First time towing

[Gren71]

FINALLY got my travel trailer aftet waiting 6 months for it to arrive.

Forest river wolf pup 18to

3,600lbs(ish) dry weight

2020 JTMT w/WDH.

Pulled fine as far as im concerned but i have some questions im hoping yall can help me with.

First. It seemed like it bounced a LOT. Made me wonder if the rubi shocks were too soft and couldn’t handle the motion..I was on regular roads so some small bumps, noting crazy.

I have the curt echo and i noticed my drivers side trailer turn signal doesn’t work while using it. All other functions were fine. Curious if anyone else has had a similar experience with the echo. (The turn signal worked fine while plugged directly into the truck outlet.)

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[NGNERD]

I suspect a lot of bounce could be too heavy on the tongue, I think you have WDH, that should eliminate this though. Is the trailer level when hooked up?

 

[Gren71]

I suspect a lot of bounce could be too heavy on the tongue, I think you have WDH, that should eliminate this though. Is the trailer level when hooked up?

It appears level, but I didn’t check it with a level to verify.

Tongue weight is 440, which I thought wouldn’t be a problem since the jtmt is supposed to be good up to 700.

 

[xpcdoojk]

It is a surprisingly big trailer at that weight, I Like.

 

[Burton79]

FINALLY got my travel trailer aftet waiting 6 months for it to arrive.

Forest river wolf pup 18to

3,600lbs(ish) dry weight

2020 JTMT w/WDH.

Pulled fine as far as im concerned but i have some questions im hoping yall can help me with.

First. It seemed like it bounced a LOT. Made me wonder if the rubi shocks were too soft and couldn’t handle the motion..I was on regular roads so some small bumps, noting crazy.

I have the curt echo and i noticed my drivers side trailer turn signal doesn’t work while using it. All other functions were fine. Curious if anyone else has had a similar experience with the echo. (The turn signal worked fine while plugged directly into the truck outlet.)

Congrats on the new rig and wolf pup. My wife and I are looking at a Salem FSX 178. A friend has a JTR and came across these:

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Lift-608...1611974126&sprefix=jeep+gladiator+air+&sr=8-3

I was skeptical looking at them straight out of the box but after driving it with these in and aired up to 30 PSI I am a believer. He has an Equal - I -zer 4 point WDH and nothing else. I think just hooking up and going, the Fox shocks are a little soft for towing, just my opinion. His Bambi was bouncing a lot on a level grade, maybe a 1 degree incline, but noting out of the ordinary. I’ve only rode once with out the airbags in and driven once with them in. It was a world of difference.

 

[NGNERD]

It appears level, but I didn’t check it with a level to verify.

Tongue weight is 440, which I thought wouldn’t be a problem since the jtmt is supposed to be good up to 700.

I think your tongue weight and trailer weight are good, just wondering if it is leaning forward a bit too much.

 

[Gren71]

Congrats on the new rig and wolf pup. My wife and I are looking at a Salem FSX 178. A friend has a JTR and came across these:

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Lift-608...1611974126&sprefix=jeep+gladiator+air+&sr=8-3

I was skeptical looking at them straight out of the box but after driving it with these in and aired up to 30 PSI I am a believer. He has an Equal - I -zer 4 point WDH and nothing else. I think just hooking up and going, the Fox shocks are a little soft for towing, just my opinion. His Bambi was bouncing a lot on a level grade, maybe a 1 degree incline, but noting out of the ordinary. I’ve only rode once with out the airbags in and driven once with them in. It was a world of difference.

Thanks and thanks!

Yea im really curious now about the runi shocks. I may do a swap and see if it makes any difference.

And funny you mention the bags i have a set i saw in an “evolving male” YouTube video sitting in my shopping cart. Just haven’t decided if im going to pull the trigger.

The bounce is by no means dangerous, really just something I noticed and thought was weird. Honestly it may be normal...ive never pulled anything this heavy before.

 

[Gren71]

I think your tongue weight and trailer weight are good, just wondering if it is leaning forward a bit too much.

It certainly could be. The water tanks are seated towards the rear of the trailer which, if filled, would theoretically bring the trailer s little more nose yo than it sits empty.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I found tongue weight to be off a bit caused bounce for me - not enough in my case.

I also had a VERY heavy flatbed trailer - I'm talking about 3,000 pounds before a car was loaded - and I had to set the weight distributing hitch really really tight. The ones I used could be adjusted and if I had the hitch not "tight" enough, I had bounce with that rig.

But I'm not an expert with travel trailers/campers and WDH's.

 

[Up2spec]

What tires are you running on your trailer?

I have an PROD 176 and 179. I have the original Westlake 235s on my 176. I found it to be bouncier than my 179 with Goodyear Endurance 225s. The ride feels more stable with the goodyear. Your trailer tires could be spongy and giving you the feeling it is bouncing.

 

[Burton79]

Thanks and thanks!

Yea im really curious now about the runi shocks. I may do a swap and see if it makes any difference.

And funny you mention the bags i have a set i saw in an “evolving male” YouTube video sitting in my shopping cart. Just haven’t decided if im going to pull the trigger.

The bounce is by no means dangerous, really just something I noticed and thought was weird. Honestly it may be normal...ive never pulled anything this heavy before.

You’re welcome. I had never towed a thing until I was in the Army and felt bounce on everything from a flat trailer to a loaded up Mobile Kitchen Trailer(MKT). There will always be a bit of bounce depending on anything really but I get what you mean by it not being dangerous. I plan on getting those bags personally to limit it and not scare my wife.

 

[Gren71]

What tires are you running on your trailer?

I have an PROD 176 and 179. I have the original Westlake 235s on my 176. I found it to be bouncier than my 179 with Goodyear Endurance 225s. The ride feels more stable with the goodyear. Your trailer tires could be spongy and giving you the feeling it is bouncing.

good food for thought. I don't know what tires specifically came on it. Ill have to look today when I go back to my storage lot.

 

[Gren71]

I found tongue weight to be off a bit caused bounce for me - not enough in my case.

I also had a VERY heavy flatbed trailer - I'm talking about 3,000 pounds before a car was loaded - and I had to set the weight distributing hitch really really tight. The ones I used could be adjusted and if I had the hitch not "tight" enough, I had bounce with that rig.

But I'm not an expert with travel trailers/campers and WDH's.

Neither am I! I sat and watched several videos on setting a WDH last night to re-familiarize myself with them. I may be able to increase the height of my ball a little to help the trailer sit more level once its attached.

 

[Gren71]

Congrats on the new rig and wolf pup. My wife and I are looking at a Salem FSX 178. A friend has a JTR and came across these:

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Lift-608...1611974126&sprefix=jeep+gladiator+air+&sr=8-3

I was skeptical looking at them straight out of the box but after driving it with these in and aired up to 30 PSI I am a believer. He has an Equal - I -zer 4 point WDH and nothing else. I think just hooking up and going, the Fox shocks are a little soft for towing, just my opinion. His Bambi was bouncing a lot on a level grade, maybe a 1 degree incline, but noting out of the ordinary. I’ve only rode once with out the airbags in and driven once with them in. It was a world of difference.

What air pump do you use to fill them? I don't really want to create some sort of on board air system

 

[Ocotillo Boy]

I just picked up my new Geo Pro 19FBTH front bedroom toy hauler yesterday! Just got home from a 624 mile ride home through heavy wind, snow, ice and rain!

I have the equalizer 4 point WDH. Very smooth ride with mine!

My Mojave did great! Suspension and handling wise. Burned a lot of gas though and did not like to hold a taller gear. Constantly had to do a manual up shift because it would just hold at very high RPM’s and not shift. It would just sit at 5K or higher forever if you let it. MPG’s sucked @ 8.9 average. Trailer weighs 3441lbs empty with 548lbs Tongue weight. 31 gallon water tank was full as well as the two propane tanks.

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