Correct hitch set up

rduswalt · 01-12-2009, 04:51 PM

Hello to club members
I have just purchased an '07 Que after seeing it sit in the dealers lot, and was very impressed with the amount of room in the small, compact trailer, The salesman who sold it stated that I would need a sway bar/WD type of hitch, which I did have on my 24 ft. Holiday Rambler camper. Others have told me that because of the light weight of the Que, that type of hitch is not neessary - who is correct? Also, I am pleased to find a forum whereby these questions can be resolved without any undue pressure from a dealer, thanks for any info on the above.

**JohnB** · 01-12-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rduswalt

Hello to club members
I have just purchased an '07 Que after seeing it sit in the dealers lot, and was very impressed with the amount of room in the small, compact trailer, The salesman who sold it stated that I would need a sway bar/WD type of hitch, which I did have on my 24 ft. Holiday Rambler camper. Others have told me that because of the light weight of the Que, that type of hitch is not neessary - who is correct? Also, I am pleased to find a forum whereby these questions can be resolved without any undue pressure from a dealer, thanks for any info on the above.

Hi rduswalt and welcome to the Club. Your Coach will serve you well.

Now to the hitch, tell us a little more about your setup.

What TV do you have? Year/model

Do you have any weight in the back of the TV? Like camping gear or fire wood and if you do, about how many pounds if aft of the rear axle?

What size WD hitch do you have? What size WD bars?

And if you know, what brand/type WD hitch is it?

Pending what TV you have, how loaded it is allraedy and a Que, you may or may not need a WD hitch. But a friction sway control is still a good thing to have.

Again welcome and we are all glad to share our thoughts to help you out.

John

**Tweety** · 01-13-2009, 06:29 AM

When we had our QUE we towed it with a Chevy TrailBlazer without a WD hitch. We found it to tow like a dream without the extra of the WD hitch. In addition, the tongue weight is light and the QUE frame is tiny - not sure the twisting of the WD hitch would be a good thing to do. Also the QUE has a cargo capacity of 500 lbs, so not sure if you want to throw any extra weight back onto the axle. John B - please correct me if I'm wrong

We just found that it was not necessary. I'd get the sway bar, just as a little extra insurance, but we never had a minute of trouble even with no bar.
Pam

nasa42a · 01-13-2009, 07:10 AM

rdswalt.......

John's and Steve & Pam's comments obviously all apply. We towed our Que for 25,000 miles...1st 2500 with our F-150 (complete overkill), and the remainder with the 07 Tacoma V6 PreRunner (relaxed, easy tow). We moved our existing (from bigger prior Sunline) Reese fricton sway control and equalizer bar set-up (750-lb bars) to the Que. Our dealer set up the bar tension (NOT full-load) so that while it helped smooth the ride for both TT and TV, it didn't overload the Que's A-frame.

Overall, I'd say that while the sway control & bars certainly weren't necessary.... they made for an even better towing experience.

But I wouldn't run out and buy any new equipment until you've made a trip or two with what you've got.

Frank

rduswalt · 01-13-2009, 11:49 AM

Thanks to all for the hitch info, all the WD/sway bar equipment went with the sale of my last camper, so I'll be starting from scratch. I will definately add the sway bar to my Que set up, the WD maybe. My TV is a Toyota Tundra with factory installed receiver and, I think, plenty of umph to pull the TT. Any suggestions as to the type or brand of sway bar that wouild be the most appropriate ? Thanks again.

Bobo · 01-13-2009, 05:13 PM

rdswalt,

With that light of weight, I would recommend a Reese friction style anti-sway bar. I had one on my Coleman pu, 2250 #, and it solved any sway problem that I had.

Bobo

**JohnB** · 01-13-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rduswalt

Thanks to all for the hitch info, all the WD/sway bar equipment went with the sale of my last camper, so I'll be starting from scratch. I will definately add the sway bar to my Que set up, the WD maybe. My TV is a Toyota Tundra with factory installed receiver and, I think, plenty of umph to pull the TT. Any suggestions as to the type or brand of sway bar that wouild be the most appropriate ? Thanks again.

Hi rduswalt

OK now we know a little more what you are up to. Looking up a 2007 Que is lists out at a 3500# GVWR TT. Pulling most likely will not be your problem, it is only 7 feet wide and lower to the ground then the bricks we pull as TT’s…. Our 8 foot wide, 9 to 10 feet tall TT’s have a lot of wind resistance eating up towing performance. I do not know your year/engine or rear axle in your Tundra, but you can look that up in your owners manual. If you need help on that too, let us know. I’ll type some more.

Now to the WD hitch or not. Part of this starts with your receiver in the back of the truck. There should be a sticker on it or in the owners manual stating what the “weight Carrying” tongue weight is and “Weight distributing” tongue weight is. Sunline did not list a dry tongue weight that I could find as a starting point. Maybe someone here who has weighed a “loaded” Que can help provide the actual tongue weight.

My guess, and that is all it is, your loaded tongue weight could be 400 to pushing fully loaded maybe 500# if you hit the 3500# GVWR.

So you are in the area where you might or might not need WD. But the following needs to fall in line.

What ever the loaded Que tongue weight is, the Tundra receiver needs to be rated to carry it in the Weight Carrying rating if you are not using WD. That rating moves around pending year of Tundra as they changed a bit. Might be 350 or might be 500#. You will need to check this.

Next is you have a PU. Weight in the truck bed that is behind the rear axle can affect the need to use a WD hitch or not. If you put 150# of fire wood, not that much, at the tail gate and go for a long tow down the road this changes things. The TT hanging back there as well as the fire wood add up and this may force you to a WD hitch or else the front of the truck will be too light. Or you slide the fire wood over the axles or in front of it until you get to camp. A WD hitch transfers weight off the rear axles where ever it came from, the TT tongue or large bed weight in the back of the truck aft of the rear axle.

Next check is the TV rear axle. Again over the years the Tundra has changed a lot. The new ones carry more then the old ones. If the rear axle can carry the truck bed weight and the TT tongue weight, and you are under the GVWR of the TV, then this too checks out. A scale trip is the best way to know for sure on this.

So if your receiver lines up under the Weight carrying ratings, the rear axle is not overworked, then that check box is done. Some where along the way you need to weigh the loaded Que tongue weight to be sure and the truck rear axle. A truck scale can be used for about $8 or in this case, there is a bath scale method that works in the 500 # range tongue weight with some beams placed in the right spot that can do this.

It really comes down to weights and ratings. You could be fine or you can be over. Each of us carry different camping gear in the TV and the front of the TT. And each TV has different ratings.

If your are within the ratings and if you find the front of the truck bouncing around, WD will help put that back to normal if needed.

As far as brand of friction sway bar, The Reese, Drawtite, Husky or other large hitch company names are all close to the same on this. I would caution a no name brand. And shop the price as I have seen them range $150 to $75 for the complete friction sway bar and mounting kit.

Good Luck.

John

rduswalt · 01-14-2009, 08:42 AM

Thanks again to all those who replied to my query on hitch set up for the Que. I sincerely appreciate all the timely and accurate info that I received, I have enough data now to shop for the correct set up and look into my TV capacity through the owner's manuel. I hope, some day, to be able to exchange info to members, who have a problem or question, and that I can be part of the solution. This forum is an excellent method of communication among persons with shared interests, thanks again.

luvrque · 01-14-2009, 01:16 PM

Hi, rduswalt , Welcome to the Club.........
I have a QUE for 2 1/2 years now and love it ! It tows GREAT without a WD or a sway control, as PAM said even with a Trailblazer.
The weight on the ball is 410 lbs. ( as stated by Sunline) If you have a V/8 in the Tundra you should be good, unless you have less than 500 lbs. cap. on the hitch......... Try it and see for yourself but I think you should be good without a WD or sway control.
And yes the QUE frame is tiny.
Joe