change the toilet out. Other than that, I think I'm pretty much done changing stuff. I would like to get my new EQ hitch also before I check weights.
Question.... would you tow if camper was at like say 18k?
Silverado ZR2 Photos
Silverado ZR2 Photos
Most Member Reactions
-
633 -
573 -
395 -
232 -
192 -
182 -
153 -
115 -
111 -
106 -
102 -
98 -
74 -
66 -
4
63
