deeperblue

Hi,


For those with towing experience:
I have read from some thread (in this forum) saying that, when you hook up a trailer, the airmatic will automatically level the SUV, so you can't use the weight distribution hitch to do the weight distribution in the normal way.


My understanding is that without airmatic, when the rear of your vehicle sink because of tongue weight, you use weight distribution hitch to adjust so your vehicle stays level. Therefore, part of the weight has been distributed to the front.


With airmatick kicks in, how do you use weight distribution hitch to make the adjustment?


Thanks.

N_Jay

I would guess the "right" way would be to use a set of scales.


I guessed at it by adjusting the spring bars so they are about the same tension as my old set up. If anything they under a bit less tension, but the GL has a higher towing and tongue weight capacity than the old Honda Pilot so I am sure I am in the safe range.

deeperblue

Thanks for your input. This will be my first time so I don't have a way to "guess" it.


Anyone else have any input? Anyone who have towed must have the same problem.

lotuni

Interested in this too. If there is no one else with input, please do share your experience in detail when you try it!

N_Jay

Good luck.


I did not find any good ideas when I was looking last year.


Guess you could pull the Air pump fuse and set then up as normal.

deeperblue

Yeah, I remember I saw this trick somewhere, but I am wondering if there are better tips, I am not sure if I should pull the fuse again and again during a trip if I need to hook up/unhook the trailer multiple times.

N_Jay

You do not need to readjust the WDH after it is adjusted for the trailer unless something very significant changes..

KrustyKustom

I tow a 30' Airstream Safari with my 2011 GL350 obviously with Airmatic. It requires the correct steps otherwise it fights you trying to adjust level. All and all it is a nice setup for towing.


My procedure is to back up with my hitch bar into trailer receiver ( I use the ProPride brand hitch, same as a Hensley). Without lowering trailer onto vehicle I turn the engine off, all doors closed and proceed to tension the weight distributing bars to where I know the proper tension is (previously weighed at truck scales). After bars are tensioned I lower the jack putting the weight on the car, obviously the car sinks to a low level in the rear. Soon as you crank the engine it raises to level, tension is proper on the bars and you are ready to roll.


hope that explanation helps?

KrustyKustom

lotuni

Great Pic Krusty!

KrustyKustom

deeperblue

I didn't really understand what you said when I first saw your answer, but now I have completed my trip and understand how the hookup works now.


I am no expert but I think what you said makes sense. Basically I followed your procedure.


For the first time set up, I stopped my engine, all door closed, and then lower the trailer hitch to connect it, and then adjust the weight distribution bar. Didn't use scale to measure hitch weight, because the trailer I rented has a low hitch weight, so it is unlikely that it will exceed the spec.

KrustyKustom

How did the 450 tow? How much did your rental trailer weigh....?

deeperblue

It tows very well. I have no experience with other towing vehicles, so I can't compare.


The feeling is the same as someone here has said: I can feel the vehicle is there (but do not feel much when road is flat and even), but as long as you control your speed (i.e. don't drive too fast when making turns or on curved road, control your speed when going downhill), never feel unsafe.


on highway, easy to maintain speed at 60-65 m/h at 2500 rpm, when going long steep uphill (up to 6%), not hard to maintain speed at 40-50 m/h with 3000-3500rpm. Gas milage at 10.5m/g pure highway (I usually get 17+m/g on highway without towing).

The trailer I rented is 2014 Keystone Passport 2650BHWE, dry weight 4938lb, hitch weight 470lb.

deeperblue

What is your Airsteam Safari 30's spec?
This is what I found on the web: http://www.rvweb.com/guides/manufact...-1129566641942 hitch weight 850lb, dry weight 6215, GVWR 8400, length 30'10". Did I find the right spec for your trailer?


Is the length (30'10") the total length (including hitch) or just for the body itself?


I am wondering whether I should buy a trailer myself, so knowing your trailer's number could help me decide what's the biggest thing I could get.


Thanks.

menschie

Here is my experience:

I have a 2007 GL450, a 2014 Starcraft Launch 26BHS, and I use a Prodigy RF wireless brake controller. It's 26' interior length and 31' exterior. My model of trailer with its options is about 5200 dry and about 6400 loaded. The tongue weight is 520 lbs (plus the bit that the EQ hitch adds). The EQ hitch isn't to take weight off the tongue. It, in fact, adds weight. It's to push more of the forces associated with towing horizontally into the truck's frame, making it more stable (as opposed to constantly attempting to unload the front wheels of the truck when going over bumps etc.). I don't have much to compare to, but I was told the brake controller was amazing, and that's been my experience--although it was close to 1000 bucks. I was told that's about as good of a controller as there is. It has a manual button on the side, so if you ever get some wobbles you can hit that knob a bit, and the braking trailer will straighten out your whole rig. I've used that once and it was great.

I was told by the place where I bought the RV (Fraserway in BC, Canada) that the installation of the hitch was a piece of cake (setting the height). Also, I don't do anything special to hook it up. I hook onto the ball (truck running or not, I don't care), hook up the EQ bars with the tongue still unloaded, then drop it down. The truck goes down slightly (not a lot), and then over the next minute or so it raises itself back to flat (this impresses people greatly). As for the amount of tension I put into the EQ bars ... I just make sure they run parallel to the trailers hitch frame, as I was told to do. I put a little grease into the EQ bar receiver to keep it from creaking. That's about it.

We put this whole thing together in August and have been on about 6 or 7 full-on trips (other than dragging it here or there for other things), and the setup is a dream. The truck has way more than enough power, it drives stably at all speeds, and is a dream on the highway...even in a situation with some cross-wind it caused me no stress. A dream to tow with, I'd have to say.

menschie

Here's my rig.

lotuni

Great pic Menschie!

That will almost look exactly like my rig whenever I get an travel trailer!

We have a Fraserway here in AB as well and may very well go out and look at the trailer you got. Seems to work well with the GL based on your description. I have also heard the prodigy RF is very good and was looking at that. I am also looking at the Apex 235 BHS as well the Kodiak 240bhsl but I haven't committed to anything....

How do you find people react when you pull into a camp-ground and your not driving a F150 or equivalent truck?

N_Jay

menschie

LOL. A couple of people told me that they thought we must be snobs when we first pulled in. Then we invited them over for happy hour, passed out drinks and that notion was killed quickly.

People ask about it though ... then they find out that it has an oil cooled transmission, air suspension and more horsepower than their truck and they think it's really cool that our towing vehicle is also an amazing day to day family vehicle for hauling kids, groceries etc. and keeps the kids quiet on trips when we fire up a movie.

N_Jay

Then when I tell them I paid less than they paid for their F150 or Tacoma.

menschie

Well, Ford F150's start at well under 20 g's in Canada and top out in the mid 50's brand new ... so I don't think you're comparing apples to apples ... new to new, or like year to like year. GL's start at almost 80, and go up up and up from there. Just sayin'. And, as many of us know, the maintenance cost on the GL's can be quite prohibitive for many as well (I've spent 7 grand in the last 1.5 months).

N_Jay

Well, I bought mine in almost showroom condition (Smirk)(96K miles) for a bit under $30K, and it seems most towing with F150's are paying $36k+ by the time they have them optioned out.

What the heck cost you $7.5K?

menschie

I hear ya. You're talking well used and a few years old compared to brand new though.

There was a noise coming from the engine bay ... hard to diagnose. Alternator was a part of that noise ... as was the power steering pump and the A/C compressor. Boom. On top of that, the battery needed to be replaced, the front brakes done, and an Airmatic hose bridged to cut out a tiny leak. $7500 later, all's running as it should be again. It's amazing what paying money can do.

N_Jay

Sounds like you have a creative dealer. One noise two sources.
Bet he got you for rotors and pads at something north of $700 on the brakes, right?