VX Towing

[Vinnybin]

I realize I'm stepping outside the forums scope but I need help. The situation has evolved. For now household will stay in the trailer, the VX on a uhaul trailer(4 wheels off ground), the sonata driven behind the RV pulling the VX. My dad offered to drive the truck across pulling the covered trailer with household goods. THE PROBLEM. The 20ft cargo express(2 axle 3500 pound axles) was just hooked up to the truck. Truck pulls 9200(5.0 F150 w/ tow package). I web page said about 60% weight front 40% back. The tongue of the trailer is sitting real low and dragging chains so I think I loaded it to heavy up front. How do I weigh the front to the back or am I wingin it? I also may have over grossed the trailer itself. When I look at the wheels I'm seeing the angles of both tires do something like this /\. Those dashes being the tires when looked at in the perspective of the side mirrors. When I look at the two axles the both bow upward about an inch or so. The GVWR of covered trailer is to old to read now. I was going to get it weighed and these are my initial observations. I'm in the drive way for now. I know nothing about towing trailers.

[RodL]

I realize I'm stepping outside the forums scope but I need help. The situation has evolved. For now household will stay in the trailer, the VX on a uhaul trailer(4 wheels off ground), the sonata driven behind the RV pulling the VX. My dad offered to drive the truck across pulling the covered trailer with household goods. THE PROBLEM. The 20ft cargo express(2 axle 3500 pound axles) was just hooked up to the truck. Truck pulls 9200(5.0 F150 w/ tow package). I web page said about 60% weight front 40% back. The tony of the trailer is sitting real low and dragging chains so I think I loaded it to heavy up front. How do I weigh the front to the back or am I wingin it? I also may have over grossed the trailer itself. When I look at the wheels I'm seeing the angles of both tires do something like this /\. Those dashes being the tires when looked at in the perspective of the side mirrors. When I look at the two axles the both bow upward about an inch or so. The GVWR is to old to read now. I was gonna get it weighed and these are my initial observations. I know nothing about towing trailers.

Look at your tires first and find out what ply they are and the load capacity. These are the things that will go first, especially if they are over 5 to 7 years old. (date is on the tire somewhere.) If you add up all the tires and come up with close to 4000 you need a bigger trailer and better tires.

My VX weighs almost the same front or rear axle. If you can center it over the tandem axle trailer it should level out. You don't mention how much stuff you have in the back of the truck. That will affect where the tongue of the trailer is too. Also if you have a drop hitch, try turning it over to make the trailer level (you will need to unbolt the hitch ball)

[Marlin]

DO NOT TOW IT! Do not tow that way. It is crazy dangerous and insurance may not cover it if you were to have an accident. x2 on the trailer tires, but if the axles are bowing up that much, you are over weight. Move some stuff to the inside of the RV. I assume we are talking your enclosed trailer issues not the Uhaul trailer. The Uhaul trailer should be just fine for hauling the VX. They are pretty good about setting up the right equipment for liability reasons.
You can unpack your trailer and put light stuff in the front, heavier in the rear, just make sure you don't go too light, it will cause the trailer to porpoise behind the tow vehicle (that is where the trailer is wagging the dog so to speak).

[Frankenstein]

This was the day I adopted Frankenstein. I brought him home on my trailer.

[Marlin]

[Makocross]

Take stuff out of the trailer and put it in the RV. If you travel that far with an overloaded trailer you will have great stories and great expenses. Don't forget to cross your chains under the tongue. If the chains are too long just twist them before your hook them on. The tongue weight should be 10 to 15% of the trailer weight. Get a long 2X10 and pivot point(big rock or block), figure your weight and use some math to figure out where you on one end of the 2X10 the other end under the coupler will balance out. The other way to do it start out on a deserted road and slowly increase your speed. If the trailer starts fish tailing, you don't have enough weight on the tongue. Make sure the trailer brakes work.
Mike