Just bought a FF 189 - what do I need to get my truck ready

Offspring22 · 09-22-2012, 06:01 PM

Hey all, I just bought a 2006 funfinder 189FD for a deal I couldn't pass up - but I've never had a trailer before! What do I need to do to get my truck ready? I have a 2006 Nissan Fronter, spec is 6,500lbs with the factory hitch. I do have a hitch and ball rated at 5000lbs, 2" ball. The pin on my hitch looks to match the one on the trailer. Do I need to get a break controller? It has part of a weight distributing hitch as well, what do I need to order for my truck to make use of it? Sorry for the rookie questions! Any other tips/tricks?

Louis et Lucie · 09-23-2012, 07:36 AM

Hi,
I suggest a visit to a hitch dealer. You will for sure need a brake control (personnaly I have the Primus IQ), torsion bars, anti-sway bars.
Here are good links .

http://www.huskytow.com/Default.aspx

http://www.tekonsha.com/content/prod...435&part=90885

Offspring22 · 09-23-2012, 08:22 AM

I'll stop by one this week for sure. Will I be able to get it home without a controller though? I mean, whats the default position for the breaks, on, or off? If I don't have a controller, will the breaks be on, or off? I'd like to get it home on Monday, and possibly to storage and worry about the rest later in the week as I'll have to pay storage fees if I don't have it off the lot by Tues at the latest.

Louis et Lucie · 09-23-2012, 09:54 AM

Without a break control, you will only have break assistance from your truck. With the trailer at your back you need more braking distance to stop your equipment.
Personnaly, I would not take the chance.

**LJAZ** · 09-23-2012, 09:56 AM

I wouldn't recommend towing without a brake controller and a weight distributing hitch. Even for a short distance.

The default for the brakes is off. However, if you don't have a brake controller you will have a pretty difficult time stopping since you won't have any brakes on the trailer at all.

There should be several places you can go to get a brake controller and WD hitch. U-haul usually will have everything you need. If you have Camping World nearby they will certainly have what you need, although they aren't the cheapest.

DiverRick · 01-04-2013, 02:15 PM

Don't go anywhere without the electric brakes hooked up! Not even a short distance. With any luck the wiring was be pre-installed in your truck and it will be fairly cheep to buy & install the controller.

As for weight distribution/sway bars, I use one from http://www.equalizerhitch.com/ and love it. Pretty easy to use and really does the trick. Pulled my trailer a short distance just to see the difference and I was convinced!

runner421 · 01-04-2013, 07:38 PM

Hope all went well. Not rookie questions. Smart to ask them. I agree with the recommendations to get a weight distribution hitch set-up. Frontier is a small/mid-size truck and the 189FD is a small trailer. But - at highway speeds and up/down hills all it will take is a strong crosswind or emergency lane change and the trailer will over power the truck's handling ability.
As for the brakes, definitely get a brake controller before you tow. This will prevent the trailer from overpowering your truck's braking system. The controller balances the brakes of the trailer to assist the truck in slowing down. There are lots of controllers out there, not expensive. I use a Prodigy.
On/Off only refers to the trailer's emergency brakes for the cut-away/break-away switch. That is, if the trailer separates from the tow vehicle the brakes on the trailer are automatically applied to slow down the trailer.

Offspring22 · 01-06-2013, 03:31 PM

Thanks for the tips guys. An update: I was able to get it home and to a storage lot after a good cleaning without any difficulty. I didn't have a break controller or equalizer but it didn't feel unsafe for the short distance (20 miles or so on flat ground at around 40-50mph). I'll be picking one up in the spring though. I was able to contact Reese and they gave me the part numbers of what I needed to complete the equalization setup and found someone on Kijiji who had the parts I needed for $80. So I should be good to do some camping come spring! Pretty excited to do so since I haven't been able to use it yet at all! I'll be setting up the equalization system and getting a controller before taking her out for a weekend trip though!