Finally got my Trailer Toad hooked up
04-22-2014, 07:26 PM
#1
Finally got my Trailer Toad hooked up
I have a 2013 King Ranch, and like all the high trim level trucks that are optioned to the max, I have a very limited payload capacity.
The sticker says my truck weighs 6085 lbs with a full tank of gas, but otherwise empty - and with a GVWR of 7200, my payload capacity was 1115 lbs.
However, I've got a drop in bed liner, an OEM bed extender, a BakFlip FiberMax tonneau and BakBox tool box, and when I went to the CAT scales with a full tank it weighed 6185 - I was actually surprised that all my add-on stuff only weighed 95 lbs. Butt...that only left me with an actual payload capacity of 1020 lbs!!
I'm no lightweight at 225, and when my wife packed for a 2-day trip last week her luggage was about 50 lbs so we were over 400 lbs in the cab. My trailer is 6000 to 6200 lbs loaded with my car in it and has a 675 lb tongue weight, and with 150 or 200 lbs of junk in the bed, we were well overweight and you can see the truck is sagging in the rear. I have a WDH, but a WDH is not supposed to be used with this aluminum trailer, so it's not in use below - but the trailer did tow great, but it was only a 300 mile round trip:
I have 2" drop shackles in the rear, so empty the truck sits just about perfectly level.
So....I'm like many other forum members - plenty of power and brakes to pull/stop a heavy trailer, but no payload capacity to handle the tongue weight.
The beginning of March I got a used Trailer Toad, but just today finished getting it set up. It requires a WDH, but it only is used to keep the Trailer Toad level, so there isn't a lot of force from the spring bars on the tongue of the trailer. But I still had to figure out a way to attach the spring bar brackets to the tongue, which is covered with diamond plate. I got some cuffs made with the brackets welded onto them, and bolted them to each side of the tongue.
Today I followed the set up instructions I found on the Trailer Toad website, and everything hooked up great!!
Here's the rig all hooked up, and you can see that it's nice and level (37" from the ground to the front fender well, 37-1/4" in the rear), because ALL the tongue weight is on the Trailer Toad - NONE on the hitch of the truck!!!:
After doing just a little bit of a local tow, when I got home I disconnected the trailer connections and pulled the pin in the receiver, and then pulled the truck forward a couple feet. You can see the shank of the Trailer Toad pulled out of the hitch receiver and sagged down, and also notice that the tongue jack is still fully retracted - all the tongue weight is supported by the Trailer Toad:
Below you can see I'm holding up the shank, which weighs just a couple pounds:
So now, with absolutely no weight from the trailer on the hitch of the truck, I have the complete 1020 lb payload capacity available to carry stuff in the cab and bed of the truck. I can even load more stuff in the front of the trailer, and the Trailer Toad can handle even more tongue weight easily.
The used Trailer Toad I got has a 3500 lb axle, but it's an earlier version that can only handle up to about a 1500 lb tongue weight. The newer ones with the 3500 lb axle can handle up to more than 2500 tongue weight, and the 5000 lb axle version can handle up to something like 4000 lb of tongue weight - and none of that is on the hitch of the tow vehicle!!
So....I went from well overweight with a big sag in the rear due to the heavy tongue weight, to no sag because the tongue weight is all on the Trailer Toad, and I have my full payload capacity of 1020 lbs available for people and luggage in the cab and hundreds of pounds of tools, spares, and support junk in the bed when I tow my car to tack events!!
The Trailer Toad should be a good solution to my overweight problem.
Bob
The sticker says my truck weighs 6085 lbs with a full tank of gas, but otherwise empty - and with a GVWR of 7200, my payload capacity was 1115 lbs.
However, I've got a drop in bed liner, an OEM bed extender, a BakFlip FiberMax tonneau and BakBox tool box, and when I went to the CAT scales with a full tank it weighed 6185 - I was actually surprised that all my add-on stuff only weighed 95 lbs. Butt...that only left me with an actual payload capacity of 1020 lbs!!
I'm no lightweight at 225, and when my wife packed for a 2-day trip last week her luggage was about 50 lbs so we were over 400 lbs in the cab. My trailer is 6000 to 6200 lbs loaded with my car in it and has a 675 lb tongue weight, and with 150 or 200 lbs of junk in the bed, we were well overweight and you can see the truck is sagging in the rear. I have a WDH, but a WDH is not supposed to be used with this aluminum trailer, so it's not in use below - but the trailer did tow great, but it was only a 300 mile round trip:
I have 2" drop shackles in the rear, so empty the truck sits just about perfectly level.
So....I'm like many other forum members - plenty of power and brakes to pull/stop a heavy trailer, but no payload capacity to handle the tongue weight.
The beginning of March I got a used Trailer Toad, but just today finished getting it set up. It requires a WDH, but it only is used to keep the Trailer Toad level, so there isn't a lot of force from the spring bars on the tongue of the trailer. But I still had to figure out a way to attach the spring bar brackets to the tongue, which is covered with diamond plate. I got some cuffs made with the brackets welded onto them, and bolted them to each side of the tongue.
Today I followed the set up instructions I found on the Trailer Toad website, and everything hooked up great!!
Here's the rig all hooked up, and you can see that it's nice and level (37" from the ground to the front fender well, 37-1/4" in the rear), because ALL the tongue weight is on the Trailer Toad - NONE on the hitch of the truck!!!:
After doing just a little bit of a local tow, when I got home I disconnected the trailer connections and pulled the pin in the receiver, and then pulled the truck forward a couple feet. You can see the shank of the Trailer Toad pulled out of the hitch receiver and sagged down, and also notice that the tongue jack is still fully retracted - all the tongue weight is supported by the Trailer Toad:
Below you can see I'm holding up the shank, which weighs just a couple pounds:
So now, with absolutely no weight from the trailer on the hitch of the truck, I have the complete 1020 lb payload capacity available to carry stuff in the cab and bed of the truck. I can even load more stuff in the front of the trailer, and the Trailer Toad can handle even more tongue weight easily.
The used Trailer Toad I got has a 3500 lb axle, but it's an earlier version that can only handle up to about a 1500 lb tongue weight. The newer ones with the 3500 lb axle can handle up to more than 2500 tongue weight, and the 5000 lb axle version can handle up to something like 4000 lb of tongue weight - and none of that is on the hitch of the tow vehicle!!
So....I went from well overweight with a big sag in the rear due to the heavy tongue weight, to no sag because the tongue weight is all on the Trailer Toad, and I have my full payload capacity of 1020 lbs available for people and luggage in the cab and hundreds of pounds of tools, spares, and support junk in the bed when I tow my car to tack events!!
The Trailer Toad should be a good solution to my overweight problem.
Bob
The following 2 users liked this post by KR Kodi:
moseby (04-23-2014),
sigmanf150 (04-26-2014)
04-22-2014, 07:39 PM
#2
Senior Member
Great write up and details.
How does it feel going down the road at highway speeds? How does this setup handle sway-prone situations like cross winds, passing big-rigs, etc?
How does it feel going down the road at highway speeds? How does this setup handle sway-prone situations like cross winds, passing big-rigs, etc?
04-22-2014, 07:58 PM
#3
However, the things have millions of miles on them. They're popular with drag racers and guys hauling track cars around in large trailers (including big stacker trailers) behind motorhomes/RV's. Many of those big tow vehicles can pull a heavy trailer, but like many of us with F150's, they can't handle 2000+ lbs of tongue weight - but the Trailer Toad carries all that tongue weight.
I have an Equal-i-zer WDH which has sway control built in, and of course the truck itself has sway control.
Before getting the trailer set up for the Toad today, I hauled the empty trailer (2450 lbs) 1200 miles down to Daytona from the northeast where I bought it last year. I also had another several hundred miles, including 300 last week to an event at Sebring, loaded to 6000-6200 lbs, and passed many semi rigs with absolutely no sway problems at all.
According to the Trailer Toad site, the Toad actually should add more sway control to the rig.
Edited: Here's info from the Trailer Toad site in response to a question:
The axle does pivot, approximately 20 degrees, and that is one of the patented features that makes it work so well. This also helps prevent excessive tire wear and dramatically reduces sway in side winds or when a semi passes you. The pivoting axle is a "true sway control" between the trailer and the tow vehicle and dampened by a pair of Monroe Steering Stabilizers.
I'll be doing some longer range tows in the next few months to track events 700 miles or more from home, so I'll find out and report more about this thing as I get some experience towing with it.
Bob
Last edited by KR Kodi; 04-22-2014 at 09:07 PM. Reason: Added info
04-22-2014, 09:36 PM
#5
I got my used one for $2000
Take a look on http://racingjunk.com and do a search for "trailer toad" and you'll see several used ones. One in WA state is for $1100, and others are around $2000. You can also search craigslist and maybe find some used ones.
New 3500 models are listed for $3200, and I think the 5000 model pushes $4000, but it's for REALLY heavy trailers that weigh up to 25,000 lbs and have up to more than 4000 lbs of tongue weight.
I've seen some very expensive weight distribution hitches, but they still don't solve my payload capacity problem. And $2000 was cheaper for me than going to an F250 - and I don't want that big of a truck anyway, as my F150 has turned into my daily driver.
Mine, and all the new ones, have ST225/75R15E Goodyear Marathon trailer tires.
Bob
The following users liked this post:
Sako (04-22-2014)
04-22-2014, 10:19 PM
#6
Quick question...the more tires, the more resistance...no?
Do you find it tougher to pull with or without the toad? Did adding the toad impact the driving, handling or fuel economy, etc.?
Do you find it tougher to pull with or without the toad? Did adding the toad impact the driving, handling or fuel economy, etc.?
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04-22-2014, 10:25 PM
#8
I don't have any experience towing with it, other than a short tow today.
It weighs probably around 300 lbs, and like you say will add some rolling resistance from more tires on the ground, but I just don't know yet what it will do to mpg.
Just driving around my local area at up to 50 mph it handles just like when pulling just the trailer without it. It does add 2 feet of length to my rig, but it goes around corners, etc. just like pulling the trailer without it.
Before backing up you do have to get out, go back to the Toad, and lock the pivoting turntable, then I was able to back the trailer into my driveway just like without it.
Bob
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Stu Cazzo (04-22-2014)
04-23-2014, 08:08 AM
#9
Senior Member
So this thing is basically just a long hitch extension with a torsion axle under it, and the axle can rotate on a steering spindle to aid with turning? Sounds pretty straight forward although I'm still not getting how you prevent trailer sway using this product. What part of this design is controlling the trailers side to side movement as it hangs on the toad ball, do you know (I realize you're not the inventor just a consumer)? Granted it says to use your existing WD hitch but does that include your existing sway-control built into that WD hitch?
04-23-2014, 09:24 AM
#10
So this thing is basically just a long hitch extension with a torsion axle under it, and the axle can rotate on a steering spindle to aid with turning? Sounds pretty straight forward although I'm still not getting how you prevent trailer sway using this product. What part of this design is controlling the trailers side to side movement as it hangs on the toad ball, do you know (I realize you're not the inventor just a consumer)? Granted it says to use your existing WD hitch but does that include your existing sway-control built into that WD hitch?
As far as sway control, my Equal-i-zer WDH has it built in by the way it uses friction to control sway.
Other than that, I can only refer you to some of what the Trailer Toad website says in its setup info:
1. After you drive a short distance try to find a level parking lot you can pull into to get a good look at how level the trailer is and if the frame of the Trailer Toad is slanting down toward the tow vehicle slightly.
Sometimes your driveway or where you set the Trailer Toad up at may not be as level as you thought. This can cause a couple of minor, easy to remedy problems.
2. If the trailer is slightly too high in the front this will put additional weight on the rear trailer tires. This will cause excess sway and possible overheating of rear trailer tires. You can try loosening the equalizer chains one link and see if that helps bring the front down. If it is still too high you should lift the trailer off the ball, lower the hitch head one hole and then hook up again. The goal is to end up with the trailer frame sitting level. If the adjustment made the front of the trailer a little to low, tighten the equalizer bar chains one link. If it takes more than one link, go up one hole with the hitch head, you may have lowered it too much. If you are in-between adjustments you could use a standard height trailer ball, just make sure it is rated high enough to use on your trailer.
3. Now that the trailer is level make sure the Trailer Toad frame is tilted downward toward the tow vehicle no more than one-half inch. If it is more than one inch low in the front you can continue your road test but you should bring the front up slightly before your next trip. If the frame is higher in the front than the rear and the frame runs down towards the trailer it is recommended you lower the front before you travel at highway speeds. With the frame high in the front it reduces the Trailer Toads ability to reduce sway and absorb large dips and bumps. Call us if you have any questions.
The extra time taken in getting everything set at the correct heights is time well spent. Your towing experience will be improved by making these final adjustments.
In almost every case that we hear back from a customer that tells us he is feeling some sway, it is simply the front of the trailer is higher than it should be. Most of us with heavy trailers have spent a lot of time trying to balance the trailer BEFORE we had the Trailer Toad. Now you can put that weight back in front, we like to see 15% of the gross weight of the loaded trailer on the ball, it let's the Toad do what it was designed to do, "carry the load".
Sometimes your driveway or where you set the Trailer Toad up at may not be as level as you thought. This can cause a couple of minor, easy to remedy problems.
2. If the trailer is slightly too high in the front this will put additional weight on the rear trailer tires. This will cause excess sway and possible overheating of rear trailer tires. You can try loosening the equalizer chains one link and see if that helps bring the front down. If it is still too high you should lift the trailer off the ball, lower the hitch head one hole and then hook up again. The goal is to end up with the trailer frame sitting level. If the adjustment made the front of the trailer a little to low, tighten the equalizer bar chains one link. If it takes more than one link, go up one hole with the hitch head, you may have lowered it too much. If you are in-between adjustments you could use a standard height trailer ball, just make sure it is rated high enough to use on your trailer.
3. Now that the trailer is level make sure the Trailer Toad frame is tilted downward toward the tow vehicle no more than one-half inch. If it is more than one inch low in the front you can continue your road test but you should bring the front up slightly before your next trip. If the frame is higher in the front than the rear and the frame runs down towards the trailer it is recommended you lower the front before you travel at highway speeds. With the frame high in the front it reduces the Trailer Toads ability to reduce sway and absorb large dips and bumps. Call us if you have any questions.
The extra time taken in getting everything set at the correct heights is time well spent. Your towing experience will be improved by making these final adjustments.
In almost every case that we hear back from a customer that tells us he is feeling some sway, it is simply the front of the trailer is higher than it should be. Most of us with heavy trailers have spent a lot of time trying to balance the trailer BEFORE we had the Trailer Toad. Now you can put that weight back in front, we like to see 15% of the gross weight of the loaded trailer on the ball, it let's the Toad do what it was designed to do, "carry the load".
Sorry I can't give you any real-life towing experience of my own yet, but I will report when I do some highway towing with it.
Bob