Thread: 53 Is back from the Body Shop

Tweet

Quick question, I have a 4 link with coilover shocks and a Ford 8.8 rear end. How much tongue weight can a 4-link with coilovers handle? We're taking Rita to the Black hills which will be about a thousand mile round trip .Now we're thinking about towing a Polaris RZR up there with a small trailer. Good or bad idea?

I think you'll be fine! I adjust my receiver hitch to get the trailer close to level, or a little nose down but not much, then note the height of the receiver relative to the ground with the trailer unloaded. Then pull the load on and bring it forward to match that receiver height, drop it another 1/2" and tie it down. Seems to work for me.

Keeping the pickup mostly level with the load on is kind of a must for Rita. I'm not real happy with the coilovers that speedway sold me. They said that this was the setup that they sell everybody who has these pickups, and there's only about two and a half inches of shock travel on them.

For trailer pulling with a rear setup with coil overs---------weakest links are the shock mounting points on the rear and frame--and force is greatly multiplied during a turn where you get some body roll( weight shift)plus corner G force and braking

As long as the tongue weight isn't crazy I think you would be fine. You aren't going to be towing a lot.

.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

As long as the tongue weight isn't crazy I think you would be fine. You aren't going to be towing a lot.

I agree 100%. You're looking at a small trailer and a 4 wheeler that weighs something around 1500# if that. That's not anything like an enclosed car hauler loaded down. Load your trailer to put just a bit more than the empty trailer tongue weight and forget about it! Enjoy your trip!

I think I'll be fine, I weigh about 200 lb and I was bouncing up and down on the rear bumper and I could not make it bottom out. I'm going to bring it to town next week to my fabricator guy and see what he can come up with for a hitch.

When are you heading west? We're heading that way 8/1.

.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

When are you heading west? We're heading that way 8/1.

.

We are going to leave September 11th , that would have been nice if we we're there together

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

We are going to leave September 11th , that would have been nice if we we're there together

Maybe we'll swing by and grab that poor Firebird.

.

Has anyone had experience with the Dakota digital auto temp control that is a plug-and-play for the vintage air system. Never knew they made one, and now I want one lol. In all reality we're always screwing with the temp control, it seems super sensitive.

I got a hitch put on Rita, I had my metal guy measure it up and make a receiver for it. I don't know how those guys do it, they measure it , make it and it fits, bolt holes and everything.

The bumper and it's brackets are spring steel and it sucked getting the bumper back on. You see in the first pick how far everything had to be stretched out.


several pics of us trying to get it back on with clamps, floor jacks and a come-a-long. 2 hours later it fits perfect.

That's sweet! The receiver is positioned perfectly, but I expect getting that bumper pulled out to fit was a challenge! Looks great!

Originally Posted by rspears

That's sweet! The receiver is positioned perfectly, but I expect getting that bumper pulled out to fit was a challenge! Looks great!

Challenge alright, I'm still half crabby about it The brackets had to be pulled out about 1/4 inch further out to go past the receiver. I noticed on the pic how that extrea 1/4 took a lot of curve out of the bumper, it's nearly straight now.

The hitch looks great! I bet it was a fight getting those brackets back on there!

.