chrisf

About to pull the trigger on a WD hitch for my Chevy TBSS. Needs to accomodate two different trailers and weights...

1) Baja 272, Eagle dual axle steel trailer with 2 3/8" tongue (700lbs tongue weight max)

2) Baja 232, Roadrunner dual axle steel trailer with 2" tongue (600lbs tongue weight max)

Here is what I found in research with comments on each, please opine, suggest, advise, confirm, ect. I want to buy it soon, jst want to get the right one that is compliant for my application.

http://store.towshop.com/store/more...Category_ID=123
PN 90-00-1000

The one the last thread i started people suggested, has surge break capability, but most expensive and HEAVY (100lbs.)

http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-3093-va70220.aspx
http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-3098-va70200.aspx

Whats the difference between these two, might not work though, couldn't find any detail on surge brakes.

http://www.etrailer.com/pc-WD2~49578.htm

Same as first, but a lot cheaper and has surge brake capability. Leaning towards this one unless you have any objections

http://www.trailersnhitches.com/put.../weightdist.htm
another I found, not a lot of detail.

Give me some pointers on this, thanks in advance.....

Chris

Griff

Is that a Trailblazer????? IMO, you need more tow vehicle, not more hitch.

Chris Sunkin

You have a legal requirement to tow withing the manufacturer rated capacity of your vehicle. If you exceed that and have an accident, you could definitely be risking your insurance denying your claim. If someone is injured, your troubles may go way deeper. Most of all, you probably don't want to risk killing yourself and/or your family members.

Find out exactly what your boats weigh as you'll be towing them- boat, trailer, fuel, coolers, junk, etc. Don't forget to add in what's going to be in the truck- 5 people and a load of cargo adds up. There's only one way to know what your boat weighs- a scale.

open87

iTrader: (2)

think you need a bigger tow vehicle....what is the gvwr of that thing?

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

The TrailblazerSS is only rated to tow a MAXIMUM of 6700 lbs. Your Baja 272 is going to exceed that with a steel trailer and fuel and gear, and all the other crap we carry, as well as you will be over your GCWR when you load up with passengers and luggage and coolers etc. etc. You are not going to be legal or set up safely no matter what your hitch setup may me. Also, unless your WD hitch is setup ABSOLUTELY perfectly, you will diminish your surge brakes effectiveness.

Boat: 4400 lbs. spec WITH a SBC. You probably have a BBC. Add another 200 lbs. for the BBC.
Fuel: 540 lbs. with a full 90 gallon tank.
Trailer: 1750 lbs. minimum.
That puts you at 6690 lbs. before you put your anchor and all your other gear on/in the boat.

See this thread for all tow rating questions:
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ght=tow+rating

chrisf

Ok everyone, lets start over.

The 272 I currently tow with my Acura MDX about 100 yards from my boat storage to the ramp. Never has been an issue, if I can't tow the 272 on the street because of my TBSS weight limitations, so be it, I will just use it for that.

This question was related more to towing the 232 up to 50 or 100 miles a couple of times a year, say to San Diego or Long Beach from Los Angeles.

So.....taking the 272 OUT of the equation, adding the fact that when the 232 would be towed (scheduled and minimally), I can logistically make sure the fuel tank is on the lower side, and all passengers and gear can be put in another vehicle, which of these WD hitches is going to do the job and make me legally compliant? 232, roadrunner dual axles with surge brakes.

Thanks for responses...

Chris

Chris Sunkin

Order a Curt with the rectangular bars from Summit Racing (10K#). Very good hitch and they have the best price. While you're there, order a set of Firestone Ride Rite airbags and the best shocks they have- I like the Edelbrock self-adjusting one's.

A W/D hitch will definitely improve your ride but it doesn't necessarily raise your tow capacity- unless the vehicle manufacturer says it does. Like on the Excursion, W/D doubles capacity. They're all going to be surge brake compatible- the only thing that isn't is a sway damper. That will prevent the coupler from actuating properly.

W/D's can be a bit tricky to set up. If you're not strongly mechanically inclined, you may want to go to an RV or trailer place to buy this stuff. If you don't have a 2" socket and a very long bar, you're not going to be able to get the ball on properly anyway.

Big Time

I heard of these but never bothered to research it....I'm looking at the pictures in some of the links and I don't understand it. Does it attach to the trailer or the truck or both? It looks like you put the shank in where the hitch normally goes and the ball looks like it always stays in the trailer...so how do you disconnect the trailer from the shank?

Chris Sunkin

The hitch has two wings on each side of the ball. Basically a "T" goes in the socket. The bar extends back about 30". you have a fixture on the trailer that pulls the bars upwards and into tension- they connect with a chain. This imparts upward force to the trailer, essentially unloading some of the tongue weight. The net effect is when you hit a dip that would typically cause an inch-worm action between the truck and the trailer (truck front up, then down as the truck rear is coming down and then the trailer going up forcing the back of ther truck down). The rig rides more level - sort of as one unit. Makes for a more comfortable ride. Airbags greatly enhance the effect.

chrisf

Thanks for the replies guys.

Here is what I learned from this thread.

1) Using WD hitches is not common and is a pain to use, so do it minimally as it is cumbersome with the hitch weight (100lbs.) and all.

2) Sounds to me with the complexity, I should bite the bullet and go with the Equalizer, which is designed for boats with surge brakes.

3) Also sounds like I should buy it from a local dealer who can custom fit it for me and make it work, as it is not as simple as pushing it in and securing the lock pin.

To answer your question, the TBSS tows 4000lbs with regular hitch, and up to 7200lbs. with a WD hitch. This info was taken off the tag in the back of the truck.

my assumptions:

232 = 3900lbs dry
Gear = 100lbs. (Boat is EMPTY, just USCG compliance gear.)
fuel = 630lbs. (full 70 gallons max)
trailer = 1250lbs. max lbs. I was told and through research

TOTAL equals 5880lbs. The weak spot is the assumption on trailer weight. I was told anywhere between 1000 and 1250 lbs. Sydwayz, you mentioned 1750lbs for the trailer, could you post where you got this detail? I have friends with triple axle trailers who think they weigh 1300 to 1500 lbs. I was told my Eagle is a heavy solid steel trailer and is 1250lbs., where as the Roadrunner is far flimsier.

Eithery way, sounds like the 272 is out, back to my truck being a ramp whore for it. Still interested in towing the 232 though...

Thanks for all the help...

Chris