New truck... What needs adjustment for tow?

[OR_Brewer]

Stepped up from 1500 to 2500 rig.

Dropped WD hitch to lowest position... but still looks off a bit. TT seems a little high in front.

Played around with WD hitch settings. 1st pic = 5 links under tension. 2nd = 6 links under tension. 3rd pic = no WD engaged.

Thoughts? Should I get a hitch with a bigger drop? Or go with one of the settings above?

Thanks!!

[Orlando bull]

What kind of hitch? I think the shanks are pretty standard. When I had my TT, I had a blue ox and swapped the shank for a bigger drop, used the same head and bars. I ended up using a curt shank since it was cheap and had the correct drop for me. No reason to replace the whole hitch.

You will need to reset everything, follow hitch directions/ truck owners manual for getting the front of the truck back to where it is unloaded, or half way back, etc...

Congrats on the truck. I love my ram, it should serve you well.

[NavyLCDR]

Well.... first of all, I would not be just eyeballing it. I'd suggest using a level in the trailer and a tape measure at the hitch to get things just right.

That being said pic #3 looks closest to trailer being level but due to sag because of no weight distribution. It looks to me from just photos and eyeball that you need more drop in the hitch.

There is also this device:
https://www.curtmfg.com/betterweigh

And it is actually amazingly accurate.

[Chris Pastuzyn]

Nice truck, Mega cab&Ram boxes, Definitely use a level to check it, I agree 3 looks about right,Check how far the back and front move when your hitched and unhitched.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by Orlando bull

You will need to reset everything, follow hitch directions/ truck owners manual for getting the front of the truck back to where it is unloaded, or half way back, etc...

X2 if your not setting it up per the manual your just wasting time.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Why mess with it ? How far off level ? Load the bed of truck or gear in front of TT and she'll be flat. Just me, but I always set mine a hair high...just for that reason. When I loaded firewood, kids stuff, extra coolers, she sat just right.

[moose074]

I actually did the opposite went from a 2011 Ram to a Tundra. You may not need the WD hitch except for possible sway. My trl looked bigger than yours and I know from weight distribution standpoint my Ram barely squatted. However with the trailer being almost 36’ in total length I needed the sway control. Best thing I ever bought 18 months later. I was driving a Tundra. The day before my first big trip in the Tundra I drove 100 miles 1 way for gas just so I could say I had the required miles before I towed.

Got home hooked up to trailer so we could load for trip ( west Texas to Southern Oregon) almost freaked out. Pulling the TT with the Ram never realized how heavy tongue was. Standing there looking at the spare tire only a few inches of ground. I was worried put the bars on and it looked better. Got it home while the wife loaded trailer. I filled fresh water tank then I re did the WD to match current set up. I thought it was good but next morning after first day of travel I dropped shank 1 more spot and it worked great.

On a side note about 3 years later I went from a 2014 Eco Boost to a 2016 F 350 SWD 4x4 and with the height of the bumper my WD hitch was only shank I had long enough to tow trl level. About 60 miles from the house I was putting the bars on because of sway. Again I was 36’ long.

[Lins]

If there's a scale nearby that's what I would use to see how much weight you're returning to your front axle. Our 2500 doesn't move very much when hooking up the TT so it's hard to use a tape measure.

[Tundra 2014]

Put stuff in bed on your way out of town, stop at a CAT scale and weigh. Adjust at Campsite per hitch manual. Tow home. Better or worse? Adjust again. I went from Tundra to F-350 diesel. Would like to have 2 1/2" shank VS current 2" w/ another inch of drop, but not paying $200 for it. Ford 3" receiver -AHH!

[OR_Brewer]

so i got a stinger with more drop. new numbers:

unloaded front: 43- 3/8 inch
unloaded rear: 43 - 3/4 inch

loaded (wdh) front: 43 - 1/2 inch
loaded (wdh) rear: 42 - 3/4 inch

trailer slightly pitched down at tounge.

seems pretty good to me!!

[lorenc]

X2 watching

[ItsThe2ofUs]

Originally Posted by Orlando bull

What kind of hitch? I think the shanks are pretty standard. When I had my TT, I had a blue ox and swapped the shank for a bigger drop, used the same head and bars. I ended up using a curt shank since it was cheap and had the correct drop for me. No reason to replace the whole hitch.

You will need to reset everything, follow hitch directions/ truck owners manual for getting the front of the truck back to where it is unloaded, or half way back, etc...

Congrats on the truck. I love my ram, it should serve you well.

X2