Pulling a Fifth Wheel problem, worried about my Dad...
I have a ton of experience pulling trailers, everything from my small single axle trailer to my large 31 ft TT and several sizes in between. I've logged many thousands of miles and am very confident in my abilities.
However, I have never pulled a fiver or a gooseneck so I have no personal experience to compare this question too.
I had to travel for work today and my drive was about five hours. While I was traveling My dad was pulling his fiver home as well. That put us both on the road at the same time.
He has a 2003 2500 CTD 2wd and a 34 Ft Keystone Challanger fiver. Hitched by a Curt 20k slider. His truck has 220k ish miles and is in immaculate condition.
I called Daddy while traveling and we talked for about an hour (I love Bluetooth) and out of no where he says..."pulling a camper is hard on me, I know you love towing a camper, but it's mentally exhausting for me"
Now, I am concerned...
my daddy has 10-20 ish k miles experience pulling this trailer, it has new tires on both the truck and trailer.... So I start asking questions...
What stresses you out about it?...he told me that when trucks pass him the suck pull gets to him. I then asked him a question about being passed....
I asked him if he can feel the trailer being pulled and pushed separately from his truck. He said YES... seperate events...the trailer gets pushed and then he feels the truck get pushed...
what he describes sounds exactly like what I would expect from a TT with a WD hitch and no sway control...
I'm concerned ..very concerned about this set up...
I thought that the very nature of a Fiver would force the truck and the trailer to be pushed on as one unit which would make for a normal, easy tow...at least one that I expect.
With my TT I had the WD hitch and the Sway Controls set so that the truck and the trailer were pushed on as one unit... Very easy and comfortable tow.
There has to be something wrong with my Dads set up...
I am going to visit my Mom and Dad in a few weeks and I want to take my tools with me and go over his set up. I want to make sure his rails are still torqued down correctly and go through his hitch and make sure everything is in spec. Maybe inspect the equalizers on his trailer axles and see if there is a problem there.
BTW he made it home safe, but in four or five months he will be on another 1000-2000 mile plus pull for his work and I want to resolve this for him.
Apparently he has been living with this since he has had this trailer...six years and 10-20k miles towing. My gut reaction is that this is not normal...
He doesn't run any add ons just his stock rear suspension and his truck and trailer sit level while under load. I'd prefer him get a set of timbrens but I have never said anything because he has never mentioned a problem before now.
Any other ideas as to why My Dads rig is behaving this way.
Thanks
Jeremiah
However, I have never pulled a fiver or a gooseneck so I have no personal experience to compare this question too.
I had to travel for work today and my drive was about five hours. While I was traveling My dad was pulling his fiver home as well. That put us both on the road at the same time.
He has a 2003 2500 CTD 2wd and a 34 Ft Keystone Challanger fiver. Hitched by a Curt 20k slider. His truck has 220k ish miles and is in immaculate condition.
I called Daddy while traveling and we talked for about an hour (I love Bluetooth) and out of no where he says..."pulling a camper is hard on me, I know you love towing a camper, but it's mentally exhausting for me"
Now, I am concerned...
my daddy has 10-20 ish k miles experience pulling this trailer, it has new tires on both the truck and trailer.... So I start asking questions...
What stresses you out about it?...he told me that when trucks pass him the suck pull gets to him. I then asked him a question about being passed....
I asked him if he can feel the trailer being pulled and pushed separately from his truck. He said YES... seperate events...the trailer gets pushed and then he feels the truck get pushed...
what he describes sounds exactly like what I would expect from a TT with a WD hitch and no sway control...
I'm concerned ..very concerned about this set up...
I thought that the very nature of a Fiver would force the truck and the trailer to be pushed on as one unit which would make for a normal, easy tow...at least one that I expect.
With my TT I had the WD hitch and the Sway Controls set so that the truck and the trailer were pushed on as one unit... Very easy and comfortable tow.
There has to be something wrong with my Dads set up...
I am going to visit my Mom and Dad in a few weeks and I want to take my tools with me and go over his set up. I want to make sure his rails are still torqued down correctly and go through his hitch and make sure everything is in spec. Maybe inspect the equalizers on his trailer axles and see if there is a problem there.
BTW he made it home safe, but in four or five months he will be on another 1000-2000 mile plus pull for his work and I want to resolve this for him.
Apparently he has been living with this since he has had this trailer...six years and 10-20k miles towing. My gut reaction is that this is not normal...
He doesn't run any add ons just his stock rear suspension and his truck and trailer sit level while under load. I'd prefer him get a set of timbrens but I have never said anything because he has never mentioned a problem before now.
Any other ideas as to why My Dads rig is behaving this way.
Thanks
Jeremiah
