What chain link is your wd bars set at?

[scottraycraft]

Ive read that your wd chain should be hooked at the 4th or 5th link.
When mine was set up by the dealer with an empty trailer (reese pro series wd and friction sway control) it ended up on the 2nd link

My jayco jayflight fully loaded sits level to my ford f150, if not a tiny bit nose down and the bars are pretty close to parallel...but still everything I read or the videos I watch have it on the 4th or 5th link...mine is on the 2nd...and there is NO slack when I put that 2nd link on the hook...takes a few seconds of finagling to get it to latch

does this sound right?

[mike837go]

The number of links has to be the same left-to right.


Whichever setting leaves the rig as close to level as possible is the right one.


If the bars are too weak and therefore being given too much of a preload, you will find out the first time you tow.


If it tracks well, rides right and can be set and unset easily, then 2 links is correct for your rig.

[DocBrown]

4th or 5th link is a guide, not a hard and fast rule. How does it feel when you tow? Do you feel like you have all your steering control or does it fell "squirrely"?

Slightly down in front is good. Measure your front fender without the trailer, put the trailer on the hitch with dead weight, measure it again. Now put the bars on. What's the measurement? I believe Ford allows up to half the distance between the stock height and the dead weight distance.

[bedrck46]

Just a tip After you drop the tongue on the ball and latch it Take your jack and raise it up so that it causes the rear of the TV to come up a few inches Then hook up your chains in the normal position you use. You should then be able to close the snap clamps with very little effort. Also don't forget to retract the jack.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by scottraycraft

snip......When mine was set up by the dealer with an empty trailer (reese pro series wd and friction sway control) it ended up on the 2nd link........ snip ....... does this sound right?

IMO it doesn't.

I will assume that when you reference 4th or 5th link, and 2nd link....., you are referring to links "under tension" (this can be confusing because some folks state chain links "hanging"), but under tension is the best reference.

With most standard WDH's such as yours, there is a good chance that your 2- chain links under tension setting isn't allowing for proper for/aft chain movement during TV turns, thus potentially creating some hardware binding points.

Re-adjusting the tilt angle of the WDH ball mount would correct the existing 2-link setting condition thus allowing for the preferred 4-5 links under tension (assuming proper weight transfer has been accomplished via TV's front suspension). This would apply to both WDH round bar and trunnion bar style spring bars.

I would re-adjust your WDH under "loaded" TV/TT conditions, or take your TV/TT back to the dealer with a copy of the following installation/adjustment instructions.

Pro Series Installation Instructions (confirm your WDH model number with those identified on the instructions):

http://www.hitchpro.net/application/...ons/n49901.pdf

Hope this helps.

Bob

[scottraycraft]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

IMO it doesn't.

I will assume that when you reference 4th or 5th link, and 2nd link....., you are referring to links "under tension" (this can be confusing because some folks state chain links "hanging"), but under tension is the best reference.

With most standard WDH's such as yours, there is a good chance that your 2- chain links under tension setting isn't allowing for proper for/aft chain movement during TV turns, thus potentially creating some hardware binding points.

Re-adjusting the tilt angle of the WDH ball mount would correct the existing 2-link setting condition thus allowing for the preferred 4-5 links under tension (assuming proper weight transfer has been accomplished via TV's front suspension). This would apply to both WDH round bar and trunnion bar style spring bars.

I would re-adjust your WDH under "loaded" TV/TT conditions, or take your TV/TT back to the dealer with a copy of the following installation/adjustment instructions.

Pro Series Installation Instructions (confirm your WDH model number with those identified on the instructions):

http://www.hitchpro.net/application/...ons/n49901.pdf

Hope this helps.

Bob

I have one link hanging
Second link is latched
The rest of the links are "under tension"

[Macrosill]

Originally Posted by scottraycraft

Ive read that your wd chain should be hooked at the 4th or 5th link.
When mine was set up by the dealer with an empty trailer (reese pro series wd and friction sway control) it ended up on the 2nd link

My jayco jayflight fully loaded sits level to my ford f150, if not a tiny bit nose down and the bars are pretty close to parallel...but still everything I read or the videos I watch have it on the 4th or 5th link...mine is on the 2nd...and there is NO slack when I put that 2nd link on the hook...takes a few seconds of finagling to get it to latch

does this sound right?

What does the Reese manual say? I have a Husky Round bar and they say you have to have atleast 5 links between the bar and frame. I have 7 under tension and 2 hanging.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by scottraycraft

I have one link hanging, Second link is latched
The rest of the links are "under tension"

Thanks for the feedback/clarification.

Ok, 1-link hanging....., not a potential binding condition as I described in my prior post, as mentioned I was assuming 2-links under tension. Please note that when WDH instructions and/or videos refer to a 4-5 link adjustment, this is chain links "under tension", not hanging. The 4-5 links under tension (minimum) allows for proper for/aft chain movement during TV turns.

So what we don't know is how many actual chain links you have "under tension", but at this point is moot.

Please note, in some cases one may have 6 or 7 links under tension (mine has 7 links under tension), it all depends on the specific TV/TT combination, hardware clearance requirements, tongue weights, model/style WDH, etc..

Since you have yet to adjust your WDH under loaded conditions, IMO this your next step.

Refer to your TV's owners manual under the towing section, there you will find your TV's front suspension requirements when using a WDH. Use this information with your WDH installation/adjustment instructions.

If you feel up to the task (or take a friend who has adjusted WDH's before), a visit to your local CAT scale will provide the specific data to dial-in your WDH adjustment.

CAT scale how-to: http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...v-tt-3871.html

Bob

[scottraycraft]

Originally Posted by Macrosill

What does the Reese manual say? I have a Husky Round bar and they say you have to have atleast 5 links between the bar and frame. I have 7 under tension and 2 hanging.

Almost the same as me...I have one hanging

I'm gonna read through the Reese instructions and trailer manual on towing as well...I don't want to blindly trust the dealership

When loaded and hooked up my wd bars are parallel to frame and the tongue is slightly down...looks like it's supposed to

[xtruckerbob]

I have mine in the first link. The dealer set our hitch up for our Tahoe and now we use the truck. The truck only settled 1 inch and I didn't need much lift. I readjusted the head and the bars ended up in the first link. There is some tension on the bars but not a lot. The trailer is very slightly down in the front. It pulls good so who knows.

I asked the dealers set up guy and he mumbled and rambled about some of the heavy truck make it hard to tune. I just agreed and when I got I did it by my self.

[Scoutr2]

As a rule of thumb, measure the distance from the ground to the top of the wheel wells, both front and rear. If you have your WD bars set right, the front should not come up (distance increases). The rear can squat 1-2 inches (distance decrease). If your front is coming up, then you should try to increase the tension on the WD bars until you fall within these parameters.

I have the Equal-i-zer WD hitch, and my front axle is at the same height hooked up and the rear squats about 1-1/2 inches. And the trailer rides just about 1 inch tongue low.

Every trailer and TV combination is different, so the number of links will be different too.

[1wayhighway]

I have a Reese dual cam and have three hanging.

When I picked it up from the dealer there was two hanging but it pulled horrible and with a trip to the scale found that it wasn't even close to correct. I had to adjust the tilt on the head to get it right but the only way to know if you have it right is by weighing it or you can do the measuring thing but I have found the scale to be more accurate.

It takes time to go to the scale but it really gives you an idea of what is changing when you make changes to the WDH.

[Scoutr2]

Originally Posted by 1wayhighway

I have a Reese dual cam and have three hanging.

I had to adjust the tilt on the head to get it right but the only way to know if you have it right is by weighing it or you can do the measuring thing but I have found the scale to be more accurate.

It takes time to go to the scale but it really gives you an idea of what is changing when you make changes to the WDH.

Good point I forgot to mention. I tweaked mine over several trips and last adjustment was to tilt the head down. That seemed to make a big difference.

And scales will definitely give you a good picture on how the weight is being shifted. If you have the installation instructions, they will tell you how to make adjustments. If you don't have them, try searching online, I'm sure you can find and download them

[scottraycraft]

Thanks for all the tips...very helpful...I need to educate myself on the hitch adjustment...I don't have an impact driver so that might go on the list

[dennis b]

Originally Posted by 1wayhighway

I have a Reese dual cam and have three hanging.

When I picked it up from the dealer there was two hanging but it pulled horrible and with a trip to the scale found that it wasn't even close to correct. I had to adjust the tilt on the head to get it right but the only way to know if you have it right is by weighing it or you can do the measuring thing but I have found the scale to be more accurate.

It takes time to go to the scale but it really gives you an idea of what is changing when you make changes to the WDH.

x1

[Rustic Eagle]

Just a word of caution, in the event that the WDH chains being utilized aren't of the same length/link count (has happened)..., referencing chain links "under tension" in lieu of "hanging" will insure commonality in reference and application of.

Bob

[scottraycraft]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Just a word of caution, in the event that the WDH chains being utilized aren't of the same length/link count (has happened)..., referencing chain links "under tension" in lieu of "hanging" will insure commonality in reference and application of.

Bob

From Hence forth I shall refer to links under tension!
Makes more sense that way actually...

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by scottraycraft

snip.....I need to educate myself on the hitch adjustment...I don't have an impact driver so that might go on the list

Just a thought...., once you tackle the WDH adjusting process feel free to post close-up pics of your WDH (TV/TT hitched) once you have it dialed-in, and any comments on the adjusting process....., may be helpful to others.

Bob