Tow setup for a newbie?

Hi All
Just got my 2018 platinum and we are planning on starting life together with trailer tow of all our stuff down to TX. What is the best setup to get me right for this? Any companies I should talk to over others to get stuff installed? Or self install?
Cheers!

 

What are you wanting to install? All you should need is a ball mount. If you had bought truck in the GST region it probably would have come with one for 3x the price of buying it anywhere else. Are you renting a trailer?

 

1. Go to discount tire and get ride of your p-rated gumball tires for some proper truck tires with an e-load.

2. Order a Tekonsha Prodigy 3 brake controller and 3017-p harness from Amazon.

3. Order a P3 panel mount from ESP Truck.

4. Yank out the crappy integrated brake controller on your truck and install the ESP panel and P3 in its place.

5. Tow your load happily and safely.

 

I'm renting a uhaul 18ft trailer to move down with. I believe my truck comes with a harness fitted but I'm not sure what else. I've never towed before! I think all I actually need is the ball mount which I can get from Amazon, but wanted to check with those that know more!

 

Thanks for the details, I will look into this, but at the moment this is a one time tow so I want to do the minimum for now to get me down. When we get our airstream trailer I would probably go all the way to upgrading the brake controllers!

Is the installation work complicated?

 

You won't need to change out the the integrated brake controller, the one on my 2018 works as a brake controller should. If he had a 2017 or earlier, you would be right. The one on my 2016 even with the TSB still did not function as good as the Prodigy I ended up adding to my 2016. The 2018 has settings for electric and electric over hydraulic, as well as under or over 5000 pounds, and the display shows true progressive application of brakes to the trailer.

 

Is there anywhere I can go to find out what all that means?

 

Not sure of any site in particular that I know that explains it all, I've been towing for 45 plus years and have learned about it from experience. What you want when towing a trailer with electric brakes is smooth application of the trailer brakes when stopping, with the trailer brakes being applies slightly before the trucks to keep the trailer in line with the truck. This is what the brake controller on the truck does, it senses the truck's brake being applied and how much, and sends an electrical signal to the trailer.

If you are renting a trailer, it may have hydraulic brakes activated by a trailer's hitch by the inertia of the trailer attempting to push the truck.

hope this helps.

 

thanks for the explanation. Some investigation on the uhaul website has told me the trailers are pretty simple. I will head down there and speak to them and see what they say!