Tow Vehicle

[PopRichie77]

A Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway control will take almost all away.
Also be sure the trailer tires are inflated to the max rating on the tires and that all tires are the same steel belted or bias ply.

 

[sam-HILO]

Help with Hi Lo swaying

You will need a weight distributing hitch,brake controller and sway bars with your hitch set up. Any Rv dealership sahould be able to get you set up properly. Others chime in with some web sites that will explain this. We love to answer questions and can always learn something new no matter how many years we have had our Hi Lo or other trailers.

 

[RCREYES]

I have a 2007 Chevy Tahoe with a tow package. I just purchased a 1987 Hi Lo FunChaser. I brought it home today. I noticed some minimal swaying at 50 mph (luckily, I didn't have to go faster than that). What else do I need to make that not happen? Yes, I'm green....can you tell?

You Tube and etrailer.com have great towing tips.

 

[PopRichie77]

Weldonp, check the reference Library --
Towing - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

 

[gmbishop]

We tow our 25ft. 2006 Classic with our 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis. The only changes I made we're to replace the standard shocks with Grabrial Air shocks and Air Lift air bags in the rear coils and a transmission cooler. The Hi-Lo dealer installed the Reese Weight Distribution Hitch with Anti-Sway Control when we bought the Hi-Lo. We live in Florida where the temps can get pretty high and have traveled north thru the Smokey Mountains and I 95 many times, this set-up has worked beautifully for us.

 

[Skyetone]

22 foot 2004 featherlight

K I looked through the web. I want to buy a 22 hi-lo featherlight. whats GVW?? I've seen 3600 and 5200. WTF? I have an 05 taco and don't want to upgrade my truck but it does 6400

 

[PopRichie77]

I have a 2209 TowLite, which is 22ft., the dry weight is 3860. People get UVW (unloaded vehicle weight)which is the weight before excessiores, mixed up with GVW (gross vehicle weight,which is the weight that it can carry safely. Featherlight trailers are made by Jaco.

 

[NDgent]

Trailer Weight

I had the opportunity today to weigh my 2207T at the Fruit Growers scale. Hitched to my Frontier with the WD hitch still enabled, it weighed 3,900#, when I removed it from the TV hitch ball it weighed 4,620#, thus the hitch was carrying 720# or 15.7 per cent.

I might have another 500# of water, clothing, food and beverages on board when I am heading out thus 800# on my 1,000# rated equalizer hitch. My Frontier rides great with the Firestone Ride Rite Air Springs with 20# in them. They work like the Timeren units but are adjustable with the addition/deletion of air.

In use I add or remove air so the TV and RV are level then I connect the WD with just enough tension to tie the suspensions together. This takes the stress off the WD bars so they do the their function of eliminating the undulation of the TV and RV when on rough roads, instead of becoming overload springs for the TV.

The Frontier and Hi-Lo ride great together without any jounce, bounce or sway.

 

[goldman]

When loaded with water and personal stuff you are looking at about another 200 lbs this brings the total to 3313lbs. This mean you are at 94% of the rated load, which is way to close in my opinion, I would not go over 85% and lower would be better.

you need to check your math,water weighs aprox,7.2lbs per gal/fresh,not counting waste,or gray,now add your gear,ALL of it every item.it adds up fast,do you want to have to worry about toasted brakes,burnt trany fluid or clutch pads,how about overall control and safety in a hard steep downhill braking situation on a steep mountain road with only a few inches between you and eternity,many people push the boundries of safety because they have never been in a bad situation,read the manuals front to back and leave as much comfort room as possible,your life may depend on it.remember your not only protecting your family,

 

[Rolff]

Add in the weight of beer and steaks and it adds up fast.

 

[JackandJanet]

Isn't alcohol lighter than water?

- Jack

 

[Rolff]

Slightly... but all those cans.

 

[phyrejim]

We just pulled our 97 21' towlite with water xtra propane food and drinks for a week of deer hunting with our H3, witch is just a dressed up colorado. It did just fine. The little 5 cylinder had to work on some of the hills, and gas mileage was poor at best. I do have a w/d hitch and sway control. It was nice and steady to about 70 or 75.

 

[NDgent]

I continue to be amazed by the tow vehicle/trailer combinations people are willing to gamble their lives with ... just last month a RV magazine tested a Cayenne with a RV trailer. Yes the Cayenne has 300 or so horse power but the wheel base is real short and it is sprung for handling not towing ... really just because you CAN do something does not mean it SHOULD be done!

Pulling nearly 4,000 lbs load with a 4,500 lbs rated "tow" vehicle is pushing your luck ... and at 70 to 75 mph with tires meant to be driven at 65 mph or slower, insanity! Of course this is just my humble opinion and not meant as anything else ... but, please let me know your next vacation route so I can stay off those roads.

 

[Rolff]

PhyreJim, Where were you hunting? The hunt starts this weekend in Utah. I haven't gone for years it is too crowded. It was always a nice trip camping with friends though.

 

[phyrejim]

We Hunted the west side of the Ruby mountains, near Elko Nevada. The deer were smarter than us this year, but the country was beautiful, and the trip was great. It took me two days to clean all of the mud off of the truck and trailer

 

[Rolff]

Long drive to Elko. That's the Lonliest road in America isn't it? When I was young my dad was a desert dog and now my wife from South Jersey loves it too. Seems like I have heard something about how nice the Ruby Valley is on the East side.

 

[phyrejim]

This is the ruby marshes on the east side from the top. we dont go all the way to elko. we go to Ely out the 50 west for about 60 miles, then it is a mere 40 miles of dirt/ mud road. Good fishing in the marshes, and ruby lake.

 

[phyrejim]

ndgent I debated a long time on weather I should reply to you. This is probably a mistake, but here goes. First what does a porche Have to do with a Hummer? they are not even the same species. How is towing well below my vehicles tow rating pushing my luck? Let alone INSANE? I did not say I was towing at 75, just that it felt stable to 75. I have to know how fast I can safely go so when I come up on you going 50 on the two lane road I can safely pass. I have been driving and towing commercial weight vehicles most of my adult life, and I am well aware of when the weight is unsafe. If the Hummer were my primary tow vehicle then I would probably go heavier. As you can see by my sig it is not. I was just offering up this "insane" towing combo to someone who asked. If you want to avoid me on the road please feel free. Just remember in your travels that any 5th wheel over 32' behind a pre 2010 3/4 ton truck is probably 3 to 5000# over weight, so you may want to avoid them too. I apologize for going on a rant and hijacking this thread. It is just being told I am gambling with my life, and being insane gets to me. If you want to gamble try towing a 30' enclosed car hauler with a race truck and spares and tools down the Baja.Whoo Hoooooo

 

[Rolff]

Thanks fpr the pic of the marshes. What a fantastic place. Now I want to go there. People don't understand the desert unless they have spent time in it. I have stood on a mesa in Southern Utah where it was absolutely silent - I could hear a fly 30 feet away. All the mountain ranges in the great Basin are islands of life. We hiked around Valley of Fire near you for a half hour one February and it was like being on a skillet.

Sometimes towing on the freeway I have had to speed up to get away or around agressive drivers. We had a semi on I-80 in Echo Canyon once who did not like me for some reason and was driving in a way to block me. Slowed when I did sped up when I did crowded me on the curves. Only way I could get away was to go faster than him.