Trailer Toad Use Advise
05-05-2014, 08:01 PM
#1
Martin
Thread Starter
Trailer Toad Use Advise
So me and my dad went together and purchased a trailer toad. The main use will be for his Honda Ridgeline towing a 5000 pound travel trailer. The trailer is within the capacity of his truck. Problem is the rear suspension takes a while to reset after towing. It has independent rear coil spring suspension. The trailer towed repurchased is used but in excellent condition. It's the heavy duty model 5,000 lb tongue and 20,000 lb gvwr. We will also use it with a car hauler and my F150.
Are there any pointers or tips anyone can give on the proper use and set up of the trailer toad? It seems pretty straightforward but sometimes you learn by doing.
Are there any pointers or tips anyone can give on the proper use and set up of the trailer toad? It seems pretty straightforward but sometimes you learn by doing.
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Sammy77 (05-06-2014)
05-05-2014, 10:18 PM
#4
Looks great!!
I also got a used one, and it looked similar to yours when i got it. I cleaned it up and sprayed it with a can of black rustoleum and it looks almost brand new.
I just got mine set up last week to pull my car hauler to track events. My King Ranch 4x4 has a real limited payload capacity (after installing my bed liner, tonneau cover, and OEM bed extender I've only got 1020 lb payload capacity). With me and my wife in the truck, and about 675 lbs of tongue weight, I'm overloaded and have no capacity to carry anything else in the cab and bed. My trailer is only about 6000 to 6200 lbs loaded, and my truck can easily pull and stop a trailer much heavier than that, but my very restrictive payload capacity just kills my capability to tow it.
However, with the Trailer Toad carrying all the tongue weight, I've got my entire 1020 lbs to carry stuff in the truck - even after my wife and I and her luggage are in the cab, I've still got hundreds of lbs left to carry tools, spares, and track support stuff in the bed.
As far as setting it up, I just followed the instructions on the http://trailertoad.com website. Just click on the "Assembly Tips - Adjustments" link on the left side of their homepage.
Also, you can call or email Jok Nicholson (owner of the Trailer Toad company) to get any info you might need - I've talked with him several times and he was very helpful.
If you haven't seen it, here's a link to a thread I posted last week with some pictures:
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/finall...oked-up-256938
Good luck with your Trailer Toad!!
Bob
I also got a used one, and it looked similar to yours when i got it. I cleaned it up and sprayed it with a can of black rustoleum and it looks almost brand new.
I just got mine set up last week to pull my car hauler to track events. My King Ranch 4x4 has a real limited payload capacity (after installing my bed liner, tonneau cover, and OEM bed extender I've only got 1020 lb payload capacity). With me and my wife in the truck, and about 675 lbs of tongue weight, I'm overloaded and have no capacity to carry anything else in the cab and bed. My trailer is only about 6000 to 6200 lbs loaded, and my truck can easily pull and stop a trailer much heavier than that, but my very restrictive payload capacity just kills my capability to tow it.
However, with the Trailer Toad carrying all the tongue weight, I've got my entire 1020 lbs to carry stuff in the truck - even after my wife and I and her luggage are in the cab, I've still got hundreds of lbs left to carry tools, spares, and track support stuff in the bed.
As far as setting it up, I just followed the instructions on the http://trailertoad.com website. Just click on the "Assembly Tips - Adjustments" link on the left side of their homepage.
Also, you can call or email Jok Nicholson (owner of the Trailer Toad company) to get any info you might need - I've talked with him several times and he was very helpful.
If you haven't seen it, here's a link to a thread I posted last week with some pictures:
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/finall...oked-up-256938
Good luck with your Trailer Toad!!
Bob
Last edited by KR Kodi; 05-05-2014 at 10:23 PM.
05-05-2014, 10:46 PM
#5
Martin
Thread Starter
The payload capacity is also the problem with the Ridgeline, I'm pretty sure my dad said it was 800 or something to that affect. Passengers, luggage, some tools that gets eaten up quickly. We figured this Toad was cheaper than having problems with the rear suspension/drivetrain. The Toad is a stout little unit. I'm thinking the same thing with paint and a little cleanup, ours appears to have sat outside the last few years.
Trying it out next week so I'll post how it performs. Thanks for the info.
Trying it out next week so I'll post how it performs. Thanks for the info.
05-06-2014, 07:49 AM
#7
Senior Member
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We figured this Toad was cheaper than having problems with the rear suspension/drivetrain.
...
We figured this Toad was cheaper than having problems with the rear suspension/drivetrain.
...
Don't get me wrong, I think the Toad is neat idea. But I wouldn't go crazy and start hauling 10,000# trailers with it.
Another thing, I would keep a close eye, and perhaps even reinforce the hitch receiver. I can imagine that the Toad exerts a lot of sideways stress on it when turning, stress that the hitch receiver is not designed for.
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05-06-2014, 09:29 AM
#8
Martin
Thread Starter
I wouldn't say your truck could stop a much heavier trailer. The truck's trailer tow rating assumes the trailer can stop itself. And there are lots of things that can go wrong with the trailer's brake system, in my experience. (I'm guessing the Toad doesn't have its own brakes.) Suspension yes, the Toad is helping you with the payload (based on the truck's GVWR). But if you're towing over the Ridgeline's GCWR or Tow Capacity (and the Toad adds to the weight of the trailer, 800# ?), you could be making things worse for the drivetrain. Don't get me wrong, I think the Toad is neat idea. But I wouldn't go crazy and start hauling 10,000# trailers with it. Another thing, I would keep a close eye, and perhaps even reinforce the hitch receiver. I can imagine that the Toad exerts a lot of sideways stress on it when turning, stress that the hitch receiver is not designed for.
Another thing, I would keep a close eye, and perhaps even reinforce the hitch receiver. I can imagine that the Toad exerts a lot of sideways stress on it when turning, stress that the hitch receiver is not designed for.