car trailer towing

[Rigman]

Hi, I am going to be towing a car trailer and am tiring to get the right drop hitch. I have a 2008 knight. I took her off the levers started her up and pumped up the air. I think the max tongue weight is 1000 lbs. With the air bags does the rear of the M/H drop down or does the airbags compensate for the extra hitch weight of the trailer. I would think the later.

Thanks,

[nodine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rigman Hi, I am going to be towing a car trailer and am tiring to get the right drop hitch. I have a 2008 knight. I took her off the levers started her up and pumped up the air. I think the max tongue weight is 1000 lbs. With the air bags does the rear of the M/H drop down or does the airbags compensate for the extra hitch weight of the trailer. I would think the later. Thanks,

The 1000 lbs of tongue weight will not lower the rear of your coach. The ride height valve will pump up the air bags to keep the motorhome level. I would park on level ground with both the coach and trailer and use a jack on the tongue of the trailer to level the trailer. The coach should be at normal ride height with the bags aired up. Then check to see how much difference there is between the receiver and the trailer tongue and select the step up or step down receiver adapter accordingly.

Bob

[walt2137]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rigman Hi, I am going to be towing a car trailer and am tiring to get the right drop hitch. I have a 2008 knight. I took her off the levers started her up and pumped up the air. I think the max tongue weight is 1000 lbs. With the air bags does the rear of the M/H drop down or does the airbags compensate for the extra hitch weight of the trailer. I would think the later. Thanks,

It a good bet you will overload the rear axle of your coach, remember a 1000 # will be seen as more because of the lever effect, see attach file to figure the total weight to the axle.

[MACRacing]

Are you using a weight dist hitch? To get the 1000 pound limit I believe that is with the weight distributing hitch and 500 pounds for a regular tag hitch. Most weight distributing hitches have an adjustable head for height.

Mat

[Rigman]

Thanks for all your help I got it!

[Diplomat Don]

Rigman....The airbags will adjust and your coach will easily tow the trailer if you load the car onto the trailer properly (will take some trial and error) you should be able to set the tongue weight at any weight that you want. I had my 5000 pound boat set so that it only had about 300 pounds of tongue weight. Even though tongue weight should be 10%, the boat trailered very well.

The standard hitch height for most trailers is 18" from the ground to the inside top of the hitch. That means you should be shooting for an adapter that makes the distance from the ground to the top of the ball, 18". If you need to use a drop hitch, try and be creative by moving the hitch up on the frame, welding another piece of 2" square tubing on top of the original. Anytime you have to use a drop hitch it really causes driveway clearance issues.

Finally, make sure the trailer is level if it's a tandem axle or you'll overload one of the axles. Good Luck

[walt2137]

Good tips on trailer towing Don.

[Rigman]

Thanks Don, I did a test run yesterday had to put a 6" drop hitch to have the trailer level. I think I have it all worked out next time I will put the jeep a few inches back to put a little less weight on the tongue.

[Diplomat Don]

Rigman....Have you checked your ride height? I had to do the same thing you're doing to make my tow bar level when towing my truck. I had to use a 4" drop. I later found my ride height was off and it ended up lowering my coach 2" in the rear. I put a 2" lift kit on the truck and now I'm even.

By the way...I'm just aropund the corner from you....Moorpark.

My brother-in-law needed to adjust his hitch height on his Itasca Meridian (Simi). We added another receiver to the to his his and had Jeff at Championship muffler weld it in place. Good place for any exhaust or major welding work.