First Tow w Bulldog

[Greg A]

Coupler that is.
Finally got around to the coupler replacement project and some other towing related mods. Replaced the OEM coupler with this one https://www.etrailer.com/A-Frame-Tra.../BD028287.html
Coupler was $89 + free ship
Mobile welder was $275
Frontier trucks are notorious for weak rear suspension so added Bielstein shocks and Sumo Springs to beef things up. Had to use a wdh because the rear sag prior to these changes.
Also had to remove propane tanks for welder and took the tray off to check for rust, repaint and put back together with improvements. Used bicycle tube when reinstalling to prevent metal on metal, and lined the tray with rubber to protect from tank bottoms. Also reversed the regulator to face the rear since it provides a bit more room.
Just pulled a 500 mile trip with new setup and no wdh. Love the change with the coupler and suspension. No sag, trailer perfectly level on hitch, no coupler slop or noise when towing, 360 closure around the base of the ball.
Best of all hitching and unhitching is now a breeze. Coupler releases and comes right off, no more prying it up with a screwdriver or moving up n back till it lets go. The trailer towed like a dream without the no longer necessary, wdh, and it was so nice not messing with the wdh bars during the trip. My coupler lock pin fits much better on the Bulldog now as well, so one less thing had to replace.
Getting ready to go FT next summer, this is likely to become one of my favorite mods, since hitching and unhitching will need to be done more often and it just got a lot simpler.

[Bea]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Coupler that is.
Finally got around to the coupler replacement project and some other towing related mods. Replaced the OEM coupler with this one https://www.etrailer.com/A-Frame-Tra.../BD028287.html
Coupler was $89 + free ship
Mobile welder was $275
Frontier trucks are notorious for weak rear suspension so added Bielstein shocks and Sumo Springs to beef things up. Had to use a wdh because the rear sag prior to these changes.
Also had to remove propane tanks for welder and took the tray off to check for rust, repaint and put back together with improvements. Used bicycle tube when reinstalling to prevent metal on metal, and lined the tray with rubber to protect from tank bottoms. Also reversed the regulator to face the rear since it provides a bit more room.
Just pulled a 500 mile trip with new setup and no wdh. Love the change with the coupler and suspension. No sag, trailer perfectly level on hitch, no coupler slop or noise when towing, 360 closure around the base of the ball.
Best of all hitching and unhitching is now a breeze. Coupler releases and comes right off, no more prying it up with a screwdriver or moving up n back till it lets go. The trailer towed like a dream without the no longer necessary, wdh, and it was so nice not messing with the wdh bars during the trip. My coupler lock pin fits much better on the Bulldog now as well, so one less thing had to replace.
Getting ready to go FT next summer, this is likely to become one of my favorite mods, since hitching and unhitching will need to be done more often and it just got a lot simpler.

Hi Greg, We also just beefed up our rear suspension with new shocks and Sumo Springs. Very happy with the result - very nice level ride. Glad we did it.

Wow, very nice Bulldog coupler set up! I keep hearing good reports about Bulldog coupler performance and your post demonstrated it, yet again! When we retire we will give this mod some more consideration, for all the benefits you give. You did a really good job!

We too, have occasionally struggled with the unhitching process with our Escape, with the trailer 'stuck' on the TV ball when lifting up. Then someone here suggested putting the TV in neutral, when it gets stuck, so I gave that a try and....it worked! Thank you, to whoever posted that! So we'll keep doing this for now, but the lure of a Bulldog set up will probably persist down the road.

Thanks again for your report and link and pics! -Bea

[Greg A]

TY, Bea. What is your Tow Vehicle that you beefed up?
Interesting, that the welders I called all understood the change because they had Bulldog couplers on all their trailers. Of course, they don’t pay for labor to do their own stuff.

[Bea]

Originally Posted by Greg A

TY, Bea. What is your Tow Vehicle that you beefed up?
Interesting, that the welders I called all understood the change because they had Bulldog couplers on all their trailers. Of course, they don’t pay for labor to do their own stuff.

We have a 2017 V6 3.5L Eco Boost Ford Expedition. Love the power and ride, but a few months ago, I thought it was riding a bit low and sure enough, the right rear shock was leaking. Thankfully, it was covered under warranty, so we decided it was a good time to add a set of Sumo Springs to the new shocks. It definitely helped - raised the rear end 2 inches!

I have a welder friend...I'll have to ask him if he has a Bulldog on his rig. You know if they all get 'em - it's the way to go! . -Bea