TrailManor Owner's Forum  

Go Back   TrailManor Owner's Forum > TrailManor Technical Discussions > Towing and Hitching
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-08-2005, 10:28 AM   #1
Speckul8r
TrailManor Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 340
Question Single Bar WDH

Anyone know anything about these WDH's?? Max tongue wt/ is 400#'s and max trailer wt is 4000#'s. The single mount, centerbar lift system looks pretty convenient.
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/me...tegory_Code=WD

We're thinking of outfitting the wife's '01 Jimmy to tow the TM. Sometimes there will be 3 adults and 2 kids and it would be nice to take only 1 vehicle. Jimmy has a max tow rating of 5300#'s. V6, 4X4, tow package. The TM site says the Jimmy has only a 3500# tow rating but that's not what the owners manual says. Could they have switched the 3 and the 5??
__________________
2006 TM2720 w/Lift and 15" Maxxis 225 75R15 E Tires
2004 GMC Sierra 4X4 w/Prodigy
2014 Durango 3.6L AWD w/Equal-i-zer Hitch & Prodigy
Speckul8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2005, 11:13 AM   #2
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

Speckul8r -

That hitch is too light. There is just no margin in the overall capacity, and you will exceed the tongue weight. A fully-loaded 2720 (and with 5 people, you WILL fully load it) will run about 3500 pounds, and the tongue weight will be about 500 pounds. You should probably have a hitch rated at least 750/7500 pounds, although some folks report getting along OK with 600/6000.

Re the Jimmy's tow rating. I would trust the owner's manual, or go to the GMC web site and cross check. Remember, there is no single correct number for a given model vehicle. TM may be using the number for the bare-bones 4-cylinder 4X2 Jimmy, and 3500 pounds sounds about right. If you bought your Jimmy with a different engine or transmission, or with a factory-installed tow package, the number will be different. It sounds like this is what you have.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2005, 11:40 AM   #3
Speckul8r
TrailManor Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 340
Default

Was afraid it was on the lite side. Thanks. Will have to get out the old scale and figure out the tongue weight the next time I have the TM uncovered.
__________________
2006 TM2720 w/Lift and 15" Maxxis 225 75R15 E Tires
2004 GMC Sierra 4X4 w/Prodigy
2014 Durango 3.6L AWD w/Equal-i-zer Hitch & Prodigy
Speckul8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2005, 11:42 AM   #4
Freedom
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Bill is right! We tried towing with a lighter WD hitch and we got a lot of bounce - not only that, the single bar on most of those hitches goes down the middle and the tongue jack would be in the way. If the bar goes down one side, it puts a lot of strain on one side of the tongue. We gave up the light WD hitch and got a 750 lb at U-Haul for $250 and it's great. We tow with a 2000 GMC Jimmy, which is identical to yours if you have the tow package. We have towed our 2619 and loaded with 4 people over passes in Colorado and didn't get below 52 MPH. Make sure you push the "Tow/ Haul" button or you will overheat your torque converter. It's a pain to have to remember to push that button every time you turn off the ignition, but it's better than replacing the transmission! I put the sticky part of a sticky note on the tachometer to remind me to push the tow button. Even in Colorado we still averaged 14.1 mpg with the 4.3L Vortec engine. Your 2720 is a little heavier than our 2619, but you can help matters by not filling the water tank and heater. We did have water in the tank because New Mexico water doesn't always agree with my DW's digestive system! That's about 200 lbs you wouldn't have to take along.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2005, 10:10 AM   #5
Speckul8r
TrailManor Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 340
Default

Thanks, Jim. Good to know. Will check at a U-haul place and the local hitch group.
__________________
2006 TM2720 w/Lift and 15" Maxxis 225 75R15 E Tires
2004 GMC Sierra 4X4 w/Prodigy
2014 Durango 3.6L AWD w/Equal-i-zer Hitch & Prodigy
Speckul8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2005, 02:16 PM   #6
fcatwo
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Anacortes. Wa
Posts: 396
Default

We used a single-arm 400/4000 with our lightly loaded 2619 for three yrs with a minivan and it did OK. We moved to a 600/6000 shortly after getting the pickup however because we were loading heavier. Our 2619 tongue weight while sitting in the garage sans food, etc was 309lbs so we were within specs - although barely so. Don't forget the WDH itself adds 50-75lbs to whatever is there otherwise. My guess is that WDH manufacturers use very loose standards and I would bet that spring bars with the same rating will vary 10% or more if tested. Maybe someone will crank theirs up and prove me wrong. Going one weight class over your actual tongue weight should be OK and we have at least two people who are two over and have reported no problems except possibly a couple of ruined front TV tires.
__________________
Frank
Former 2002 TM2619 Owner
2005 Toyota Tundra AC 4X2
fcatwo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2005, 11:03 PM   #7
PopBeavers
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
Speckul8r -

That hitch is too light. There is just no margin in the overall capacity, and you will exceed the tongue weight. A fully-loaded 2720 (and with 5 people, you WILL fully load it) will run about 3500 pounds, and the tongue weight will be about 500 pounds. You should probably have a hitch rated at least 750/7500 pounds, although some folks report getting along OK with 600/6000.

Bill
I weighed my 2005 2720 this summer when it was fully loaded.

I did not weigh the tongue. But I know that the weight on the TM axle was 3380. As I recall the design limit is 3500 on the axle. If my recollection is correct then it means that if I were to add a WD hitch and if I adjusted it to push on the TM axle more than 120 pounds then I would have to remove some cargo.

We put 3100 miles on this first year. I do not have a WD hitch and see no need for one. However, my TV is above average in size. I have never experienced sway or bounce (except when my TV tires were under inflated).
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2005, 07:58 AM   #8
Speckul8r
TrailManor Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 340
Default

Bill, I checked on the GM web site and the owners manual. Both state the towing weigh for the least equipped Jimmy to be 4200# and as ours, as it is equipped, at 5300#'s. I don't know where TM got their 3500# figure. So the moral of the story is, Check out your vehicle towing capacities for yourself!

Pop, I certainly agree that a REAL tow vehicle, like your Silvarado and my Sierra, are the best way to go. But the TM was designed for use with the smaller SUV's and to make them tow properly, and safely, a WDH is mandatory. IMO

You have a crew cab which is great. I have a standard cab. If I take the wife, daughter and the 2 grandkids, it makes sense for me to outfit the Jimmy and only take 1 vehicle. If the son-in-law decides to come, very remote possibility between work and desire, I'll have to revert to the 2 vehicle tactic. Believe me, if I had know when I bought the Sierra that we were going to do the TM, I'd have bought a crew cab.
__________________
2006 TM2720 w/Lift and 15" Maxxis 225 75R15 E Tires
2004 GMC Sierra 4X4 w/Prodigy
2014 Durango 3.6L AWD w/Equal-i-zer Hitch & Prodigy
Speckul8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2005, 09:46 AM   #9
BobRederick
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Spekul8r
When we take 2 vehicles, we use the family radio band radios. Then, it is more like you are all in the same car, at least from a social standpoint. It is a lot of fun and the miles fly bye.
  Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2005, 10:04 AM   #10
Speckul8r
TrailManor Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 340
Default

Bob, we do the same. If Miss Pokey Pants (Nanny) driving the other car can keep up!! The walkie talkies we use have a short 3 mile range. My 8 yr old grand daughter likes to ride with me in the "BIG" truck. But she still likes to know where her Mom is!
__________________
2006 TM2720 w/Lift and 15" Maxxis 225 75R15 E Tires
2004 GMC Sierra 4X4 w/Prodigy
2014 Durango 3.6L AWD w/Equal-i-zer Hitch & Prodigy
Speckul8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 2022 Trailmanor Owners Page.