KimandChris
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Help with tire wear
I have an AF 1140 with a 48 inch Torklift Superhitch/truss system to pull a 7x12 tandem axle cargo trailer. Also use a wd hitch. The trailer sits just slightly nose high when parked on a level surface. Here is the best pic I could find: I am getting wear on the outside of the tires on the front axle. Passenger side is worse but also happening on driver side. My thought is a bent axle. With the odd(for everybody but people in this forum) setup I am wondering if maybe it is a combination of the heavy TC/long extension/wd hitch. I know I use much of my suspension travel going over bumps on the highway. No bottoming but my guess is the deeper into the suspension the truck goes the more the WD hitch is removing weight from rear axle of truck and front axle of trailer. Any thoughts on what to do?3.3KViews0likes13CommentsRe: WD hitch help with TC load?
bjbear wrote: Where a W/D hitch adds real benefit is handling the dynamic loads when you are driving. As you go over bumps in the road and your rig bounces, the torque bars on the W/D hitch flex and resist movement. This greatly decreases the loading on your extension and is why I always use my W/D hitch to limit stress on my rig. If you look at the Torklift SuperTruss, their 48" extension will handle 600 lbs tongue weight, but if you use a W/D hitch, that limit increases to 1200 lbs. This is exactly what started me down this path. I don't know about limiting load on the extension, as the load does not disappear. I do believe some of the dynamic load will be transferred to the front axle, which will help with steering which is what I need. I think we are all in agreement now that it is ok to redistribute more than the tongue weight. Would be interesting to see which component failed first if too much tension is put on the bars. Hope not to find out..... Thanks for the input, I will update this thread if/when I get to a scale and can get some real weights and some real world experience.463Views0likes0CommentsRe: WD hitch help with TC load?
Many of these responses are still referring to redistributing just the tongue weight. I get how that works, that is what a WD hitch is designed for and all the documentation describes. My question is what happens when you distribute MORE than the tongue weight without going over the limit of any of your components? I am looking to redistribute (at least) the weight of the truss/hitch to get my handling back to what it was without the trailer/truss/hitch attached. If I can also save some TC weight off my rear axle, that would not be a bad thing. Seems as I have plenty of room to transfer another 300 lbs and still only be at half of what TL recommends. Was looking more at the concept, but to put real #s to it... 5500# cargo capacity for the truck, not sure of the distribution per axle, but for arguments sake, lets say I am not close to the limits of any of the components. 5000# of cargo(including myself/wife/dogs) 200# 48" TL truss and wd hitch, 1200# limit on supertruss. 2000# cargo in dual axle cargo trailer, capacity of 4000# 250# tongue weight If I use the above #s and transfer 500# from the rear axle (300 to front axle and 200 to trailer???)with the wd hitch, rather than 'just' the 250# tongue weight, it should be an overall improvement....agreed?463Views0likes0CommentsRe: Newbie, artic fox 990 and 1140, handling on F350 Drw
We started with an 1140 on a 06 3500 Dodge dually when we tried fulltiming a few years back. Made it 18 months,6 months in the tc, before circumstances called us back home. Never could get it to ride as comfortable as I would like. Replaced it with a 2014 because of the higher load capacity. After upper/lower Stabil loads and air bags, I am happy with it. That said, it all depends on how comfortable you are with sway while driving. It always freaked me out a bit knowing I had all my possessions and my family in the truck... If you are not changing sites all that often or moving very far, your truck may be fine with the bigger TC. Do not think I would be comfortable with it. Also depends how much time you spend in the TC. We had friends that full timed in a small TC and spent most of the days in the camper...don't know how they did it.803Views0likes0CommentsRe: WD hitch help with TC load?
stevenal wrote: To overcompensate for the tongue weight, you'll end up with continuous upward force at the ball which I'm not sure a hitch is designed for. Suggest running this by Torklift. Edit - Removed erroneous comments agreeing with the concept above. Don't want to confuse the issue.463Views0likes0CommentsWD hitch help with TC load?
Somebody please check my thinking here.... I believe adding a weight distribution hitch to my truck camper/cargo trailer setup will help move some of my TC weight from my rear truck axle and redistribute it to the front axle and my trailer. I cannot find any documentation to confirm this as it all seems to be written concerning just the tongue weight of the trailer. In my mind, there should be no difference in tongue weight and load on the rear axle as to what weight is redistributed...true? In the end, I am thinking I could safely redistribute MORE than the tongue weight. Some specific details about my setup: Loaded for full timing, my TC is very close to my rear axle weight limit. With some tweaks to the truck, it drives just fine. Adding a 4 foot supertruss/non wd hitch/tongue weight of a 7 x 12 tandem axle cargo(250lbs) trailer causes the truck to have light steering over certain kinds of bumps. By adding the wd hitch, I am sure I can remove some of the tongue weight from the rear axle but it seems like I should be able to do more as the cargo trailer is way under it's weight limits.5.4KViews0likes21CommentsRe: Looking for advice on triple axle/larger THs
Thanks all for the advice. Sounds like it won't be a big difference from what I am used to towing on the highway. This RV will be used mainly out west and during the winter months escaping the northeast winter. We will just have to be a little more careful in the campgrounds we choose. Had some tight spots in my 35 footer, obviously this will be worse. We believe it will be worth the tradeoff to be more comfortable inside. Besides, we still have the truck camper to use during the summer to get into all those tighter spots in the mountains. Thanks again, Chris361Views0likes0CommentsLooking for advice on triple axle/larger THs
DW and I have been looking for a new toyhauler to full time in. We seem to be drawn to the 40+ footers because of the much roomier living rooms and extra kitchen counter space. My current TH is 35 foot double axle that weighs 13,600 loaded. How will an 18,000 pound triple axle TH tow as opposed to the lighter double axle unit I am used to? I realize there are other issues with a bigger RV besides towing, but I am fairly certain I can handle them.... Tow vehicle is a 2015 Ram 3500 dually with the Aisen tranny, so I think I am covered there. Thanks for any insight, Chris2.6KViews0likes9Comments
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