Hitch system for 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck (GMC)

[dcasr]

My 2016 GMC Crewcab 2500HD 4wd does have plenty of weight on the front tires, and the steering is set up to handle really well as it sits. I still use a WD hitch because I carry a full standard bed of the pickup with lawn chairs, generator, etc. etc. and when I drop the coupler onto the ball the ball does drop maybe 1.5-2 inches, not much. But it does off load the front axle slightly, and even though the diesel weight is plenty heavy, the geometry changes slightly and I like the WD hitch to put most of that weight back on the front tires. Personal preference.

My GMC Duramax has the "sway control" feature too, but I use a friction bar as well. For one thing, frequent side to side automatic sway braking does use up the brakes on the trailer faster than if they aren't needed. I'm happy to have that feature though. I have experienced bad sway pulling with my 1999 2500 Suburban--it was sensitive to how I packed the weight in the cargo area--so I prefer to over protect against sway. And now we just don't have any and are much happier.

[NCMEDIC]

We pull a 27FB with a Ram 3500 dually and a Hensley. Yeah, I kind of subscribe to the "you can't have too much truck" school of thought. LOL

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by NCMEDIC

We pull a 27FB with a Ram 3500 dually and a Hensley. Yeah, I kind of subscribe to the "you can't have too much truck" school of thought. LOL

Or too much hitch!

[USAtraveler]

Originally Posted by dkottum

A very uncontrollable truck if things get out of hand, an accident waiting to happen. Sway control is needed more here than many. I'm familiar with that show and his wife is still crippled from the rollover. He gave up on the bumper-pull Airstream for the stability of a fifth wheel travel trailer.

Uncontrollable??? Really??? I don't mean to be confrontational, but where's your incontrovertible evidence? It appears to me that Cabinetmaker has an ideal situation for towing w/o the need of a WD/sway hitch. The only thing that's going to blow him off the road ...not a passing 18-wheeler going over the limit...is a tornado, and no amount of WD/sway hitch is gonna help then. Of course if you lack the skill or driving experience to deal with the inevitable sideways bumps and dips in the road, you shouldn't be relying on a WD/sway hitch to keep you out of trouble. Cabinetmaker does not impress me as someone who needs driving lessons..or lectures on how to set up his trailer and TV.

[Adventure.AS]

Originally Posted by USAtraveler

Uncontrollable??? Really??? I don't mean to be confrontational, but where's your incontrovertible evidence? It appears to me that Cabinetmaker has an ideal situation for towing w/o the need of a WD/sway hitch. The only thing that's going to blow him off the road ...not a passing 18-wheeler going over the limit...is a tornado, and no amount of WD/sway hitch is gonna help then. Of course if you lack the skill or driving experience to deal with the inevitable sideways bumps and dips in the road, you shouldn't be relying on a WD/sway hitch to keep you out of trouble. Cabinetmaker does not impress me as someone who needs driving lessons..or lectures on how to set up his trailer and TV.

From driving.ca - August 4, 2015

"Because of the handling dynamics of pickups — all that forward-biased weight resulting in more frequents spins and rollovers — single-vehicle accidents account for far more fatalities in trucks than in cars: 62 per cent versus 45 per cent. Surprisingly, in frontal crashes, where one might expect the greater mass of trucks to overwhelm smaller passenger vehicles, the statistics are almost identical (only minicars, like the aforementioned Smart, fare significantly worse). Most interesting is that SUVs, which combine the superior handling characteristics of a passenger car (as well as their greater safety features) with the mass of a pickup, are the safest vehicles of all, with half the overall occupant deaths per million vehicles registered, compared with pickups and cars."

[xrvr]

As I stated before, additional payload in the bed, but not overloaded, not only improves ride but safety of the truck. It's a seat of the pants fact. My truck has 3500 pound payload, without a couple hundred pounds in the bed it just doesn't handle right.

[Adventure.AS]

Originally Posted by avionstream

As I stated before, additional payload in the bed, but not overloaded, not only improves ride but safety of the truck. It's a seat of the pants fact. My truck has 3500 pound payload, without a couple hundred pounds in the bed it just doesn't handle right.

The question then becomes, if the tow vehicle is also your daily driver, which wouldn't have a large payload in the bed, why choose a truck that is inherently unstable and at risk of spin out or rollover? A large truck only makes sense if it is a dedicated tow vehicle and even then they are not as safe as an SUV when towing.

[rostam]

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

From driving.ca - August 4, 2015

"Because of the handling dynamics of pickups — all that forward-biased weight resulting in more frequents spins and rollovers — single-vehicle accidents account for far more fatalities in trucks than in cars: 62 per cent versus 45 per cent. Surprisingly, in frontal crashes, where one might expect the greater mass of trucks to overwhelm smaller passenger vehicles, the statistics are almost identical (only minicars, like the aforementioned Smart, fare significantly worse). Most interesting is that SUVs, which combine the superior handling characteristics of a passenger car (as well as their greater safety features) with the mass of a pickup, are the safest vehicles of all, with half the overall occupant deaths per million vehicles registered, compared with pickups and cars."

These stats seem to be for trucks solo, and I'm not sure whether they are applicable to trucks that are towing a trailer. The tongue weight of the trailer makes the truck more balanced weight wise.

At the end of a day we all have to make a decision. Its true that a unibody vehicle with independent suspension and lower center of gravity is safer than a body on frame vehicle with solid axles and higher center of gravity. Its also true that unibody vehicles have (much) lower towing/hauling capacity than body on frame vehicles.

If you insist on driving a unibody vehicle due to safety concerns, you are limited to smaller trailers. Many folks need larger trailer and go to a body on frame vehicle.

People that are reckless will have a rollover accident even if they are driving a Porsche 911. Those that are careful will be fine even when driving a diesel dually. My guess is that 99% of tow vehicles on the road are body on frame. Just look around you when you are in a campground.

IMO, the dangers of body on frame vehicles is being exaggerated in this forum (like many other hot topics). Its a none issue as far as I'm concerned.

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

The question then becomes, if the tow vehicle is also your daily driver, which wouldn't have a large payload in the bed, why choose a truck that is inherently unstable and at risk of spin out or rollover? A large truck only makes sense if it is a dedicated tow vehicle and even then they are not as safe as an SUV when towing.

You adapt your driving style, it isn't like the truck is going to spin out or rollover for just any reason. Why have a tiny car for everyday use knowing it is dangerous as hell. You adapt to a more defensive driving style if you are smart. Most every type of vehicle has its problems, we must use what is best suited to our useage, usually a compromise.

[tjdonahoe]

This morning I am taking my new unsafe ram (375 hp- 800 ft lbs torque) to get its first ,earlier than normal oil change, before we head to the west coast. Now that I read how unsafe it is ,I will be extra careful driving through town. I haven't seen any suv's pullin big loads lately and there isn't any around here pullin travel trailers, that I know of,we have some good pulls here. "There is no such thing as too much horsepower or too much money" you folks be careful out there now.....

[USAtraveler]

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

From driving.ca - August 4, 2015
"Because of the handling dynamics of pickups — all that forward-biased weight resulting in more frequents spins and rollovers — single-vehicle accidents account for far more fatalities in trucks than in cars: 62 per cent versus 45 per cent......"

Pickup crash statistics are only correct for the universe of vehicles in the analysis, including many older trucks. If the analyses only reflected experience with newer trucks there would be less of a difference in crash statistics. That is because many if not most newer pickups include a variety of enhancements like ABS and automatic stability control to help compensate for inherently less stable unloaded handling.

However, the statement on handling dynamics and forward weight bias is correct. Pickups are designed to carry weight payloads in the bed and to handle as best they can when so used. However, most pickup owners bought them for very occasional hauling or towing, using them most of the time for daily transportation and driving them like a sedan instead of a vehicle designed for heavier loads. The feel of driving and riding in a pickup these days is less truck-like and more car-like which may lull too man drivers into thinking their truck can handle like a car too, which of course it can't.
Putting the tongue weight of a trailer on the back of a pickup (assuming you are not exceeding the truck's GCWR or its rear axle GAWR) makes its handling generally more stable, not less so.

[slowmover]

A trailer makes any vehicle less stable overall. April Fools joke, right?

TW is NOT the same as a load in the bed. The "load" is out at the end of a lever (trailer axle center). Force at the ball can hit several thousand pounds.

I was passed twice yesterday on the Ohio Turnpike by the same badly set up Ford truck pulling a 23'. Truck dragging., crappy hitch, and trailer bouncing along on front axle. 72-mph on the radar. Tailgating so as to pass slower traffic. Must need a one ton to do what a car could have done better.

There must be a correlation between using a pickup and ignoring lash up. I see it constantly. Year after year. Dozens of rigs.