The Ford Barn

Stingray70 · 01-08-2025, 06:37 AM

Ok this isn't Model A specific, but I know some of you guys have experience with this.

I have a 2wd Silverado 2500 that I tow my 24' enclosed trailer with. It tows great but the truck does squat a bit even with the trailer loaded properly. This year I will be doing 2 cross country trip with a very heavily loaded trailer (probably 9k lbs).

My question is, are air bags worth the time & cost to install? What about a WD hitch?

29spcoupe · 01-08-2025, 07:57 AM

Best bang for the buck is a weight distributing hitch with torsion bars.

nkaminar · 01-08-2025, 08:11 AM

As 29 sport coupe said, the weight distributing hitch works well. I use that on my truck when towing my travel trailer.

Phil Brown · 01-08-2025, 10:55 AM

Another vote for the weight distributing hitch

Jim Brierley · 01-08-2025, 11:48 AM

I used both when towing a tow-behind RV with my F-250 I just used a WD hitch. When I got a 41' 5th wheel I needed air bags. My recommendation for you would be a WD hitch, but if this is a one time tow, go with whichever is cheaper, probably the bags.

ModelA29 · 01-08-2025, 01:33 PM

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WD Hitch - A rule of thumb is 10% of gross weight as tongue weight. The bars come in different tongue weight capacities.

https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Wei...ion_Hitch.aspx

dave in australia · 01-09-2025, 02:15 AM

The problem with airbags is they put the load on the wrong spot of the chassis, and that can lead to bent and cracked chassis'. The only time airbags are OK, is if the car has coil springs on the rear, as the coil mount area of the chassis is designed to carry the weight in that area. And also, with 10% of the trailer weight on the towbar, that weight is added to the axle load limit of the cars rear axle.

Synchro909 · 01-09-2025, 04:21 AM

Another vote here for a load distributing hitch. My father made one back in the 1960s and amazed other caravanners with how well it worked. I was only a kid but I remember he used two halves of a leaf spring instead of torsion bars.

Big hammer · 01-09-2025, 09:31 AM

Last summer I moved step daughter 600 miles, 2500 gmc and 7 ft X 22 ft enclosed trailer. Yes the truck squatted a bit, the trailer squatted a bit , trailer was level, the truck was about level maybe a little nose high. Pulling through hills only once did the combination buck at a bridge crossing, later that night I wondered about headlights shining to high but no one flashed their headlights at me. A wild guess was 9000-10000 lbs load. Squatting the spring is normal when you’re loaded, if you need helpers have you overloaded your tow vehicle ? I would recommend not overloading your truck or trailer tires and make sure your brakes are in good condition ! The first 1/2 hour of driving loaded was a little tense, but after getting use to pulling it load it was no problem. Watch out for the other drivers like when you’re driving your model A !

Phil Brown · 01-09-2025, 12:47 PM

You need to remember that with a bumper pull style trailer when the rear of the tow vehicle squats down that it is also lifting the front up and removing weight from your steering tires. That's where the load distribution hitch comes in. It's not just to keep the rear from squatting down but transfer that weight towards the front of the tow vehicle giving you back your tire traction for steering.

01-08-2025, 06:37 AM	#1
Stingray70 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Western NC Posts: 224	Trailer towing question Ok this isn't Model A specific, but I know some of you guys have experience with this. I have a 2wd Silverado 2500 that I tow my 24' enclosed trailer with. It tows great but the truck does squat a bit even with the trailer loaded properly. This year I will be doing 2 cross country trip with a very heavily loaded trailer (probably 9k lbs). My question is, are air bags worth the time & cost to install? What about a WD hitch? __________________ 1930 Standard Coupe

01-08-2025, 07:57 AM	#2
29spcoupe Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Rhinebeck, NY Posts: 779	Re: Trailer towing question Best bang for the buck is a weight distributing hitch with torsion bars.

01-08-2025, 08:11 AM	#3
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,855	Re: Trailer towing question As 29 sport coupe said, the weight distributing hitch works well. I use that on my truck when towing my travel trailer. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

01-08-2025, 10:55 AM	#4
Phil Brown Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee Calif. Posts: 638	Re: Trailer towing question Another vote for the weight distributing hitch

01-08-2025, 11:48 AM	#5
Jim Brierley Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 4,251	Re: Trailer towing question I used both when towing a tow-behind RV with my F-250 I just used a WD hitch. When I got a 41' 5th wheel I needed air bags. My recommendation for you would be a WD hitch, but if this is a one time tow, go with whichever is cheaper, probably the bags.

01-08-2025, 01:33 PM	#6
ModelA29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,152	Re: Trailer towing question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) WD Hitch - A rule of thumb is 10% of gross weight as tongue weight. The bars come in different tongue weight capacities. https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Wei...ion_Hitch.aspx

01-09-2025, 02:15 AM	#7
dave in australia Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,241	Re: Trailer towing question The problem with airbags is they put the load on the wrong spot of the chassis, and that can lead to bent and cracked chassis'. The only time airbags are OK, is if the car has coil springs on the rear, as the coil mount area of the chassis is designed to carry the weight in that area. And also, with 10% of the trailer weight on the towbar, that weight is added to the axle load limit of the cars rear axle.

01-09-2025, 04:21 AM	#8
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,043	Re: Trailer towing question Another vote here for a load distributing hitch. My father made one back in the 1960s and amazed other caravanners with how well it worked. I was only a kid but I remember he used two halves of a leaf spring instead of torsion bars. __________________ I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Even at my age, I still like to look at a young, attractive woman but I can't really remember why.

01-09-2025, 09:31 AM	#9
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,430	Re: Trailer towing question Last summer I moved step daughter 600 miles, 2500 gmc and 7 ft X 22 ft enclosed trailer. Yes the truck squatted a bit, the trailer squatted a bit , trailer was level, the truck was about level maybe a little nose high. Pulling through hills only once did the combination buck at a bridge crossing, later that night I wondered about headlights shining to high but no one flashed their headlights at me. A wild guess was 9000-10000 lbs load. Squatting the spring is normal when you’re loaded, if you need helpers have you overloaded your tow vehicle ? I would recommend not overloading your truck or trailer tires and make sure your brakes are in good condition ! The first 1/2 hour of driving loaded was a little tense, but after getting use to pulling it load it was no problem. Watch out for the other drivers like when you’re driving your model A ! __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

01-09-2025, 12:47 PM	#10
Phil Brown Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee Calif. Posts: 638	Re: Trailer towing question You need to remember that with a bumper pull style trailer when the rear of the tow vehicle squats down that it is also lifting the front up and removing weight from your steering tires. That's where the load distribution hitch comes in. It's not just to keep the rear from squatting down but transfer that weight towards the front of the tow vehicle giving you back your tire traction for steering.