Towing travel trailer

Good morning all

Last fall I purchased a travel trailer.  I am able to pull it, but I feel like I get too much wobble.  I have an aftermarket trailer brake controller and stabilizer hitch.  The front wheel well sits about 1/2" higher than the rear when it is set up, so maybe that is the issue, but I haven't been able to adjust it to get any closer between the two. 

I am pulling with a 2008 Chev Avalanche 4x4 Z71, 5.3L with 4.10 gear ratio.  The trailer is a 2009 Keystone Springfale, 266, GVWR is 7750#.  I keep the tanks empty when I pull, and have been loading fairly minimally except the regular necessities of camping.  I am pulling across the flat prairie, maximum a couple hours at a time.  I know I am pretty much maxed out in weight with my truck.

Does anyone know if a sway control kit would help me here?

http://www.costco.ca/.product.100033983.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-itempageSeoHorizontal-_-MultiItemViewCP&cm_vc=itempageSeoHorizontal|MultiItemViewCP

Quick question other than the hitch are you all stock.

You bet - all stock.  Truck is well maintained.  Tires on the trailer and truck are in good condition and correctly inflated.

A couple of things you should consider

Rear airbags
LT (Light truck) tires.
If you have a stock trailer hitch on the  AV get a aftermarket Class 4 or 5 hitch

Oh yeah solid sway bars will help.

I am currently using Duratrac tires, I believe that they are 10-ply, but I need to double check.  I will look into a hitch; as far as I know I have a trailer package "Z82 - H.D. TRAILERING EQUIPMENT, C5Z - GVWR: 3266 KG (7200 LB)", but I can look into a beefier one for sure if it would make this handle better.

Any recommendations for rear suspension upgrade?

If your hitch is one of those round tube type it's a class 3.

Solid swaybars are a lot better than the hollow factory bar.

I'm not sure what you mean by tube type.  This is the only photo that I have of the back of the truck, but I believe it is just a stock hitch.  Not sure if you can tell from that..

You need to get down lower to look at the bracketery on the hitch. But it looks stock to me.

I believe 7750 #s is pretty much overloaded with nothing in the truck. I imagine you would usually tow with a few people & some gear in the truck too, which all counts against your GVW.

What is a "stabilizer hitch"? Maybe like a weight distribution hitch? Which is pretty much like the link you posted, although I've never seen them only on one side before. Usually they are on both sides of the hitch.



Also, what does this mean? "The front wheel well sits about 1/2" higher than the rear when it is set up". Are you talking about the front tires on the trailer? Or the front tires on the truck? The WDH will help push the weight to the front axle of the truck. But overloaded you are already working hard.

Here is a picture of a stock hitch(AKA flexible flyer) versus a aftermarket hitch. You can see the tube.

AirJunky, that is exactly the type of hitch setup I have.  When I was reading on how to adjust the ball height, the sources I found wanted me to measure ground to wheel well top on front and back before and after being loaded.  I believe that they were supposed to be very close to the same height on both ends to ensure that the weight is evenly distributed.  The link is a little device that connects onto that, and it is SUPPOSED to help sway.. but I have no experience with them... not sure if they help or not.  I pull with just two of us, along with 5' tall child.  I know I am pretty close to the max limit as is, but I also tow with the camper dry, according to the manufacturer website the "shipping weight' is 6105#.  I assume that's the trailer with nothing in it.. I am a definitely a noob.

MS03 2500, thanks for the pic!  I will check my truck when I get home.  I honestly haven't looked that close at it for so long I'm not sure.  Didn't think it was a tube shape, but could very well be. I found a set of Firestone bags locally for $150CDN, which is really a killer price up here.  Just need to find out how involved installation is.  I've never touched the suspension on this vehicle.. wonder if the entire axl needs to get pulled to make that fit in.

I think if you have the good hitch & the WDH, then you don't really need the stabilizer. Setting up the WDH is key. If Googling the process & doing it on your own isn't getting it done, then stop by a descent trailer shop & have them help you out.

I run the bags in the rear coils of my Av. But I'm only towing about 5k lbs & not using a WDH too. I'm not sure you need both the WDH & the bags.

6105# is definitely more appropriate for the Av. Although I'm sure it'll weigh more with your gear, coolers, toys, appliances, etc. "Dry" is often really light, ie; no generator, appliances, water, etc. It might be a good idea to tow the trailer with a typical load thru a weigh station sometime & see where you stand.

Good idea, I think I will find a scale to weigh it.  I still have it in storage at the moment, but I'd like to be ready in May when the snow clears and we can get out to the parks!

I have had my Avy for over 3 years now, bought new.  And at the same time upgraded to a 25 ft Outback to fit our family.  After 3 summer of towing, I will say this.  While I am under the max capacity, I am close to it (not like 5 lbs mind you) but you get the idea.

We tow smart, know how to load a trailer, water tank has just enough to wash hands or use the toilet, know about weight distribution and the like

But I do know, while its under capacity, its almost too much trailer for the truck.  We get a bad side wind and its driving the truck sometimes.  Driving a long distance in a day is tiring for me.  I have done everything to the truck for towing, expcet air bags.

This summer we are planning on just driving a short distance and park for a month instead.  And then after a couple summer downsize since by then all the kids will be graduated (or close to) high school,  They still love camping, but by that time, if they do camp with us it wont be like now because of them working, etc.  And by downsizing, some we looked at the dry weight is 2000 lbs less.

Ive seen many Avys haul big trailers.  And on a perfect day in a perfectly loaded trailer with no wind, it does well.  But to me, I think I am just pushing the envelope.  Time will tell, dont want to sell the trailer yet since I like it.  But even my wife says she doesnt want to travel long distances when the wind does its thing

The sway controller you showed is what we have, but only on one side.  Many put on both sides, would that make a difference to us, maybe.

Good luck

For short hauls like across town you might get away with it but 7700# is too much...

I have pulled 7,000 with mine for about 30 miles and the truck did not like it much. Trans temps never went very high but the engine didn't seem to like it much at all. I could only get 45 mph going up some decent sized hills.

Not sure what gearing my truck has but it is a '03 z71.

It's not too heavy he just has to make improvement to the AV so the tail does not swag the dog.

redheadedrod said:

Not sure what gearing my truck has but it is a '03 z71.

Click to expand...

G80 Differential, locking, heavy-duty, rear
GT4 Rear axle, 3.73 ratio
GT5 Rear axle, 4.10 ratio
GU6 Rear axle, 3.42 ratio

Checked it out last night, I've just got the factory tubular hitch.  Out of the hitch and air suspension, which one do you think will give me a better bang?  I am also going to keep an eye out for solid WD bars, but I need to get the camper out of storage to see the size.  Whole new system is really pricey, so I'm hoping I can find bars to fit my existing one.

If I had to choose between the two, I would definitely go with a beefier hitch first.

A puffed up rear end isn't going to do you much good if that stock hitch twists and gives out.

There are some real horror stories on this forum and elsewhere that describe the failure of the factory hitches.

A good heavy duty hitch and a WD rig should go a long way to making your tow a much safer one.

The other things mentioned here are good ideas, as well, and should remain on your to-do list.

But I would make sure the hitch is at the top of that list.

X2 replace the hitch before it breaks .

If you look in the area of the site you will see which hitch other members are using.

Now I would have the pros setup the WD system after you replace it, there is a little more to it than you think, like putting the right amount of air pressure in the tires since you have the e load range 10 ply tires.

Thanks for the advice.  I am probably going to use a uHaul class 5 hitch and see what that does.  I am trying to figure out how much effort is required to install the firestone airbags, that might also just go in right away anyways.

Airlift makes air bags that fit inside the rear springs. Half ton Av's have coil springs in the rear and if I remember correctly the spring has nothing in the middle. Using an airlift bag might be a good idea.

Not too expensive and you can install then in a variety of ways.

Before you get too much into it I would strongly suggest replacing your OEM hitch and try test towing something the size your looking at. No point in spending a bunch of cash for something you won't be happy with. A coworker had a similar sized trailer that he pulled with his silverado and his truck didn't care for the weight and his truck is lighter than the av.

MS03 2500 said:

X2 replace the hitch before it breaks .

If you look in the area of the site you will see which hitch other members are using.

Now I would have the pros setup the WD system after you replace it, there is a little more to it than you think, like putting the right amount of air pressure in the tires since you have the e load range 10 ply tires.

Click to expand...

Maybe I have been lucky then, since I have the factory hitch.  I got the towing package with the gearing, brake control and the like.  I assumed getting that should mean I can tow without upgrading what I have.

thirstbuster said:

Thanks for the advice.  I am probably going to use a uHaul class 5 hitch and see what that does.  I am trying to figure out how much effort is required to install the firestone airbags, that might also just go in right away anyways.

Click to expand...

Your probably not going to find a class 5 for a 1/2 ton AV, more like a class 4.. But I just did a quick search at etrailer and a few other hitch stores and none show a hitch for a 07-10 AV.. So maybe someone can jump in with a hitch they have upgraded on the 2nd gen AV's...

And the air bags are not to difficult to install if you have a buddy help you can do it in a couple of hours or less..

I think the Draw-tite 41930 receiver is about as good as they can get.

http://chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,147762.0.html

spidey if you are towing over 5,000 lb I would recommend you upgrade, there plenty of threads in this area about them bending and breaking.

Yea, I have the factory hitch too & have not seen any issues with it in 10s of thousands of miles. The heavier duty hitch might be a good idea for heavier weight but has not been an issue for me hauling a 5k lb boat all over the west.

I installed the Firestone air bags in my coils several years ago. It's an easy install & are pretty nice to have if your hauling anything in or behind the Av. I went with the cheaper version that does not use an on-board compressor. Air nozzles are installed as the license plate screws.... and old hot rod trick from way back. I keep about 5 psi in them at all times, towing or not.



Edit: I did a search for "receiver failure" and "receiver broke" & only found 1 thread. And there is speculation that the owner either backed into something or was rear ended at some point.