Hitch/towing system for truck

[Nikkira]

We recently purchased a 2006 3023 and we don't actually have a tow vehicle set up for it yet. The seller put it in our garage.

We have a large 3/4 ton truck, but no hitch or towing system. What size is the hitch ball for this trailer? What type of trailering brake system do we need?

Thanks!

[Padgett]

Probably a class 3 receiver with a 2" ball. Top of ball 20" off ground. The TM uses a Bargman 7 pin connector and electric brakes. I use a Prodigy controller.

That should be available for a 3/4 ton truck.

[Bill]

Nikkira -

With a 3/4 ton truck, you may not need a weight-distributing hitch. You'll determine that when you first hitch up. But you do need a Class III or III//IV or IV hitch receiver. That is the big steel part with the 2-inch square opening, and it is mounted to the truck's frame (bolted or welded). I don't know what kind of truck you have, but I'm never quite comfortable with a bumper-mounted hitch. You can expect the tongue weight or your 3023 to come in around 500 pounds, which is the limit for many bumper hitches.

You will probably need a drop hitch to insert into the receiver (a drop hitch is a solid bar with a bend in it) in order to get the ball at the right height. You won't know how much drop you need until you back the truck with its new receiver up against the coupler on your level TM. The hitch ball has a 2" diameter, and in the 2006 era, the top of the ball is commonly 19 or 20 inches off the ground.

Your truck must have a 7-pin electrical socket near the hitch. This is not a 4-pin or 5-pin or 6-pin with an adapter, so don't let anyone talk you into that. BTW, this electrical socket, and the plug on the TM that plugs into it, is often referred to as a Bargman, since Bargman Inc is the most common manufacturer - though not the only one.

You will need a brake controller in the cab. Many of us recommend a Prodigy or Prodigy P2 from Tekonsha - not because it is the Absolute Best Gold Standard, but because it is a really nice controller and a lot of people use it, so there is a lot of experience to draw from. Whoever installs your hitch receiver will most likely install your brake controller, and in particular will need to run a wire from the controller back to the Bargman. They will also connect a wire from the backup lights into the Bargman. This is standard stuff for hitch guys, so don't be concerned about it. Just make sure it gets done.

When you choose a brake controller, the most important thing is to make sure that the description uses the word Inertial or Proportional or Accelerometer. It must NOT be described as Time-based or Time Delay.

Finally, I would suggest that you go to the very first forum on this board, titled Trail Manor Information You Won't Find Anywhere Else. This is a collection of information about the usage of the Trailmanor and its systems. Scroll down through the list of articles and tutorials, find the ones on Towing, Brakes, Hitches, Weight Distribution, and so forth, and read through them. Lots of good info there.

Welcome aboard! You'll love it.

Bill

If your truck did not come with a hitch I would recommend you install a transmission oil cooler. Not terribly expensive, maybe $200 installed. This will help protect your transmission as overheated transmission fluid will not lubricate properly and a transmission rebuild is in the thousands. Additionally, your transmission fluid and oil will have to be changed on the rough or severe duty interval if you tow more than a few hundred miles a year.

[ChefLamont]

I may have read the original post wrong, and if I did, I apologize. It sounds like you have done little to no towing before. If that is the case, I would strongly recommend finding a friend that has towed (bigger) trailers. Buy them lunch and have them spend a couple of hours with you going over the hitch, the brake system, and basic towing tips. If you can get the equipment mentioned above installed, have them give you the run-through on YOUR unit. Even go out for a little proving drive.

It is one of those things that a few hours of hands-on "mentoring" is worth weeks of reading books and youtube videos or whatever.


Just my 2 cents.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by RogerR

If your truck did not come with a hitch I would recommend you install a transmission oil cooler. Not terribly expensive, maybe $200 installed. This will help protect your transmission as overheated transmission fluid will not lubricate properly and a transmission rebuild is in the thousands. Additionally, your transmission fluid and oil will have to be changed on the rough or severe duty interval if you tow more than a few hundred miles a year.

Yes!!! Get the biggest and baddest trany cooler you can wedge in between the grill and the radiator and if you can swing it, a bigger trany pan also! You will want to keep that fluid as cool as possible. Having a bigger pan and a really big cooler also increases the fluid capacity which helps tremendously in making the fluid retain it's viscosity.

Now one thing that was not mentioned is your battery charging system. That 7 pin Bargman has two poles (or pins or connectors...one + and one - ) that are made to carry a 12 volt current back to the trailer. This (and correct me Mr. Bill if I'm wrong) 12 volt current is what makes the brakes work on your trailer, but not only that, it can charge the battery on your trailer while you're driving. So when you have the wiring done to hook up your trailer hitch wires, make sure they also run at least a AWG #10 positive wire (the lager the better...and here again, anyone, correct me on this, because I am NOT the expert) back to that 12 volt pin in your Bargman plug receptacle. Make sure that it also has a very good ground (negative) wire as well.

Now one more thing you might consider when you have these 12 volt wires hooked up (and a lot of the time they just hook it directly to your tow vehicle's battery) and will be going to your trailers battery, is to have a battery isolator. What this does is it disconnects your tow vehicle's battery from your trailer's battery when you turn the key off on your tow vehicle. You might ask...Why? Well I'll tell you. Say you stop to have a bite to eat or to see an attraction or for any reason where you won't be using your tow vehicle for some time, and it just sits there. If the battery in your trailer is pretty much drained, it will suck the power right out of your tow vehicle's battery in an effort to charge itself up. Then when you go to start the tow vehicle up, the battery is dead and won't start the engine. So to avoid this and hearing it from the "Management", you might look into a battery isolator that is only "on" when you tow vehicle's ignition switch is turned on.

As for getting the drop hitch, they do make ones that are adjustable so you can get the correct height without the guess work...however they cost a bit more.

Finally a little tip I was taught by a good friend marine mechanic who deals with trailers all day long. This has to do with backing up a trailer. The rule is this: Whatever direction you wish the trailer to go, turn the BOTTOM of the steering wheel in that direction...so if you want the rear end of your trailer to go to the right (or curbside), you would turn the BOTTOM of your steering wheel to the right (in actuality your turning the whole steering wheel to the left). Hope that's understandable.

Oh and one more thing...Welcome to the Trailmanor Owners Forum....the best $12 you will ever spend.

Hope this all helped...
Tom

ps...just FOR FUN ...let me "PUSH" my website here where I do NOT sell anything, but only share ideas FREELY with anyone that wants to take the time to look...it's:

http:/www.trickmytrailmano.com

[tentcamper]

On a level surface, level off the camper fwd/aft using the tongue jack. Place a level on the frame or bottom of the frame, then measure the height to top of the ball coupler. That is about the height you need to the top of the ball on you ball mount. When connected and the truck drops, you want it level or trailer tongue down by no more then one inch. The tongue should never be higher then level.

I would expect with a 3/4 ton you will have a little less then an inch drop.

Also, with that 3/4 ton you should be fine with the factory trans cooler for these campers.

But do get a brake controller installed. When you get the 7 pin connector installed make sure you get the backup lights and the battery charge pin connected.

[Padgett]

OK back in the last millennia I had a big tranny cooler on my station wagon with a THM 400 and it needed it hauling race cars around. My Jeep has one from the factory but have never seen it over about 180F (have a readout). The difference: lockup. When locked, the heat generated drops way off unless you lug on hills with too high a gear.

On hills I drop down a few and reduce the throttle opening so it can stay locked and then the drag is more like a manual trans and it stays cool.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by Padgett

OK back in the last millennia I had a big tranny cooler on my station wagon with a THM 400 and it needed it hauling race cars around. My Jeep has one from the factory but have never seen it over about 180F (have a readout). The difference: lockup. When locked, the heat generated drops way off unless you lug on hills with too high a gear.

On hills I drop down a few and reduce the throttle opening so it can stay locked and then the drag is more like a manual trans and it stays cool.

Padgett... how many times have you crossed the Rockies or the Sierra Nevada's pulling your TM with that Jeep. Did your trans run at 180° at the crest? Just curious my friend.
I put the biggest and baddest cooler on my Chevy Truck and when I crossed both ranges it got up to 197° tops, and that was at the top! Normally it runs around 130° or less, when it use to run at 175°+ around town on a "normal" day here in Texas. I hink I did the right thing and my trany thanks me every day too!
Tom

[Padgett]

No, am pretty much a right coaster but have crossed the pass at Monteagle on a hot July day with a 22 foot car trailer and an A-body onnit and coolant never broke 200F.

Have always been a believer in running cars cooler than stock. Prefer a 180F on a computer car and reset the fans to be all in by 190F.