When I got the new trailer home, I noticed the wire that connects the truck to the trailer (had a loop) was sitting on the ground. I went out and picked it up. It had dragged, who knows how long and the wire was cut almost in two. Can't imagine how far I drove without brake lights. Apparently when they hooked up the trailer they didn't check the length of that wire.
After a couple phone calls, one of the shop guys showed up at the house and put a new wire on. this one a bit shorter.
With that out of the way, I now have the problem of hitch weight. The old trailer was 275# at the hitch, this one is 410#. What does that mean, you ask? Without weight distribution, the nose of the trailer goes down and the back of the truck goes down. By doing this, the weight distribution is all on the hitch rather than throughout the trailer and truck.
Solution: An item called a Round Bar Weight Distribution Hitch. Looks something like this:
I'm picking one up at Camping World tomorrow and with new tires (slightly bigger), that should solve the (they call it dipping) problem.
If you have any further interest in seeing how this works, here is a video you can look at. It's 6:23 so If you want to pass, that's OK.
Weight Distribution Hitch
With those two things (hitch and tires), we're ready for the maiden voyage of the Freedom Express the last week of September. Heading to Upper Lake for 4 days of Inflate-a-yaking and the Float Tube Cumberlanding. Don't know if I mentioned it in the past, but this lake is spring fed (by two springs) and the DFW stock it all summer. I'll have to see if I can do better than two years ago (skunked). We passed last year because of the Butte Fire that was so close to home.
That's about all I have for now except I meet with my Cardiologist on Tuesday to find out what the tests (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week) say and what the next step is. I'll let you know.
Stay tuned.
Sounds like you have things in proper perspective for your new trailer home and a great outing scheduled to put it through it's initial run. Hope all goes well!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of trailers, but on a far less grander scale I have just received my father's small, take everything to the dump, trailer that we built when I was in my early teens. Considering that I am now over the half centuary it has survived the passage of time far better than me.
ReplyDeleteHave never seen or heard of a 'weight distribution hitch' before Mark though I have seen many a trailer that required one!
Mark - First, best wishes for good results from the cardiologist. We got great news from my son's cardiologist two weeks ago. I'm hoping the trend continues for you!
ReplyDeleteSecond, congrats on the new trailer! I salute you for wanting to do things the correct and safe way with the heavier tongue weight.