KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

When I tow to a track event that's what I intend to do.


At home I just unhook the trailer coupler from the Trailer Toad and wheel it into my garage. I made a "handle" with a 1-1/4" hitch adapter and a length of PVC pipe to make it easy to roll it around.


To hook it back up to the trailer just takes about a minute. I roll the Toad out and roll the hitch ball under the coupler, hook up the WDH spring bars (which don't really carry any weight, so you just lift them up and place them on the brackets), and retract the tongue jack - then it's sitting there with all the tongue weight on the Toad and the shank hanging down.


I place a jackstand under the shank when backing the truck up to connect it. The rearview camera is VERY helpful! It makes it pretty easy to back the truck up and get the shank inserted into the receiver.


The big PITA is getting the truck positioned just right so that I can insert the pin through the receiver to hold the shank in place, but I'm going to paint a line on the shank so I can tell when it's positioned properly.


The WDH bars are not under any load to speak of - you just lift them up and place them on the brackets. They are essentially only holding the deck of the Toad level while towing. There's a lateral hinged section going across the front of the deck left to right, and that allows the shank attached to the hitch receiver of the truck to flex up and down separate from the up and down movement of the deck, and of course the trailer coupler can rotate on the hitch ball. So, there's no "distribution" of weight like there is when a WDH is attached directly to the receiver of the truck.


There were some comments in another thread by people who were worried that if the wheels of the Toad went over a rise in the road that they would lift the rear of the truck up and give you stability or control problems, but that's not possible with the hinge across the Toad. Over the years there have been different "hitch extensions" that did make that possible because the wheels of the unit were part of the hitch that was hooked directly to the truck's hitch receiver. Those other type of hitch extensions never really were successful and to my knowledge aren't available any more.


Here are a coupe of pictures of hooking up.


Here's where I've rolled the Toad over close to the coupler:







Below is where I rolled the Toad's hitch ball under the coupler of the trailer, put the spring bars onto the brackets, and retracted the tongue jack - it took about 2 minutes:







And here's after backing the truck up and inserting the shank into the receiver of the truck's hitch. It was easy to get the shank into the receiver, but I had to get out about 4 times as I backed up/went forward several times to get the holes lined up in the receiver so I could install the pin - it would have been easier with two people:












I've got 2" drop shackles in the rear so the rake has been removed and the truck sits nice and level when empty, and that's the same way it's sitting hooked up to the trailer - because all the 675 lbs of tongue weight is on the Trailer Toad, not the truck's hitch.


Overall, the Trailer Toad has solved my problem of being way overweight when towing with the trailer hooked directly to the truck's hitch.


Bob

brulaz

I have to say, despite it's low payload, that King Ranch of yours is a beautiful truck. And I can see why you went with the Toad rather than giving it up.

But I'm waiting for more of your informative posts after you've actually used it some.

One concern I have would be backing up, especially around corners and into tight spots. Our trailer is a TT and camping is what we do. I purposely restricted our new trailer to 28' because some of the campgrounds we go to are very tight.

Thanks, and do keep us posted!

zach92r

so its basically turning a TT into a RV nice find

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

I've only done some limited backing up, but it works just fine.


Before backing up, you need to get out and go back to lock the spindle to keep the deck from pivoting when backing, then it backs up just like you only had the trailer back there. But....I think tight spots and sharp turns when backing will be a problem.


As far as length, it does add 2 feet to the length of your rig.


And if you go on toll roads they'll charge you for another axle!

good hands

Bob,


Looks like you are towing a trailex. Any reason you didn't opt for a max tow, max payload package ? That seems like it would have been plenty of truck to tow your trailer and car.

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Yep - it's a very nice and lightweight enclosed Trailex.

When I was considering getting one built I called and talked with them at the company.

They said that the tongue weight would be about 250 to 275 lbs. When I asked about the common wisdom that tongue weight should be 10-15% of trailer weight, I was told that the trailer was built to be stable and tow great with a light tongue weight and that's the way everybody tows them with small, lightweight SUVs.

So....last summer when looking for a truck, my wife really liked the King Ranch at a local dealer. It had everything I wanted (except Max Tow), but with even a 300 lb tongue weight I wouldn't need a WDH and would still have more than 800 lbs of payload capacity remaining!! Yeah - right!!

I found a used Trailex in perfect condition - it was built in the spring of 2013 and has cabinet in the V-nose, hatch in the floor, winch, battery, and electric tongue jack, and had only towed to a couple local track events. The guy was being transferred out of the country, so when up in the northeast visiting family last fall I went to CT, looked at it, and bought it.

I towed it back to FL empty, and when got home took it to the local CAT scales and weighed the tongue with my Sherline scale.

The sticker on the trailer says it weighs 2300 lbs, but with the options on it the empty weight is 2450 lbs.

The empty tongue weight is 420 lbs.

With nothing in it but a set 4 spare wheels/tires on the rack in the front, the tongue weight is 475 lbs.

I figured that the light tongue weight the factory guys were talking about would be achieved when the car was loaded, so I loaded it in as far aft as possible, and the tongue weight is 675 lbs!!!! And with my bed liner and tonneau cover my payload capacity is reduced by another 95 lbs, which leaves me with 345 lbs for people and stuff in the cab and bed.

Bottom line....I bought the truck expecting a MUCH lighter tongue weight than what I ended up with, and the Trailer Toad is my solution without buying a bigger truck.

Bob

brulaz

Just got some email back from Torklift and CanAm RV. Torklift says they would need an F150 with the 1150# hitch for about a week to design a hitch modification. I suspect you would then have their prototype for a production model that they could then sell.

CanAm RV tells me that they have strengthened these F150 hitches before, and will gladly do it again. Since they're so close to me, that's probably the route I would take (if I ever add those batteries to the trailer tongue).

Didn't ask for/get any cost estimates.

sdmartin65

My dad and I also just picked up a Trailer Toad to use with his Honda Ridgeline. The unit we bought is about five years old and rated for 5000 lb of tongue and 20,000 trailer. The previous owner used it for a stacker car hauler. It really would take worrying about tongue weight out of the equation, only thing left would be gcwr. It adds to towing stability for us and would be worth looking into.

good hands

Update:

After purchasing my F150 with both the heavy payload and max tow package i had my first towing experience. 500 miles round trip through the moutains of NY with 9000 lbs in tow. I was absolutely surprised and amazed by the power of the ecoboost engine and the truck towed pretty flawlessly using the WDH. Was it as stable as my old F250 6.0 ? Not quite but pretty darn close.( and the check engine light never came on like the diesel ) Truck is exactly what I needed, a good daily driver and an occasional race car hauler. Very Very happy so far and would say that the truck is very capable.

brulaz

Really nice truck!!