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04-18-2018, 10:47 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 47
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WDS on Self Leveling Suspension
Recently I purchased a Rockwood 2104S and had the dealer install an Equal-i-zer Weight Distribution System/Sway Control hitch. I was pulling with a 2014 Ram 1500. I've since replaced the truck with a 2018 that has a 4 wheel self adjusting air suspension system. I hooked up my trailer today to the new truck and as soon as it took the weight from the trailer the rear suspension adjusted itself so that the trailer/truck combination was level. My question is this. What effect will this have, if any, on the weight distribution function of the WDS system? Thanks for any comments.
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04-19-2018, 05:42 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
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Systems like that are great for the guy that wants to hook up and go. However, the hitch you purchased also included sway control which is not present in the factory setup. You'll want to keep the hitch and continue to use.
Those factory systems are nice to have for those quick trips but watch out when they need repair.
Congratulations on the new truck.
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04-19-2018, 05:56 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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If the ball height and suspension sag is the SAME on Both trucks After hooking up you should be good,I would be doubtful this is the case,therefore a Complete NEW setup will be required! Youroo!!
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04-19-2018, 06:48 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
If the ball height and suspension sag is the SAME on Both trucks After hooking up you should be good,I would be doubtful this is the case,therefore a Complete NEW setup will be required! Youroo!!
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The original set up (done by the dealer) had some sag evident, this is how it looks now with the new truck. I think this should work out fine. Thanks.
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04-19-2018, 06:59 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparkz
Attachment 168743
The original set up (done by the dealer) had some sag evident, this is how it looks now with the new truck. I think this should work out fine. Thanks.
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I can't tell from the Pic. is the EQUL bars installed? Youroo!!
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04-19-2018, 07:27 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,481
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I'm not seeing the bars. I'm also guyssing but I'm going to bet that the hitch needs adjustment (if the receiver height is different from your old truck).
Your setup (with the bars installed) also prevents sway. You'll want to keep that.
I used a WDH (very similar to yours) with my Auto-Ride '10 Esky as well (self-leveling system). Solid as a rock when towing and no sway.
I've moved on to towing with my new-to-us 2007 F-350 LWB CC dually and I still use the WDH.
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04-19-2018, 08:01 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
If the ball height and suspension sag is the SAME on Both trucks After hooking up you should be good,I would be doubtful this is the case,therefore a Complete NEW setup will be required! Youroo!!
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SparkZ,by "After Hooking up" that was meant to Include your WDH also! Your Pic setup has No "Sway Control" without the Bars! Youroo!!
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04-19-2018, 10:25 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Brazoria County, Texas
Posts: 1,460
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Remeasure the front wheels after it settles. I towed with a Tahoe with a similar system for a while on my last trailer. What sometimes happens is that the rear lifting will take enough tension off the system to allow the front end to lift as well. It will be hard to tell by just looking if the front end is light.
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2015 Chevy Silverado LTZ - HD tow package
2017 Rockwood 2703WS Emerald Edition
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04-19-2018, 11:20 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Monticello, IL
Posts: 1,696
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparkz
Attachment 168743
The original set up (done by the dealer) had some sag evident, this is how it looks now with the new truck. I think this should work out fine. Thanks.
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No bars installed. You need the bars for proper weight distribution, the air suspension is simply for leveling the truck. It does nothing for weight distribution.
Please read your owner's manual for your Ram, it gives you instructions on how to set up a WDH with the air suspension. The relevant pages are attached.
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2017 GMC Canyon - CCLB, 4x4, 2.8L Duramax, ARE Z-series shell
2013 Shamrock 21SS
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04-19-2018, 01:09 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 91
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselDrax
No bars installed. You need the bars for proper weight distribution, the air suspension is simply for leveling the truck. It does nothing for weight distribution.
Please read your owner's manual for your Ram, it gives you instructions on how to set up a WDH with the air suspension. The relevant pages are attached.
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Read the manual? What a concept!
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2020.5 Cedar Creek Hathaway 34IK
2023 GMC SierraHD Denali Ultimate 4WD DURAMAX
Bosco the Golden Doodle
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04-19-2018, 01:37 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: West Atlanta Metro
Posts: 1,235
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselDrax
No bars installed. You need the bars for proper weight distribution, the air suspension is simply for leveling the truck. It does nothing for weight distribution.
Please read your owner's manual for your Ram, it gives you instructions on how to set up a WDH with the air suspension. The relevant pages are attached.
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X2
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KT4W
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04-19-2018, 02:54 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 1,162
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselDrax
No bars installed. You need the bars for proper weight distribution, the air suspension is simply for leveling the truck. It does nothing for weight distribution.
Please read your owner's manual for your Ram, it gives you instructions on how to set up a WDH with the air suspension. The relevant pages are attached.
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A voice of reason! Your truck may look level after the suspension does it's thing, but isn't adding the required weight back to the front. Read the manual as mentioned above.
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2007 Rockwood 2701SS
2017 Ram 2500 Granite Crystal SAP Laramie 6.7L
2014 Triumph Bonneville. NH Togas, tuned
1953 GMC 9314
1982 GoldWing Interstate
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04-20-2018, 09:44 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 47
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04-20-2018, 01:37 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 47
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Ok. This is the truck/TT with the bars installed and the hitch fully engaged. I think I'm good to go. Thanks for all the comments, I really do appreciate them.
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04-20-2018, 01:39 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Monticello, IL
Posts: 1,696
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparkz
Attachment 168935
Ok. This is the truck/TT with the bars installed and the hitch fully engaged. I think I'm good to go. Thanks for all the comments, I really do appreciate them.
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Did you do what the manual said or are you still just going by what the truck looks like with the AUTO LEVELING air suspension enabled and active?
You must do the measurements as outlined in the manual with the suspension in Jack mode. I just want to make sure you're not thinking the air suspension does part of the job of the WDH and the goal with both is to have a "level" truck. The WDH shifts about 1/3 of the hitch weight to the front axle of your truck and another 1/3 back to the trailer. The air suspension just levels the truck and it makes it hard to determine if you have the WDH adjusted properly unless you follow what the manual says, specifically using "jack mode" so that the system doesn't try and level the truck while you're trying to take measurements.
As long as you did what the manual said and adjusted the WDH accordingly then you should be fine. Enjoy the new truck!
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2017 GMC Canyon - CCLB, 4x4, 2.8L Duramax, ARE Z-series shell
2013 Shamrock 21SS
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04-21-2018, 09:18 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Green bay
Posts: 125
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Question ? Once this is done with the proper sequence and measurement and your WDH is dialed in, do you have to put in Jack mode for the next tow ?
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04-21-2018, 09:20 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Monticello, IL
Posts: 1,696
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Quote:
Originally Posted by modaholic
Question ? Once this is done with the proper sequence and measurement and your WDH is dialed in, do you have to put in Jack mode for the next tow ?
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Jack mode is only for doing the measurements, once the WDH is adjusted then you just tow with the suspension in normal mode.
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2017 GMC Canyon - CCLB, 4x4, 2.8L Duramax, ARE Z-series shell
2013 Shamrock 21SS
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04-21-2018, 10:18 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Green bay
Posts: 125
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I read on a differnt fourm that if you dont shut off the Ram air ride system when you attach the WDH ,you do not get the proper weight distribution . Again the is after the first time set up
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04-21-2018, 10:20 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Monticello, IL
Posts: 1,696
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Quote:
Originally Posted by modaholic
I read on a differnt fourm that if you dont shut off the Ram air ride system when you attach the WDH ,you do not get the proper weight distribution . Again the is after the first time set up
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Jack mode disables the auto leveling when setting up the WDH when the truck is at normal ride height. Jack mode turns off (auto leveling enabled) above 5MPH. So...
The section of the manual that I posted explains it pretty well.
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2017 GMC Canyon - CCLB, 4x4, 2.8L Duramax, ARE Z-series shell
2013 Shamrock 21SS
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04-23-2018, 03:21 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canton, Michigan
Posts: 1,348
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Yes, you definitely want to disable auto-leveling (in this case, it sounds like you put in tire-jack mode), so that the WDH is allowed to do it's job as the primary.
If you follow those instructions, without disabling auto-leveling, where is what I think would happen:
1. You take front H1 reading as instructed.
2. If you attach trailer without disabling auto-leveling, the system would increase rear height, and possibly decrease front height, such that H2 = H1. However, no weight has yet been transferred back to the front.
3. Since H2 = H1, you have no idea how to adjust the WDH, since this would cause H2 to actually be lower than H1.
4. After you engaged the WDH (incorrectly) the auto-leveling system would try to re-level again, possibly fighting against the WDH.
I'm not sure what you would end up with.
Definitely use jack mode, set up WDH, then re-engage auto-leveling. I would do this every time you hook up, not just the first time setup.
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Equal-i-zer WDH (10k), Prodigy Brake Controller
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