Towing Help needed, only 3500lbs

Hey Guys

So I’m near 50, I have been towing for 30 years, Sea Doos, tent trailers, small travel trailer, and loaded up landscape trailers. I haven’t had an issue getting a good setup till now.

I had a 2004 Ford Freestar with a 2004 Fleetwood Redwood @ 3500lbs. I used a Husky round bar WDH. It towed perfect with a WDH except underpowered.

My 2008 Tacoma towing the 2007 Escape 17B WDH towed fine.



I traded the 2008 Tacoma for a 2017 4Runner and it towed great with a EazLift WDH. We took that across to LA and back up through the mountains of Colorado no issues at all. I forgot about it at points.

I’ll post my questions in the next post

 

So now we have a 2017 Tundra SR5 with tow package including trans cooler and brake controller, TRD exhaust, TRD Rock Warrior wheels, BFG KO2 tires, and the heritage grill. It’s a beast and pulls all day long. Only issue is it’s thirsty.

The trailer we custom ordered from British Columbia which is 2800 miles away. It is an 2020 Escape 19. Only available factory direct. We paid $32K CAD which is like $25k USD. Cheap for American customers and lasts 50 years.

So my issue is I can’t get a good ride while towing it. It bounces lots. These trailers don’t really sway at all. Dry weight is 3150lbs but I came across the CAT scales with closer to 3900lbs loaded. I will add weights in a third post.

We’re using the Reece Pro Series trunnion style Weight Distribution Hitch that we bought with the trailer. I have tried many different setups with it without success.

 

Can you describe the bounce a bit more? Is it up and down that you feel through the entire truck (porpoising) or is it just the trailer that is bouncing independently?

Those Escapes tow very nice so something isn't right.

 

Also take a read of this thread... lots of good places to start.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9/bouncing-while-towing-20427.html

 

Here are my CAT scale weights. We weren’t heading out on a trip so it is only close to travel weights. Loaded with all normal equipment like linens, pots and pans, cords, one battery in the front box, bikes on the back, and a few barbell plates to simulate some extra gear. For the best part, we often travel light. All 3 tanks are empty which is typically how I roll.

First weigh is truck only.

Second weigh is truck and trailer, no bars.

You can see in my third weigh, the WDH is set to 3 links which on the third sheet is 360 lbs. Just over 10%.

 

Only thing I can think of is maybe the distribution bars are rated to high for the trailer and it may be pushing upwards between the tongue and the hitch? have you tried taking them off and seeing how it affects the ride?

 

I’m seeing your first tongue weight being 380 lbs and your second being only 240 lbs.

(Drive + steer weights - truck weight)

I’d argue 380 might not be enough…

 

Just looking at the pic of your setup, you're sitting pretty level, so I would rule out a WDH not being dialed in properly. Maybe the bars are too heavy for the lighter trailer?

Beyond that, I'd be looking at tires and suspension. What PSI are you running your tires at? Over inflated tires will ride rough and kick a bunch. Tired shocks could be the culprit as well. How old are they? Any leaking?

 

And you need to add the tongue weight to the trailer weight so that means your trailer really weighs about 3,900 lbs which means 380 lbs = less than 10%.

 

So the only thing I can really narrow down my problems to is the tires. I have BFG KO2. They are load range C. They are not a heavy duty tire. When I bought them I was careful to make sure the load rating was higher than the original Bridgestone Duelers. The original tires were rated P as in Passenger tires if I recall correctly.

In the past I had bought Load Range E but hated them, way too stiff. Ruined the ride.

I have watch many YouTube videos where guys are towing really heavy on stock tires without issue.

 

I may use the wrong terminology but that WDH has chains and thus is not one I'd describe as having "trunnion bars". Not that it should matter for your setup.

I thought the WDH was supposed to be set based on sag, not weight. Measure the height of your front truck fender on level ground without the trailer hitched. Then hitch up the trailer and hook up the bars. They should bring your front fender back to its original position or close. If not, you don't have the right amount of weight distribution.

 

I towed heavy with the stock tires on my old Tundra and it was awfull

 

So when I do a setup. I set the trailer level so the frame is parallel to the ground so there is even weight on each axle. Measure the fenders on the truck and make note before hitching. Hitch up and add the bars adding links till the back fenders are just below stock height.

Doing this, I confirmed on the scales I was around 360lbs or 10% tongue weight.

 

The bouncing is worse without the bars. If I take the trailer to storage, I don’t set them up. It’s only OK for a short run.

The truck is a 2017 with only 41,000km. I only drive it for fun.

 

I would say it is porpoising. Both the truck and trailer are bouncing at the hitch.

I have tried the torsion bars at 2 links there is not a lot of tension on them.

 

With your front lifting 1/4" at most when you hitch the trailer, I would argue you don't need the WDH.

 

I’d really try filling up everything (water, propane, etc) and increasing the tongue weight. Sounds like it’s ass heavy which wouldn’t be surprising for a 4,000lb trailer with 240lbs tongue weight.

 

Have you searched the trailer on the web to see if others are experiencing the same issue? I would think its to new to have leaf spring issues or axle issues but you may want to get those checked as well

 

I always run 31psi front and 33psi rear. The trailer is set to 50psi as per Escape.

I run the tire pressures on the Tundra door jam. I had asked here on the forum what the tire pressure was listed on the TRD Rock Warrior edition built from 2009 to 2013 but didn’t get a straight answer. That is where the wheels came from. I had them refinished.

 

I’d bump the rear pressure to 45. Front around 40. The door jamb is for p-rated tires - truck tires need more pressure.

 

I’m going to post a link to this discussion on Escapeforum.org to see if anyone has any insight.

 

I would bump up that tire pressure

 

I have to ask how are you setting up your WDH? are you jacking up the truck and trailer together and then connecting your chains to your trailer tongue or just connecting your chains without jacking up your truck and trailer?

I personally use a chain style WDH and have never had issues but I know that some people out there don't like that style either

 

Agreed. Under 5k with a full-size truck and a weight distributing hitch is adding too much spring to the back of the truck. There’s not enough tongue weight to “flex” the distribution bars and they just bounce down the road like you have an unloaded 1 ton dually.

I’ve done the same thing with a WD hitch on a car hauler. Unloaded the car and thought to drop a few links on the WD hitch bu left it engaged. Bounced horribly with a rough ride.

 

IMO - The WDH hitch may mask some of the porpoising due to the bars but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is heading in the right direction.

 

Ah. Must have overlooked that…