Nose high trailer

MikeT5200 · 05-04-2019, 11:30 AM

We picked up our new 21SS a few weeks ago. We took a 1600 mile trip to Anza Borrego and hit some 25-30mph winds (Palm Desert and Washoe Valley). No sway but still needed to pay attention. I've got a couple of questions.

The dealer had set up the E4 WDH. The nose of the trailer was really high... about 1¾". So a friend and I redid the set up... Now I'm 9/16" nose high. The front fender is back to the original height and rear fender is within a 1 5/8".

What I really noticed is getting pushed around by big trucks/motor homes etc. So is this from the trailer being nose high (according to E4 manual it can be up to 1¼" nose high OR low)?

I do still have the stock Goodyear tires... Max pressure is 51psi. I ran them at 45 rear and 40 front. I would really like to wear them out before getting some LT tires. Had MAX psi in trailer tires too.

Also... Does it matter if the E4 bars do not have the same tension? As when they pivot (in the WHD head) them on. When I first was using the hitch both sides were pretty equal but now 1 side has seems to be easier and the other side seems to be harder. I've greased all the recommended points (with white lithium grease). I tried call Equalizer and was put on hold... finally hung up.

Thoughts? Does this have any bearing on the handling/towing issue?
Cheers,
Mike

510Rick · 05-04-2019, 12:08 PM

I'm not the expert but every travel trailer I've ever towed handled better when it was set up to ride nose down ever so slightly .
Also sometimes it just takes some time to get used to the way they blow around when passing big trucks and such .
As for the tires on your truck of course LT tires will help it to behave more like a truck but I don't think that's your issue .

Dustyhd · 05-04-2019, 01:15 PM

Slightly nose down is better than nose high. Readjust it .

007matman · 05-04-2019, 01:21 PM

It may be more difficult on one side of the trailer or tow vehicle is not on the same plane meaning one is slightly up/down or not level. If the brackets have the same drop dialed in and there is nothing wrong with your weight bars. Did you try swapping the left and right bar? Can this be done with the E4? I have the E2 and mine can be.

007matman · 05-04-2019, 01:22 PM

You should be at level or slightly nose down. Never nose up.

You may need to purchase a longer hitch shank. I did.

woo10-210 · 05-04-2019, 01:26 PM

I may be wrong but it looks like your shank is pointing up. Flip it over and you can lower the tongue height.

007matman · 05-04-2019, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woo10-210

I may be wrong but it looks like your shank is pointing up. Flip it over and you can lower the tongue height.

Looking a little closer and I'd agree. It does look like the shank can be flipped over.

MikeT5200 · 05-06-2019, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 007matman

Looking a little closer and I'd agree. It does look like the shank can be flipped over.

I inquired about the shank being flipped upward (mainly because I rarely see it that way) and their response was that the ball was to low so it had to be set like this. I didn't get to see it installed.

So if I understand this correctly... By getting the nose of the trailer down it will help not to be pushed by big trucks, etc?

007matman · 05-06-2019, 05:10 PM

Yes. You want the nose either level or slightly down.

MikeT5200 · 05-06-2019, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 007matman

It may be more difficult on one side of the trailer or tow vehicle is not on the same plane meaning one is slightly up/down or not level. If the brackets have the same drop dialed in and there is nothing wrong with your weight bars. Did you try swapping the left and right bar? Can this be done with the E4? I have the E2 and mine can be.

I probably should have explained it better. It's the 'sway bars' pivoting in the head that is different from side to side. When I take the bars off of the "L" brackets/plates one side is really hard and the other side not as hard. Both sides are torqued to 65#.

And it looks like I can put the bars on either side.

007matman · 05-06-2019, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeT5200

I probably should have explained it better. It's the 'sway bars' pivoting in the head that is different from side to side. When I take the bars off of the "L" brackets/plates one side is really hard and the other side not as hard. Both sides are torqued to 65#.

And it looks like I can put the bars on either side.

I understand. See my previous post about being level. I know there are times when I attempted to disconnect that one side basically falls off (after jacking) while the other takes some additional lifting or strong arm strength.

If the problem follows a particular arm then you may have a problem with the head or one of the bars.

You may not even realize you're not level.

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