Need some advice

Hello all. I hope you can help. I found this site via google. My wife and I are looking to buy a pop up camper. We found a Palomino mustang that we're really interested in. The problem I'm having is tring to figure out how to rig the Exploper for safe towing. I have a '95 xlt 4x4 4 door with auto trans. and a rar 3.73 and it has 102,000 miles on it. It's treated us great for the past 10 yrs that we owned it.
The trailer has the following weight ratings 289 hitch weight--total weight of 2673 and a gvwr of 3615. I was thinking of using a weight distrubution hitch with a friction sway control. Should I install a trans mission cooler? What else should I look into ? I want to make it safe as possible for taking my family camping. I've trailered boats before,{not with this vehicle}but nothing for great distances like we plan to with the camper.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

If the trailer is balanced correctly, you shouldn't need a weight distribution hitch for that light of a trailer. A friction sway control may help, but I'd try it without it first.

A trans cooler and frame hitch are a must for that trailer with your truck.

 

[BlackTalon]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[rizzjc]

Hmm, I am picking up a camper tomorrow. It's a hard-side, but only about 2000 lb., and I was thinking about getting a WD hitch. What I've read from owner's of similar campers, the opinions are about 50-50 for and against. You think it's a waste, and maybe I should just get the sway control?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I would try it without first- the tongue weight should be about right for that camper. One that light may not even need a sway control- the friction type work OK, but can be a pain. I'd tow it a little ways and see how it goes before I bought any extra stuff. WD setups are expensive $500+

 

[rizzjc]

Found one on Craigslist for $200. It's a Curt hitch, sold at Agri-supply, with a Reese sway controller.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

$200 for a full WD setup is pretty cheap, but if your trailer is only 2k you shouldn't need it.

 

[rizzjc]

I think I'll take your advice and wait, and spend the money on the brake controller.

 

[gijoecam]

It's highly unlikely you'll need a sway control on a 2000 lb trailer, unless it's loaded waaaay improperly. If it's extremely tongue-heavy, you'll know it. You'll want about 175-200 lbs on the trailer hitch, so if you can pick it up easily, it's too light, and it you can't even come close, it's too heavy.

As for the original post, you should be well within the vehicle's capabilities. 300 lbs worth of hitch weight isn't bad at all... My boat had that, but I was pulling it with my Sport (with the mono-leaf rear springs). As long as you don't overload the truck, you'll be fine, You might want to consider a sway control, although you probably won't need it. The wheelbase of both rigs should be long enough that you don't have any problems. I borrowed a friend's pop-up once a few years back, and it worked OK, but it was extremely tongue-heavy and tended to push me around on the freeway a bit.

-Joe

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I pulled a 12' box Coleman Popup a while back- the axle was too close: it had virtually no tongue weight. It was perfectly balanced, I could lift it with one finger- literally. It swayed and twisted constantly above 50 mph. I sold it because I hated pulling it so much.

 

[rizzjc]

Well, I was on the highway about 20 seconds before I realized I wanted the WD hitch and sway control. I do need to flip my hitch to get 1-1.5 inches of rise, instead of the drop I have now. That should help. The braking was no problem, but this 16 foot camper is a LOT different to tow than my 17 foot boat! Didn't help that the first time towing it was in the rain, on the highway, with some gusts.