Community Forums

deerslayer1511 · 03-10-2008, 06:36 AM

I have a 2004 silverado 2500 that will be towing a 33' Sportsman TT.(Tandem axle)
Weight of the trailer is 5600 lbs.I have purchased 2 X 24" sway controllers.
Do I need a weight distribution hitch?

Thanks

deerslayer1511 · 03-10-2008, 06:36 AM

I have a 2004 silverado 2500 that will be towing a 33' Sportsman TT.(Tandem axle)
Weight of the trailer is 5600 lbs.I have purchased 2 X 24" sway controllers.
Do I need a weight distribution hitch?

Thanks

RustyJC · 03-10-2008, 07:11 AM

First, seeing that this is your first post,welcome to iRV2.

We're glad to have you with us.

Now, a couple of questions. First, what's the GVWR of your trailer? Is 5600 lbs the brochure dry weight? What's the rating of your factory hitch receiver (mine is 500/5000 dead weight and 1000/10000 weight distributing)? This should be on a sticker on the receiver.

Rusty

TXiceman · 03-10-2008, 07:32 AM

Welcome to iRV2.

Thr short answer to your question is YES, you will need weight distribution and sway control.

In a perfect world aaaaand a perfectly balanced trailer, you will not need sway control most of the time....but all it takes is that one time when you get a blast from a passing truck or come around a corner and get a wind just and you start to sway...you canot stop and add the sway control at that point.

For a 33' trailer, the 5600# is probably a dry or brochure weight. Look for a sticker on the left front for a GVWR or gross vehicle weight rating. Your hitch weight will be 10 to 15% of the tralier GVWR.

A 3/4 ton truck should be able to tow a 33' trailer, but you need to look into your trucks GVWR and GCWR. You may find a MAXIMUm tow rating, but be careful with tihs rating as it is based on a base model truck, no cargo, no accessories, no hitch and only a 150# driver on board. For every pound of passengers, cargo and so forth you add, you reduce the towing rating by the same amount.

WHt engine and axle do you have in the truck. Hopefully you have a 3.73 or a 4.10 axle for towing.

For a hitch at a good price, the Reese Dual Cam HP is hard to beat. It is both weight distributing and sway control. Most dealers do not want to mess with it as it is bit more trougble to install, but it works great. I use the Dual Cam HP on mt trailer. For a 33' trailer, I would not want to use a friction sway control device.

Good luck,

Ken

Rick A · 03-10-2008, 07:52 AM

I would agree that with that size trailer you will want weight ditribution and sway control. I have used the Reese dual cam on my last travel trailer and it worked wonderfully. I relly like the fact that everything was built into one unit and did not have to mess with multiple hookups.

deerslayer1511 · 03-10-2008, 08:16 AM

Thanks for the "Welcome to the board".
I just happened to find this site from another board.Thanks for the responses as well.
To update my info a little:
Truck:
6.0 L V8 with a 3.73 rear end
GVWR: 8900lbs
GCWR:16,000lbs
9000lb 4 wheel disk brakes
hitch is 500/5000lbs
with an Electric BC
Max tow Cap.:9,900lbs

Trailer :

Tongue weight:575 lbs
Dry curb weight:5426 lbs
GVWR: 7500lbs
Tandem 14" tires C/W 4 wheel electric Brakes

I have 2 friction sway controllers for the trailer, But not the Weight Disb. hitch.

Thanks

RustyJC · 03-10-2008, 08:31 AM

Yep, you'll be above the 500/5000 dead weight rating of your receiver with that trailer. I'm assuming that it's good for at least 1000/10000 weight distributing since you didn't say. At any rate, weight distribution will be required.

Rusty

deerslayer1511 · 03-10-2008, 09:02 AM

I actually just had a look @ the Truck manual
it is actually rated @
600lbs pin weight without DISTB.
& 1000lbs pin weight with DISTB.

So I guess I'm kind of borderline.

Thanks

RustyJC · 03-10-2008, 09:10 AM

With a dry weight of 5426 lbs (that's generally with no options, no propane, etc.), you'll be much closer to your 7500 lb GVWR than you will that dry weight when you hit the road. If the trailer weighs, let's say, 7000 lbs when you hit the road and tongue weight is a typical 12%, that's 840 lbs pin weight. Weight distribution would then be required.

I don't think you can keep the tongue weight at or under 600 lbs, and if you could, being light on the pin will encourage sway. In your position, I'd do what the others recommend and run a weight distributing hitch.

Rusty

xc-mark · 03-10-2008, 12:26 PM

any trailer thats fairly long and over 3500 lbs should really have weight distrobution and sway control . it just makes for a safe ride when the roads get rough and windy !

deerslayer1511 · 03-10-2008, 12:37 PM

Seems that after reading through the Built Sheet for my Truck, it came with a VR4 Trailer Tow option package (Hitch with weight distribution platform).
So it would seem that it should have a 1000lb tongue capacity from the Factory.
Does this seem right?

Thanks again
Marty

Route 66 · 03-10-2008, 12:59 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So it would seem that it should have a 1000lb tongue capacity from the Factory.
Does this seem right? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That sounds right with a weight distributing hitch.

Tongue weight is higher with a weight distributing hitch.

That's a long trailer, and there will be a lot of porpoising without a weight distributing hitch.