the standard reciever on the 08 1ton drw is the 2.5" receiver the point in question is that on a boat trailer it is well balanced and does not have an excessive tongue weight (like a guy with a bulldozer in the front of a trailer)
what i was told is that it's the gcwr -truck wt that gives you max trailer wt.?? how many guys do you see pulling a surge brake trailer with a wd set up? i've never seen one !
the standard reciever on the 08 1ton drw is the 2.5" receiver the point in question is that on a boat trailer it is well balanced and does not have an excessive tongue weight (like a guy with a bulldozer in the front of a trailer)
what i was told is that it's the gcwr -truck wt that gives you max trailer wt.?? how many guys do you see pulling a surge brake trailer with a wd set up? i've never seen one !
I did it for two seasons. But you MUST have it set up right. If you don't it will diminish the effectiveness of your surge brakes.
The best ticket is to have Electric/Hydraulic brakes period. Then you can run a WD hitch with less worries.
Pics on this thread: Big and Heavy (hitch) Balls
You will also notice that my trailer was VA state safety inspected as such.
Also, the 2.5 HD hitch package is Available or Optional on the 2008 GMC 3500. If you order it without said package, it may come sans hitch, or it may come with the POS tube hitch aka "the flexi-flyer."
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Brian Tillett
Active Thunder Factory Rep.
Web: ActiveThunderBoats.com
Email: ActiveThunderAVH(a)aol.com
Thanks for posting that link. I looked at your setup and that does not look bad at all. I can picture myself powdercoating / chroming most of the parts and I will also make a custom bracket, welded to my trailer for the WD system. Good to read so many guys that have tried it and have very positive comments regarding the WD. I had never seen one on a boat trailer before, but those pictures broaden my horizon.
Thanks for posting that link. I looked at your setup and that does not look bad at all. I can picture myself powdercoating / chroming most of the parts and I will also make a custom bracket, welded to my trailer for the WD system. Good to read so many guys that have tried it and have very positive comments regarding the WD. I had never seen one on a boat trailer before, but those pictures broaden my horizon.
Your coupler/actuator has to be in good condition with very good "action." I had to rebuild mine before I started. You have to be careful to set the bars/chains to "just carry a bit of weight". The most important part of the setup is Rear Airbags on the truck. You can't use the WD system to raise the truck up from ass sag. You need to use the airbags for this; or you need a bigger truck. If you take too much leverage with the WD hitch, you will put your coupler/actuator at a bind and the surge brakes will not work well; if at all.
I had some help setting mine up with a camper expert. Basically, I had the WD setup just right to keep the truck from really teetering when going over bad bumps, but not so much tension on the chains to put the coupler in a bind on normal flat ground.
Basically; take a tow around the block, and do a couple of moderate panic stops with the bars, and without the bars. If you notice that you don't brake as well with the bars installed, then you have too much tension on them.
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Brian Tillett
Active Thunder Factory Rep.
Web: ActiveThunderBoats.com
Email: ActiveThunderAVH(a)aol.com
Ok I have a question that has come up from a buddy. He is looking into a 38 Fountain cruiser. With trailer and boat wet he is probably over 16k. So is there a truck and hitch that can pull that kind of weight w/o a fith wheel goose set up? From the research I have done I can't find a hitch that can pull more then the Putnam rated at 16k. It is a interesting thought, you see a lot of big boats on a ball style trailer that are over 16k. How do these people pull them legally?
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Is this it ? Is this what I work for...
4x4 is PRICELESS when you are slipping down a ramp backwards with no help in sight !
That's what I was thinking too. Now if that is 100% true this question comes to mind. What would be the liability of the trailer manufacturer??? I mean if they make a trailer to be pulled by ball and there is no hitch and/or truck that can pull it.....see where I am going w/this?
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Is this it ? Is this what I work for...
4x4 is PRICELESS when you are slipping down a ramp backwards with no help in sight !
Yes, there could be a connection. I've made this same assertion about manufacturers that put a 14K tow rating on a truck, then slide a 5K hitch under it.
The solution is to equip the trailer with a pintle and have a receiver built for the truck. I'm less concerned with figuring out whose fault it is afterwards than I am about making sure it doesn't happen. They clunk, but they don't come loose.
Yes, there could be a connection. I've made this same assertion about manufacturers that put a 14K tow rating on a truck, then slide a 5K hitch under it.
The solution is to equip the trailer with a pintle and have a receiver built for the truck. I'm less concerned with figuring out whose fault it is afterwards than I am about making sure it doesn't happen. They clunk, but they don't come loose.
Wasn't really trying to find fault. Just find it odd that this happens and most people are ignorant about it. I know a pintle can handle big weight and thought to myself why don't the trailer manufacture put them on these big boat trailers. So one question: How does a pintle get used in the hitch? The ones I have seen have a standard 2" square stock that goes into the hitch. Now like I said before the highest rated hitch I have found is the Putnam 16K. You mentioned have one built for the truck. Is that a standard practice on how to use a pintle with big weight? Also how would you go about a tow rating on one that was made? Not trying to come off the wrong way just trying to learn and others reading this may find it helpful too.
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Is this it ? Is this what I work for...
4x4 is PRICELESS when you are slipping down a ramp backwards with no help in sight !
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