I just picked up a track and trail 26RTH in may. I'm towing with a 2500hd chevy. Hitch weight is 900 with toy 1600 lb buggy with 1000 lbs of that just a foot of the back door. My wd hitch is a eaz-lift round bar with 1000 lbs bars. First time with a toy hauler or camper but have been reading allot here I think I know what is need just want to make sure before putting more money down. Ok to the problem I set the hitch up loaded with buggy and tools and all the odds and ends. Truck sets at ride height in front and 1"down in back I read that is a good as i can get with a chevy?.?.My chains are on the 7th link no problems pulls great. However if I pull without the buggy just to camp it's all over I looked into it front was up 1.5" from with buggy. So I put on the 6th link on chain all is good but to get it on that link I'm pulling it up on the 7th then putting a 4x4 under to hold it up then letting it go then hooking the 7th link. I have no other way of hooking without the 4x4 no madder how high I jack it up. I still cant hook it. I'm thinking my 1000lbs bars are not cutting it and I just need to get 1200 or 1400lbs ones more thinking the 1400 but want some input from other guys with toy hauler. Maybe I'm over looking something or just do this wrong. I do not know the hitch weight without the buggy. I know I really need to know but thinking a bigger bar will help all the way around. Thanks for any input

Been a while since I had a bumper pull but did go through some of this with my 1500 Chevy. When you are all loaded with the bars pulled tight where are they in relation to the trailer frame? If you've really sucking them up tight, with very few chain links between bar and hanger then you need stiffer bars, if not then you should be good. I wouldn't worry too much about how you need to jack up the trailer to get it linked up, though that might be a good indicator of needing heavier bars. However with only a smaller TH and a 2500 you shouldn't need much. What year is the truck? On my 2005 2500 HD I had to add air bags for my 5er to be level, same trailer on my 2013 truck and it brings it down to just level, definitely higher payload on the newer ones.

So your problem is sway when you don't have your "buggy" in the back? Do you have any kind of sway control. Maybe a sway bar is needed. Or, when you don't have the buggy, you could fill your fresh water tank to give you some extra weight/ballast.Matt

I'm guessing you have more 1000 lbs of tongue weight. Do you have a local weigh station where you can go and get scale weights of your axles with and without the toy hauler hitched up?I use to load my Weekend Warrior tail heavy to keep withing my WDH receiver ratings of 1250 lbs tongue and 12.5K lbs trailer. My F250 truck handled the weight without a problem because it had the heavier spring pack with the camper package - You may end up having to upgrade to a higher capacity receiver and rear springs once you get actual weights and know what you're dealing with.

My understanding of the important things regarding your situation.It tows fine with the buggy loaded and the front of truck is at the same height with the trailer hooked up and not hooked up. Take the buggy out you have problems and the tuck 1 1/2" higher.When the buggy is out your tounge weight goes up. Adding tongue weight usually reduces trailer sway not increases it. I dont think you are experiencing trailer sway but lack of steering control because of your statement that the front of the truck is higher than unloaded. To fix this you need to distribute more weight with the spring bars. Might even need higher rated bars when empty.

I have the hitch tilted back so I have 6 links from bar to hanger. Truck is a 04. Water tank is full. I to believe I have a loss of steering not sway. I do have 2 sway control bars. Trailer is 34' and guess it's around 11 12k loaded. I have been told by anther guy may need bags or heavy spring pack on truck but really don't want to do ether of them.

wd spring bar problem | Good Sam Community

bluebuggy36
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
I have the hitch tilted back so I have 6 links from bar to hanger. Truck is a 04. Water tank is full. I to believe I have a loss of steering not sway. I do have 2 sway control bars. Trailer is 34' and guess it's around 11 12k loaded. I have been told by anther guy may need bags or heavy spring pack on truck but really don't want to do ether of them.
msmith1_wa
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
My understanding of the important things regarding your situation.

It tows fine with the buggy loaded and the front of truck is at the same height with the trailer hooked up and not hooked up. Take the buggy out you have problems and the tuck 1 1/2" higher.

When the buggy is out your tounge weight goes up. Adding tongue weight usually reduces trailer sway not increases it. I dont think you are experiencing trailer sway but lack of steering control because of your statement that the front of the truck is higher than unloaded. To fix this you need to distribute more weight with the spring bars. Might even need higher rated bars when empty.
Bedlam
Moderator
Jun 30, 2015
I'm guessing you have more 1000 lbs of tongue weight. Do you have a local weigh station where you can go and get scale weights of your axles with and without the toy hauler hitched up?

I use to load my Weekend Warrior tail heavy to keep withing my WDH receiver ratings of 1250 lbs tongue and 12.5K lbs trailer. My F250 truck handled the weight without a problem because it had the heavier spring pack with the camper package - You may end up having to upgrade to a higher capacity receiver and rear springs once you get actual weights and know what you're dealing with.
Deadheadmatt
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
So your problem is sway when you don't have your "buggy" in the back? Do you have any kind of sway control. Maybe a sway bar is needed.

Or, when you don't have the buggy, you could fill your fresh water tank to give you some extra weight/ballast.

Matt
nayther
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Been a while since I had a bumper pull but did go through some of this with my 1500 Chevy. When you are all loaded with the bars pulled tight where are they in relation to the trailer frame? If you've really sucking them up tight, with very few chain links between bar and hanger then you need stiffer bars, if not then you should be good. I wouldn't worry too much about how you need to jack up the trailer to get it linked up, though that might be a good indicator of needing heavier bars.

However with only a smaller TH and a 2500 you shouldn't need much. What year is the truck? On my 2005 2500 HD I had to add air bags for my 5er to be level, same trailer on my 2013 truck and it brings it down to just level, definitely higher payload on the newer ones.

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