HiLo's do tow easier

[V8nutz]

Sold our 17t that we were towing with a 2014 toyota venza v6. You could feel the weight back there but I never felt much buffeting or drag from wind resistance. So we drove to Arizona from Northern CA and towed a Lance 1575 back and I definitely felt the difference. Much more drag and buffeting. When the wind wasn't a factor it actually felt lighter behind the car. My MPG dropped about 3 I would guess with the new trailer, I think we averaged about 11 or 12 going 65.

 

[Luisa48]

Yes, my 17T tows well whenever I remember to lower the top.

Wife wants a bigger one but we tow with a diesel Jeep Liberty and I am reluctant to go any bigger . . .

Ted

 

[JackandJanet]

Sold our 17t that we were towing with a 2014 toyota venza v6. You could feel the weight back there but I never felt much buffeting or drag from wind resistance. So we drove to Arizona from Northern CA and towed a Lance 1575 back and I definitely felt the difference. Much more drag and buffeting. When the wind wasn't a factor it actually felt lighter behind the car. My MPG dropped about 3 I would guess with the new trailer, I think we averaged about 11 or 12 going 65.

Yup, and I suspect your new trailer MIGHT be lighter than the 17t. Mine is certainly not a lightweight. But, you are definitely going to see a difference in gas mileage due to the increased wind resistance.

- Jack

 

[Shea-HILO]

Ted, be careful. Jeeps have a short wheelbase. Great for four wheeling but bad for towing. A heavier trailer can really rip you off the road. Some of these new vehicles are built for climbing hills but can make it a nightmare on the highway at higher speeds.

 

[Hersbird]

Once a weight is moving it no longer affects economy. (Well a little bit in increased rolling resistance but thats hardly measurable at the difference we are talking). Actually once it is moving it has more stored potential energy that can be recovered by coasting, not braking at the next stop. So if you were only going sppeds under 45 with lots of stop and go the lighter taller trailer would be better. If you are going down the interstate for hours on end the low heavy trailer will be better. Actually then longer is also better as the air has a chance to settle down. Almost nothing better than an old long airstream for fuel economy down the interstate... except a Hi-Lo!

 

[maestro123]

LOL whenever you remember to lower the top that's funny there! LOL yes but the new jeeps have a longer wheel base.
my niece just got a brand new one they extended the front end on them and widened the axle distances I believe. I had a 2000 it always towed open trailers ok never towed a camper with it tho. I did tow a pop up with it one time, it did pretty good. didn't go long distance tho so idk? yeah I wouldn't tow a trailer that weighs more than the jeep for sure.

 

[V8nutz]

I had a blow out on the hilo and had to get new tires. I got some goodyear endurance d rated that run at 65 psi. I did notice a difference in rolling resistance it towed very nice with the new tires.

 

[maestro123]

that's cool, I still having tire issues. nice to meet you tho! I keep forgetting trailers need more psi than passenger tires tho too. lol

 

[JackandJanet]

I had a blow out on the hilo and had to get new tires. I got some goodyear endurance d rated that run at 65 psi. I did notice a difference in rolling resistance it towed very nice with the new tires.

Good! Make sure you inflate those things to 65 psi (cold) and keep that pressure there. Flexing heats the tires up and that leads to failure.

- Jack

 

[V8nutz]

Well I knew better, the tires were 10 years old, they looked like new but I thought - just one more trip then I'll get some new ones....

 

[JackandJanet]

Well I knew better, the tires were 10 years old, they looked like new but I thought - just one more trip then I'll get some new ones....

When I got my trailer (new) in 2007, BOTH OEM tires failed due to cord separation the following year after less than 5000 miles. They were Load Range C and I had kept them inflated to 50 psi. Thankfully, neither one blew out, but one was smoking and a following motorist alerted me to the problem.

So now I have larger, Load Range D tires mounted and monitor their pressure and temperature with a TPMS.

- Jack

 

[KnottyRig]

Ted, be careful. Jeeps have a short wheelbase. Great for four wheeling but bad for towing. A heavier trailer can really rip you off the road. Some of these new vehicles are built for climbing hills but can make it a nightmare on the highway at higher speeds.

A Jeep Liberty is an SUV - so 4 doors, longer wheelbase, similar to a Cherokee.
Not the longest vehicle, but not the short two-door CJ which DOES have a problem with towing (short wheelbase allows the trailer to drive the tow vehicle).

Not sure the length of the Liberty, but I'd guess 15-16 feet long, so similar wheelbase to a mid size pickup/suv.

 

[hilltool]

I am also running D rated tires at 65psi. They work nice.

Another factor related to hi-lo weight is, in my opinion, the added security of all that weight sitting down low. ASsI mentioned last year- I towed right through a dust storm last march in eastern Colorado with approx 45mph side gusts . The wind moved my pick up truck before it moved the trailer. There are disadvantages to living out of a hi-lo but towing is certainly not one of them!

 

[maestro123]

Yes, I am starting to worry about going to 14" from 15" now my leaf spring u bolts are pretty close to the road. I hope that isn't going cause me problems down the road. lol I really had no choice though, but to do that, if I wanted to change a flat on the side of the road. it was a nightmare with the 15"135's on it. it does tow nice behind my s-10. I still have to take a look at my surge brake actuator, and drums too. I never seen any jeep I didn't love!

 

[Luisa48]

Ted, be careful. Jeeps have a short wheelbase. Great for four wheeling but bad for towing.

Thanks for the advice. For the 1703T with my diesel Jeep Liberty, the only instability so far has been pilot-induced.

A heavier trailer can really rip you off the road.

What are the mechanics of such an event? As a retired Engineering Consultant I would be interested in knowing.

Thanks,

Ted

 

[KnottyRig]

Ted - I think the issue with a "heavy trailer" is actually a "too heavy" trailer for the tow vehicle, or a mis-loaded trailer (too much weight forward or rearward).

A trailer that's too heavy for the TV will overload the rear of the TV, causing a reduction in loading the front wheels, reducing steering stability (it also alters the caster angle, making the TV steer more "slowly").

Just as important, the over-weight trailer will have excessive positive caster, making the trailer more stable (in that it will resist steering inputs from the TV more).

Also, that excess weight will push on the TV more than it's suspension was designed for - causing the TV to be less stable.

One more thing - an overweight trailer can transition (itself and the tow vehicle) from a over-loaded hitch to an underloaded hitch during acceleration/braking. This can cause serious instability in the TV.

Try to picture the trailer as a mass with a pivot point (both vertical and lateral) at the axle. The tongue is the end of a lever that attaches to the TV.


There's a website that had a great technical breakdown of how it all works...if I can find it again I'll post.


Disclaimer: This is my amateur attempt at an explanation of a somewhat complex system of masses, inertia and moments. I'm sure there are others who have a more accurate description (or correct my errors).

 

[Luisa48]

Ted - I think the issue with a "heavy trailer" is actually a "too heavy" trailer for the tow vehicle, or a mis-loaded trailer (too much weight forward or rearward).

A trailer that's too heavy for the TV will overload the rear of the TV, causing a reduction in loading the front wheels, reducing steering stability (it also alters the caster angle, making the TV steer more "slowly").

Just as important, the over-weight trailer will have excessive positive caster, making the trailer more stable (in that it will resist steering inputs from the TV more).

Also, that excess weight will push on the TV more than it's suspension was designed for - causing the TV to be less stable.

One more thing - an overweight trailer can transition (itself and the tow vehicle) from a over-loaded hitch to an underloaded hitch during acceleration/braking. This can cause serious instability in the TV.

Try to picture the trailer as a mass with a pivot point (both vertical and lateral) at the axle. The tongue is the end of a lever that attaches to the TV.


There's a website that had a great technical breakdown of how it all works...if I can find it again I'll post.


Disclaimer: This is my amateur attempt at an explanation of a somewhat complex system of masses, inertia and moments. I'm sure there are others who have a more accurate description (or correct my errors).

Thanks for the further info which is both of great interest and food for thought, especially as to loading of the tow hitch and the effects of braking/acceleration.

Points perhaps to advice about not towing with the camper top up . . .

Ted