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Open Roads Forum  >  Towing

 > My Rear End is Sagging To Much

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Ciz

Northern Michigan

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Joined: 11/09/2009

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Posted: 11/11/09 06:49am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Wgeorge11 wrote:

Judging from the picture in your signature it looks like your tail might be a little low.
The Reese dual cam set up is simple enough provided the spring bars are adequate to the TT weight ... not to stiff and not too light. The "pro" that sold you the unit should be able to tweek (fine tune) the set up to where front of your TV will set about the same height with or without the load. I'd talk with the dealer about a fix before venturing into the unknown.
Let us know the outcome.


Thats not really an option because its about 2 hours in the opposite direction that I'm heading this weekend. Actually, were leaving on Friday..

mkirsch

Rochester, NY

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Posted: 11/11/09 07:05am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Your hitch is definitely set up completely wrong. That seems to be typical of an RV dealer. You need to start over and do it yourself to get it right.

The spring bars should be below, and parallel to the tongue of the trailer, not beside it and pointed up.

There is a sticky at the top of this forum on how WD hitches work and basics on adjusting them.

skipnchar

Topeka Kansas USA

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Posted: 11/11/09 07:58am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

From your pictures it appears I'd agree that the hitchhead needs a LOT more tilt. I would expect you'd have a REAL tough time turning a corner the way it's set up. IN a tight turn the bars must have clearance to actually pass under the frame of the trailer and yours would certainly actually hit the frame. Most of the set up I've seen actually BEGIN a lot lower than yours. The goal should be spring bars that are parallel to your trailer frame but nowhere near that close to it. Are you sure the spring BARS are strong enough for your loaded tongue weight? If the BARS are labeled 1,200 lb. then obviously they are but if it's something ELSE that has the label the bars themselves may be a lighter weight and not strong enough to transfer the weight.


2004 F-250 SCREW Long Bed (new)
OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)

Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer

We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART


Turbo Diesel Dude

Green Mountain, NC

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Posted: 11/11/09 08:12am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

To me, I think your hitch is TOO FAR OUT, giving your TT too MUCH leverage on your truck. Three inches difference can make a heck of a lot of difference. Your hitch pin should be in the hole CLOSEST to your hitch head, not the farthest. This allows you to have the legitinate weight on your hitch letting you CRANK up your rear bumper back to actual level and then hitching your chains up.JMHO


charles weidman

Ciz

Northern Michigan

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Posted: 11/11/09 09:36am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

How does this look? I still need to move in the ball hitch as suggested above but so far it has already made a big difference.. The trailer is now level and the truck only has a mild squat.. My only question is how do you know how much pressure to put on the bar? In other words, what link on the chain? I pulled the bar up by hand and then hooked the link that was closest..



BenK

SF BayArea

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Posted: 11/11/09 09:52am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Most of these things need to go back up to the 60,000 foot level view.

Final setup should have the TV distribute the load evenly enough to
maintain enough weight transfer from the TV rear to the TV front axle.

The trailer should be slightly pointing down, or level at it's highest
pointing.

Then all of the various adjustments are just a way to get to the above.

Less/more drop shank to get the above.

Tilt the head back is to move the WD bars into a position to allow
enough/more travel while tensioning them to WD to impart proper loading

Just remember that one size does not fit all. Meaning what works for
one, does not mean it will for everyone.

Again, the final setup is the goal and the multitude of adjustments
are just a means to get there.

Best to weigh the setup axle by axle, both empty and fully loaded
ready to go (WD Hitch system tensioned). That is the only way to tell
if you the setup right (moved enough weight from the rear axle to the
front axle, etc).

Am seeing more and more OEM receivers bending (consuming WD forces)
and think all or most OEMs are going the cheap route. Suggest you
keep an eye on the receiver while you are tensioning the WD Hitch
setup. If it is bend up (how much is a question, but should not be
much), consider replacing with an after market of better design
and sizing.


-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

Turbo Diesel Dude

Green Mountain, NC

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Posted: 11/11/09 10:00am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

You need to crank up your hitch where the bumper is just OVER the level line and hook up the chains then. I use the three link "rule of thumb" but on occasion I use only two considering just how I'm loaded. I can tell within fifty miles of towing just what I need. I have anywhere from 1100 - 1150 lbs of tongue wt. Either case my 2500 CTD Ram doesn't squat that much. 1"-3" at the most. You hitch lokks just like mine, but you still need to move the hitch IN to the first hitchpin hole. You may have more nose weight than you jave truck.

Paul B

Daytona Beach, Florida

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Posted: 11/11/09 10:08am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Ciz wrote:

How does this look? I still need to move in the ball hitch as suggested above but so far it has already made a big difference.. The trailer is now level and the truck only has a mild squat.. My only question is how do you know how much pressure to put on the bar? In other words, what link on the chain? I pulled the bar up by hand and then hooked the link that was closest..



You really need to take it to a set of commercial scales(like found at truck stops) and weigh your complete rig and then your truck without your TT. Then come back here and we can talk more. You are getting closer. How much did the front of your truck squat?? Should have stayed the same or lowered about 1/2". The WD bars are actually designed to distribute weight forward to the front axel(reason for weighing) and reaward to the TT axel(s), again reason for weighing. Unless you weigh your setup you are only really quessing on the correct setup. Follow the instructions to a tee(reese can be found on the net) and weigh and then maybe readjust and re-weigh. Yes time consuming but once you get it right you will notice a huge difference in towing. And people won't be flashing you to dim your lights!!

Hope some of the above helps.......

Paul B


2001 Excursion-Powerstroke Diesel
2000 Honda CRV
2006 Flagstaff 31' - 7.5k lbs.
2004 Two Honda EU2000i's/parallel cables/extra fuel tank


bdhoun

Waterdown, Ontario

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Posted: 11/11/09 10:21am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Ciz wrote:

How does this look? I still need to move in the ball hitch as suggested above but so far it has already made a big difference.. The trailer is now level and the truck only has a mild squat.. My only question is how do you know how much pressure to put on the bar? In other words, what link on the chain? I pulled the bar up by hand and then hooked the link that was closest..



I would suggest that the wd is not set up correctly until you need to use the tongue jack to aid in snapping up the brackets.


'06 Ford F-150 flareside crew, 5.4l, 3.55's
'07 Jayco 232
prodigy and Equal-i-zer

crashpilot

Green River, WY

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Posted: 11/11/09 10:28am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

wittmeba wrote:

"My Rear End is Sagging To Much"

I thought this might be a personal problem.


Yeah - Happens a little more each year.


Straight Board -
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The mountains of Wyoming as my backyard.
Powder River, Let 'er buck!

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