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Old 05-18-2020, 06:57 PM   #1
Smk
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Hitch looks bad

Went camping and when we went to unhook and it looked like the weight distribution bars were bent ,very had to get them released. Put the tounge jack up and down no luck. Eventually they came off. After a great weekend camping went to hook up and my hitch ball looks like it is leaning back. Could not find anything wrong so we left and on the way home which was less than an hour away thank God, the trailer was all over the place had to slow down and use the trailer brake to get it under control a few times. Never had this problem in the 2 yrs of having the trailer. So I have a 2008 Toyota tundra that can tow 10300 and the trailer is a wildwood 2017 28ckds weighing 7600 dry. We don't take alot in the truck, put most in trailer. Same way everytime we go.trying to find how to put a picture with this post
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:04 PM   #2
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It's hard to tell with the pic but I'd start by lossening the two bolts that allow you to adjust the height of the hitch, straighten that bracket out and tighten according to torque specs.
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:10 PM   #3
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There is not a lot of detail in your photo to go by.

A trailer ball should have a slight lean to the rear, and not be perfectly vertical.

So you have been pulling this trailer for 2 years and this is the first problem you have had? SWAY?

You know loading your trailer a bit heavier in the rear of the trailer or behind the axle can have a big effect on increasing trailer sway. ALso putting an additional 5-10# of air in the rear TV tires can help eliminate sway.

Not sure about why you could not get sway bars out... I always keep a couple of 2 x 8 inch squares of wood to set the tongue jack on if I need a little extra bumper height to get unhitched a little easier.
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:13 PM   #4
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OK will have to do that thanks for the reply
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:16 PM   #5
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I don't anything behind the axles in the trailer its mostly right on the axle or a few feet from it. But the hitch looks like it was leaning back towards the trailer more than before, I will take your advice and add air to the rear tires thank you
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:25 PM   #6
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As rsdata stated, it should lean like it is. I would find it highly unusual for it to lean more than you remember as that would require some really oddball forces. But you can check this by looking at the spacer rivet shown in this pic:



The spacer rivet head should be touching the hitch shank like this pic:



If it is, then the hitch head angle has not changed. If it isn't, then report back because we have some other issues at work. It is possible that the rivet has fallen out and now you aren't getting any WDH forces or sway control. But let's see what you see first.
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:27 PM   #7
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From the looks of the picture, I'm going to say that the hitch head slipped backwards and increased the angle towards the rear. That would explain why the bars were difficult to get out. Were they pointed more downward on the back side than normal?

When you loosen and reset the head angle, know that if properly set, the bars will be level or parallel with the ground.

I agree with RSDATA also. While the rearward change of the hitch head could be the only driver, seems like for the trailers behavior to be that significantly different than what its been in the past, that there was some weight change putting more behind the rear axles or some closer to the axles that normally is farther forward.

Did you travel with any of your tanks full or empty that could have changed the teeter tooter effect of the distribution of your weight? or put some of your heavier things further toward the rear than where they normally travel?
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:38 PM   #8
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When the load is on the hitch I remember the spacer washers were all loose if I remember correctly. Nothing in the tanks emptied them before we left. Most of the things we take were a few bins and really within a foot of the axles pretty much the same as everytime
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:38 PM   #9
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Besides the spacer washers, there's an adjustment bolt below the washers that takes up any slack between the hitch head and the shank. You will have to loosen the two large bolts / nuts in order to make snug up that adjuster bolt. I've seen that bolt mushroom against the shank, making it difficult to adjust.

Without checking your actual payload spec for your Tundra and not knowing your exact tongue weight... That's a LOT of trailer for a Tundra.

Maybe a trip to the CAT scale is in order to get some real numbers and see where your rigs stands?
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:41 PM   #10
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I thought that it looked like it slipped backwards. But can I fix myself or take it a hitch dealer like uhaul or back to rv dealer with the trailer or can they do it without the trailer
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:41 PM   #11
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When the load is on the hitch I remember the spacer washers were all loose if I remember correctly. Nothing in the tanks emptied them before we left. Most of the things we take were a few bins and really within a foot of the axles pretty much the same as everytime

Those washer should not be loose. See my post about the adjustment bolt. Your hitch head tilt could be excessive. Looks like an Equalizer? There are several videos about adjustments to the hitch head on youtube
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:42 PM   #12
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I thought that maybe it was alot for a tundra but I believed the dealer saying it would be just fine. Live and learn may have to look for a different truck thanks
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:43 PM   #13
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Those washer should not be loose. See my post about the adjustment bolt. Your hitch head tilt could be excessive. Looks like an Equalizer? There are several videos about adjustments to the hitch head on youtube
This is the answer. You can fix this yourself with the videos. We'll get you back to sway free in no time!
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:44 PM   #14
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yes equalizer hitch and if I tighten that bolt to snug it up does a load need to be on it or no load
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:47 PM   #15
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yes equalizer hitch and if I tighten that bolt to snug it up does a load need to be on it or no load
Please, please, please search YouTube for a video on how to adjust the Equal-i-zer. Then come back with any questions.

This one from Equal-i-zer is pretty good:

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Old 05-18-2020, 07:48 PM   #16
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Check your hitch on the truck. It looks like it is bent and dropping the shank. Should level.
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Old 05-18-2020, 07:50 PM   #17
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Adjusting that bolt is done with no load, no WD bars. The two big bolts and nuts have to be loosened so the head tilt can be restored and the slack removed via the adjustment bolt. Then you tighten the big bolts /nuts.

This is just one of several EQ hitch videos...

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Old 05-18-2020, 08:04 PM   #18
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I thought that maybe it was alot for a tundra but I believed the dealer saying it would be just fine. Live and learn may have to look for a different truck thanks
There should be a sticker in your drivers door jamb with payload and other weight specs for your particular truck.
A trip to a CAT scale will tell you the rest. The CAT scale has separate scale pads for each axle, Truck front, truck rear, trailer axles. First weigh the truck and trailer together. Get those three axle weights. Then position the trailer so you can get a separate tongue weight on one scale pad and trailer axle weight on another scale pad. Then hitch your truck and trailer together, pull off the scale and park it. There are videos about how to do this also. Knowing your tongue weight and actual trailer weight is critical to a good setup.
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Old 05-18-2020, 08:09 PM   #19
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OK thanks alot to do do need to find cat scale close and see what the scales say thanks for all the help everyone and check the hitch I watched the videos and very helpful. Will have to do this this weekend.
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Old 05-18-2020, 08:33 PM   #20
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Trailer dry weight is a false number as it is that weight only once in its life as it leaves the factory. A 7600 dry weight is probably actually closer to 9000 lbs loaded. What does your trailer gross weight say??? That will be a truer more important number.

Good Luck !!!

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