Putting in more washers tilts the hitch head away from the coupler, which puts more tension on the spring bars, increasing the amount of weight transfer to other axles.
Mar-d-mar wrote: Can someone please explain the "washers in the head" of an equalizer thing? We have an equalizer, and when the hitch is in, and the camper not hooked up, it rattles like there is extra room somewhere. Is that where the washers idea comes in?
Also, we are headed to Yellowstone from KC. I am worried that the whole hitch thing isn't perfect, and that we'll be sorry on the trip. Does anyone have details that I could check out my setup to make sure we will be OK?
Thanks in advance!
Here are the instructions for the hitch. There is also a short video to watch.
Mar-d-mar wrote: Can someone please explain the "washers in the head" of an equalizer thing? We have an equalizer, and when the hitch is in, and the camper not hooked up, it rattles like there is extra room somewhere. Is that where the washers idea comes in?
That's just slop in the Hitch Receiver you are hearing when no camper hooked up. I was running a Hitch Quieter over mine until the retainer bolt snapped off in it last trip. The washers (usually 5 of them) are in the head filling the gap between the shank.
As others have said, the Washers tilt down the angle of the head putting more Downforce on the Bars at the L Brackets. Usually 5th hole from the top on the L Brackets. I was running 6th hole at the L Brackets with 5 washers, still not enough sway control and some extra wear at the front edge of the L Brackets. Now I am running 8 Washers and 5th hole, much better. Each TV is a little different height wise and all. That has to be compensated at the Shank first, then the Washer/Bracket adjustments can be fine tuned.
The front is 38 1/8" (old measurment was 38 3/8") Maybe I did measure wrong yesterday.
The back is the same.
If I did get it wrong yesterday and it was 38 1/8" then everything is starting to make more sense. When I hook it up Friday I'll re-measure everything again.
Overall I think the fact that my truck only squatted down 2 5/8" with a 30' TT w/o a WD hooked up is pretty good for a 1500.
Looks like youre doing fine to me. The only thing you did "wrong" is trying to measure to 1/8" in your driveway. Hitch/frame flex, body panels shift, stiction, etc all make precise measuring unreliable. I generally get the front back to ~1/2" of where it started then take a test run, if the results are unacceptable then a trip to the scales are in order. "Weight distributing", not fender leveling hitch, measuring to 1/8" is chasing your tail.
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