Trailer Shopping

**pajeff02** · 04-19-2011, 05:37 PM

My manual covers both 2007 Tahoe and Suburban models. Here are the max trailer weight ratings for the "extended" trucks:

K1500 (4WD) with 3.73 rear axle - 7,000 lbs. With 4.10 rear axle - 8,000 lbs.

K2500 (4WD) with 3.73 rear axle - 7,500 lbs. With 4.10 rear axle - 9,500 lbs.

**RJWZ28** · 04-19-2011, 10:57 PM

Yeah, just doublechecked mine at 10,400 pounds. That's with 3.73s and 4x4. 2wd NHT trucks are rated at 10,700. With 4.10s they might bump it up to nearly 11,500 or 12,000 pounds, but that isn't an option on the Silverado 1500.

**pajeff02** · 04-23-2011, 04:32 PM

Just ordered all my hitch stuff -- needed a "pole tongue adapter" for the weight distribution hitch, a drop shank and a heavier duty ball than what I have. Damn near $700, but at least I have it now so I can safely pull a fully loaded trailer.

On Thursday, I stopped in at the manufacturer's and it looks like the trailer is going to be built this week. I added the floor covering option to it after shopping around the internet. I just could not find anything else I really liked. I need to pick up some straps now and I should be all set.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-23-2011, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Just ordered all my hitch stuff -- needed a "pole tongue adapter" for the weight distribution hitch, a drop shank and a heavier duty ball than what I have. Damn near $700, but at least I have it now so I can safely pull a fully loaded trailer.

On Thursday, I stopped in at the manufacturer's and it looks like the trailer is going to be built this week. I added the floor covering option to it after shopping around the internet. I just could not find anything else I really liked. I need to pick up some straps now and I should be all set.

Sounds good. I knew there was something special about the weight distribution for those V-nose setups. I just couldn't remember the last time I saw one. You'll be glad you did it though. Towing with and without is just a night and day difference.

I never found any floor covering I was completely happy with either. I went with the checker board, and I think I showed you. It's more like lenolium (however you spell that)

Spills wipe up easy, but it's kind of whimpy if something sharp hits it. I generally lay a piece of 8'x8' carpet down up front though when we hang inside. Better for wet feet so I don't slip and bust my,,,,well,,,you know.

**pajeff02** · 05-01-2011, 05:56 PM

Received a call from the manufacturer on Thursday letting me know our trailer would be finished on Friday. They shipped it to their local distributor where they have to do the final prep and paperwork before I pick it up sometime this week. We stopped on our way home tonight to check it out:

I picked up a bunch of accessories for it at the car show this weekend. Really excited about having the ability to haul our cars without having to borrow someone else's rig. The hitch and other components also showed up at my office on Friday, so I should be all set to tow it fully loaded.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-01-2011, 06:40 PM

Nice trailer

**Firebirdjones** · 05-01-2011, 07:18 PM

That should work out nice for ya Jeff. You'll love having a garage on wheels.

**pajeff02** · 05-02-2011, 03:02 AM

Thanks guys. We used to have an open trailer back in the mid-90's when my brother raced that he ended up selling. Other than that, I have never had anything to haul a car with.

Recommendations for a winch setup?

**Firebirdjones** · 05-02-2011, 09:12 AM

Lots of ways to go on winches.

You can perminantly mount one inside. Run a seperate battery or run battery cables the length of your truck, use a bulkhead connector and plug into that when you need it for a cleaner installation.

I use a temporary winch. I have a hole in the floor way up front, and I use a 2" square receiver (like a hitch on a truck) that is mounted under the trailer to the frame work and sticks up through the floor slightly. I then have my winch mounted on a plate with a 2" square solid section (again like a hitch) that slides into the floor mounted receiver and a receiver pin to hold it in place.
So I just pull it out and stick it in the floor when I need it. That way it's not always there tripping over it when it's not used. I can also have my hitch sticking up higher this way so when I'm winching a car in,,,the cable isn't dragging the floor as the car comes up the ramp. Keeps from tearing my flooring up that way. I may some day decide to mount it more perminantly if I figure a better solution. Just not priority right now.

Your V-nose would be perfect to perminately mount the winch all the way up front since that's not an area you would be walking around per say.

**pajeff02** · 05-02-2011, 12:11 PM

The portable mount idea sounds neat... I'll have to consider that. I had the manufacturer include a winch mounting plate in the nose framework.

**Firebirdjones** · 05-02-2011, 03:26 PM

Oh, well then it sounds like you're all set for it then.

I made my own frame work under the trailer between the existing frame rails and just welded it all in, and poked it up through the floor where I wanted it.

I have my truck wired to the battery so I can plug in the winch out at the truck receiver. That's how I had my open trailer. Then I just wired in battery cables from the winch, under the trailer up to the hitch, so it simply just plugs in and runs off the truck battery.

Unfortunately when I bought the enclosed, I never did finish wiring the trailer portion of the battery cables, so when I need the winch I have to swipe a battery out of another car and jump the winch from inside the trailer.

One of these days I'll get off my rump and wire the darn trailer and make life easier for me,,,lol. It worked pretty slick on my open trailer.

**pajeff02** · 05-02-2011, 04:28 PM

What sort of connector did you use between the truck and trailer for the winch wiring?

**Firebirdjones** · 05-02-2011, 06:45 PM

I use these quick disconnects and buy a spool of battery cable and make them to the length I need. Hope this works and helps, I'm not good at linking things.

http://www.walcottcb.com/dc4-gauge-p...nect-p-73.html

**Firebirdjones** · 05-02-2011, 06:49 PM

Okay I posted and checked,,,,it works. This will give you an idea of what I did. My plugs are red. I hid it up behind the truck bumper near the plug for the trailer. Then hide a length of it under the front of the trailer. Just plug it in when you need it.

**0rion** · 05-02-2011, 08:07 PM

that's a nice trailer Jeff.......I'd make one helluva party trailer out of that

**pajeff02** · 05-03-2011, 03:11 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I use these quick disconnects and buy a spool of battery cable and make them to the length I need. Hope this works and helps, I'm not good at linking things.

http://www.walcottcb.com/dc4-gauge-p...nect-p-73.html

Those look like they would work just fine. I couldn't get more information from the link -- is there a set screw or something that retains the wire in the connector?

Originally Posted by 0rion

that's a nice trailer Jeff.......I'd make one helluva party trailer out of that

Thanks! Hadn't thought of that, but it certainly would with the amount of space inside.

**Firebirdjones** · 05-03-2011, 06:30 AM

Yes mine screw together. I also have a weather pack cap on the end of mine to cover them up when not in use.

Those aren't the exact ones I have that I linked you to, but I was trying to give you an idea. I suck at searching.

**pajeff02** · 05-08-2011, 05:48 PM

We were finally able to pick up the trailer this weekend. We stopped Saturday morning and took care of all the paperwork. The dealership let us leave the trailer on their lot until this afternoon as we were heading south for the weekend. This allowed us to simply swing through on the ride home to get it. The hitch setup worked out fine. I needed to drop down quite a bit from the back of the Suburban to ensure a level trailer. The ball mount is in the lowest set of holes in the pic. I didn't bother with the pole tongue adapter and weight distribution bars as the trailer was empty. It towed real well and the Prodigy P2 seemed to work great. I'll have to fine tune it with a load on though. Definitely drank some fuel pulling the hills on the ride home... and it'll only get worse with another 3,600 lbs tacked on.

**pajeff02** · 05-08-2011, 05:49 PM

Forgot to mention that I need to order the mirror extensions -- can't see a darn thing except the front of the trailer.

**Firebirdjones** · 05-08-2011, 06:08 PM

You probably know this but you'll have to level the trailer and move the ball up or down while the trailer is fully loaded with your car positioned inside exactly where you want it to ride, then install the load level or weight distribution bars. Once you snap those into place it will actually raise the back of your burb and make that sit level, which also in turn raises the front of the trailer.
Then you can determine which way to move the ball, if any at all.

Looks sweet though, get a load in that thing and see how it rides.