Tires and Towing

[Lawdog800]

Just got home from picking up a new snowmobile trailer in MN. Light trailer, 2500 lbs. 18ft box plus 6ft v nose - 7 ft height inside. Truck was downright sketchy at times. I believe it is the crappy "C" load rated tires as it feels like it is squirming all around. trailer was super pight which makes it get blown around a little more, but it was definitely making the truck wiggle and move in the lane. Anyone upgraded to Load "D" Tires to combat that? I notice the truck moves side to side easy pushing on the back corner of the bed so I know it is moving on the tires..

 

AT4 Forum Fav 👍

Rhino USA D Ring Shackle 41,850lb Break Strength - Grab one through Amazon!

[Bishop]

First off, that trailer looks fantastic. Anymore details on it? Brand, etc.?

I assume the trailer was completely empty, did you use a sway control hitch or just straight ball?

 

[Lawdog800]

First off, that trailer looks fantastic. Anymore details on it? Brand, etc.?

I assume the trailer was completely empty, did you use a sway control hitch or just straight ball?

Straight ball. 2023 ATC Rom200 - 7x18 +6 ft V-nose trailer empty 7ft interior height

 

[kindafearless]

I have the AT4X with stock tires, and have towed more than half is mileage with 2000-7500lb loads. For heavier loads, I use a weight distribution hitch.

The only time I’ve had problems with the trailer pushing the truck around was when I did a bad job of positioning the weight in the trailer. It’s happened once and I learned my lesson.

Not your fault here since there was nothing in it.

It could very well just be that the trailer has a strange weight distribution unloaded and you need sway control like Bishop mentioned.

Maybe try putting something in it?

My straight pull hitch has a scale on it, helps with making sure I’m in the 10-15% tongue weight zone which makes the truck happy.

 

[Bishop]

@kindafearless has a much better response than mine for sure. But yeah, that's what I was getting at . . . maybe it's not the truck but that specific trailer while unloaded. I agree with the idea of trying a short tow with some weight in it.

Totally freestyling a thought here, I'm no expert and own neither, but I wonder if a snowmobile trailer tends to have less unloaded weight on the front than say an ATV trailer? Meaning that since ATVs (and most things) are unloaded off the back they tend to sit back further in transit. But since a snowmobile unloads forward in that trailer they expect it to usually have weight.

I dunno, but I had a bourbon and felt I should chime in.

 

[Viking Truck]

Put some weight in it. It's very important to have about 10% of the trailer weight on the tongue or the trailer will sway. I'd suspect since it was empty it had little weight on the tongue

 

[ksarauer]

I have a similar trailer, Legend 18ft box and 5ft v. I believe yours is all aluminum as is mine, so I'd assume similar weight. Its hard to tell, but your trailer may have the axel's a bit further forward than mine, which would be a nice improvement. When I have my trailer loaded with 3 sleds, the truck (2020 denali with tow package) squats quite a bit. I haven't pulled it across a scale at all, but I'm highly considering adding some bags to help it out a bit. I just got the truck a couple weeks ago so don't have much experience with this truck yet.