I reread the setup instruction manuals several times trying to find a matching situation but I did not find one, that is the reason I asked here for suggestions. Where I see the issue is the front being lower than when not coupled. I was expecting to see the rear numbers higher than when uncoupled, so I was suprised when it wasn't and just an inch an 1/8 higher than with no WD.
I was even more suprised with the customer reps answers to not remove a washer or something else. I am using 5 washers and the minimum is 4.
If I remove the washer in your estimation how much will the front go up and the back come down? What will happen to the trailer in the front and rear?
Again I realize that everyone here has more experience than I do and probably more than the reps that answered the question on the phone. With that said I am not against removing a washer, but how would the numbers change?
I would give it a drive first. Mine was measuring good but the front was light and I did not have any pressure on the arms. I just raises my brackets one hole and the front feels a lot better. Give it a drive and then take one washer out and drive again. You will have a basis for comparison.
Don't hold me to this but I think my front came down 1/2" when I added 2 thick and one thin washers. My truck has 145" wheelbase. If your is shorter that number of washers will have a greater affect.
__________________
2012 Lacrosse 318BHS
2010 F-150 Max Tow
HemiCab,
I again encourage you to experiment within the parameters from Progress and Dodge. It's really the best way and it's fun
You will find that these adjustments are a bit of an art. Not only will your TVs wheelbase have an impact, but so will other things. For instance, the Sequoia I tow with now has light steering without a load and I felt it needed more weight on the front so went to the full 100% (bringing the front wheel well to its unloaded height) that Toyota recommends. Other trucks I've had were happy with only 50%. I've never read good things when people went below the unloaded height in the front, though.
__________________
Scott
DW, 3 Kids and our Goldens
2012 Shamrock 233S
2008 Toyota Sequoia 5.7L 4WD
Thanks Triguy it sounds like I will drive it down the interstate to the next exit and see how it goes. If it is not going well it is only 6 miles so I can get off and find a church parking lot (In Alabama they are on every intersection) and remove a washer and try it again. Try to find one of those days that there is nothing to HAVE to do...maybe in 2016..lol.
I can't remember if this has been brought up or not, but check the Dodge owners manual to see what it says about using a WDH. I think there was some discussion a couple of years back that some 3/4 ton trucks suggest not putting more than the empty weight back on the front axles when using a WDH. Something about putting the axles too close to the snubs (stops). I think the article was about Ford 3/4 ton trucks, but not sure.
__________________
Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
21C1 did the extra washers have an impact on the rear of the truck or the attitude of the trailer?
The wheel base of the 2500 is 140.5"
HC
I can't recall what affect it had on the rear. I was more concerned about removing the rise out of the front. The change in the rear could not have been drastic as I did not have to change the ball height. My trailer is still pretty level.
I am surprised that you could get the front of a 3/4 ton ton to settle that much! I have the 1000# hitch at its max and front of my 1/2 ton is level. That 1200# must be pretty rugged. What hole are your L brackets in? Are your torsion bars fairly parallel with the trailer frame?
__________________
2012 Lacrosse 318BHS
2010 F-150 Max Tow
OK got the hitch ball attached and started the setup. Like I think I read on the forum before, if you get it setup correctly the first try you would be lucky!
Well did I get lucky or is the front being pressed down too much? Measurements are below:
Rear wheel well
Uncoupled TV 40.875"
Coupled no WD 38.875"
Coupled with WD 40"
Front wheel well
Uncoupled TV 39.375"
Coupled no WD 39.75"
Coupled with WD 39.125". Is this too much pressure on front end, 1/4" lower than uncoupled?
TT Level
Uncoupled front and back 19.5"
Coupled with WD front 19.375 & back 19.5"
Lets take a stab at this (IMO):
The goal is to have the truck AND camper "ride level."
The reason you measure the truck before you hook up is to have an idea of where "truck level" is to compare it to "truck level" after.
Truck "level" without camper is 40 7/8 inches in back and 39 3/8 in front a difference of 1/2 inch lower in the front when level.
Truck connected but no WD; Back is 38 7/8 inches and the front is 39 3/4 inches which is what you expect to happen before wt distribution. Rear down 2 inches - front up 1/2 inch.
So we connect the WD bars and with the washers as you describe the rear rises to 40 inches and the front becomes 39 1/8 inches.
The difference between the wheel wells "truck level before" and "truck level after" was 1/2 inch and the difference after WD is 7/8 inch.
This is ALMOST perfect.
I would lower the brackets ONE hole and repeat the measurements. If the difference spread gets wider "to the nose UP" side, go back to what you have and it IS perfect.
If the spread is less, use the one hole lower setting as the correct one.
Remember ONE hole equals one washer. If it turns out you need the brackets in the lowered position to be "right" AND you decide that the one hole lower setting is "too low" for the bar tips (the bars are not riding level to the camper's frame and could drag the ground), you can adjust the washers by one if need be.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
mtnguy looked through the truck manual and it only implies that the improper setup and not following the manufacturers recommendations for a WDH could create hazardous driving issues.
21C1 the 1200# bars are quite a bit bigger than the 800# bars I have. The 1200# bars are level to the frame and there are two empty holes at the top of the L-brackets so I am using holes 3 & 4 from the top.
herk I could easily drop the bars down two holes and still not drag the ground. That would roughly equate to removing two washers. I will take a test drive in a few days and see if one hole lower on the L-brackets makes a difference...quicker than the washer removal.
BTW...I forgot to add I sent Progress an email with all the measurements posted here and then called when they did not answer the email...again impatient....below is the response, I truly wonder if he read that the front was high or what?? or if I got a "canned" answer......
Thank you for contacting Progress Mfg regarding your Equal-i-zer set up
Thank you for the detailed email it was very helpful, after reviewing your measurement they look really good you are with in a inch in the back and really close in the front, I would recommend they you take it for a test drive and if everything feels good, I would leave your set up the way it is. If you did want to try and raise the back end up a little more and lower your front you could try adding one more spacer washer or go up one hole on the L- brackets. If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to get back with me.
I would leave your set up the way it is. If you did want to try and raise the back end up a little more and lower your front you could try adding one more spacer washer or go up one hole on the L- brackets. If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to get back with me.Again thanks for the input!
HC
Smart guy! Oh, by "go up one hole" I don't think he means raise the bracket one hole. I think he means USE one hole up; which wold lower the bracket like I said.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
I just took one washer off of the hitch, now to find the time to go to storage and hitch up and then do the measuring. Don't believe it will happen this weekend but we will see.
Thanks for all the feedback and input! I will give you all the numbers when I have them.
Measurements with just 4 washers (one less than before) and the L-brackets with 2 holes above frame (same as before). Used the old brakets at 27" from hitch ball and installed the new ones at 32" and the numbers stayed the same. Tried to have the truck loaded the same as before...maybe 3 or 4 gallons of diesel less.
Rear wheel well
Uncoupled TV 40.875" - Same
Coupled no WD 39.125" - Not sure why it did not drop to 38.875 as before?
Coupled with WD 39.75" - 1/4" lower than before
Front wheel well
Uncoupled TV 39.375" - Same
Coupled no WD 39.75" - Same
Coupled with WD 39.375" - 1/4" higher than before
TT Level
Uncoupled front and back 19.5"
Coupled with WD front 18.875 & back 19.75"
1/2" lower in front & 1/4" higher in back than before = 1 1/8 difference, front down
The front of TV is back to uncoupled height and the rear of TV is 1 1/8" lower than uncoupled & .63" higher than no WD.
Do these numbers look better to start with????
After reading a couple of other links on this forum does the tire pressure on TV change the balance dramatically? My front tires are at 60 psi and the rears are at 70 psi per factory pillar label. I can go to 80 psi all around but does it impact WDH setup?? Or does it affect just the ride?
Did not get a chance to drive it as all the above eat up my lunch time.
Update with weights....
TV weight when driving everyday with just me and standard tools and the hitch with bars in the tool box =
FA-4580 lbs & RA-3240 lbs Total weight=7820 lbs
1200/12000 Equalizer WDH
6" drop shank, head mounted 2 holes from top with 4 washers for angle. L-brackets are mounted with empty 2 holes at the top and the bars are level.
Loaded with camping gear and people =
FA-4660 lbs & RA-3760 lbs Total weight=8420 lbs
Front wheel well-39 1/8"
Rear wheel well-40 1/2"
Trailer loaded for camping and level with the frame being 19 1/2" front and back from the ground.
TV & TT axles with WDH active =
FA-4600 lbs & RA-4740 lbs & TT-6280 lbs Total weight=15620 lbs
Front wheel well-39 1/4"
Rear wheel well-39 1/4"
Trailer front is 18 1/2" from ground and the back is 20 1/8" from ground
TV & TT axles NO WDH active =
FA-4300 lbs & RA-5160 lbs & TT-6160 lbs Total weight=15620 lbs
Front wheel well-39 3/4"
Rear wheel well-38 1/2"
One notch in the bracket is the equivalent of one washer.
Move the bracket up or down a hole.
The bars won't be level, but you can then weigh and see where you are.
If it is better you can then put in or remove a washer and put the bracket back in it's previous hole.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
It is obvious you need at least one washer. The question is do you need two? It would be easiest to raise the brackets just to see whether you need one or two. Once you know, then you can add th washers. I know my manual says to make adjustments with the washers until you can't anymore then move the brackets.
__________________
2012 Lacrosse 318BHS
2010 F-150 Max Tow
I put a square 1 inch steel bar under the sway bars, like raising the L-bracket, and that put the front at the unhitched height so I pulled the head and added a washer with the same result on the front so I believe it is good to go on the front. The rear went up 1/4" so that is better.
My MIL had to go home so I will not be able to get the reweigh today but will make a basic guess that the front has more weight while the rear has less.
Yesterday the truck and trailer tracked better than with the E2 hitch, of course being 240 lbs over the tongue weight probably was the reason. The best description i can give is it felt like the truck was controlling the TT and not the other way around. Now with the additional washer I believe I will just take it camping this weekend and enjoy, will have tools with me just in case.
Thanks to everyone who gave advice, opinions, and feedback!
Linear Mode
