Anyone towing a 26LRSS

goducks11

Active Member
I have a 2011 26 LRSS and tow with a 2010 F150 supercrew 4x4 maxtow. 7650 GVWR and 1857 payload. I can't get the TT to tow smoothly, it's got the bucking bronco feel everytime you hit a bump. I have tried 800, 1000 and 1200lb bars and no change. I am currently using a 1200lb Equalizer 4pt sway setup. I have set it up loose and tight and theres hardly any difference. I have measured the wheel wells and have set it up with the front spot on at original ride hieght and the rear 1" lower. I have set it up with the front down 1/2" and the rear down 1/2 " and it still rides bad. Just looking at the trailer it almost seems like the axles are to far forward and it's creating a tetter totter affect. My tongue weight is 980 since we moved some furniture forward to create enough tongue weight. Trailer weighs 7200 loaded. Just wondering if anyone else has had any trouble getting their 26LRSS to tow smooth.
 

OBX-GL

Active Member
Hey goducks11 great to see you here.

I pick up my Caliber26rlss Friday and may have some more thoughts for you as it will be getting a 3 hour drive home. I think what i heard was when the truck and trailer are level but unhitched the truck hitch should be 1inch higher than the trailer hitch.

Keep in mind i'm a newbie
 
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pegmikef

Well-known member
I've seen this before. I had a 2010 F150 Supercrew and didn't have a problem towing my NT26LRSS. I did upgrade my TV to an F250 because the F150 was a little under powered (it was the 4.6 L 3V), but it towed smoothly. I use an eaz-lift 14,400 lb. weight distribution hitch with 10,000 lb torsion bars. On the F150, the dealer adjusted the hitch so the trailer ball was about 3/4 of its height above the ball cup on the tongue for the "squat." I thought it was kind of high, but it worked perfectly. The truck and trailer were level and the torsion bars were parallel to both the tongue and the ground (as the manual says). On the F250, I changed the hitch height to the specs in the manual (1/16 -1/8 or an inch for each hundred pounds of tongue weight) because there's less squat. It also worked perfectly. I try to keep the tongue weight around 800 pounds. The only time I get even a little sway is in heavy winds (which we have plenty of here in West Texas).
 

OBX-GL

Active Member
Hey guy's (goducks11 and pegmikef) thanks again for your thoughts as you were both instrumental in my trailer/TV decision.
You both are quoting tongue weight. How do you measure that?
goducks11 i think in our discussions you described the sensation as a serge/bump feel also.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
Mine is more of a calculated estimate. I used the stated dry tongue weight (572 pounds) and then weighed all of the basic stuff that is normally added (propane tanks, spare tire, battery and box) and then all of the stuff I keep in the basement (grills, jack, tools, miscellaneous stuff). Then we weighed a typical load in the bedroom and bath which includes the storage under the bed, drawers (and I added shelves to the space used for the bedroom tv because I didn't think we needed 2 tvs in a small rv). Most of the other storage is either above or to the rear of the axles. This ends up being about 900 pounds, but I subtract 100 pounds to account for the counterweight of stuff loaded behind the axles. I'm happy if it comes somewhere between 12 to 15 percent of the trailer's loaded weight (I try to keep this at or near 7000 pounds to allow for fresh water if I need it). I don't know how accurate it is, but that is the weight I used to adjust the height of the WD hitch and it works. I read somewhere that the published dry weights are the weights of the rigs as they come off the line, but before the dealer adds the propane, batteries, etc.
 
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OBX-GL

Active Member
I know talking to some Keystone dealers they were quoting some additional weights of 200-350lbs for the one piece front caps on the new trailers.Would my Caliber front cap add that much weight? Are we saying with these trailers that might be a good thing?
 

goducks11

Active Member
There should be a sticker on the door of the TT that shows the actual dry weight as it left the factory. Mine was 6189lbs. I have been to several truck scales when out camping and we are consistantly around 7000-7200lbs loaded not including water.
 
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