RV newbie just looking for answers!

[WINDTECH]

Hey guys! I'm a first timer here just lurking and learning new things as I go. I travel the U.S. working on wind turbines and have been looking for a cheaper alternative to staying in hotels. I'm on the road for 26 days at a time and get paid per diem for lodging and meals which is a good way to pocket the extra cash to supplement my income. I decided to get a TT to save money on hotels and also to have something to take on trips when I want to go on a mini vacation on my days off! I found a 2015 2109S in Iowa that an older gentleman was selling in order to upgrade and the price was right so I bought it! Unfortunately camping season is almost over in Iowa so I'll be roughing it for a week or so with electric only. I'll be bouncing around this forum to learn new things so maybe I'll be talking to some of you soon! Thanks in advance for all your advice..from what I can tell so far there is a treasure trove of knowledge here!!! Here's a pic of my current set up...

[ependydad]

Welcome! There's a handful of us Fulltimers on the forum.

[CaptnJohn]

Looking good~~ smart move too!

[asquared]

Welcome and congrats on the new to you tt. Look I g at the pic, your truck looks a little high in the front end, you may need to adjust your wdh. The truck should sit level when hooked up.

[aceinspp]

Welcome to the forum and the world of RVing. As mentioned your truck looks high in the front so may need to readjust wdh. Later RJD

[themounties]

Hey, and welcome to the forum from Wv, this is a great sight.

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to FRF.

If you have electric, that's not roughing it. You'll have propane, and if you don't have public water you can fill the fresh water tank and use it.

I'd suggest sanitizing the fresh water system if you don't know when that was last done.

[geeman53]

Welcome from SW Ohio ! Enjoy your TT!

[crookedread]

Welcome to the forum! It's a great place to get multiple ideas on how to fix things. I was a consultant for 8 years and that required me to work out of town. I eventually got tired of hotels and apartments so I bought my trailer and lived In it instead. Met a lot of nice people and loved every minute of it. Retired a year ago and have spent a lot of time on the road because I still love it. Congratulations!!


Crookedread
2016 2500 Duramax
2011 Stealth 2312

[Wattsworld]

Welcome to the forum from Missouri. That is a nice looking rig you have. Enjoy it however you use it. It's a great idea to use it for work and save money. Safe travels.

[WINDTECH]

Originally Posted by asquared

Welcome and congrats on the new to you tt. Look I g at the pic, your truck looks a little high in the front end, you may need to adjust your wdh. The truck should sit level when hooked up.

That pic was when I had just picked it up a few miles away so I hadn't had time to make any adjustments. I'm used to pulling a gooseneck so this who WDH setup is going to take some getting used to. I'm hoping to meet someone at one of the campgrounds that might be able to help me get it all dialed in soon. Thanks for noticing and pointing that out though!

[WINDTECH]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Welcome to FRF.

If you have electric, that's not roughing it. You'll have propane, and if you don't have public water you can fill the fresh water tank and use it.

I'd suggest sanitizing the fresh water system if you don't know when that was last done.

The previous owner just winterized it last week so I'm going to leave it alone for now. I'm at a camp site that has a bath house a few feet away so I should be okay for the next couple weeks.

[asquared]

What kind of wdh do you have? Lots of help here on the forums. I can't see it well enough in the pic to make out which one it is.

[WINDTECH]

Originally Posted by asquared

What kind of wdh do you have? Lots of help here on the forums. I can't see it well enough in the pic to make out which one it is.

It's a Curt 10,000/1,000 if that helps? It has a separate friction sway control. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! I'm wondering if I need to lower the ball to get the tongue down and then adjust my bars from there? Previous owner was pulling with a half ton dodge and the trailer squatted his truck a lot more than it does mine. Without the bars hooked up the trailer doesn't even lower my rear end enough to hit the overloads on my rear axle...

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by WINDTECH

It's a Curt 10,000/1,000 if that helps? It has a separate friction sway control. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! I'm wondering if I need to lower the ball to get the tongue down and then adjust my bars from there? Previous owner was pulling with a half ton dodge and the trailer squatted his truck a lot more than it does mine. Without the bars hooked up the trailer doesn't even lower my rear end enough to hit the overloads on my rear axle...

Here's a video produced by Curt showing their method of setting up their hitch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkew...8&noredirect=1

[WINDTECH]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

Here's a video produced by Curt showing their method of setting up their hitch:

Awesome! Thank you for sharing! I'll get mine all dialed in this weekend and let you all know how it goes!

[asquared]

Here is some more helpful info on wdh. Keep in mind this thread is extremely old so follow the curt instructions. This thread is more designed to help you understand the wdh concepts.

how a wdh works


Another way to set up a hitch involves hitting the scales. I have found this method to be foolproof as well as helpful in knowing exactly where you are on weights. Go to your local truck scales (catscale.com) to find a location near you. Weigh with a full tank of fuel and your trailer loaded to camp. You will want to get 3 passes in any order:

1st weigh: just truck no trailer. Front axle on scale pad #1, rear axle on scale pad number 2.

2nd weigh: truck plus trailer no wdh. Truck axles the same as 1st weigh. Both tt axles on scale pad #3.

3rd weigh: truck plus trailer with wdh hooked up. Axles the same places as 2nd weigh.

What this tells you:
Truck gcwr - scaled truck weight = adjusted towing capacity.
Truck gvwr - scaled truck weight = available payload
Truck grawr - scaled rear axle weight = how much weight you can add to that axle.

Total weight of 2nd weigh - total weight of 1st weigh = total loaded weight of your trailer.

Combined steer and drive axle weights of 2nd weigh - total weight of 1st weigh = loaded tongue weight.

Now compare your 1st and 3rd weighs. The idea of a wdh is to help spread the tongue weight of the trailer out. It will transfer some weight to the front axle and some weight back to the trailer. Your goal is to return your front axle to as close to unloaded weight as possible without going heavier. Repeat your 3rd weigh as many times as necessary after adjustments to achieve this. We used to take the tools with us, unhitch out of the way at the truck stop, make the adjustments, hook up and go weigh again.

Catscales are typically $9-12 for first weigh and $1-3 for each additional weigh in a 24 hour period at the same scale. Unless you are really tall, you will want to bring a broom handle or something to hit the scale buzzer as it sits at driver height for tractor trailers. You will be asked for your truck number, just tell them private vehicle. If they say they still need a number, just say your favorite number.

[Mark2cars]

Welcome and congrats on a wise financial decision. Tons of knowledge here and it's FREE !!! We live in far west Texas not far from several turbine farms.

[WINDTECH]

Originally Posted by asquared

Here is some more helpful info on wdh. Keep in mind this thread is extremely old so follow the curt instructions. This thread is more designed to help you understand the wdh concepts.

how a wdh works


Another way to set up a hitch involves hitting the scales. I have found this method to be foolproof as well as helpful in knowing exactly where you are on weights. Go to your local truck scales (catscale.com) to find a location near you. Weigh with a full tank of fuel and your trailer loaded to camp. You will want to get 3 passes in any order:

1st weigh: just truck no trailer. Front axle on scale pad #1, rear axle on scale pad number 2.

2nd weigh: truck plus trailer no wdh. Truck axles the same as 1st weigh. Both tt axles on scale pad #3.

3rd weigh: truck plus trailer with wdh hooked up. Axles the same places as 2nd weigh.

What this tells you:
Truck gcwr - scaled truck weight = adjusted towing capacity.
Truck gvwr - scaled truck weight = available payload
Truck grawr - scaled rear axle weight = how much weight you can add to that axle.

Total weight of 2nd weigh - total weight of 1st weigh = total loaded weight of your trailer.

Combined steer and drive axle weights of 2nd weigh - total weight of 1st weigh = loaded tongue weight.

Now compare your 1st and 3rd weighs. The idea of a wdh is to help spread the tongue weight of the trailer out. It will transfer some weight to the front axle and some weight back to the trailer. Your goal is to return your front axle to as close to unloaded weight as possible without going heavier. Repeat your 3rd weigh as many times as necessary after adjustments to achieve this. We used to take the tools with us, unhitch out of the way at the truck stop, make the adjustments, hook up and go weigh again.

Catscales are typically $9-12 for first weigh and $1-3 for each additional weigh in a 24 hour period at the same scale. Unless you are really tall, you will want to bring a broom handle or something to hit the scale buzzer as it sits at driver height for tractor trailers. You will be asked for your truck number, just tell them private vehicle. If they say they still need a number, just say your favorite number.

Thank you for taking the time to share this info! I really appreciate the advice. I'll be hitting a scale as soon as I'm finished with this job as I will be towing the trailer back home to Oklahoma...almost 600 miles so I'll want it dialed in.

[WINDTECH]

Originally Posted by Mark2cars

Welcome and congrats on a wise financial decision. Tons of knowledge here and it's FREE !!! We live in far west Texas not far from several turbine farms.

Thanks for the kind words! We probably own the turbines you're talking about. I do a lot of work in west Texas and actually was just there in September. We were working at Horse Hollow which is about 30-45 mins SW of Abilene.