What a Weight Distributing Hitch Does for a Bigfoot 25 - Page 2 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 08-27-2012, 10:45 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gene Masse View Post
We also need to keep in mind that each situation is different. Inventory the trailer with a "do I really need that stuff here" mindset. Just filling the water tank adds a lot of weight. How full do you let the waste water tanks get before emptying them?
I think one thing we should also keep in mind is that the majority of us won't be hauling an ATV in the bed of the pickup too. That makes for quite a payload to be hauling. I wonder how it would be without that there? Do you always have that with you?
I always try to travel with my fresh water tank full and the waste tanks empty because I am going to need it that way when I get to the camp site if I am dry camping, which I do 95% of the time. When I leave the camp site that may vary if I can't find a fresh water fillup or dump station.

Not having the 850 lb ATV would be a little better but I don't believe it affects the way the trailer tows very much. I pretty much always take it unless it is a fishing trip because ATVing is what I do. The truck has a rated payload capacity of 3030 lbs so even with a 1300 load and a 900 lb trailer tongue weight It is still well below rated load capacity. A side note: Ford rates this truck to tow an 11,300 lb trailer. I have some serious doubts about that even if the bed of the truck were empty.
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Old 09-01-2012, 03:03 PM   #22
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Thx Bruce, appreciate the real world data!
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Old 09-09-2012, 10:39 AM   #23
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Name: Ivan 'Z'
Trailer: Looking for a previously loved Bigfoot 21' or 25'
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Towing with a Tundra?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh in Montana View Post
They are correct. ReRead the hitch instructions. I think you will find that the drop in the tow vehicle hitch should only drop about 1" when you put the weight of the trailer on it. This should be done before you load the pickup. If you find where things should be set, I thing you will find the axle loads will be better. Also move as much cargo to the storage under the bed as you can this will allow the Bigfoot to carry the load and not the hitch. I tow my 25B25RQ with a 2004 Tundra.
Hugh~
I have a 2006 Tundra V8 4.7 (245 HP). It's not as big as the later V8's. I read your comment about towing the 25' Bigfoot. Which engine do you have?

I put a weight distribution system and some Timbren rubber shocks (perform similar to airbags) on this (1/2) town in preparation for purchase, but I am on the fence about pushing to the 25' er, especially given how much more the dry weight is. I am particularly interested in which engine your Tundra has and any other insights you can give me.

Thanks,

Ivan 'Z'
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Old 09-09-2012, 10:50 AM   #24
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Hi Ivan 'Z', welcome to FiberglassRV I'm sure you'll get answers to your questions and all the help you need here on this forum. Stand by!

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Old 10-24-2012, 11:47 AM   #25
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Name: Dennis
Trailer: Bigfoot 25b25rq
Utah
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Originally Posted by Bruce H View Post
According to all this the WD hitch when cinched up added 100 lbs to the front truck axle, removed 140 lbs from the rear truck axle and added 20 lbs to the trailer axle. The trailer has 920 lbs of tongue weight.
Thanks for the information on the weight of the Bigfoot, more tongue wt than I thought. We are in the process of purchasing the same camper and have a fairly long drive to pick it up. Wondering if we'll need a WDH (dually F350)? If so, is there a particular make or model to fit the "openings" in the plastic cover over the propane tanks? Also how heavy a WDH are you using or would you/folks recommend? Any need for sway control? Thanks, just joined and am really enjoying the comments and insights folks have!
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Old 10-24-2012, 01:12 PM   #26
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Just a mention about weights:

While at the RV Show in Pomona last weekend I noticed that ALL new trailers now have a sticker with the following information:

Dry Weight, MAX GVW, MAX payload, and a chart that shows how much water weighs and a listing of how much the onboard tanks hold in weight values.

I don't know how new that is, but it was very telling for a number of rigs. In short, many "Lightweights" had very limited payloads and, with personal stuff added, had to be towed without water on board.



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Old 10-24-2012, 06:31 PM   #27
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Missouri
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Dennis,

You won't need a weight distributing hitch to pull a 25' Bigfoot with a dually F-350. It would be no benefit at all. The holes you see cut in the fiberglass LP tank covers are not from the factory. You have to cut them yourself if you put a WD hitch on a Bigfoot. Also I can't speak for a 25' front bed model but a 25' rear queen model trails straight and does not need sway control unless you are trying to tow it with a very light weight tow vehicle.

Aside from that WD hitches come to accommodate different tongue weights. The arms are springs designed to spring according to that tongue weight. You choose the WD hitch that has a range that covers your tongue weight. You do not want one that has heavier or lighter capacity.
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Old 10-24-2012, 09:39 PM   #28
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Name: Dennis
Trailer: Bigfoot 25b25rq
Utah
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Thanks Bruce. Just wasn't sure about the hitch receiver capacity as it lists the max weight capacity at 5,000lbs and the max tongue wt at 500lbs w/o the WDH. The numbers increase two and one-half times when the WDH is installed. The truck has air bags as we usually carry a Bigfoot 3000 series truck camper in the rear, so I don't imagine the tongue weight of the TT will be a problem as long as the hitch can handle the weight. This is our first TT, so towing something this size is new to us. Thanks for your help!
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Old 02-07-2017, 12:05 AM   #29
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Bump for Cremazie
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Old 02-07-2017, 12:23 AM   #30
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Name: BARNEY
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Georgia
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BruceH YOU HAVE COLLECTED A WEALTH OF INFO,WELL STUDIED!! ON "TUNDRATALK" THERE IS A FORMULAR/DIAGRAM YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL. BARNEY CONE II
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Old 04-03-2017, 06:24 PM   #31
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Trailer: 2017 Bigfoot 25B25RQ
California
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Bruce H, Thanks for posting this. You have saved me a ton of work!

I have a 2012 F150 Ecoboost 4x2 and just bought a Bigfoot 25 RQ. We towed it back from Phoenix where we bought it. There was plenty of power but some rear end sag. I added a set of the Timbren SES that leveled it up nicely but have not had a chance to go out and try it.

The Ford towing guide says my exact truck as equipped can tow 9800 lbs with 10-15% tongue weight. That's well within what your numbers indicate.

Will there be a 3/4 ton Diesel in my future? They are very expensive these days. I hope this truck will be up to the task.
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Old 04-03-2017, 08:08 PM   #32
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We tow a 28' Silver Cloud with an Expedition. We had lots of sway until we bought a ProPride hitch. Worth every penny!

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Old 05-04-2017, 03:10 AM   #33
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Name: GG
Trailer: Bigfoot
Illinois
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Bigfoot: Notches in LP Tank Cover (WD Hitch)

Bruce, hope you're still checking in to this thread.

Am considering a 2015 Bigfoot 25B25FB. Owner is in Albuquerque, I'm near St Louis MO. Want to add a Fastway E2 WDH with sway bars. Looks like I'll need to cut a notch in the LP tank cover like you did. You did yours yourself? Dremmel? Difficult? Yours is very professionally finished. Looks like you framed the cut edge with something. ?? How would you rate difficulty...1 easy easy to 10 bloody hard?

Thanks
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce H View Post
Dennis,

You won't need a weight distributing hitch to pull a 25' Bigfoot with a dually F-350. It would be no benefit at all. The holes you see cut in the fiberglass LP tank covers are not from the factory. You have to cut them yourself if you put a WD hitch on a Bigfoot. Also I can't speak for a 25' front bed model but a 25' rear queen model trails straight and does not need sway control unless you are trying to tow it with a very light weight tow vehicle.

Aside from that WD hitches come to accommodate different tongue weights. The arms are springs designed to spring according to that tongue weight. You choose the WD hitch that has a range that covers your tongue weight. You do not want one that has heavier or lighter capacity.
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Old 05-04-2017, 04:25 AM   #34
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GG, you'll probably find that a multi tool is your best friend for cutting FG. Much more control that a Dremmel but they both have their place in the tool crib
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Old 05-05-2017, 08:02 PM   #35
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I own a 2013 F150 Ecoboost 4x4 (11K towing capacity). Considering a Bigfoot 25B25FB, with front storage and triple LP (heavy tongue).

Considering towing from Albuquerque NM to Round Rock TX where WDH & sway bars would be added at a Bigfoot dealership.....about 600 miles, mostly flat. Trailer/tanks will be empty.

Open to comments regarding the trip to Round Rock without WDH or sway bars attached.
Thanks
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by DeadEyeDan View Post
Bruce H, Thanks for posting this. You have saved me a ton of work!

I have a 2012 F150 Ecoboost 4x2 and just bought a Bigfoot 25 RQ. We towed it back from Phoenix where we bought it. There was plenty of power but some rear end sag. I added a set of the Timbren SES that leveled it up nicely but have not had a chance to go out and try it.

The Ford towing guide says my exact truck as equipped can tow 9800 lbs with 10-15% tongue weight. That's well within what your numbers indicate.

Will there be a 3/4 ton Diesel in my future? They are very expensive these days. I hope this truck will be up to the task.
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Old 05-05-2017, 08:37 PM   #36
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We have a a Bigfoot Silver Cloud. Driving it home from Oregon was scary. We pull it with a Ford Expedition with the top tow package. The best money we spent was putting a ProPride tow bar on it.

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Old 05-05-2017, 09:39 PM   #37
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to oldsgg:
I have a 2008 25front bed,with front storage tongue weight is about 750-800 empty,trailer weighs 6500+ or- check your hitch probably not rated for that much tongue weight with out a wdh installed. Best wishes, be safe. Any hitch dealer should be able to install a wdh hitch, call a few near the trailer and get some prices, it doesn't have to be done by a bigfoot dealer. Might even save some cash.
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Old 05-05-2017, 11:50 PM   #38
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Name: GG
Trailer: Bigfoot
Illinois
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Thanks Martin. My problem is the Bigfoot storage & LP compartment shroud needs to be notched out to accept the WDH & bars. The Bigfoot dealer (600 miles away) has done it before and knows how. I'm afraid local dealers unfamiliar with the job are likely to hack it up.

Speaking of WDH. Do you think a Fastway E2 92-00-1000 would do the job?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin A View Post
to oldsgg:
I have a 2008 25front bed,with front storage tongue weight is about 750-800 empty,trailer weighs 6500+ or- check your hitch probably not rated for that much tongue weight with out a wdh installed. Best wishes, be safe. Any hitch dealer should be able to install a wdh hitch, call a few near the trailer and get some prices, it doesn't have to be done by a bigfoot dealer. Might even save some cash.
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Old 05-05-2017, 11:58 PM   #39
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CindyL----I'm not familiar with a Bigfoot Silver Cloud. How big is it? Not looking forward to hauling a 25-footer without a WDH...but, rationalizing it's only 600 flat miles.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CindyL View Post
We have a a Bigfoot Silver Cloud. Driving it home from Oregon was scary. We pull it with a Ford Expedition with the top tow package. The best money we spent was putting a ProPride tow bar on it.

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Old 05-06-2017, 02:05 PM   #40
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Oldsgg, When I bought my 2500RB in 2010 my tow vehicle was an F-150 2WD with heavy payload AND max towing packages. The 4WD trucks have a little taller hitch height. The hitch height to the top of the ball on a Bigfoot is very high. The trailer already had a WD hitch but when hooked to my truck and adjusted to its tallest it did not raise the front of the trailer enough to level it. This resulted in the trailer being nose down and the rear sticking up. This was in Colorado Springs, 700 miles from where I live so I was at a disadvantage about knowing where to get "stuff". The seller was kind enough to let me camp in his driveway while found the parts to properly hook the trailer to my truck. I ran around all over Colorado Springs for three days looking for them. I purchased a new WD hitch from Camping World on day one. Even set at its maximum height it was still not tall enough. I finally found a farm implement plow bushing at a farm supply store and a ball with an extra long shank (at a different store). That allowed me to get the top of the ball just high enough to level the trailer and thread about 3/4ths of the nut on the shank.

With regard to your WD hitch, I would order or buy locally and install the WD hitch myself. Take the gas tank cover completely off when you do this. There is no reason you couldn't pull the trailer without it if you had to. These hitches, brackets etc bolt on and do not require welding or drilling holes. Those long bars on a WD hitch that go back from the hitch and are cinched up to the trailer frame are springs. They come in different levels of stiffness to match your trailer tongue weight. These levels are ranges (example 700 to 900 lbs). Get the range that covers your tongue weight. Installation is not rocket science and does not require a full fledged mechanic. If you don't have tools you have a friend, neighbour or nephew, someone who is a gear head who could bring his tools and help you. If you absolutely don't want to do it yourself, any trailer equipment place could do the installation. If you don't trust them to cut the notches in the fiberglass tank cover just leave it off until you find someone you do trust to do it. The trailer will tow just fine without it.

The cut outs in the gas tank cover were already in place when I got the trailer. My new WD hitch had arms an inch or more longer than the old one. When hooked up and cinched up the chains on mine angle rearward somewhat. They work just fine. With regard to the cut outs in the tank cover, that would be easy with a dremel tool or even a hand held coping saw with a fine blade. To make it look good you need to find some edging to go over the cut edges. The main thing is figuring out where to make the cuts and drawing lines with a marker to follow.

Here is a photo. (My trailer is 13 years old and I clearly need to do some detailing and painting)
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