First Tow, With New Tow Vehicle...

[xrated]

So today was the day that we took the T.H.er out for it's first ride behind the new T.V. As I posted last weekend, we traded in the F250 for a Crew Cab Dually and after loading it up as we would when we head to the track (plus a full 106 gallon fresh waster tank), we headed over to the Interstate to test the stability, hitch height, W.D. hitch settings, etc. The first 30 miles or so was pretty uneventful, as we were travelling the 2 lane roads in mostly 55 MPH areas. Once we hit the Interstate, I slowly bumped it up to 60, then 65, then up to 70 mph and I'm happy to say that it was rock solid. I slowed back down to around 64-65, waiting on some of the Semi trucks to catch up and pass me to see how it would affect my truck/trailer now. I could feel it ever so slightly when a tractor/trailer would pass, but nothing like it was with the F250. I'm sure that between having the Dually and adding some more weight to the front, via a full fresh water tank (couldn't do that on the F250 without going over my GVWR), the truck/trailer was really stable. There was not much wind today, so I'm sure that helped also, but honestly, I just never felt that comfortable with the F250 and that much trailer behind me....even though I really wanted it to work. We spent about 30 miles on the Interstate before getting back onto the 2 lane 55 MPH roads and back to the house. So far, so good. In a few weeks, we'll be hitching up and headed over to S.C. for a trackday weekend, up and over the Smoky Mountains of E. TN and into N.C., then onto S.C.

Fuel mileage didn't seem to be much, if any different on the Dually, and in fact it seems to maybe be doing slightly better. It is geared with the 3.73 rear end, where the F250 had the 3.31

[chuckster57]

Love the DRW, they sure hold the road! Glad everything went good.

[EVMIII]

Great choice for dragging around anything, not so much fun in parking lots. Enjoy, safe travels.

[PARAPTOR]

Not you are experiencing how it was meant to be "Dog waving the tail". It will only get better!!! Got the first trip under your belt. Can not beat these DRWs when you latch onto the big guys. ENJOY!!

[xrated]

Thanks all, if was surely a relief on my end to not fear the 13K trailer any longer. I was to the point that I was going to cancel my next trackday as it will be a 350+ mile trip each way.......white knuckled for most of it I'm sure.

[ctbruce]

Yea, you! Glad to hear it went well. Last trip out in ours my DW commented that I looked a lot more relaxed and like I was having fun. All I could do was grin from ear to ear!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[MattHelm21]

Great news. Now enjoy the trips and the destination.

[sourdough]

xrated I'm very happy for you. I think it is hard to describe the feeling of towing with no worries and towing while worrying about any/everything. I think things are going to be great and look forward to your future observations. Good on you.

[bsmith0404]

Welcome to the world of happy towing and if I had known then what I know now crowd.

[pawpaw]

Glad to hear the shakedown cruise went well...just got back this evening from a short weekend trip.

[Tbos]

Glad your test run went well. Enjoy we will be in Dandridge TN over the 4th. Really like east TN.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[xrated]

Originally Posted by Tbos

Glad your test run went well. Enjoy we will be in Dandridge TN over the 4th. Really like east TN.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you, we really love it here also. We've been here since 2006 and you couldn't drag me back to IL.....even using my new truck!

I am going to go out this weekend for another test run. After looking at the trailer and seeing that the nose is pointing down too much for my liking, I took the hitch head off of the adjustable draw bar and raised the ball another 1 3/4". It will still be slightly "nose down", but not nearly as much as my first run. So, I'll take another stab at it and see if the stability remains with the new hitch height (still below level a bit).

On a side note, I just bought a Dewalt 1/2" drive 20V Electric Impact wrench rated at over 300 ft. lbs. That should make removing and installing the 3/4" bolts that go through the hitch head/drawbar a little easier to deal with. Hitch maker says that they should be torqued to 257 ft lbs.....and I've not got enough a$$ for that without assistance!

[xrated]

OK, some updates on the new TV, towing, scale weight, and the trip to South Carolina.....
So, on Sunday, the 25th, I took the truck/trailer out again with the hitch ball moved up 1 3/4" inches, which made the trailer travel a lot more level (not perfectly level, but not bad either), then a trip across the scales, loaded just like when we travel. I got my weights, came home and did some more calculations via the website... www.fifthwheelst.com. My tongue weight, was still only 10% of the trailer weight, so on the way home from work last week, I stopped at Lowes and bought two sand tubes (60 lbs each) and stowed them in the baggage compartment up front. That additional weight put me at 11% tongue weight.

So, this past Friday, trailer loaded and heading out for our 325 mile journey, via I-40 and over the Smoky mountains towards Asheville, N.C., then on down to our destination....Kershaw S.C., and Carolina Motorsports Track.

The trip went extremely well, the Dually/trailer combo towed like a dream come true.....stable, no sway, comfortable....I couldn't have ask for more to be honest. The tow haul mode and the Engine Braking while using cruise control is absolutely a great combination for dealing with the mountains and maintaining a safe speed while descending. I have never really needed it much, before this trailer, as my previous towing was a 7' x 16' enclosed that weighted about 5000 lbs loaded. This trailer though, certainly benefits greatly from the tow haul/engine braking system...WoW!

So in summary, it was a great experience after many hours of research (both on my own and lots on here) and it paid off by getting a setup that tows comfortably, is stable, and actually makes towing heavy (at least for me), a pleasurable task.

The only negative side of the weekend was the heat/humidity/and tons of sand at the track. They didn't have any paved paddock areas and it was mid 90's and humid.....all the while wearing a full leather racing suit from like 9 in the morning to 4:30 or so in the afternoon.

[ctbruce]

Yea! Glad it went well. Not my idea of a good diet plan but you should of at the very least lost some poundage.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[xrated]

Originally Posted by ctbruce

Yea! Glad it went well. Not my idea of a good diet plan but you should of at the very least lost some poundage.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Losing some poundage would be a good thing, but I drink so much water and mix in a couple of bottles of Gatorade, that sometimes I actually feel a little bloated at the end of the day. The most important part is that the new truck and trailer worked very well.

[JimQ]

Glad it all went well for you. I'm sure your happy with the new upgraded truck. Safe travels !

[xrated]

Thank you all for the well wishes.