tblrklakemo

Just looked at my factory (GM) hitch. Truck is rated to pull 9900 lbs. Factory hitch stops at 5klbs trailer and 500lbs tongue w/o weight distributing tongue....then it goes up to 12klbs trailer and 1klbs tongue. I never see any trailer pics of people using a weight distributing system on their boat trailer. Needless to say, I just purchased drawtite system that exceeds my factory hitch even before weight distributing tongue is used.......what a bunch of crap.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Just upgrade to the Putnam XDR hitch and you will be golden and BETTER than factory, or with a WD hitch and your factory hitch. You can pick up the Putnam direct for less than $250.

www.putnamhitch.com

It comes with Grade 5 Bolts. I'd recommend upgrading to Grade 8 bolts before you install it. Very easy to install.

Lots of info on recent threads. I used to tow with a WD hitch setup. (Pics here: http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=78812 )

I have since removed it now that I am towing with the dually.

tblrklakemo

I guess the questions are: is the weak factory hitch(non-WD)rating meant to protect the hitch or the truck? Does it matter(to Chevy) if I use a WD system or not as long as I dont exceed the truck and hitch capacity? All their disclaimers seem to say "tow xxxxx amount with proper hitch"...their hitch or my hitch as long as in the vehicle peramiters. Im scared of the answer....nobody at the dealer knows.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Its meant to protect the hitch. Its a POS.

Per an OSO member, (Bill272, who has since passed away, RIP); that checked with a GM Rep:

If you install the Class-V hitch (Putnam in our case, we had the same truck), it will raise the Weight Carrying Capacity to that of the TRUCK'S Rating, or the original hitch Weight Distribution Rating; whichever is LOWER.

Your biggest concern is your INSURANCE company in the event of an incident.
You can upgrade your hitch. You CAN'T upgrade the capacity of the truck. However, you can do things to make it tow better/handle the higher capacities (within the truck's weight rating); like AirBags.




In your case, installing the Putnam Class-V will make you legal and rated to tow 9900 lbs. with a Weight Carrying hitch, AS LONG AS you do not exceed the Tongue Weight Capacity of your new hitch.

tblrklakemo

I didnt buy a putnam, but I did find a nice drawtite. Rated at 12klbs trailer and 1200lbs tongue. 14klbs trailer and 1400lbs tongue with WD. Im just pulling our little 27 fountain (7000lbs +/-) so I think I got it right this time.

Thx

Chart

In an earlier thread you explained how WD made trailering feel better, and more in control, than WC. Wouldn't that still be true even though you now have a dually that has more capacity? Can you provide a little more detail on why you now choose to not use WD? thanks.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Chart,

Thanks for calling me out on that, seriously.

I had a SRW truck before. It was a 2500 Avalanche, with leaf spring rear suspension just like a HD P/U (and I had installed wider wheels/tires, spacers to spread the rear tire track out further, and Air Lift 1000 Airbags).

I now tow with a Ford F-350 with DRW. I did use the WD hitch/bars with the Dually a few times when I first bought dually. I took them off a few times in the middle of trips, so I could have direct comparison. With the dually's suspension, which is stiff to begin with, and the extra stability and wheelbase of the crew cab/long bed DRW, I could not notice a difference with the WD bars installed and without. I DEFINITELY could tell the difference with my old truck, but not with the dually. The WD bars are designed to transfer part of the weight of the trailer to the entire frame/front suspension of the tow vehicle, hence distribute the weight.

Again, I just did not see a major difference when towing with the dually, so I have opted to run without the WD setup. I now also have rear AirBags on my Dually, just for extra piece of mind. (If I was towing and RV/Camper with different weight distribution on the trailer, I am sure I would have different information to share, but I have never towed such.)

So, IMHO my previous truck was adequate (and it was set up legally) with the WD setup, but towing with the 1-ton DRW is all around a superior setup. I am NOT going to state that a WD setup is equal to having a DRW truck. I think it all depends on each individual load/truck.

Chart

Sydwayz: thanks for that information. I do have a few more questions for you, if you would.

What is your tongue weight? Did you actually adjust the bars enough to "lift" the rear and compress the front springs, or did you use them to reduce "purposing"(sp?) from the weight of the tongue on the hitch? In that manner, they appear to be more like overload springs than WD bars. (To me anyway.)

A little background, if it makes a difference. I pull a classic 30'er on a steel two-axle MYCO, with about 10% tongue weight. Don't want to state actul weights, but they are significant. Pulled it originally with a 1500 suburban with airbags, bilsteins, and E tires. (too little truck, but it had heart and did a decent job). Now use a PSD Excursion, with airbags, rancho 9000's, and other non-lifting suspension improvements. It is much more stable, but still porpoises.

Having recently changed a new pre-owned spare trailer to Electric hydraulic brakes, I'm considering WD to overcome the purposing. (Ironically, that trailer should have less tongue weight due to a third axle and extra 9 feet of length.) I'm also considering a dually conversion for the excursion, but doubt that will offset purposing. It should improve tracking.

I'm not asking you to make my decisions, but if you have any insight from your experience, they would be welcomed.

Chart

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Chart,

I think a WD hitch setup will help your situation. The Excursions are notoriously squishy in the rear, even with X springs upgrades and airbags, and other improvements. Even though the Ex is on the SD Ford Truck frame, all that extra SUV weight back there makes it tow significantly different than a truck. I don't think the dually conversion is going to help your towing porpoise issue. You don't complain of a sway/control issue, which is where the dually conversion would help you. All the dually conversion is going to do is add to your unsprung overall weight, as well as suspension carried weight with the fenders/liners/glass work.

OSO member 'excursion' is a good friend of mine, and he switched from towing with a PSD-X to a PSD-F350 DRW; due to the issue you are also experiencing.

Some of my past threads note the WD hitch setup that I purchased. It has square trunnion bars (not round, this is imperative), and I think the whole setup was rated for 15K lbs. or something like that. I have never officially weighed my tongue weight on my 37, but I have gone based on others with same boat/setup. I setup my WD bars (which are adjustable on the fly based on which chain link you hitch into) by measuring my rear fenderlip height unloaded, and then again loaded, and used the WD/chains/bars to bring the fenderlips back up to normal unloaded height. This was the instructions that came with the setup as well as a couple local hitch installers.

I'd also do a little research on www.thedieselstop.com to see what others have done to improve towing on the Ex, as I am not an expert on that platform (or any platform, just share my experiences).

Also, OSO Member ScottC is a trailer & hitch dealer installer here in MD, and knows a lot about towing a lot, but he does not post much. He has a 402 Formula (read Aircraft Carrier) that he tows around.

Chart

Sydwayz:

First off, thank you for your comments.

Secondly, I'm sorry if my prior post suggested duals might overcome porpoising. I too don't think they play a role in that discussion. The idea of a dually Excursion falls in the "no-matter-that-it's-good-enough,-let's-make-it-better category" And I do think they will improve other parts of trailering, but not porpoising.

Thirdly, TDS was a good suggestion. I am a regular on TDS, and have learned much from that site over the years. Most of my suspension improvements are from there, and they allow a mistakenly-sprung-from-the-factory 8000lb stationwagon to be an overall good road tractor. There's nothing wrong with the Excursion that a few thousand dollars of factory-correcting mods can't fix.

Once again, thank you for your information and your time.