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Camping Pop Up Question
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26028		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  bhysjulien [ Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:20 am ]
Post subject:  Camping Pop Up Question
Anyone on the list have experience with the Jayco Baja, Starcraft RT, or the Fleetwood Evolution? We will be using the CRD to tow whichever one we buy. I'm planning on a weight distributing hitch and an electronic brake controller. My wife and I are looking into them and would like some opinions from fellow CRD owners.
Author:  Anomious [ Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:50 am ]
Post subject: 
http://www.rjays.com/Tekonsha/prodigy-01.htm Brake controler. Hi! I had an old Starmaster -8. Pulled it with a Dodge grand caravan. No equalizing hitch nor brakes. The Liberty is sturdier and more capable than the dodge. The Caravan was rated to pull a 2000 lb. trailer. Brakes are a good idea and the controller in the link is reported to be one of the best. Best of luck!! Larry K :)
Author:  Timmaah! [ Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:37 am ]
Post subject: 
I tow a 5,000# trailer with my CRD with no load leveler and with surge brakes in the Ozarks. The tongue weight is 500#. The interesting thing is that when I was towing once with my ’95 GC (gone now) I thought maybe the trailer brakes were not working as good as they should. The surge brake master cylinder was dry and the ’95 CG that is lighter than the CRD was still stopping the heavy load almost okay! Unless it’s a huge pop-up all you need to do is hook it up and give it at test run. If you think it’s not doing okay, then go for the stuff you might need.
Author:  WWV [ Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:01 am ]
Post subject:  Coleman/Fleetwood Pop up
I tow a 3800lb (dry) so 4000lb+ coleman.

I will tell you that elec brakes are a must and antisway is a very nice to have feature. The CRD hauls like a champ, but when you load that thing up, you can get pushed around a bit. Especially if you're going to hit the mountains, which you probably will coming out of AZ.

The most important thing is to remember you're hauling something heavy back there....take your time and give yourself extra distance/spacing. Start your stops early....

Plenty of posts on this subject, do search and you'll find plenty of experiences......I know, I posted a few of them.

WWV
06 Silver CRD Sport....no mods....still going strong. 31k
Author:  nix [ Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:35 am ]
Post subject: 
I towed an 8 foot jayco pop-up camper a few months ago and the CRD pulled it easy- though we didn't go up any crazy mountains or anything. It'll do 80 quite easily. :D The trailer didn't have brakes (I don't think) and I just have a regular ole' hidden hitch in back with the 4-wire connector. Nothing to worry about... just make sure you drive cautiously and give yourself plenty of room for emergency stops. (which you would do even if you had trailer brakes, etc)
Author:  Joe Dirt [ Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
We have a Starcraft 2107 we pulled 1600 miles this summer with no problem. I don't have a sway control hitch or trailer brakes. We pulled it over mountian passes with no problem. It handles it great with plenty of power. No problem keeping up with traffic through the mountians.
Author:  KJ79 [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:36 am ]
Post subject: 
Used to pull the Coleman Sedonah with my 02 KJ , with brake controller but without sway bars. The first time out I got a lot of trailer sway when going down hills. It turned out that the combination was very sensitive to tongue weight. I had not enough tongue weight. Reloading with more weight towards the front instead of the back solved the issue pretty much.
I would recommend anyone to get the electrical brakes/brake controller properly setup. Emergencies happen usually at unexpected moments and the trailer brakes can safe your day.

I am pulling with the 06 CRD a fiberglass lightweight travel trailer now, loaded 2500 lbs and do not need the sway bars, never experienced sway in about 3000 miles of driving! Yes I have a trailer brake controller a Reese Pilot.
Author:  Joe Romas [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 7:01 am ]
Post subject: 
Have you looked in your Manual yet :? that should be the first place you look :wink: It says that at 300 pounds of tongue weight you need a Weight distribution hitch. We tow a Casita 17' that is listed at 350 tongue weight and around 3000 pounds weight and have a single bar Draw-Tite model and the Pilot brake controler. Anti sway bar is something you should have and never want to need :shock: You should check your state's requirement if brakes are required. Don't trust on-line lists because they are error ridden. CRD Libbies are a good small tow vehicle but they do need to be properly equipted. I personally think brakes are good for anything much over 1000 pounds.

You'll also find out how much you need a lift pump :lol: Day and night difference :D
Author:  alljeep [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:44 am ]
Post subject: 
I tow a 2006 Fleetwood Highlander Sequoia, one of the biggest pop-ups Fleetwood makes. It's 19'8" total length and fully loaded with gear, propane, and water I'm pushing 3,500-4,000lbs. I use a Prodigy brake controller. No weight distribution hitch. No anti-sway bar. Tows perfect.

I will comment that I pickep up the '06 model over the used '04, '05, and newer '08 Sequioa because my bathroom and most utilities sit over the camper axel or behind it - saving dramatically on tongue weight. Also, the Sequoia is the only Highlander series without a slideout, so I can access all the floor space for storage and as such I load all gear to the rear of the camper floor.

The models of trailers you are looking at have the front storage decks right? MAJOR tongue weight - you will need weight distribution and/or sway control because of this.
Author:  valoflyby [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:43 am ]
Post subject: 
Ok... I think that I'd like to chime in on this.

I pull my motorcycle trailer (6x12, dual axle, 7500lb gross, ~4700 running weight) w/ the CRD all the time. I have it set up w/ a prodigy brake controller and weight distribution bars. I have not been able to find a scale local (haven't looked ~too~ hard) which is capable of measuring each axle weight, so I don't know if I have the distribution set up "right".

However... I have a bit of a handling anomaly which I was curious if any of you have experienced. It is a bit of an "oversteer" desire. I find that it occurs most prevalently when I'm taking an off-ramp, or when the steering wheel needs to deflect more than 5* off center while @ speed. I've tried different loadings on the distribution bars... and it doesn't seem to matter much. (Handling is worse w/o the bars)

Anyone else run into this?

Thx.
Author:  Timmaah! [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 11:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
I can find nothing in my manual where it says, “that at 300 pounds of tongue weight you need a Weight distribution hitch”. My manual says that, “A load equalizing hitch is recommended for loaded trailer weights above 1,000 lbs (454kg).” - A very low standard in my opinion in either case for this vehicle. :shock: I have a friend who is a lawyer who tows a medium sized popup without an equalizing hitch or electric brakes. He says that manuals are written by lawyers not automotive engineers. This is a bone of contention with me because if you have an accident a lawyer will trot the manual into court and ask you why you did not follow it. However, the key word in my manual is “recommended” not “required” leaving some judgment to the individual. My assertion would be that if the newer bigger popups come with electric brakes those brakes should be hooked up and working.

Also, I tend to forget sometimes that towing a 5,000# boat and trailer is dramatically different than towing a travel trailer. With the boat and trailer combination the bulk of the mass of the unit is located over the twin axels that are at the rear of the trailer where the engine, out drive and widest part of the boat rides. Very little of the mass is located near the hitch, so the Liberty just has its way with it. 8)
Author:  danoid [ Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
Image

I have about 6700 miles on this combo and the CRD will pull. Trailer weighs 5600# wet / 1000# tongue weight. There was never any cosideration of not having the best possible sway control and brakes in my mind.

I have a Hensley Arrow hitch and the Tekonsha Prodigy controller. After pulling a while I also installed AirLift rear helper springs for stability, not necessarily height.

The Hensley is most likely expensive overkill for a popup. I was looking at the length from the front of the (trailer) axles to the hitch point and thinking, "a little wiggle in the back means a lot of force on the truck..."

I recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy for anyone though. I've used it with this trailer and three different trucks, and a Ram 2500 Cummins with a 10,000# utility trailer. Works great.
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