2018 Coachmen Freelander Ford Transit for sale in Mid-State RV, Byron, Georgia

We recommend the Fastway e2 hitch

When it comes to travel trailer hitches, we've never seen one as easy to use and set up as the e2™ hitch by Fastway Trailer.

With the Fastway e2™ hitch there’s nothing extra to buy and install. Nothing extra to store. Nothing extra to remove before you can back into your campsite, or make a u-turn. For a faster, easier and safer towing experience, get a Fastway e2™ hitch today!

Integrated Sway Control

The Fastway e2™ hitches have the convenience of Integrated Sway Control™ built into the hitch; so you have sway control engaged whenever you are hitched up and towing. The e2™ utilizes unique sway control brackets instead of old ‘add-on’ sway bars or cam type attachments that are added to chain style hitches. Integrated sway control offers many benefits including no backing or turning restrictions, and simple and easy to understand adjustments. Built with sway control in mind, the e2™ hitch is better than a chain style hitch with add-on sway control devices.

Sway Control Brackets

The unique rigid sway control brackets provide the convenience of Integrated Sway Control™ through two points of linear steel on steel friction. Instead of the spring arm swinging back and forth freely at the bottom of a chain, e2's spring arms rest on top of a bare metal bracket. This improvement alone significantly reduces driver fatigue and stress while towing, not to mention making it easier to use than chain style hitches on the market.

Weight Distribution

Without proper weight distribution drivers can experience highway hop, loss of steering control, and sagging of the tow vehicle.

The e2 hitch changes the way the tow vehicle and trailer couple together. It creates a bridge between them, helping them work together like one unit instead of two, and distributing the weight more evenly to the axles of both vehicles. When set up properly, the steering wheels will stay more firmly planted on the ground.

A motor home offers us the freedom to explore the open road. We can go where we want when we want. But what happens when we arrive at a destination where we plan to stay put for a day, a week or a month? How do explore the area, or take a quick trip to the grocery store? Well, we have our bikes with us right! Bikes are nice and we even get some much needed exercise, but are they really practical for touring the surrounding area or taking a day trip? Probably not, so what do we do?

One option is to disconnect everything from the motor home and take it. What a pain this can be just for a loaf of bread. Another option is to tow a vehicle behind the motor home. Now when we need a loaf of bread or want to take a day trip we have our transportation. This makes much more sense, but just how do we do this?How much weight can we safely tow? Do we need to use a tow dolly or can we tow it with all four wheels on the ground? If we can tow it with all four wheels on the ground do we use a vehicle mounted tow bar or a coach mounted tow bar? What about brakes? What else will I need? These are all good questions, so let’s start at the beginning.

To answer all of your towing questions check out our Towing Behind Your Motorhome DVD

How much weight can we safely tow?

Your motor home has a weight rating referred to as the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). This is the maximum combined weight of the fully loaded motor home and the fully loaded tow vehicle when weighed together. You never want to exceed this or any other weight rating. Another consideration is the amount of weight the hitch Receiver on the back of the motor home is rated for. The motor home itself might have a tow rating of 7,000 pounds, but if the receiver is only rated for 3,500 that’s the most you can tow.

Do we need to use a tow dolly, or can we tow our vehicle with all four wheels on the ground?

Some vehicles can be towed with all four wheels down with no problems while others would result in serious damage to the vehicle transmission. In some cases modifications can be made to the driveline and or transmission so you can tow the vehicle with all four wheels on the ground. You need to do your homework before attempting to tow a vehicle with all four wheels on the ground. Read your vehicle owner’s manual and check with the vehicle manufacturer. Many vehicles that can be towed with all four wheels on the ground still have restrictions like max speeds or max distances. In some situations it is best to use a tow dolly. A tow dolly is designed to lift the drive wheels off of the ground to prevent any damage to the tow vehicle. If the vehicle you want to tow requires expensive driveline modifications or has speed and distance restrictions a tow dolly may be the way to go.

If we can tow our vehicle with all four wheels on the ground do we use a vehicle mounted tow bar or a coach mounted tow bar?

If you can tow your vehicle with all four wheels down the first step will be to have tow bar mounting brackets installed on the tow vehicle. Now we can decide on which type of tow bar best suits our needs. Regardless of the type you choose make sure it is rated in excess of the fully loaded tow vehicle weight. There are two basic types of tow bars, a rigid A-frame and a collapsible. Rigid A-frame tow bars are the most basic. They are less expensive and because the arms don’t adjust or collapse they require more precise aligning to hook up.

Collapsible tow bars are more common among RVers. They are self aligning and much easier to hook up and use. The arms extend, self-center and lock in place automatically when you drive away. There are two types of collapsible tow bars, car-mounted and motor home-mounted. Car-mounted tow bars are a little easier to use and fold away on the front of the vehicle when you are finished using it. Motor home-mounted tow bars fold away on the rear of the motor home and never have to be lifted or removed from the front of the vehicle.

What about brakes?

Most U.S. States and Canadian Provinces have their own laws on the requirement for brakes on a towed trailer or vehicle being towed behind a motor home. The brakes on a motor home are designed by the vehicle manufacturer to stop the weight of that particular vehicle, not the additional weight being towed behind it. This additional weight adds a substantial increase to the distance required to stop safely. You need to have some type of braking system on the towed vehicle to SAFELY reduce the stopping distance and to protect you, your loved ones and the safety of others.

What else will I need?

You will need safety cables and lights for the towed vehicle. You need safety cables in the event the towed vehicle is ever separated from the motor home. One end of the cables is attached to the tow vehicle tow brackets and the other end to the receiver on the motorhome.

You need to have running lights, tail lights, brake lights and turn signals on the towed vehicle that work in conjunction with the motor home lights. If you don’t tow your vehicle that often you may want to purchase a light accessory kit that can be strapped to the tow vehicle or uses magnets. These kits have a wiring harness that is plugged into the motor homes wiring harness plug. If you tow your vehicle frequently you will probably want to use a more permanent method where tow vehicle lights are wired directly to the motor home lights. Once this is done you just plug the tow vehicle wiring harness plug in to the motor home wiring harness plug.

The only thing left to do is hook up your tow vehicle and head down the road. Try to get in the habit of making the following checks before you leave and every time you stop. Check the tow bar, base-plate, safety cables and light plug to make sure everything is properly attached. When you stop check the tires of the towed vehicle to make sure they are not to hot or losing air. If you are using a dolly or trailer, check the wheels to make sure they are not hot to the touch. If the wheels are hot, it may indicate a brake or bearing problem. Check all of the lights everyday before towing.

What is all this confusing talk about weights? The weight issue is probably the most critical and least understood issue you will confront when purchasing a towable RV. It is critical because a mismatched tow vehicle and trailer can put you and your loved ones safety in jeopardy. It can also result in expensive repair bills for damage and premature wear to major components on your tow vehicle. It is the least understood issue because the buyer is not educated on weight concerns until it is too late.

Trying to cover everything involved on this subject in a short article is like trying to find the needle in a haystack. For a more in depth look at these topics check out our video production “Trailer Towing, Weights Hitch Work & Backing"

Let's start with the tow vehicle. The vehicle manufacturer determines tow vehicle ratings. Extensive testing is done and many factors are considered such as; engine size, transmission, Axle Ratio, chassis, suspension, brakes, tires, cooling system, and tow packages. Any time a vehicle or trailer is given a rating it is based on the weakest link in the chain. For example, the axle on a trailer may be capable of supporting 5,000 pounds, but if the tires on the axle can only support 3,000 pounds the axle is rated for 3,000 pounds. This is why it is crucial that you never exceed a manufacturers rating.

You can take five ½ ton trucks with the same engine, and tow ratings can vary by 4,000 pounds. One of the major factors affecting tow ratings is the rear axle ratio. Very basically, the axle ratio is a comparison of how many times the drive shaft rotates versus the wheels. If you have a 3.73:1 axle ratio it means the drive shaft rotates 3.73 times for each rotation of the wheels. The higher the numeric value of the rear axle the better it tows, but you compromise gas mileage. The key to selecting the tow vehicle is to figure out what your requirements are and to know exactly how it is equipped so you can determine the correct tow rating. Tow ratings are extremely important, but there are other weight issues concerning the tow vehicle that are often overlooked.

There's a very simple formula we can use to determine how much we can safely tow, but first there are a couple of weight ratings you need to understand:

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): is the maximum permissible weight of the vehicle or trailer when fully loaded for travel. This includes the unloaded vehicle weight, all fluids, cargo, optional equipment and accessories. The tow vehicle and trailer each have a GVWR.

Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR): is the maximum permissible combined weight of the tow vehicle and the trailer together when they are fully loaded for travel.

Unloaded Vehicle Weight or Dry Weight (UVW) or (DW): is the actual weight of the tow vehicle or trailer as built at the factory. The UVW does not include passengers, cargo, dealer installed options, personal belongings, water, or LP gas.

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW): is not a rating, it is the actual weight of the tow vehicle when it is fully loaded including passengers, cargo, a full fuel tank and accessories like the hitch.

Gross Trailer Weight (GTW): is not a rating, it is the actual weight of the fully loaded trailer including all options, cargo, personal belongings, food, water and LP gas.

Armed with this information, let's look at a typical buying scenario. We know for a fact that our tow vehicle is rated to tow 8,800 pounds and it has a GCWR of 15,000 pounds. When I account for the cargo in the truck, three additional passengers, and after market accessories my actual tow rating is 8,040 pounds. Keep in mind that any weight you load in or on the truck reduces the tow rating by that amount.

Tow rating for the vehicle 8,800 lbs.
Cargo in the tow vehicle - 150 lbs.
Three passengers - 450 lbs.
Dealer installed options - 160 lbs
Actual tow rating 8,040 lbs.

Now let's look at our towing formula: Tow Vehicle GCWR - Tow Vehicle GVW = the Maximum GVWR for a trailer we can purchase.

The GCWR for my truck is 15,000 pounds. Now I subtract the GVW of my truck when it's fully loaded for travel and this equals the maximum GVWR of a trailer I can consider purchasing. The only way to determine the actual GVW of the tow vehicle is to take the fully loaded vehicle to a set of scales and have it weighed. The GVWR can be found on the Safety Compliance Certification label, located on the exterior left front of the trailer.

Tow vehicle GCWR 15,000 lbs.
Tow Vehicle GVW - 6,832 lbs.
Maximum GVWR of Trailer = 8,168 lbs.

So let's say we found a trailer with a floor plan we like that has a GVWR of 8,000 lbs. The UVW or Dry Weight of the trailer is 6,350 pounds. Keep in mind we have to add any dealer installed options, cargo loaded in the trailer, any water we add to the fresh water holding tank and LP gas. This gives us a gross trailer weight of 7,075 pounds. Ask the RV dealer to show you the weight label that is inside the trailer for accurate trailer weights. Unloaded Vehicle Weights found in a manufacturer's brochure are normally for the base model of the trailer and do not include options the dealer may have ordered on the unit. In the majority of cases there is a significant difference between the GVWR and the UVW of the trailer.

UVW or DW of trailer 6,350 lbs.
Dealer installed options + 100 lbs.
Cargo in the trailer + 300 lbs.
Water 8.3 X 32 gallons + 266 lbs.
LP gas 4.23 X 14 gallons + 59 lbs.
Gross Trailer Weight 7,075 lbs.

Let's see if this will work: Remember our GCWR is 15,000 pounds. When we subtract the weight of our fully loaded tow vehicle and our fully loaded trailer we still have 1,093 pounds to spare before we exceed our GCWR.

Tow Vehicle GCWR 15,000 lbs.
Combined Weight of (fully loaded)
Tow Vehicle & Trailer - 13,907 lbs
= 1,093 lbs. to spare

This method will almost always works, unless you have the tow vehicle and the trailer loaded to their maximum GVWR, which when added together can exceed the GCWR. This is more likely to happen when the tow vehicle is a light duty vehicle like a mini van, small SUV or light duty truck. In this situation you simply add the GVWR of the tow vehicle to the GVWR of the trailer then select a tow vehicle that is rated for the combined weight.

If your original calculations are based on estimates you need to verify all weights by going to a set of scales and properly weighing the vehicle and trailer. Keep in mind this is a crash course and there are many more weight factors and considerations we did not even touch on. Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR), tires, tire inflation, proper hitch work, trailer brakes and much more need to be addressed. I cover a lot of this information in my “Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitch Work & Backing” DVD. I hope this helped to clear up some of the issues concerning matching your tow vehicle and trailer to ensure a safe towing system.

My friends at KOA Kompass wrote me and asked, what is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from RVers? I didn't hesitate long before replying it is about towing and backing. As a matter of fact, I get asked this so much that I wrote an e-book on the topic Trailer Towing: What to Know Before You Tow and we filmed a video Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitch Work and Backing

I thought that it might be helpful to take an excerpt from my e-book that would provide some information on backing a trailer. I had to leave several sections out because this would be entirely too long for an article.

Backing Up, the Big Dilemma

If you're going to tow a trailer the day will come when you have to back it up. From the time we are children we're programmed to do everything forward. You learn to crawl, walk and run going forwards not backwards. For the most part when we drive a vehicle we are going forward, and when we did learn to back a vehicle it was not that difficult. It's like if some one tells you to turn left or turn right, you know if you turn left the vehicle will go to the left. Even when you're backing the vehicle, if you want it to back to the left you turn the steering wheel to the left. It's almost natural; you look over your shoulder, turn the steering wheel and back the direction you want to go. Not so with a trailer. First of all you can't look over your shoulder, all you will see is the front of the trailer. Second of all, if you turn the steering wheel to the left the trailer is going to go to the right. The secret to backing a trailer is to learn a technique that does not require you to go against your natural instincts. When you're not confused about turning in the opposite direction you want to go it is much easier to back a trailer.

I want to offer a couple of different options on how to back a trailer and I feel confident that you'll find one that will work for you. But, regardless of how good the method is for learning to back a trailer, the only way you will become proficient at it is to practice, practice and practice some more. It's like learning to ride a bicycle, almost everybody falls a few times but with practice you quickly get proficient at it.

Can I Learn to Back a Trailer?

I am convinced that anybody can learn to back a trailer. I will admit that some people just have a knack for it. It just seems to be easy. But for other people it is much more difficult. I feel that it is all about learning a technique that works for you. Take for example a natural born artist. They can paint a beautiful picture as though it were nothing. But somebody without that natural ability is embarrassed to even try. Now what if we went to the store and bought a paint by the numbers painting. If you follow the directions you end up with a beautiful painting. You simply found a technique to accomplish something you didn't think you could do.

Backing Techniques

I personally have two techniques that I prefer. I call them assisted and unassisted. The assisted technique should be used whenever possible. This is the technique I used when I was the sales manager at an RV dealership. I have total and complete faith in this technique when it is followed properly. If you ever attended an RV show you know what I mean. You are allocated a certain amount of space and in an effort to show as many units as possible you had to back the trailers in within inches of the walls, campers and other obstacles. I have organized many RV shows and never so much as scratched a bumper.

Assisted Technique

The assisted technique implies what it says, that you have a spotter to assist you. It is quite simple. The golden rule is for the driver to do exactly what the spotter tells you to. You may want to discuss who will drive and who will spot, because with this technique the spotter is responsible for putting the trailer where you want it. The first step is to establish hand signals that you both understand and agree on. Once this is done do a thorough inspection of the area you are backing into. It is important that you check the area immediately behind the trailer because for this technique to work effectively the spotter has to stand in front of the tow vehicle. Now you place an object (small orange traffic cones work well) on both sides of the site where you want the back of the trailer to stop at. The spotter will stand in front of the tow vehicle, in clear view of the driver, and can slowly walk from right to left checking blind spots and watching for the back of the trailer to reach the cones. You need to stop occasionally and look behind the trailer. Small children and pets can wander behind the trailer without you seeing them. The reason this technique is so effective is because neither the spotter nor the driver has to think about doing the opposite when backing the trailer. The first step is for the driver to roll the windows down and turn the radio off. The driver leaves their hand on the top of the steering wheel like you're accustomed to and because the spotter is in front of the vehicle they simply tell the driver to turn the steering wheel in the direction they want the back of the trailer to go. So, if the spotter wants the back of the trailer to go to the right they tell the driver to turn to the right. The driver slowly turns and backs in the direction the spotter tells them to. Nobody has to think about it the driver just does what the spotter says to do. The key to driving is slowly turning and backing in the direction the spotter tells you to. The two biggest mistakes made are turning the steering wheel too much and holding it in the turned position to long. If either of these mistakes occurs the result is that it will require greater correction to get straightened out, and if you continue to back while holding the wheel in that position too long the tow vehicle and trailer can jackknife. It will require some practice. The spotter will have to learn that once the trailer is into the turn its time to go the opposite direction to bring the tow vehicle and trailer back in line. Do not be concerned if you have to stop, pull forward and start again. This will happen more than once during the early stages. Try it, and with practice I guarantee that before you know it you'll be backing like pros.

Unassisted Technique

The assisted technique is the preferred method. I do not recommend backing a trailer without a spotter. Young children and pets can wander behind the trailer without you seeing them. However, you need to be prepared in the event that you have to back a trailer without assistance. If the backing maneuver is more than just backing in a straight line, and a turn is required, try to always back from the left side (drivers side). Backing from the left will allow you to see where the trailer is going. Backing from the right side (passenger's side) is your blind side and it is nearly impossible to tell where the trailer is going.

Earlier we discussed that the reason it's difficult to back a trailer is because it is the opposite of everything we have been taught. Fortunately there is a way to back a trailer unassisted without having to work against our natural instincts. This may sound a bit confusing at first, but if you think about it, it makes sense and the good thing is it works.

It is extremely important that you inspect the area behind and around where you will be backing. Look for any obstacles that may be in the way to include low hanging tree branches, picnic tables and utility hook-ups. You need to stop occasionally and inspect the area immediately behind the trailer. If children are present in the area ask somebody to watch behind the trailer. It is a good idea to place some orange traffic cones along the path you want the trailer to follow when you're backing. If you decide it's not necessary to mark a path you do need to place some type of object in your view where you want the back of the trailer to stop at.

In the assisted method we kept our hand on the top of the steering wheel and did exactly what the spotter told us to do. In the unassisted method we place our hand on the bottom of the steering wheel in the center. Now if you want the back of the trailer to go to your left you slowly turn the wheel to your left as you back. To go to your right slowly turn the wheel to your right as you back. It's that easy. By placing your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel you don't have to confuse yourself with turning it in the opposite direction. Remember the two biggest mistakes are turning the steering wheel too much and holding it in the turned position too long. If either of these mistakes happen it may be necessary to pull forward and start over. It may also be necessary to stop, get out and check your progress, especially if you're backing from the right. Take your trailer to a large open area where you can practice and before long you'll be showing off at the campground.

I hope this information is helpful to those of you that have experienced problems backing a trailer.

I received an email from an RVer questioning the need for a supplemental brake system on the vehicle they tow behind their RV. I responded to the email by stating that in most cases it's the law that requires brakes on the towed vehicle or trailer, but the most important reason is for your safety and the safety of others.

Most U.S. States and Canadian Provinces have their own laws on the requirement for brakes on a towed trailer. The word trailer also applies to avehicle being towed behind a motor home. These laws are normally based on the amount of weight being towed. Not only is it illegal to exceed any weight limits without brakes, but your insurance company may not cover you in the event of an accident involving a trailer with no braking system. Again, the most important reason is for your safety and the safety of others. For a complete list of braking laws for the U.S. and Canada go here.

The brakes on a tow vehicle or motor home are designed by the vehicle manufacturer to stop the weight of that particular vehicle, not the additional weight being towed behind it. This additional weight adds a substantial increase to the distance required to stop safely.

Travel trailers and 5th wheels come equipped with electric brakes and RV dealers educate the RV consumer on the requirements for adding an electronic brake control to the tow vehicle. Some Pop-ups are ordered with brakes and some without. Again, this is often times based on the braking laws for the state you live in. My advice is if you're going to purchase a pop-up get one that has brakes.

The real culprit for disregarding braking laws is a motor home towing a vehicle behind it. Most people assume that because of the size of the motor home there is no need for a supplemental brake system on the towed vehicle and many RV dealers fail to communicate the requirement for a supplemental braking system.

Tests performed on a flat stretch of dry pavement have shown that an unhitched motor home traveling at a speed of 50 mph needed an average of 132 feet of braking distance to reach a complete stop. Under the same speed and surface conditions, but with the added weight of a small car in tow, the stopping distance of the motor home expands to an average of 209 feet. A significant distance! In an identical test performed using the Roadmaster BrakeMaster™, the coach and towed car averaged a stopping distance of 137 feet. That's a mere 5 feet more than the unhitched stopping average.

I for one was guilty of towing a vehicle without a braking system for quite some time. A close call, while driving through a major city during rush hour, suddenly educated me on how important it is. Another thing that surprises people is how much the vehicle they're towing actually weighs. Take your towed vehicle to a set of scales and have it weighed. Make sure it has everything in it that will be in it when you are towing it. After you weigh it double check to make sure the Receiver on the motor home is rated to tow that amount of weight and that you aren't exceeding any of the motor home weight ratings like the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). The GCWR is the maximum permissible weight of the fully loaded motor home and the fully loaded towed vehicle combined. Most RV chassis manufacturers base their GCWR on the assumption that a supplemental brake system is being used.

There are many different types of supplemental braking systems available on the market today. These types include surge, hydraulic, air and vacuum. Some are simple and some are more complex. Regardless of the brake system that best suits your individual needs the important thing is that you have one. There are many reasons to have a braking system on your towed vehicle.

1.- It's the law
2.- It can void your vehicle warranty
3.- It can void your insurance
4.- It will reduce wear and tear on RV brakes and other components
5.- Liability

But, most importantly it SAFELY reduces the stopping distance and helps to protect you, your loved ones and the safety of others.

Yaw, more commonly known as Sway in the RV industry, is a bad word for trailer owners. The definition of yaw or sway is a side-to-side movement. Nothing will ruin the way you feel about camping faster than the first time you experience trailer sway.

You have tent camped for years and now you decide it's time to move up to a pop-up. You go to your local dealership and find a pop-up with the perfect floor plan for you and your family. The sales person knows that it will be close to the maximum weight that your vehicle can tow. He really needs a sale because things have been slow. Rather than risk losing the sale he decides not to explain the added expense of the proper hitch work to safely tow your new trailer.

You're all packed up for a weekend getaway. You made all of your pre-trip checks and you're ready to go. You load the most precious cargo you have, your family, into your tow vehicle and head out on a new venture. Everything is fine when you leave the house. You take the on ramp to the interstate. You're cruising at the speed limit enjoying the music on the radio. Suddenly out of nowhere a transfer truck going twenty miles over the speed limit is passing you as if you're sitting still. The pop-up is pulled into the draft created by the truck. In an attempt to correct this totally unexpected event you over steer and the trailer begins to go the opposite direction. Not really sure what to do you hit the brakes and turn the steering wheel to the left, then to the right. Now, that one-ton trailer behind your sport utility vehicle is veering sharply from side to side and begins to affect what little control you have over the vehicle. The results are catastrophic.

Ok, since this is just an article, let's start over and fix this before you even realize there is a potential problem. You purchased your pop-up from a reputable local RV dealership. At the risk of losing the sale your sales person explains that you will require some specialized hitch work to pull your new trailer safely. You are a bit skeptical, feeling like they just want more of your money. Besides, your father never needed any of this stuff. He just hooked the trailer unto the ball and went.

You decide to give the sales person the benefit of doubt and listen for a minute. He shows you in his book that your tow vehicle is rated to tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds. Then he explains what you must factor in to that tow rating. It includes the weight of your new camper, any after market accessories, like the roof mounted air conditioner and battery the dealership is going to install, all of the cargo and personal belongings that you load in the trailer and in the tow vehicle, and the weight of the passengers in the vehicle. Now all of the sudden the sales person has your undivided attention. You had no idea that all of this had to be considered.

He shows you the weight label on your new trailer. The unloaded vehicle weight (UVW) is 2,100 pounds. The air conditioner weighs 100 pounds and the deep cycle battery weighs 50 pounds. To be safe he estimates that you will carry about 300 pounds of cargo, and then adds another 300 pounds for your wife and two children. You are amazed how fast things add up. Now you have 2,850 pounds instead of the 2100 pounds that you thought it was. It isn't over yet. Your sales person starts to explain that every state has different requirements on how much a trailer can weigh before it requires trailer brakes. In your state the weight is 3,000 lbs., but your dealership has brakes installed on any trailer they order that weighs over 2,000 pounds. He explains that even though your vehicle is rated to tow 3,500 pounds the brakes on the vehicle were designed to safely stop the vehicles weight, not an additional ton and a half being pulled behind it. He takes you to the parts department and shows you a brake controller and explains that this is what activates the trailer brakes and the dealership will install it when they do the wiring for the trailer lights. You like the features that he explained about the brake controller. The fact that you can manually adjust the amount of braking action so that when you hit the brake pedal the tow vehicle and the trailer work together to stop the weight in a reasonable amount of time. What you really like is the part he explained about the manual override lever that activates the trailer brakes without using the vehicle brakes. He said if you're on a steep grade and you don't want to prematurely wear out the vehicle brakes you slowly slide the lever and the trailer brakes will slow you down. But what really sold you on it was when he explained that if the trailer starts to sway you could gently move the lever, activating the trailer brakes, to help straighten the trailer out. He went on to explain that trailer sway is one of the biggest potential problems that you can encounter while towing a trailer. He points out some of the factors that contribute to trailer sway.

  • Incorrect tire inflation
  • Improper weight distribution hitch adjustments
  • No Sway Control on the trailer
  • Crosswinds
  • A transfer truck passing from the rear of the trailer
  • Descending inclines
  • Towing speeds
  • Tow vehicle not properly matched for the trailer
  • Improper loading, overloading and poor weight distribution
  • First and foremost poor trailer design contributes to trailer sway. When there is too much weight behind the trailers axles causing the tongue weight to be less than 10% of the trailers weight it has a natural tendency to sway.

He took the time to explain that for the trailer to pull properly the manufacturer recommends that the tongue weight resting on the ball mount should be 10 to 15% of the total trailer weight. He said if it is more than 15% they have what is called a weight distribution hitch that takes the additional tongue weight and distributes it to the axles on the tow vehicle and the trailer where it should be, and if it is less than 10% when you load your cargo you distribute it to add some additional weight on the tongue. He looked up the pop-up you were buying in the brochure and the tongue weight was 305 pounds. With the air conditioner installed and your cargo loaded you would be between the 10 to 15% range. He explained that a weight distribution hitch was more commonly used with heavier trailers and in some cases with pop-ups depending on the tow vehicle, but in this case it would not be required.

The next thing he asked was if your vehicle had a Receiver. You reply, do you mean a hitch? He explains that the part that is bolted to the vehicle is called a receiver, and he shows you a chart that has several different classes of receivers depending on the amount of weight you will be towing. The class II receiver was rated for 3,500 lb. gross trailer weight and 300 lb. max tongue weight. For a small difference in price he recommended a class III receiver rated for 5,000 lb. gross trailer weight and 500 lb. max tongue weight since your trailers tongue weight exceeded 300 lbs.

With that done he said let me show you the one component that our dealership strongly recommends to anyone purchasing a pop-up. He walked over and picked up a part from the shelf. This is called a friction sway control. We mount one end of it to the ball mount and the other end to the tongue on the camper. You adjust the amount of friction by turning the lever clockwise for more friction and counter clockwise for less friction. He explained that you turn it in 1/8” increments until you get it adjusted where you feel comfortable. This will not totally eliminate sway, but once the forces of sway are in motion it will dampen the sway and help you control it when you're towing your camper.

Well, he said, that about does it. For less than 10% of the price of the pop-up you can get all of the hitch work done and ensure that your family is safe when you go on a trip. At this point you're convinced that the sales person has your best interest in mind and was not just trying to make more money.

You're all packed up for the first weekend getaway with your new pop-up. You make all of the pre-trip checks that the dealership explained to you and you're ready to go. You load the most precious cargo you have, your family, into your vehicle and head out on a new venture. You take the on ramp to the interstate. You're cruising at the speed limit enjoying the music on the radio. Suddenly out of nowhere a transfer truck going twenty miles over the speed limit passes you as if I you're sitting still. You feel a slight movement behind you. It was just enough to remind you that you're pulling the pop-up. You look at you're watch and tell the family that you should be at the campground in a couple of hours.

Knowing how to react when a trailer begins to sway can be the difference between your safety and disaster. To learn more about controlling trailer sway check out my “Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitch Work & Backing DVD” and e-book. Video Details

Super Glide for sale in Mid-State RV, Byron, Georgia

SuperGlide is the only true solution for safe fifth wheel towing with short bed trucks. SuperGlide automatically moves the trailer away from the cab while making turns - allowing up to 90° turning without stopping, slowing down or even thinking about the space between the truck & trailer - and then automatically returns the hitch and trailer to the safe towing position over the truck axle when the turn is completed.

Until the introduction of the SuperGlide with the patented CamGlide feature, what options were there for people with short bed trucks? Not turn tight corners while towing your trailer? Install the hitch improperly... too far back in the truck bed to distribute the load correctly?

Buy a hitch that can be repositioned but forces you to throw levers. Set the trailer brakes, pull pins, move forward, insert pins, and then turn - and the probability that sometime, somehow either a turn will be made without remembering to go through that process - or an unintentional turn will be made during an emergency or a jack knife situation, and damage to the vehicles or worse will result?

These aren’t really answers and they don’t address your needs. The SuperGlide isn’t for everyone, but if you want to tow a 5th wheel trailer with a short bed pickup, the SuperGlide is the answer!

The PullRite SuperGlide is the solution! It allows a fifth wheel hitch to be installed properly and automatically adjusts the spacing between the trailer and the pickup cab during turns, without requiring the driver to do anything other than drive.

All SuperGlide models are available with the removable base rail type installation pioneered by PullRite. Unique SuperGlide mounting system allows hitch and mounting posts to be easily removed with no tools - when done towing, simply remove the hitch and rails, twist the heavy duty mounting posts ¼ turn and lift them out. A smooth, clean truck bed - with no need to carve chunks out of bed mats and liners.