Trip With Trailer

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

GlennSullivan

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Posts
637
Reaction score
359
Location
Yorktown NY & Jupiter FL
Last week made the trip back from FL to NY with the 2017 Expy pulling 20’ open trailer and car. 70 to 75 most of the trip (as conditions allowed). Decent mileage - see below, weights as follows, which shows that I need to add a weight distribution hitch, which make / model do you guys like best?
Front Axle - 2980
Rear Axle - 4680
Trailer - 5720
Actual Trailer and load weight about 6400.


20220505_122520.jpg
 
Last edited:

JasonH

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Posts
1,318
Reaction score
686
Location
Houston, TX
I have a Centerline 32218. Works great stability wise. Not at all quiet during low speed maneuvers. Pretty much all the hitches work if they are properly configured.
 
OP
OP
GlennSullivan

GlennSullivan

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Posts
637
Reaction score
359
Location
Yorktown NY & Jupiter FL
I have a Centerline 32218. Works great stability wise. Not at all quiet during low speed maneuvers. Pretty much all the hitches work if they are properly configured.
Are they alot of work to configure / setup? Ive got 3 different cars that Ill be moving with this setup (each different length and weight) and there will be different loads in the interior of the Expy depending on what car Im trailering and where Im going.

This past run from FL to NY was not a bad trip and the trailer with the heaviest / longest car only swayed in situations caused by others.

When towing, I always try to leave a large gap in front of me in case of having to brake suddenly. But as soon as I establish a nice 5-6 car gap, someone in another lane decides he can get ahead by jumping in the gap in front of me thereby negating my buffer.

Because of this, I ended up having to jump on the brakes a few times and learned that with my particular 2017 HD Tow Expy, it handled these situations much better with the Ford Trailer sway control turned off - much better.

Im concerned about being 300lb over weight on the rear axle than the vehicle is rated for, but do you think I need to have the distribution hitch?

The need would only be when towing this particular 4800lb car, the other 2 cars are 3200 and 3400 respectively.
 
Last edited:

JasonH

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Posts
1,318
Reaction score
686
Location
Houston, TX
If you only need the hitch for one car, the setup shouldn't be an issue. Once you have it dialed it in works great. Just need to know the loaded trailer weight and tongue weight. A tongue scale is useful for tongue weight. Adjustment can vary based on how much weight you need to move. For minor adjustments you just need to adjust the frame bracket height, which takes like 10 to 15 minutes. For major adjustments, the head would would need adjustment, which is a much more involved process but is unlikely to be needed frequently.
I think Blue Ox is the go to for easy adjustment and no noise. Anderson is a similar chain based setup, but uses friction on the ball for sway control. I think these hitches have money back guarantees, so there's nothing to stop you from trying one or the other to see how well they work for you. I've been happy with my Centerline, so never felt a need to change. Once benefit of a the Anderson WDH is lower tongue weight, so less of a payload hit. But that may not be an issue for you.
 

Boostedbus

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Posts
747
Reaction score
462
Location
Maryland
Wow your mileage was way better than mine. I hauled a Side x Side and ATV along with a 14 gallon gas can, Yeti style cooler that was completely filled on my flat bed 17’ ATV trailer. My rear cargo area was also packed full with everything but the kitchen sink. I towed from MD to southern WV very close to Kentucky of course through the Appalachian Mts. though. Mine is a 17 EL with 3.73 diff. I did push it from 75- 80 mph most of the way. My round trip was 928 miles and my average mpg was 9.4 running all 93 octane except for one tank of 87 because super wasn’t available.48710E23-51AE-4DBC-AAC5-472353ED8A50.jpeg8F9F579F-EC1B-4491-B6EF-2C8ED12EBAA0.jpeg499B85DD-9742-4B34-9ADA-748E29E6FFA6.jpegIt pulled the hills like a runaway locomotive and trans temp never went over 208 degrees on the long pulls. I did have to reposition everything on the trailer right after I left because I had a sway. Not enough tongue weight with the buggy on the back. It towed like a dream on the front though.7D2DE610-C1D6-40CD-A9D7-3DDBA5A9ABDC.jpeg6F8E939F-43EC-4AF4-85A9-81D6DBE1BC4F.jpeg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
GlennSullivan

GlennSullivan

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Posts
637
Reaction score
359
Location
Yorktown NY & Jupiter FL
Wow your mileage was way better than mine. I hauled a Side x Side and ATV along with a 14 gallon gas can, Yeti style cooler that was completely filled on my flat bed 17’ ATV trailer. My rear cargo area was also packed full with everything but the kitchen sink. I towed from MD to southern WV very close to Kentucky of course through the Appalachian Mts. though. Mine is a 17 EL with 3.73 diff. I did push it from 75- 80 mph most of the way. My round trip was 928 miles and my average mpg was 9.4 running all 93 octane except for one tank of 87 because super wasn’t available.View attachment 73413View attachment 73412View attachment 73414It pulled the hills like a runaway locomotive and trans temp never went over 208 degrees on the long pulls. I did have to reposition everything on the trailer right after I left because I had a sway. Not enough tongue weight with the buggy on the back. It towed like a dream on the front though.View attachment 73415View attachment 73416
Mine is a standard length 4x4 and has 3.31 open differential. I did the i95 route all the way, so the majority of the route is relatively flat which helps also helps with mileage.
 

Boostedbus

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Posts
747
Reaction score
462
Location
Maryland
Mine is a standard length 4x4 and has 3.31 open differential. I did the i95 route all the way, so the majority of the route is relatively flat which helps also helps with mileage.
Yeah I may have been able to get another mile to gallon if I backed off on the hill climbs a little. I figured the mileage is gonna suck either way so just leave the cruise control set where it is (usually 79 mph) and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Corridor H was absolutely a beautiful ride without hardly another vehicle on the freeway.BB19729B-7DB1-4935-9C41-7CD7602543BF.jpeg8AA66B6E-0DAA-483C-9145-AC136613EAA2.jpeg8AA66B6E-0DAA-483C-9145-AC136613EAA2.jpegA925A71E-9E25-492C-90A9-CB215B49A5A1.jpeg01A588DD-9CD9-4DAC-BE1D-C2F89CC47F2D.jpeg
 
OP
OP
GlennSullivan

GlennSullivan

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Posts
637
Reaction score
359
Location
Yorktown NY & Jupiter FL
Yeah I may have been able to get another mile to gallon if I backed off on the hill climbs a little. I figured the mileage is gonna suck either way so just leave the cruise control set where it is (usually 79 mph) and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Corridor H was absolutely a beautiful ride without hardly another vehicle on the freeway.View attachment 73420View attachment 73421View attachment 73421View attachment 73423View attachment 73422
That is the kind of road I like to run on. Big open and empty.
 

Boostedbus

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Posts
747
Reaction score
462
Location
Maryland
That is the kind of road I like to run on. Big open and empty.
Yeah and traveling that way west is actually an enjoyable scenic drive. Unlike what you had to endure on I-95 around Baltimore,Washington,and Richmond. WV started cutting that H Corridor (Rt.48) through the mountains back in 2002. They still have to complete a section in the middle by Parsons WV to fully connect from I-81 to I-79. They have plenty of scenic overlook pull offs, some runaway truck ramps, and no tolls. I highly recommend the route.
 
Top