Weight Distribution Hitch too high?

[Guntr]

We just purchased a new Tow Vehicle for our 2016 Jay Flight 26BH and I am having some trouble adjusting the weight distribution hitch.

Our new vehicle is a 2017 GMC Sierra. Our hitch is a Pro Series Trunion Bar type with the 63970 shank, and I believe it is kit number 49587.

I have flipped the shank so it is pointing down and positioned the ball mount using the lowest two holes available on the shank yet still the ball is way too high for the trailer coupler. The installation instructions indicate that the ball should be 3/4" to 1" above the top of the trailer coupler when the trailer is level.

I can lower the ball almost enough by pivoting the ball mount as far back as it can go, but then the spring bars point down way to far for the chains to reach the snap-up brackets.

Am I missing something, or will I have to fork out for a completely new WDH?

Thanks,

[Midnightmoon]

Is it possible to buy a new shank for your WD hitch that will provide additional drop? I had to do that with my Anderson hitch when towing with my van instead of my truck. I have the 4" drop/rise for the truck and the 8" drop rise for my van.

[jasum]

Depending on the type you have........sometimes you can install the part that goes in the hitch on truck, upside down to get it lower where needed and then reinstall everything else back to the way it is supposed to be on it.

[jasum]

Can you send some pictures??

[sennister]

I know with Blue Ox WDH they have a different model for underslung couplers than conventional couplers. This is because of how they work. You don't have a Blue Ox so you might be able to adjust it. As mentioned most hitches come with a standard shank which allows for 3-4 positions above or below the hitch receiver. Some truck and trailer combos require you do buy a different shank which allows more drop or rise. I know the way the hitch receiver is mounted in the Yukon (middle of the bumper) it requires more drop than what my old Avalanche needed.

[Guntr]

Originally Posted by jasum

Depending on the type you have........sometimes you can install the part that goes in the hitch on truck, upside down to get it lower where needed and then reinstall everything else back to the way it is supposed to be on it.

Yes, I already flipped it so it is pointing down, and moved everything to the lowest two holes.

[Guntr]

Originally Posted by jasum

Can you send some pictures??

I'll take some tonight and post them.

[Guntr]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Is it possible to buy a new shank for your WD hitch that will provide additional drop? I had to do that with my Anderson hitch when towing with my van instead of my truck. I have the 4" drop/rise for the truck and the 8" drop rise for my van.

The only longer shank I've seen for my WDH is nearly $300 which seems high considering I believe my entire WDH is worth less than that.

I also don't believe I'm all that out of the ordinary, my 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 isn't lifted or anything fancy, and the Jay Flight 26BH isn't all that low.

I've browsed other WDH out there and they all seem to have similar height variances from the shank.

[Popcycle]

I am not sure you have a problem. The 3/4 to 1 inch height difference I assume is just a starting point to help you get to the final correct adjustment of your wdh. Regardless of your initial hitch height when your spring bars are connected and the trailer loaded, the front of your tv should be close to its unloaded height and your trailer should be nearly level with the front slightly lower than the back. If your current shank only results in front of your trailer still being too high after you are loaded and ready to tow then you probably need a longer shank.

[DanNJanice]

Sadly, this is the result of the "fad" of raising up the truck to look "cool", even from the factory. Note that this does nothing to improve ground clearance as that is determined by the differential clearance. Also, 99.99999% of the towing population will never use one of these full sized trucks in an off rode situation. My truck is so high I have to climb up on the front bumper just to check the oil...ridiculous.

[sennister]

Originally Posted by Popcycle

I am not sure you have a problem. The 3/4 to 1 inch height difference I assume is just a starting point to help you get to the final correct adjustment of your wdh. Regardless of your initial hitch height when your spring bars are connected and the trailer loaded, the front of your tv should be close to its unloaded height and your trailer should be nearly level with the front slightly lower than the back. If your current shank only results in front of your trailer still being too high after you are loaded and ready to tow then you probably need a longer shank.

I would agree. The shank adjustment is mainly there to roughly level the trailer while in transit. The 3/4-1" is there to account for suspension sag.

[Guntr]

Originally Posted by Popcycle

I am not sure you have a problem. The 3/4 to 1 inch height difference I assume is just a starting point to help you get to the final correct adjustment of your wdh. Regardless of your initial hitch height when your spring bars are connected and the trailer loaded, the front of your tv should be close to its unloaded height and your trailer should be nearly level with the front slightly lower than the back. If your current shank only results in front of your trailer still being too high after you are loaded and ready to tow then you probably need a longer shank.

Thanks, I'll give it a try tonight and see what it looks like.

[bankr63]

Originally Posted by DanNJanice

Sadly, this is the result of the "fad" of raising up the truck to look "cool", even from the factory. Note that this does nothing to improve ground clearance as that is determined by the differential clearance. Also, 99.99999% of the towing population will never use one of these full sized trucks in an off rode situation. My truck is so high I have to climb up on the front bumper just to check the oil...ridiculous.

True, ground clearance is not improved, but approach, breakover and departure angles generally all improve with a raised suspension. OTOH, you are also correct that relatively few of these trucks will ever see off road use.

[Guntr]

I think I got it. Re-read these instructions, and realized I should have measured front frame to ground and rear frame to ground rather than relying on levelling the trailer. Once I did this it became clear I could straighten the hitch head and couple just fine.

I knew my shop yard wasn't perfectly level and had planned to take it to a better parking lot for fine tuning. I had no idea it was causing the coupler to be so low that it looked like I needed a longer shank.

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

[jholler]

I have just over 6" of drop from my stock 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 to the tongue of my 2005 Jay Feather EXP when it sits level. I elected not to use a wdh because of the cost of an extended shank and ordered just sway control and an adapter ball instead.