Weight Distribution And Transmission Cooler Recommendation For 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Question:

Hello, I have a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer and I am purchasing a 2015 Ice Castle RV fish house/camper. It is 17 ft long and weighs around 5800 lbs. I would like to know if I need anything besides electric brakes to pull this camper. When it is hooked up it does put a lot of weight on the back end of the truck. Are there any type of weight distribution or sway control systems I should add. Would you recommended any coolant systems to the transmission? Thank you,

asked by: Julie

Expert Reply:

Anytime you plan on towing a trailer that weighs 50 percent or more of the towing vehicle weight, like your 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer it is a good idea to add weight distribution with sway control. This helps eliminate the stress on both the towing vehicle and the trailer suspension. I am attaching a helpful article that explains weight distribution and what is needed.

I am also including a helpful article that explains how to find the tongue weight of your trailer. You need to know 2 things when considering weight distribution. They are (GTW), gross trailer weight which is the total weight of your trailer in it' fully-loaded-ready-to-tow condition, and (TW), tongue weight. Tongue weight is the tongue weight of the ready-to-tow trailer added to the weight of any cargo in the rear of the towing vehicle placed behind the rear axle.

Once you have figured out these two items let me know and I will be happy to make some recommendations for weight distribution that will work for you. Based on the numbers you provided a system like the Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution System, part # BXW0750 may work for you. This system has a 8,000 lb gross towing weight capacity and can handle tongue weight between 550 and 750 lbs. This system has a clamp-on installation and has a built-in sway control system.

If you need a 2 inch ball for the trailer I recommend part # A-90. for a 2-5/16 inch hitch ball you would order part # 19286.

You will also need a brake controller if you do not have one. I recommend the Tekonsha P2, part # 90885. This is one of our most popular because it is easy to install and operate. I have attached a helpful article that explains how to install a brake controller from scratch.

We also offer transmission coolers that may help you when you are towing your trailer. Since transmission coolers are not vehicle specific, many times it depends on how much room is available for a cooler. If you have the room I recommend part # D13503. This cooler measures 11 inches wide x 8-3/4 inches tall x 7/8 inch deep and is a plate-fin cooler. The location is very important because it allows the cooler to work more efficiently. I have attached a drawing that shows the best locations for a cooler to be installed.