 MegaHitch, Trailer Lock, Peace
of Mind in a Box;
In this economy trailer theft is up,
you'd be surprised how fast a stolen trailer becomes a homemade
trailer and re-titled in another state. Thief's are like coyotes,
they adapt fast and look for easy targets. Don't be the easy target.
It's getting common, someone telling me their white stock trailer
was stolen while parked at a sale barn or at a fair grounds equine event.
Desperate times increases the population of desperate criminals and
trailers are an easy target.
More...
|
  Finally
ABS brakes for trailers !
Fast, smooth and safer than any
brake system we've tried. We took our test trailer to the race
track, smoked the brakes, burnt the seals and proved how
dramatically superior hydraulic disc rotors, electric-hydraulic
actuators, ABS modules and a trailer brake controller that
networks with your trucks computer can be. Electric brake drums
didn't stand a chance in our side by side comparison. A big step
toward safer trailering on our crowded highways and
unpredictable weather patterns.
Share this detailed report about the difference ABS trailer
brakes can make. |
 Now
for RV's, Ford F-53 Class A Motor Home,
Workhorse Class A Motor Home The
airless bag to prevent your sag
and improve your ride!
For
trucks with campers, trailers,
commercial bodies and all other loads..
SumoSprings
(the
world’s first and only “airless airbag” suspension
system for trucks and vans)
are manufactured from an advanced high grade, closed
cell polyurethane foam; ideal for the tough truck
underbody environment. The product underwent testing in
extreme conditions ranging from blistering US desert
summer days to the frigid Canadian winter nights.
Combining heavy loads with extreme terrain and
temperature conditions over eighteen months of testing
ensures their performance in any similar conditions our
customers might encounter.
More...
|
 
Trailer Electronic Technology for Safer, Easier Connection.
EZ
is a magnetic connection, powerful magnets. Just get the male end near
the female plug and "pop" it sucks together. A tab slot align the socket
and plug to match the right connections. The male end has two silicone
o-rings, the cables have sealant injected inside, all to make the system
water proof. If you can keep the water out, you can keep the mud and all
the corrosive chemicals used to dissolve ice on the highway out. Spent my share of nights with a flashlight in
my mouth in the rain as I work on trailer lights.
See the review.... |
 Safr Horse Trailers fill the void left by
Brenderup for fuel saving trailers:
Why not build a trailer to be
aerodynamic, lowering wind resistance to improve fuel mileage and
using the air to stabilize the trailer. It should be a priority with
trailer manufactures now and if not now
when, when fuel is $10
a gallon? It's about function not just
beauty. It's time to change the way horse trailers are
designed. And handling should be a design function. Safr Trailers tows similar to Brenderup's
design with no sway.
More... |
The Trailer Handbook;
I've added this book review because how hard
it is to find a good trailer book. It's
important to have the facts on trailers even
if you grew up towing. I think I own all
the trailer books written the last two
decades, which isn't very many. This
book "The Trailer Handbook" written by Clint
Lancaster & Richard Klein, is different as
the authors don't own a trailer factory or
dealership.
They both work with and for the NATM
(National Association of Trailer
Manufactures) which is the publisher.
Trailers
get technical, specs and glossary..
Read more... |
 SAE
towing standards
are almost here.
Toyota trucks have made changes to the 2011
Tundra and Tacoma to comply early. It’s no
secret that each manufacturer has its own
way of testing the maximum towing capacity
of its pickup trucks; the gamesmanship over
the years is well-documented. To level the
playing field, the Society of Automotive
Engineers decided a few years ago to form a
task force to determine which procedures and
regulations should be instituted to make
sure each automaker gives the consumer the
most accurate — and comparable — tow rating.
Read more....
from PickupTrucks.com |
 Automated
Safety Hitch,
Joe Jamieson
thinks towing is an evolutionary process,
should improve issues of safety and ease of
use. Now with thousands of miles towing with
the Automated Safety Hitch, I understand
it's importance and fun. I can take my rig,
which at times is 72 ft. long, weave in and
out of hotel parking lots, gas
stations and switchback mountain roads.
The
braking
steer axle makes it quadra-steer.
It looks
complicated until you understand it. The
four features that standout the most using
this new trailer technology is, improved
braking, lane to lane direction changes
staying in your lane (turning corners,)
stability and jackknifing with purpose. The connection
to your vehicle
can articulate vertically for uneven ground, railroad crossings
providing an independent suspension. But
horizontal movement is solid giving you the
safety and stability of a 9 ft. longer
wheelbase.
The rest of the
review...
|
2011 GM HD 2500 LT singe
cab. Such big improvement to the GM HD line
for 2011, from diesel engine, frame, suspension, steering, braking
etc. This model of the GMT900 platform is the most significant truck
improvement for GM since the Duramax diesel came about in 2001.
2011 Chevy HD 2500 LT single cab
with big gauges, a nice layout, you can see them at a glance while
driving. You need to know at a glance if engine temp in the normal
range, oil pressure, transmission temp, battery charge all in operating
range. A change in gauge readings will give you early warnings
Read
more...
|
 Battery Maintenance and Pulse
Technology Conditioning with Solar can Double your Battery Life.
Batteries
keep us rolling and give us conveniences in our trucks and trailers. But
if you don’t maintain them, you’ll be stranded and surprised. I run a
lot of toys from my eight 12 volt outlets in my truck, from my cooler to
my motion detector in the trailer.
Diesel trucks use two 12 volt
batteries for extra power to start a diesel engine. This also gives you
reserve power going down the road. Living Quarter horse trailers usually
have two deep cell batteries that can be drawn down and last a long
time. With 4 batteries between your truck and trailer, proper
maintenance is as important as checking our trucks oil level. There's new
technology that can do most of the work for you.
Sulfation is the largest cause of battery
deterioration.
SolarPulse Industrial Solar
Charging System is a product that reenergizes the sulfates and
charges your batteries with sunshine,
more... |
GMC Trailering Expert Offers Towing and
Trailer Advice:
As
summer comes to a close, drivers across
the U.S. are packing up their trailers,
RVs, campers and boats for one last
weekend in the sun. Yet, there are
several mistakes that they often make
when trailering. These mistakes can not
only damage their trailer, but also
their....
More...
|
|
ALL-NEW FORD-ENGINEERED, FORD-TESTED,
FORD-BUILT DIESEL for 2011
 The
two changes that caught my eye for the 6.7L Power Stroke, an
integrated exhaust brake using the variable turbo vanes to
create back pressure and lowering the peak torque RPM to 1600
from the 2000 RPM on the 6.4L Power Stroke where diesel power
should be. Aluminum heads are new and a much quieter engine.
An all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V-8
turbocharged diesel engine– debuting in the 2011 Ford F-Series
Super Duty® – will deliver significant improvement in torque,
horsepower and fuel economy. Industry-first
single-sequential turbocharger with double-sided compressor
wheel delivers fast throttle response along with the volume of
air boost needed for
More... |
|
Truck and Trailer Security takes Action
 Theft is such a personal event. We buy things enjoy
them and someone takes them away. I stay at allot of motels around the
country and am relieved when I leave in the morning and my trailers are
still connected to my truck. Just added several more products to my
trailers to make me less nervous in Vegas parking lots, the only place
theft has visited me successfully.
Read more.
|
ShootOut 2008 for 2009 1/2
ton trucks: At PickupTrucks.com and
MrTruck.com, You want all the truck details so
that you can make the best decision possible.
That’s why we created Light-Duty and Heavy-Duty
Shootouts that put these ever-changing trucks to
the ultimate tests.
Page 1,
Page 2,
Page 3,
Page 4 |
|
Matching
your Truck to a Slide in Camper for Towing
Look at trucks with the big Lance campers on them.
They’ll have air bags or extra overloads and sometimes 19.5”
or even 22” tires. It’s nice to take your house with you to
the woods, mountains and then there’s hunting. If you need
to haul horses too for Elk hunting or just horsing around,
it’s important to get the specs figured out. Payload and
trailer tongue weight come from the same capacity limit.
Which makes hard sided heavy truck campers difficult to use
with trailers. It’s fairly common for a ¾ ton truck to be
overloaded with a hard sided slide in camper.
More.... |
New fuel standards for heavy duty pickup
trucks will raise prices,
from
Newsday
The additional
technologies needed to satisfy the proposed
fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas
regulations submitted by the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT) and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "are
estimated to add costs of approximately
$1,249 to $1,592 for [model year] 2018
heavy-duty pickups and vans," according to
the proposal, which now is open to public
comment.
MORE... |
|
NEW and Improved
You're going to love this newly redesigned
PopUp 2
Hitch.
Smoother acting and trouble
free. They've made the best hitch even better.
One pull of the handle to raise the ball is all it will take
to convince you that this is the hitch you want.
Simply pull the rod to raise the ball and push to lower it
from your trucks wheel well. More
info....
|
|
 |
New CAFE standards allow for towing considerations from
RVIA
While the new levels will encompass a majority of
vehicles that tow RVs, there is good news for the RV
industry in the legislation.
President Bush signed into
law the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32
years, mandating automobile manufacturers meet a (CAFE)
standard of 35 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2020.
First, separate fuel economy
standards for cars and trucks will be maintained with
different standards to be set for pickup trucks weighing
between 8,500 and 10,000 pounds and for medium- and
heavy-duty trucks. Second, the framework for
establishing fuel economy is based on “one or more
vehicle attributes” which will allow consideration of
vehicle towing capacity.
More....
|
|
  2009
Dodge Ram, new coil spring rear suspension,
finally a normal crew cab called Ram Crew, bed storage
under the rail and cab floor storage, plus more.
More.... |
  BIGFOOT
Trailer Jacks; Ever cranked a heavy trailer jack by hand?
Even the 2 speed jacks wear you out. Electric
jacks are cheaper, hydraulic jack are faster and made for heavy use.
Bigfoot has a steel oil reservoir
that the hydraulic motor mounts to instead of a plastic tank
that I see on other brands and the cover stays
on.
More... |
|
Heavy
Duty Pickup Trucks, New Race. The Year of Emissions.
 The
excitement builds with each jet ride to the next new truck media launch,
biggest year I can remember for major truck changes. Most of it brought
about by the new low emission laws for diesel engines that began January
2007. GM totally redesigned the whole truck. Ford has the most
mechanical changes with a new nose and diesel engine, Dodge changed the
diesel for the new emissions law and reintroduced it's chassis cab
model. More... |
|
They are bold and sexy!
I consider them the best built mudflaps I've found. The new model has a
polished aluminum yoke, and heavy wall aluminum tubing. Still adjustable
in, out and up, down. Which is so good for my truck reviews which range
from a tall H2 to a Nissan Frontier. And I review new trailers too, any
mudflaps can protect your trailers from mud, that's a slow speed
problem. But the damage comes from....
More.....
|
|
 PML
Ford F250 Differential Covers Install,
If you've read your trucks owner manual, there is a different
schedule for normal use and "severe or trailer towing". For some
maintenance schedules you change oil twice as often for severe
use. Towing stress creates heat, heat breaks down the oil faster
and you know what happens next. A lot of us overload our
trailers especially using 3/4 and one ton pickups.
More.... |
|
 Popup
Industries RV3 5th-Wheel to Gooseneck
Adapter Do you have too many hitches for
all of your different trailers? There’s bumper pull, gooseneck,
fifth wheel, you name it there’s just too many combinations out there
sometimes. Pop up industries helps out here by offering their fifth
wheel to gooseneck adapters. This handy little product allows you to tow
your fifth wheel camper using the gooseneck hitch you already have in
the bed of your truck thus eliminating one hitch from your collection.
Pop up industries has been around for years starting with their PopUp
Gooseneck ball hitch and now with many hitch extensions for short bed
trucks, More... |
|
 If
you have a over-head camper, this is for you,
especially newer Heavy Duty trucks have
longer rear leaf springs, causing more wheel travel and lean with a
camper. SuperSprings for a level truck and less lean on curves.
SuperSprings also works as a torsion axle similar to a anti-sway
bar.
SuperSprings
Anti-Sway Safety Stabilizers do not replace the existing springs,
but function together with the vehicle's existing suspension system,
providing additional support only as required, when the vehicle
enters a bend, turn, swerve or when carrying a heavy load.
Discover More...
SuperSprings:
•Do not stiffen the ride
when your vehicle is empty or on a straight road, as do overload
springs. •Are inexpensive and easy-to-install. •Require no
maintenance. •Reduce rear end sag and sway due to heavy loading.
Today's light trucks and Vans are designed for smooth ride and
comfort when empty or lightly loaded. When fully loaded, the softer
suspension in these vehicles tends to let the rear end sag,
compromising safety and comfort.
Find out More...
|
  On
the road repair welding. The military has GOWELD and plasma
cutters in many of their Humvees, tanks and armored personal
carriers. GOWELD
is very
portable, the wire spool is in the handle. Just clamp the cables
to your trucks batteries, run the hose to a tank of Argon gas or
use coated wire and you're ready to weld anywhere.
More.... |
|
|
 
Towing with 2011 Toyota's,
Cimarron and Titan Trailers Tundra full size 1/2 ton is a
top towing truck in it's class. Towing ability is the hidden equation
with most trucks. Marketing departments keep the public confused on how
much trucks can tow by bragging about a trailer towing weight and then
in the fine print explaining that weight is only for a 4x2 regular cab.
Finally there's hope comparing truck models towing ability. SAE (Society of
Automotive Engineers)
has established towing standards that go into affect 2013. Toyota takes the lead
with tow ratings, being SAE J2807 standard compliant on
all 2011 models already. With the price of
fuel you may need an oil well above or a
load of hay to ride your horse to Starbucks.
We tow Cimarron and Titan trailers with 2011
Tundra and
Tacoma
More...
|
|
RV5
Extended King-Pin
New lower prices
An Extra Ten Inches Clearance Between Your Truck and RV.
-
More trailer
swing.
-
Easier hook-up.
-
Clamps to
standard king-pin.
-
Bolts to
king-pin box.
-
Installs quickly
and easily.
-
Precision laser
cut fabrication.
-
24,000 lbs.
Gross Trailer Weight.
-
6,000 lbs. Gross
Tongue Weight.
-
Long lasting
powder coated.
-
100% complete.
 
Everyone
who tows an RV needs more clearance between the
truck and trailer.
You can always
use more room for maneuvering, especially if
your towing with a short bed truck. And, an
extra ten inches between the rear bumper and the
bulkhead of the trailer makes things easier,
too.
The RV5 is held
securely to the trailer king-pin box with a
strong king-pin clamp. It also bolts to the
king-pin box for additional stability. The
installation fasteners provided are Grade 8
More info
order now
Alaska, Hawaii and Canada Shipping $150 extra
click
|
|
CNG, is it the Answer for the Fuel
Crisis?
 Forget
veggie oil, bio-diesel, power programmers and hydrogen water
separators. And hear the gospel of CNG/diesel. The beauty of
this system is if I can't find a Compressed Natural Gas fill up
station, I just run on diesel. We've now had time to run several
tanks through our test truck in a loop using both CNG and diesel
together at 2 to 1. We reduced our fuel cost per mile 23% to 27%
with Colorado prices. Almost double that with Utah prices,
Read the rest as one of the
most important reviews this year...
|
|
The
5th-Wheel, Toy Hauler, Travel Trailer, Slide-in Truck Camper, &
Accessory Review |
|
 Stop
tire cupping, vibration and premature wear on those expensive
truck, RV & trailer tires.
Centramatic
automatic wheel balancers have been saving money on tires for
semi-trucks for over twenty years. Now you can automatically
balance your tires, wheels, hub and rotors or drums while you
drive. A balanced tire doesn't cub, vibrates less & lowers the
tire sidewall temperature from less flexing, giving you longer
tire life. 5 year warranty, made in the USA.
More |
|
Superchips Announces
All-New Cortex Vehicle Performance Programmer Line with
a Two-Year Powertrain Warranty
The Superchips Cortex comes with all of the same great
features that Superchips’ users have come to love,
including programming up to three performance tunes to
enhance power, economy, and drivability. These features
include the ability to save factory settings; program
for performance, towing, or economy; tune transmission
settings for improved drivability; read and clear
diagnostic trouble codes; adjust speed and RPM limiters;
and recalibrate speedometer/odometer for tire and gear
swaps.
More...
|
 I visited PopUp's head quarters in Chanute Kansas
this spring. Kansas, like Iowa is know for making farm machinery. PopUp
Industries is in the part of Kansas, where generations of
welders understand quality metal working, like the Amish bring
quality to RV manufacturing. What better place to make hitches for American trucks and
trailers. I first heard of PopUp because of their SB1 shortbed coupler
(picture below).
With shortbed trucks, now the most popular configuration, I
hear from folks every week emailing me that they just crunched the cab
of their truck with the corner of their trailer. Now what do they do?
More... |
|
  |
|
SuperSprings introduces overload stabilizing
spring for Class C RV Ford E450.
With the great rear overhang Class C motorhomes have, they need
a little help. The SSA21 sets on top of the factory spring and
self adjusts to improve handling and stabilize the load.
For application
click... |
|
 Now
there's help for the short-short beds. New from PopUp, the
SB116. The long short bed solution. It's "16" inches
of extension. Before you loose your pickup trucks rear window or
worse, check out the solution. Shortbed trucks are the most
popular. But the trailer manufactures don't know it yet. Finally
backup with the tailgate down and without hitting the propane
tanks.
More... |
|
 Popup
soft side slide in truck campers can give you more tongue weight left for
your trailer and improve MPG.
See my reviews with the
Apex and
Caribou.
Visit
Outfitter website |
|
 Featherlite
SURV, a heavy duty trailer for your Toys. We camp at Tiger Run in
Breckenridge and Circus Circus Koa in Vegas. We installed
Power Vision mirrors,
Hell-Ya Hitch Helper, Valley Odyssey
brake controller and Truck Bedz.
Featherlite built an "off-road" toy hauler that's
made like a tank, so you can get to the prime remote
locations for 4-wheeling
or just a HQ for outdoor adventure.
More... |
|
Quadrasteer
GMC towing a
Zeppelin travel trailer to Estes Park at the
Spruce Lake RV Park. The Denali
is on the move again showing off it's backing skills in the
picturesque Rocky Mountains. It makes me want to move to the hills
near the Big Thompson River.
Read
more... |
  EZ - Connector,
RV Pro Plug
and Max Brake Wireless Trailer Light Tester
Those of use that
tow trailers every week know how many times we drop the
coupler on the ball and plug in the wire connection (and
wiggle the connection for contact.) Spent my share of nights
with a flashlight in my mouth in the rain as I work on
trailer lights. Fuel injection and electronics make our
trucks more trouble free, now trailer wiring and electronics
make tracing trailer wire problems a breeze. What do you do
when you don't have someone to check your trailer lights
while you run the blinkers and light switch?
The rest of the report... |
|
 Bridgestone
Winter Driving School at Steamboat Springs CO. The skiers aren't the
only ones having fun! Surrounded by ski slopes, this international
school teaches you to drive well when the weather's bad. I attended
the trailer class and trailer driving course.
Read more... |
|
 Updates
from each event, pictures & commentary,
MrTruck.com Presents:
"Hart Horse Trailer Safety and Tech Tour," With
the latest trailer safety and technology accessories on exhibit
on tour, come by and watch demonstrations We'll
be displaying some helpful technology for safe towing. Stop by, see our
display and ask questions.
Click for the "Tour" schedule,
see when we'll be in your state. |
|
Be careful when using an hitch extension for trailering with a
slide-in camper. This puts more leverage on the trucks receiver
hitch. And usually lowers your trailer capacity by a
third. Read the label and use a weight distributing hitch for
the maximum capacity. |
|
 If
you want to see a well built trailer, check out horse trailers.
Torsion axles and well designed hitches, make for a trailer that
can take dirt roads, pastures and county fair ground potholes
for decades. I will look for RV travel trailers that have
torsion axles & the structure integrity to give you a trailer
you'll feel save towing. Like the grand daddy of RV trailers,
Air Stream.
|
|
 E-Z
On System
it can save your marriage or your
hearing when backing
up trailers.
More... |
|
 |
|
Popup 9 or 16 inch gooseneck
extension. Help for popular short bed trucks.
More... |
|
 Weight Distributing Hitches for safe controlled trailer towing.
Reviewing Equal-i-zer
WDH Click. |
|
Duals or Single Rear Wheels? |
 Dualls,
Full Floating Axle
I eventually went to duals, mostly because I pulled my trailers on dirt
roads. Dirt roads are hard on the magnets on the trailer brakes. I soon
discovered not to count on the trailer brakes.
And duals on the truck
will surprise you on their ability to stop you. On a factory dually the
inside tire matches the front tire. When the snow got deep I would take off
the outside duals and they would track fine. On a factory cab and chassis
the rear duals splits the front track. With duals you also need to carry
your hammer or bat just like the big boys to check the air pressure more
often. You won't be able to look a duals to see if they are low unless
you're loaded. So get in a habit of tapping the tires before you roll. If
you have a flat on one of the duals they can loosen up the lug nuts. |
|
 Single,
Full Floating Axle below.
Full
floating axles provides a more
even weight distribution over
the axle than a semi-floating
axle. They have 4 bearings
instead of the 2 bearings in
semi-floating axles. By removing
a rear axle hubcap, you can
determine if the truck is a ½
ton, light duty, ¾ ton (flush
axle with wheel) or a heavy-duty
¾ ton, 1 ton (axle sticking out
past the wheel and lug nuts as
shown in the picture.)
The
"semi-floating axle" has the
wheel studs attached to it,
carrying the trucks weight
directly on the axle shaft and
bearings. Differently on a "full
floating axle" where the axle
shafts only provide power to the
wheel hub from the differential.
The wheel hub is attached to the
axle housing with two tapered
bearings on each side. On a full
floating axle you can pull the
axle out and the wheels are
steel attached to differential
axle tubes. This puts the load
carrying capacity on the axle
housing not on the axle shaft as
with a semi-floating axle.
More... |
For heavy slide-in truck campers, I like
a dually the best. They are a pain because they are 8 ft. wide.
Extra tires make me feel safer. On the new Ford Super Duties, which
started with the 99 models, have longer springs to improve the ride.
Dodge and Chevy have also stretched their rear leafs for a better
ride and more wheel travel. In 2003 the Dodge 2500/3500 rear leaf
springs are 3 inches longer. But this also allows more spring
travel. Campers are notorious for side wind. In these newer trucks,
they move too much side
 to
side with a camper. I recommend
SuperSprings automatic
overloads on the rear.
This should stabilize it. This is true whether a single or dual rear
wheel. Slide in truck campers, travel trailers, and sport ramp
trailers are growing in numbers as the baby boomers are enjoying
more recreation as they near retirement. You'll see more RV trailers
and campers on your block. |
 New
Popup GN5, now you can tow you gooseneck with your
Semi-truck. Slide out your old coupler and slide in the GN5
and tow with your 5th-wheel.
Order now..
|
Propane safety tips for RVers
(July 2, 2007) -- "Propane
equipment should be checked and maintained at
least once every two years and every time an RV
is transferred to a new owner," said Wayne Lock,
gas and safety manager for the BCSA. Ignition of
propane gas within an enclosed space can result
in explosion, and it can be ignited by many
sources including pilot lights, open flames,
smoking materials, electric sparks, and static
electricity.
More...
|
|
 New
Featherlite
all-aluminum
Sport Utility Recreational Vehicle
SURV trailers designed for easy towing & comfortable living
during outdoor adventures.
New for 2006,
Featherlite SURV trailers are designed to haul ATVs,
motorcycles, dirt bikes, dune buggies, cars and more, available
in a gooseneck or bumper pull platform.
More.... |
|
