<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">Is more tongue weight better?</font>


Generally; the more load your truck/car can take (dependant on its suspension capabilities), the less chances you'll have with tail-wagging. Look at the extreme: semi-truck/trailers. The truck is taking as much load as the trailer wheels are.

And that's a good example of wheelbase extreme, too: short wheelbase for maneuvering, but if it gets out of shape the opportunity for catching it is significantly reduced. It's all a compromise.

Jon, don't forget to keep in mind the load rating of your trailer axle. If you're building that trailer with a 7000-pound rated axle, you're OK with a CRX. However, if you're building it with 3500-pound axles, you might want to consider either a second axle or a beefier single one (just for safety).

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">Should I aim for 400 pounds and adjust with the bars?</font>


Yes. Adjust your load properly, then add/adjust the load levelers. Those are not intended to counteract improper loading, they're meant to assist with the load placed on the truck/car.

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">Is the major difference between a 1/4 ton and one ton the frame or suspension.</font>


Tom, it varies by manufacturer, but AFAIK these days most trucks use the same frame and add better suspension, bigger engines, better transmissions, and bigger brakes for a higher rating. They also add things like trans coolers and bigger radiators. You could probably add a 1-ton suspension and brakes to a 1/2 ton truck and be safe, but I suspect in the end you'll spend more money.

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">...GM is using the isuzu diesel and Ford and Dodge are cummings.</font>


I don't know what GM's Duramax is, but Dodge is definitely using the Cummins 6-cyl while Ford's 7.3 (turbo and non-turbo) is a Navistar. I don't know what the new (2004 and later) Ford 6.0 diesel is; could it be home-grown? Regardless, I've not heard too many nice things about the 6.0 from guys that work on them; I might suggest if you go the Ford route to stick with 2003 or earlier. Ford used the Navistar 6.9 non-turbo ID diesel up through 1989 (?), a 7.3 IDI non-turbo through mid-'94, a TDI 7.3 in a few iterations through 2003, then the 6.0 TDI in 2004.

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">Were you pulling an enclosed trailer? And could it if you weren't?</font>


I was not, but I could, within reason. It's a 1-ton Ford van (E-350), and the chassis is fully capable of just about anything I could throw at it. My limitation is power; mine's a 1993, which is a Navistar 7.3 non-turbo. It's fine for my single car and all my junk, but for much anything else I'd need more torque. I was able to keep up with the gasser boys all the way down and back, and got 13mpg in the process...

In fact, I'm facing that power problem now: I've got a buddy that has a Spec Miata, and we're looking for a two-car trailer. Ergo, we're looking for a turbodiesel truck. I could turbocharge my van with a Banks kit or similar, but we'll need extra seats and mine's a cargo van. So, we're in the market for an E-350 passenger van with a Powerstroke engine or a V-10 gasser (ack).

Greg


[This message has been edited by grega (edited May 27, 2004).]