Helping Tundra with Rear Sag

[DrippingDuo]

We got lucky! Our son-in-law saw the sag on our 2500 RAM 4X4, Diesel, 2011 pulling our 5th wheel, GVWR = 14000, and bought us the air bags. He and I put them on, took maybe an hour. What a difference!!!!!!! We are so grateful and w/o sag and a dream pull now.

[ColoradoRick]

Thanks for all the excellent information and suggestions.

Before I do anything, I'm going to get the trailer and make some measurements to see just how much of a sag I'm actually getting and will measure both the rear and front of the truck. Then I'll ask my dealer for his suggestions as he's the one who installed the WDH hitch.

Happy Camping!!

[Claude002]

Also have a Tundra 2011 and Firestone air bags is the answer, filled to 50 pads each

[goduc]

You need to look at the front of the truck and not the rear 1st. The front of the truck should be close to the same height as when unloaded. Measure the front fender from the ground up unloaded, then hitch up and measure again. You want the weight distribution hitch to transfer lost weight back to the front. So after hitching up the front should measure the same or as close to the same as when unloaded.


Now for the rear. It's normal for the rear to sag. That's why the rear is higher than the front when unloaded. You will have sag when hitching up, you just don't want the rear to sag more than the front. So if the rear is 2" higher when unloaded then it shouldn't sag more than 2". Sounds to me like you need to load up your trailer like you're going camping and reset the WD bars. Also that TT has an 810lb dry tongue weight. Add propane, batteries and front storage cargo along with what ever's in front of the TT's axles and you probably are pushing 1100lbs for tongue weight. You need at least 1400lb WD bars. I don't think 1200lb bars would do it as 1/2 tons are generally soft in the rear so you'll need all the lift you can get for weight transfer.


Also you need to go to some truck scales and weigh your whole setup. You need to find out what the tongue weighs. You could be over the Tundra's receiver rating.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by goduc

You need to look at the front of the truck and not the rear 1st. The front of the truck should be close to the same height as when unloaded. Measure the front fender from the ground up unloaded, then hitch up and measure again. You want the weight distribution hitch to transfer lost weight back to the front. So after hitching up the front should measure the same or as close to the same as when unloaded.


Now for the rear. It's normal for the rear to sag. That's why the rear is higher than the front when unloaded. You will have sag when hitching up, you just don't want the rear to sag more than the front. So if the rear is 2" higher when unloaded then it shouldn't sag more than 2". Sounds to me like you need to load up your trailer like you're going camping and reset the WD bars. Also that TT has an 810lb dry tongue weight. Add propane, batteries and front storage cargo along with what ever's in front of the TT's axles and you probably are pushing 1100lbs for tongue weight. You need at least 1400lb WD bars. I don't think 1200lb bars would do it as 1/2 tons are generally soft in the rear so you'll need all the lift you can get for weight transfer.


Also you need to go to some truck scales and weigh your whole setup. You need to find out what the tongue weighs. You could be over the Tundra's receiver rating.

That's what I posted a few posts back. First thing should be getting the WDH set correctly, period.

[awellis3]

Originally Posted by ColoradoRick

Before I do anything, I'm going to get the trailer and make some measurements to see just how much of a sag I'm actually getting and will measure both the rear and front of the truck.

Now you're talking, sir. Measure!
My 2010 Tundra drops 2" in the rear when hooked up with my Equal-I-zer WDH. Since you're jacking the rear UP to attach your hitch, you may not be getting the sag you think by eyeballing it.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by ColoradoRick

Thanks for all the excellent information and suggestions.

Before I do anything, I'm going to get the trailer and make some measurements to see just how much of a sag I'm actually getting and will measure both the rear and front of the truck. Then I'll ask my dealer for his suggestions as he's the one who installed the WDH hitch.

Happy Camping!!

My dealer did a terrible job of installing my WDH so never assume it's been done correctly.

[ColoradoRick]

I found an excellent Youtube video on setting up my hitch, which is called the Equalizer.

I'll be bringing my trailer to the house and running through everything and checking the measurements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5TtNUxeFWc

[asquared]

Originally Posted by pappcam

My dealer did a terrible job of installing my WDH so never assume it's been done correctly.

X2. Learn how to do this yourself. My old dealership did one of the worst setup jobs the forums had sermon my old Reese dual cam. Lots of learning and adjusting later, I had a much better ride.

[silverback 35ts]

Rick you never said if you had the (truck/trailer) weighed? Do you know what the hitch weight is? Most everyone here is so quick to jump in and say (add air bags) Yes air bags are great BUT they do not change the tow rating, the first thing you need to do is have the setup weighed and also know what your hitch weight is, you might need a weight distribution hitch as this type of hitch moves weight around as you pull up on the bars. This is very common for heavy trailer to push down on your truck, but do make you and everyone else on the road safe start with your weights. No after all this you might still need air bags to level the truck off, but start with the hitch.

[goduc]

Originally Posted by ColoradoRick

I found an excellent Youtube video on setting up my hitch, which is called the Equalizer.

I'll be bringing my trailer to the house and running through everything and checking the measurements.

Exc idea. It's a good thing to learn to DIY the setup. That way you know how it all works if there's an issue with part of it. I remember when we got our last TT and the dealer setup the WD. They couldn't get the WD right because the TT's coupler was mounted on the bottom of the tongue. One of the guys doing the install mentioned to the other guy that he didn't understand why it won't work, and that we always use 5 washers in the WDH and it should work. Just shows that they set up the hitch the same way for everyone. You just can't do that. The dealer will rush thru the setup and get it done quickly because it's usually a freebie. Sorta. In other words they just want you outta there.

[OldCoot]

The thing I don't understand in the instructions is why they suggest the rear end be slightly lower after engaging the wdh. I have always tried and succeeded in getting both front and rear at the same height (or within 1/8"-1/4") as before hooking up. Still do it with the 5er.

[Happy Vibe]

unless you have airbags how do you level with a 5th wheel?

[goduc]

Why would the rear need to be the same? Truck rears are higher for a reason. So when you load them up with whatever they will be level or so. If the rear was the same as the front empty and you put a yard of gravel in it then the rear would be lower than the front.


Think of this scenario. A guy gets the front back to it's original height and the rear is still 1.5" lower. You can't crank the WD any more because then the front would be lower than original and that's a big no no.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Happy Vibe

unless you have airbags how do you level with a 5th wheel?

I do have air bags.

Originally Posted by goduc

Why would the rear need to be the same? Truck rears are higher for a reason. So when you load them up with whatever they will be level or so. If the rear was the same as the front empty and you put a yard of gravel in it then the rear would be lower than the front. Think of this scenario. A guy gets the front back to it's original height and the rear is still 1.5" lower. You can't crank the WD any more because then the front would be lower than original and that's a big no no.

I put made extended shackles for the truck and it sits level whether empty or with a load from cargo, 5er or when we pulled the tt. I just don't like the looks of a truck with the rear end high. So far, have never loaded it heavy enough to come into contact with the overloads springs either by using the air bags.

[Happy Vibe]

So the comment does not apply to setting up a weight distribution hitch on a standard truck, IE no modifications.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Happy Vibe

So the comment does not apply to setting up a weight distribution hitch on a standard truck, IE no modifications.

To whom is your question directed? I was just commenting to my own preferences.

[Happy Vibe]

old coot: You were commenting on the video or the instructions that come with the WDH, and on the video they are setting up a truck that does not have airbags. Some one new may get the impression that both ends should be level without airbags.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

The thing I don't understand in the instructions is why they suggest the rear end be slightly lower after engaging the wdh...

That is still my question. I don't understand if a slight adjustment will get it back to the normal height. I have only had air bags the last 20 yrs and before that I always got them back to original height by only using the wdh adjustments.

[goduc]

Coot, your truck isn't like the other 99% out there. Most are rear high from the factory. So you setup procedure doesn't really pertain to 99% of the trucks out there.