sumguy
Hurdle Mills, North Carolina
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Joined: 02/13/2005
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http://www.etrailer.com/tv-weight_distribution_and_sway_control_install_ford_van.aspx
I basically used the steps in the video above ... I have basically the identical WDH.
I did have to move the hitch head up a notch to make up a 2.5 inch difference of the last truck.
The trailer is level.
The bars are level with the A frame.
But the truck squats about 1/2 inch more than it should.
Prior to adjustment
The height from the ground to the edge of the rear wheel well was 38".
The height from the ground to the edge of the front wheel well was 37".
After adjustment
The height from the ground to the edge of the rear wheel well was 37".
The height from the ground to the edge of the front wheel well was 37".
The rear should be 37 1/2" after the adjustment.
The question is, how do I make up that 1/2 inch. The hitch head is in a perfect spot to keep the camper level.
Regards
Chris
08 Keystone Passport 280BH
09 Dodge Ram Quad cab 2500 ST 4X4 6.7L/3.73:1
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Tilt the hitchhead toward the back by moving washers or changing the notch or rotating the excentric (lots of different ways different head assemblies may use). By tilting the hitch head to the rear it will lower the end of the spring bars and when latching up, using the same chain link the level will remain the same but more spring pressure will be applied and additional weight transferred to the front axles. You should notice the extra pressure when you latch up the bars and may need to raise the back of the tow vehicle a little higher than before to latch up easily.
Good luck / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
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sumguy
Hurdle Mills, North Carolina
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Thanks Skip. I think I know the adjustment you speak of ... small plate with numbers on it that the top bolts run through.... currently set with "4" forward towards the truck.
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camp-n-family
Canada
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Joined: 07/26/2009
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You're pretty good where you are. The front height is back to original and the rear is only down 1" which is pretty close to where you want to be. You could try to get the rear up to within 1/2" by doing what skip said. Doing so will raise the rear but also transfer more weight to the front possibly lowering it as a result. Try tilting the hitch head back toward the trailer a notch and see what you get. You don't really want the front to be lower than the unhitched height so you may find your best setup is where you are.
'07 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited
'06 Forest River Flagstaff 26BH(sold)
'13 Keystone Bullet Premier 31BHPR
Hitched by Hensley, Viewed by McKesh
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Ron Gratz
full time RVer
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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I agree with camp-n-family. Your WDH is adjusted correctly.
The front end is just where it should be, and the rear end is fine where it is.
IMO, you should not increase the tilt of the hitch head.
To do so would cause too much load to be added to the front axle,
and that would increase the truck's tendency to oversteer.
On what do you base your belief that the rear of the TV should not be more than 1/2" below its unhitched height?
Ron
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sumguy
Hurdle Mills, North Carolina
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ok... I need to bring the camper in for a repair on Friday.
I go right past a CAT scale. I think a few weights might help here. Ill get the GCVW GAWR weight ... drop it off ... come home .. move the hitch head rearward. When I pick up the camper Ill re-weigh and measure to see where Im at ... thing thats a pretty good approach, Yes ?
THanks alot for the help !!
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sumguy
Hurdle Mills, North Carolina
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Ok .. here goes the weights according to the CAT scale...
These weights include me and full tank of gas. First column is the truck only, second column is the truck and camper.
Steer axle 3200 2960
drive axle 2440 3340
trailer axle 0 4600
gross weight 5640 10900
10,900 - 5640 = 5260 camper weight
tongue should be 526-789
Rear axle should be in the range of 2966-3229
As I mentioned the issue is that the rear end of the truck is squatting a bit.
If the front end should have not changed and the rear needs to be between 2966-3229, I need to get ~140 lbs (or a bit more) off the rear axle onto the front axle.
Will moving the hitch head back a notch accomplish this ?
If I move the hitch head down one notch, It will be where I started out and the nose of the camper would be pointing downward.
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camp-n-family
Canada
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The second column with truck and TT, is that with or without the WDH on? Looks like your tongue weight is a little heavier than you think.
I'm going to assume it is without the WDH since you have 900lbs added to the rear still and 240lbs reduced off the front. You need to weigh it a 3rd time to get the hitched with WDH numbers to see how much has been transferred.
If it is the weights while hooked up with WDH you need to do some tweaking. Too much weight on the rear, not enough on the front. And yes that would be achieved by either raising another link or tilting the hitch head back towards trailer (while keeping the same # of links.
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sumguy
Hurdle Mills, North Carolina
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All weights with the camper attached is with the WDH hooked up.
I made every possible adjustment ... I went up a notch with the entire hitch head .. way too much sag on the tow vehicle rear end, lights in outer space. I went down with one notch with the hitch head, camper pointing downward. In either of these positions. Moving the hitch head tilt didnt do much at all to correct the issue.
I went back to the original settings which has/provides the best results. I tried using the hitch head tilt adjustment washer at 5 .. put about 80 lbs on the front end. Went to 6 .. way too much crack and popping going on. Im looking for an independent to setup the hitch .....
There is still too much tongue.
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Ron Gratz
full time RVer
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sumguy wrote:Steer axle 3200 2960
drive axle 2440 3340
trailer axle 0 4600
gross weight 5640 10900 The numbers indicate the TT's tongue weight is approximately 700#.
For your TV, a 700# TW would have removed about 300# from the steer axle.
That means the WDH added back only about 60# to the steer axle.
The 700# TW should have added about 1000# to the drive axle. The WDH removed only about 100# from the drive axle.
The scale numbers indicate the WDH was significantly under-adjusted. It appears that only about 35# was transferred to the TT's axles.
The WDH should have been adjusted to transfer about 150# to the TT's axles.
That would cause about 450# to be removed from the drive axle and would cause about 300# to be transferred to the steer axle.
When the WDH is properly adjusted, the steer axle should be back to about 3200#.The drive axle should be at about 3000#.
Quote:As I mentioned the issue is that the rear end of the truck is squatting a bit.
If the front end should have not changed and the rear needs to be between 2966-3229, I need to get ~140 lbs (or a bit more) off the rear axle onto the front axle. The scale data indicate you removed about 100# from the drive axle when WD was applied. The WDH needs to be adjusted to remove about 450#.
Quote:Will moving the hitch head back a notch accomplish this ? You'll have to try it to find out. You do need more rearward tilt.
The WDH should be adjusted to return the TV's front end approximately to the unhitched height/load.
If you get the front right, the rear end will take care of itself. There's nothing wrong with having the rear end 1-2" lower than the unhitched height.
Ron
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