Increase tongue weight capacity

[ynpmoose]

For a truck that can supposedly tow a little over 9000 lbs, there is no way this can handle 900-1000 lbs tongue weight. My loaded travel trailer is about 600 lbs tongue weight and I have the weight distribution hitch one notch from maxed out. (10000# Curt Trutrack WD hitch) What are our options to stiffen up the rear for better tongue weight capacity?

Note:

• I do not have the factory auto-leveling rear shocks.
• I've had several trailers over many years and used to have a diesel Excursion. I am experienced and knowledgeable about WD setup, so I know it's setup correctly.

 

[07xln]

What makes you think it cant handle 1000 worth of tongue weight? I pull with close to that all the time and I have no issues. I do have the load leveling shocks though.

 

[ynpmoose]

Maybe this WD hitch is the problem....

 

[07xln]

I hope its not your hitch. I'm in the market for that exact one. I'm using a bar & chain with single sway control and I had some nasty sway this past weekend. Made the drive home very hairy. I think the 30mph crosswinds we were getting hit with the whole way was the culprit but still. I'm now in the market for something with a much better sway control and I really liked the price of the Curt TruTrak.

 

[ynpmoose]

I hope its not your hitch. I'm in the market for that exact one. I'm using a bar & chain with single sway control and I had some nasty sway this past weekend. Made the drive home very hairy. I think the 30mph crosswinds we were getting hit with the whole way was the culprit but still. I'm now in the market for something with a much better sway control and I really liked the price of the Curt TruTrak.

Honestly the more I sit here and think about it, it's the hitch. I can't say I've been happy with it overall. On the first tow it was great. Sway control was significantly better than the bar and chain setup I used to have, even with dual sway control. The bar and chain was fine with the heavier Excursion, but I had sway issues with the lighter and non-solid axle Expedition, which is why I went with Curt. But then the L-brackets bent slightly on the Curt rig... perhaps because I'm maxed out on head tilt and one hole away from max on the L-brackets. My sway control then went south and the brackets started gouging, since the bars weren't flat on the brackets anymore. I bought a backup set of L-brackets in the fall and was going to consider welding in some reinforcement to stop the bending, but why should I have to do that? I think this is going to the scrapyard and I'm going to buy an Equalizer hitch instead and maybe even go up to the 12000# version, figuring it will be stiffer.

 

[07xln]

Definitely sounds like the hitch lol. I had a buddy in front of me on the way home this past weekend that had an Equalizer and he wasnt having near the issues I was. He was also in a Chevy 2500 so all in all he was a little better equipped to tow but still. I know there are some guys on here that swear by the Equalizer. Ive done pretty good with my bar & chain but honestly that was the first time ive encountered crosswinds like that while towing with my Expy and toy hauler. Have you upgraded your tires by chance? A lot of guys on here including myself that tow heavy have upgraded to LT E rated tires. Made a big difference for me. They wont let you add more weight but they'll handle the weight you do have a lot better

 

[ynpmoose]

Definitely sounds like the hitch lol. I had a buddy in front of me on the way home this past weekend that had an Equalizer and he wasnt having near the issues I was. He was also in a Chevy 2500 so all in all he was a little better equipped to tow but still. I know there are some guys on here that swear by the Equalizer. Ive done pretty good with my bar & chain but honestly that was the first time ive encountered crosswinds like that while towing with my Expy and toy hauler. Have you upgraded your tires by chance? A lot of guys on here including myself that tow heavy have upgraded to LT E rated tires. Made a big difference for me. They wont let you add more weight but they'll handle the weight you do have a lot better

I have stock tires, but I do air them up to the sidewall max (about 50psi). That made a big difference as well.

 

[07xln]

Yeah mine were 44 max and that just wasn't gonna cut it. Plus I rate rolling on anything that is maxed out. I ran 65psi in my new tires this past weekend and it was just right. I gotta air them bad boys down to 45 when I don't have a load or they'll rattle the teeth out of your mouth

 

[tccchef]

1 I have found a spring insert product called sumo springs by super springs.com. Units are inserted between spring coils and held in place with zip ties. Claims to stiffen up ride when towing. While not effecting daily driver ride.

 

[chuck s]

I suspect the hitch is not set properly. Dealers are notorious for this and even if they do it right it's probably on a new, unloaded trailer.

I've used the same Equalizer (brand) 1000/10,000 pound WDH with the same trailer with my '02 Explorer, '07 Expedition, and '17 Expedition. 16 years of service with the same hitch.

Measured tongue weight on the trailer normally exceeds 600 or 700 pounds. There are dual propane tanks and dual 6V batteries on the trailer tongue. No problems noted but it was an afternoon to initially set up.

Equalizer head angle can be set, not sure about the one in question here. Once the hitch was setup it could be used on any of the three vehicles due to the receiver on the back on all three being identical.

-- Chuck