Towing set up help?

[Jacjayco]

Recently bought Jayco Jayflight 212qb. Towing with a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum.
Tow rating is 6,000 lbs with factory installed tow package. When we took delivery, the dealer did the set up with a 10,000lb. WDH.

I noted right away that the tounge of the trailer was slightly pointing up, not level. The truck also was down a bit in the back. Past experience was that the tow vehicle and trailer were always level.

Of course, dealer said it was properly set up.
How to fix it?


Any advice would be appreciated....

Thanks

[Midnightmoon]

What brand/model of weight distribution hitch do you have? Also, are you able to post a picture of what your setup looks like based on the dealers adjustments?

[Jacjayco]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

What brand/model of weight distribution hitch do you have? Also, are you able to post a picture of what your setup looks like based on the dealers adjustments?

Thanks for the response, hitch is a husky. I do have a picture, as soon as I figure out how to post it, I will..

[colby]

Originally Posted by Jacjayco

Thanks for the response, hitch is a husky. I do have a picture, as soon as I figure out how to post it, I will..

I have the Husky Centerline (I'm thinking it's the same one) and everything is level. I've found that my 212qb is a little nose heavy because of the passthrough and the underbed storage (plus the heavier mattress I put in instead of the crappy OEM one). I'm usually around 15% of loaded trailer weight (715-740 pounds) which will cause the back end of the vehicle to potentially sag a bit. What is the hitch weight rating of the Pathfinder.

What's the hitch rating of the Pathfinder and the payload found on the driver's door jamb?

[DocBrown]

Typically you want the front of the trailer level or slightly down. Rear sag is OK so long as it's not a lot, no more than an 1 to 1.5 inches of stock height. What's important is that the weight is put back on the front wheels to maintain steering control.

How does it tow? Do you feel like you have full steering control at highway speeds?

[Jacjayco]

Originally Posted by colby

I have the Husky Centerline (I'm thinking it's the same one) and everything is level. I've found that my 212qb is a little nose heavy because of the passthrough and the underbed storage (plus the heavier mattress I put in instead of the crappy OEM one). I'm usually around 15% of loaded trailer weight (715-740 pounds) which will cause the back end of the vehicle to potentially sag a bit. What is the hitch weight rating of the Pathfinder.

What's the hitch rating of the Pathfinder and the payload found on the driver's door jamb?

Thanks for responding. The tow vehicle has a factory tow package rated at 6,000 lbs. Jayco shows empty trailer weight of 4,200 lbs +/-., with a tounge weight of 460.
The husky hitch with the spring bars is rated at 600 tounge weight and 6,000 gross
I'm thinking that the dealer set up isn't right. I think I also need to add coil over shocks or something similar to beef up the rear suspension.
We pulled the trailer about 2,000 miles on the first trip. No noticeable sway ...
Any input or advice is appreciated!
Thanks

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Jacjayco

Thanks for responding. The tow vehicle has a factory tow package rated at 6,000 lbs. Jayco shows empty trailer weight of 4,200 lbs +/-., with a tounge weight of 460.
The husky hitch with the spring bars is rated at 600 tounge weight and 6,000 gross
I'm thinking that the dealer set up isn't right. I think I also need to add coil over shocks or something similar to beef up the rear suspension.
We pulled the trailer about 2,000 miles on the first trip. No noticeable sway ...
Any input or advice is appreciated!
Thanks

I encourage you to take your combination to a CAT scale to get your specific weights. This will help you fine tune your setup for optimal performance. Please refer to this thread for some additional information on how to weigh on a CAT scale.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...v-tt-3871.html

I will guarantee you that your actual tongue weight will be well over the 460 lb "Dry Weight" listed by Jayco. As a general rule, tongue weights on travel trailers run in the 12%-15% of the trailer's GVWR when set up properly. At 5500 lb GVWR, your 212QB should be in the 650 to 800 lb range in real world weights.

Again, visit a CAT scale to find out for sure. I have a feeling that your WD hitch may be borderline at best and possibly undersized for your trailer.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

snip...... Again, visit a CAT scale to find out for sure. I have a feeling that your WD hitch may be borderline at best and possibly undersized for your trailer.

X2

Bob

[Jacjayco]

Thanks everyone for your help. Its clear that I need to get the rig weighed.

I also need to have a serious discussion with the dealer that sold me the Jayco and WDH.
To say the least, they should have known better.

I'm not.....wait for it......a happy camper.

Many thanks!

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by Jacjayco

The husky hitch with the spring bars is rated at 600 tounge weight and 6,000 gross

Our 19RD is the 2 foot shorter predecessor to the 212QB, and have a 10,000# Equalizer WDH with 1000# spring bars. Almost the exact same weights as your 212. I agree it may need adjusting to get the front down. Ditto on the Cat scale. That'll give the data you need to see what needs to be done.

[colby]

Originally Posted by Jacjayco

Thanks for responding. The tow vehicle has a factory tow package rated at 6,000 lbs. Jayco shows empty trailer weight of 4,200 lbs +/-., with a tounge weight of 460.
The husky hitch with the spring bars is rated at 600 tounge weight and 6,000 gross
I'm thinking that the dealer set up isn't right. I think I also need to add coil over shocks or something similar to beef up the rear suspension.
We pulled the trailer about 2,000 miles on the first trip. No noticeable sway ...
Any input or advice is appreciated!
Thanks

Hopefully the spring bars are the 600-800 version, that's what the dealer put on mine and it's been good. With a tow rating of 6000 pounds, I think you may find that you are over your hitch rating (probably a 600 pound rating). You can try to get the tongue weight down to that; however, you may find that you are loading too much weight behind the axles of the trailer and that might contribute to sway.

The other issue you may find is that the fuel tank on the Pathfinder is small compared to a truck that is equipped properly. I was finding that I was filling up every couple of hours and really had to be aware of the route I was taking.

[CGLaz]

We bought our 2018 212qb last year and thought we could tow it with a 2018 Pathfinder, which has a tow rating of 6500. 500 more than the 2017 you have. After one summer and fall of camping we are now in the market for a tow vehicle with a much higher tow rating. Preferably well over 8000. While I have read posts here and other places of folks towing with the pathfinder, I have also read of those that ended up with a bent frame. And uphill, we were down to 45 mph and she was still struggling. And it's just two of us. No dogs, no kids. That will beat up any vehicle. But everyone has to decide what risks they find acceptable. Good luck.

[PaulB12]

You may need stronger bars, but I would download the instructions for your hitch and set up yourself.
You'd be surprised how many dealers THINK they know how to set up a weight distribution system correctly.
JMHO and experience
PaulB12

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by PaulB12

You may need stronger bars, but I would download the instructions for your hitch and set up yourself.
You'd be surprised how many dealers THINK they know how to set up a weight distribution system correctly.
JMHO and experience
PaulB12

I agree and I'll go one step further to say that I have yet to see a single dealer "setup" be accurate. At best, they are taking an educated guess at an empty trailer. I've yet to find any dealer that installs a hitch, scales it, and adjusts it properly.

The only proper way to properly adjust a hitch is to load a trailer for travel with all of the gear that the owner is going to haul with them and then visit a CAT or other certified scale.

[PaulB12]

The above is true.
But they should follow the instructions to at least get it right empty. Then adjustments can be made.
PaulB12

[ALJO]

PaulB12: Mechanics are trained to setup WDH's and other related equipment.
99% of the time the TT leaves the yard of a dealership empty, which is not the correct setup for a loaded TT. Just look at any RV forum and you'll see the in-experience many RVers have. Many are newbie's and I'm sure the ones with a long RV experience just shake their head once and awhile. At the dealership we get 75% RVers in with silly things, which they could have avoid by learning something. Many just waist their money on labor by their lack on knowledge. WDH's have instruction manuals also other equipment. Know ones own RV by reading then and learn the technical mechanics.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by ALJO

PaulB12: Mechanics are trained to setup WDH's and other related equipment.
99% of the time the TT leaves the yard of a dealership empty, which is not the correct setup for a loaded TT...

At the dealership we get 75% RVers in with silly things, which they could have avoid by learning something...

I have purchased 4 new RV's in my life (and a couple of used ones), and some of the dealers have provided much better information than the other dealers. I would suggest that if any dealer knows that 75% of their customers are coming back in for service because of silly things then that dealer should simply make a list of those silly things and then make sure they discuss and go over those things fully before the customer leaves the lot, that would help the dealership's reputation and significantly increase customer satisfaction. (I am not saying that you or any specific dealer doesn't already do this, however I know personally that some do not explain things very well at all).

For a quick example, if the dealer already knows that the WDH will need a different adjustment once the RV is loaded, then that should be discussed with the purchaser to make sure the buyer fully understand how to perform this common adjustment (imo).

Also, my comment is not directed or meant to say that you and\or your dealership doesn't already do this.

~CA

[02camp]

If you haven't already, I would contact Husky. I was pleasantly surprised how helpful they were in the hitch set up of my previous travel trailer. Also their installation instructions are excellent showing where measurements should be taken and what the tolerances are. Keep in mind your chances of getting it right the first time are slim. You are dealing with hitch height, number of shims on the hitch head and the height of the L brackets the spring bars rest on.