irshmn Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Ok, so it's like a bad Clark Griswald photo but yes I'm planning on using my LGT Wagon to tow my tent trailer. It's a small trailer, and I'm well under the GVWR but after a few miles my front wheels are skyward and the rears are being eaten by the wheel wells... I'm thinking I need stiffer springs. Any reco's - without my car looking like an Outback - no offense intended to Outback owners :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrinerMonkey Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 What is the tongue weight on that bad boy? 200lbs is the limit for the factory trailer hitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Sounds like you need some serious load balancing in the trailer - 55F/45R (percent) so that it's almost neutral on the hitch with just a bit of front weight bia. And 200 lbs at the rear hitch doesn't drop it that severly that you're rubbing at the rear wheels (at least with stock suspension and wheels/tire sizes). If the tow weight isn't that great, then you should be able to fix this with a load balance. But, if you're really NOT able to fix this by shifting weight around in your trailer, perhaps you need to look at a rear coilover setup (and then you might as well go with a full setup). I regularly tow with my LGT wagon and with about 75-80 lbs of tongue weight on a 1200 lb GVWR trailer, it tows beautifully. SBT - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 without my car looking like an Outback - no offense intended to Outback owners :-) None taken. Some people prefer looks over functionality. I hold nothing against those people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irshmn Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 So I tried the weight balance at the end of the weekend and it helped a bit but the car seemed to "sink" after my 30 minute drive. Coilover setup - don't know the first thing about it but that gives me a chance to use the search feature... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irshmn Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 ShrinerMonkey - not exceeding the 200lb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 So I tried the weight balance at the end of the weekend and it helped a bit but the car seemed to "sink" after my 30 minute drive. Coilover setup - don't know the first thing about it but that gives me a chance to use the search feature... BTW - how many miles on the car? It might be time for some new struts anyway and would recommend some COs because you could raise the rear a bit and preload the springs in anticipation of towing. And it sounds like your redistribution might need a bit more work. What is your unladen hitch weight? If it's naturally nose-heavy, then rebias your loading to give a bit more weight to the rear. Not enough to lift the front, but enough that you're not having to strain to fit the hitch up to the ball. You don't want it so rear heavy that the tail wags the dog, or that it constantly "bounces" at the ball either. Just some quick thoughts. SBT - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Essentially - a good measure is that if it's heavier than what a normal man (i.e. someone NOT like Phil Pfister, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Pfister) can lift and attach to to the hitch the weight is too much for the car. If it's light enough for a child or a weak woman to lift it's too light. I would say that 40kg (which probably is about 80lb) would be about the right weight. Use a bathroom scale - and check the weight when the hook is at the level of the hitch which means that you may have to place a wooden block between the scale and the trailer hook. Other things to consider is the dynamic effects of weight when braking. Some trailers can in combination with some cars cause self-oscillation at certain speeds - sometimes this manifests itself when going downhill - and things can get pretty ugly if that happens. Aerodynamic drag can also have an influence here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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