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  #131  
Old 04-01-2019, 03:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bfeng View Post
“narrow FOV mirrors.”
Stock mirrors useless with my race trailer.

Best mirrors are the OEM trailer mirrors (google EMUK BMW E70).
These are just barely enough for an 8.5’ wide toy hauler. Set these to show where the trailer wheels are (covers the sides of the trailer but only about 15-18ft worth of trailer. I still need a wide angle at the back of the trailer to have full coverage.
Towing a boat is a little easier because of the angles of the bow. I couldn’t imagine trying to see around the front wall of an enclosed trailer. When we get to our destinations (full-time RV travel) I usually use the truck to travel to area lakes just because I’ve come close to putting the BMW rear exhaust/bumper in the water on shallow-angle ramps. The truck is so boring-it is truly just a tool to get the job done (but it does have A/C seats).
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  #132  
Old 04-01-2019, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by bfeng View Post
Long story. A friend sells me his decked out race car trailer. Claims it weight 3000lbs (per the mfg website). I didn't have a tongue scale yet, so I just guessed at it when I put a 3100lb car into it for a trip. A month later I was coming back from delivering a car for a friend and I stopped by a CAT scale. That's when I found out the trailer was about 5400lbs empty. I figure with all my gear and the car it was 9000lbs. Turns out all the cabinetry, the 5kw generator, the extra lights, winch, extra height interior, fridge, work table with a big arse vise, AC outlets, jack, Nitrogen bottle, monster fold out ramp extension, walk on roof with removable railing, carpeted walls, e-track everywhere, yada yada, added 2500lbs to the base trailer. I estimate my tongue weight was around 1000lbs. Yes, my car as air suspension in the back, so there was no way to tell I was over by the ride height. I did have a WD hitch on it, and when I was at the CAT scales, it showed the WD was transfering about 325lbs from the rear to the front.

It actually towed just fine, but note that I'm a pretty conservative when I'm towing. I never go over 80mph and do my best to maintain momentum rather than mash the gas and brake. I had no problems zipping up some decent hills (I-84 through CT) and braking was what I expected with a big trailer (4wheel electric brakes). Had I not gone to the CAT scale, I might not have ever known the rig was so heavy.

FWIW, I got better mileage with that monster trailer (+2mpg) than I do now with my new bare-bones trailer (which really does weigh 3000lbs before loading the car). The new trailer is the same model from the same company (ATC, Quest) but is 6" shorter (eg standard interior height) and a flat front whereas the heavy one was a really deep V-nose. Next trailer I get will be an ATC (wonderful quality) but with a V-nose again.

FWIW, my hitch wasn't damaged in anyway but towing that monster for a summer. My bumper cutout for my hitch has about 1/4" clearance and that spacing didn't change at all. I did go back and check the hitch mount nuts and they were all still tight.
Man, what a story! I missed this reply somehow! Vnose really does make a difference, and I'm impressed by all your enclosed trailer towing. I don't have a WDH/ anti sway hitch setup, just the normal one. I pulled 5500 lbs of my drift car+spares+trailer on sunday, and all went super well! I have a sherline tongue scale, so I put the tongue weight right at 550 lbs, and everything seemed pretty stable. Powerr was no issue, but I only got 20.5 mpg because I pulled it through a lot of local roads instead of highways. just worked out that way with where I needed to bring it. My 35d is deleted and tuned, so there's no problem pulling it forwards up any kind of hill, and the towns I was pulling through were VERY hilly.

Overall, super satisfied. I'm using a prodigy RF brake controller which was having some pulsing issues that were really annoying, and I believe it stems from the small amount of up-down slack in my channel mounted adjustable tongue on my trailer. I'm going to look into having it welded solid, as I don't need to adjust it. the play messes with the accelerometers that are sensing the tiniest change in orientation, and telling the trailer that I let up on the brakes when I haven't, making them pulse like slow anti-locks.
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  #133  
Old 04-01-2019, 11:39 AM
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X5 towing experience and fuel economy

I can't tolerate the motion of the typical trailer ball. Especially when I have the back rack in the receiver.

I drilled a hole out the side and threaded for a 1/2-13 bolt and put a bolt in to remove all motion on my trailer ball. Highly recommended.

That same idea would work for your tongue, faster and easier than welding and reversible just in case.
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Last edited by andrewwynn; 04-01-2019 at 11:59 AM.
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  #134  
Old 04-01-2019, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by andrewwynn View Post
I can't tolerate the motion of the typical trailer ball. Especially when I have the back rack in the receiver.

I drilled a hole out the side and threaded for a 1/2-13 bolt and put a bolt in to remove all motion on my trailer ball. Highly recommended.

That same idea would work for your tongue, faster and easier than welding and reversible just in case.


That's a pretty good idea, I'll have to look at the actual channel attachment's spacing and see if that kind of idea would be possible.
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  #135  
Old 04-01-2019, 12:22 PM
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If the holes are standard of hitch pin they make hitch pins that bind to prevent rattle could also work.

The trick is you need to bind the two sleeved parts, a through bolt doesn't work. Drill a couple 3/8" holes a couple feet apart from the top if the tongue is a pair of sliding box channel. Drill and tap the second layer of the inner box and install a couple 3/8 grade 8 bolts.

I would use 3/8 to get more threads into the metal.

3/8" bolt torqued to 45 ft·lb is about 7000# clamping force.

1/2" at 90 ft·lb is about 14400 # clamping force.

Another method is to drill all the way through both boxes, then drill a 1/2" hole through the bottom of the bottom box and use a sleeve around the bolt at the bottom to put the clamp force on the bottom of the inner box.
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  #136  
Old 04-01-2019, 05:14 PM
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I have a couple ball holders and they all rattled a bit in the OE hitch. I wrapped the front and rear with one layer of 1” wide friction tape (a bit like racers tsps). The fit is just tight enough that I have to push and wiggle a little to get the holder into the receiver. No more rattling and creaking. The 1-layer lasts for 3-4 trips and then starts to get loose. I just perk it off and put a new piece on tape one and all’s well. Removing the bell mount takes a bit of jiggling and tugging. If the OE receiver had allowed use of one of those $15 U-bolt thingies, that would’ve been better.
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  #137  
Old 04-01-2019, 07:25 PM
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Softride Quiet Ride Locking Tightening Hitch Pin; Anti-Rattle for Receiver Hitches, Bike Racks, or Boat Trailers; Silence the "clanking" noise that occurs while towing (25219) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T5BI8Y
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Last edited by andrewwynn; 04-01-2019 at 09:06 PM.
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  #138  
Old 04-14-2019, 04:45 AM
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Originally Posted by andrewwynn View Post
Softride Quiet Ride Locking Tightening Hitch Pin; Anti-Rattle for Receiver Hitches, Bike Racks, or Boat Trailers; Silence the "clanking" noise that occurs while towing (25219) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T5BI8Y


Does that thing work?


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  #139  
Old 04-14-2019, 08:42 AM
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Just wait till that rusts shut it you lose your key.
I don’t use a $250 ball carrier (weighsafe, etc), so I don’t need a lock.

a bit of friction tape wrapped around the 2” ball carrier tube works fine for me. It is enough to stop all creaking and rattling and I always have racer tape in the trailer.
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  #140  
Old 04-14-2019, 08:52 AM
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the bolt looks great for security. I’d prefer it over that fancy no rattle pin.

Last edited by bfeng; 04-14-2019 at 04:52 PM.
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