Wdh 4 evah!

[mike837go]

First trip with WDH installed. What a Difference!

Being a cheep-a**-ed DIY'er, I had bought a WDH at auction for an opening bid 2 years ago and just stowed it in the barn.

After the less-than-ideal towing of the new trailer's first official outing, I decided to put my auction find to good use. $150 in additional pieces (new saddles and chains).

I measured and guesstimated the setting for the hitch. The ride out and back were uneventful and almost pleasant (we are talking about the NYS Thruway, after all).

So, I am looking for pointers on how to set this thing up properly.

In the current configuration, I have only 5 links under tension. From what I have read, 6 or 7 is better.

Also, the front end of the truck is still higher than the rear (not nearly as much as before).

So, I can adjust the relationship between then ball and the receiver in (drop and rise) 1" increments (or is it 2"?).

What other adjustments and more importantly, which way to adjust them, should I be considering to get even more out of this addition or our rig?

Thanks

[bedrck46]

MIKE
There is a vey good video on you tube on how to set up the hitch.
What I do is to get the TT on level ground and also leveled Then I measure from the ground up to the top of the coupler. I then set the ball on my receiver to the same height. Then hitch up and using the equalizer bars make my adjustments

[Jagiven]

What WDH do you have? Different brand hitches have different setup features.

[bedrck46]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

What WDH do you have? Different brand hitches have different setup features.

I agree. but setting ball height should be the same no matter what WDH you have. Of course I could be wrong.

Even if you don't have a WDH or are just towing a small utility trailer, setting ball height would be the same to keep everything level.

[DocBrown]

Here's a couple of good links for you. The second is a video by Etrailer on setting up a standard trunnion bar system. Compare this to any documentation you can find for your brand of hitch.

Don't go by what you read about the number of links. As shown in the video pay attention to the measurement of your front fender. You should adjust so that the front fender is brought back to stock height. As a rule, the ends of the bars should be even with the trailer frame, and the trailer itself either level or slightly down in front.

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-weightdistribution.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTQ5ML-O4B0

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

What WDH do you have? Different brand hitches have different setup features.

If I can find a brand name I the hitch, I'll post it. Right now it is IDK brand with 700# Reese bars, chains and saddles.

I had set the ball height kinda bass-ackwards: I assembled the hitch on the leveled trailer on level ground and measured the bottom the shank (the part that goes into the truck's receiver) to the ground.

When parked on level ground, the bottom the receiver opening is 16.5" above the ground.

I set the shank for 15", expecting 1.5" drop.

Like I said. That worked well.

What I know I need to do is:

• Get the truck and trailer onto a level place
• put a piece of masking tape on each of the 4 corners of the truck
• measure and record the height before hitching up
• Ditto with the tape-and-measure on the trailer's tongue
• Hitch up and re-measure.

Correct me if I am wrong:

• The amount of tension on the spring bars is what forces the front end of the tow vehicle back down.
• But first, the ball height has to be set so that the trailer is level AFTER the tow has been fully loaded and the spring bars tensioned so that the tow is level.

[tjpolsin]

Level the trailer on level ground. Set the hitch ball height to be 1 to 1-1\2 inches higher.

Measure and record front and rear wheelwell height.

Place hitch on ball and Lowe tongue to level trailer again.

Lower snap up bracket to 90 deg. Hook nearest wd bar link onto bracket and snap up brackets.

Lower the tongue the rest of the way to clear the jack.

Your front wheelwell height should be within 1\2 inch of unloaded measurement. The trailer should be level or slightly nose down. The wd bars should be parallel to the tongue. And you should have at least 5 links under tension.

If not, then you will have to unhook and adjust the hitch head tilt and start over.

Yes, it is tedious. Good luck.

Tim

[tjpolsin]

You hitch will be under too much tension if you try to return the rear wheelwell height to unloaded measurements. Concentrate on the front height.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

You hitch will be under too much tension if you try to return the rear wheelwell height to unloaded measurements. Concentrate on the front height.

X2

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

You hitch will be under too much tension if you try to return the rear wheelwell height to unloaded measurements. Concentrate on the front height.

Then I mis-wrote. Neither the front or rear pre- and post- loading measurements can possibly be the same.

The amount of suspension compression should be the same on the front and rear. Ideally, if the rear compresses 1.5" when the trailer is loaded, the front should compress the same 1.5". Therefore the truck was level before loading and level after loading.

Though I did just read that there is a recommendation that the spring bars be set so that the pre- and post- loaded measurements for the front axel be the same. I'm not convinced. That would still leave the rear compressed more than the front.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Then I mis-wrote. Neither the front or rear pre- and post- loading measurements can possibly be the same.

The amount of suspension compression should be the same on the front and rear. Ideally, if the rear compresses 1.5" when the trailer is loaded, the front should compress the same 1.5". Therefore the truck was level before loading and level after loading.

Though I did just read that there is a recommendation that the spring bars be set so that the pre- and post- loaded measurements for the front axel be the same. I'm not convinced. That would still leave the rear compressed more than the front.

As stated before, the goal of WDH is to return the front suspension to unloaded weight. This is important to maintain steering control. Pretty much everything else that happens is a by-product. So the front axle measurement (or ideally the weight on that axle) is the most critical measurement. The only reason to measure the rear axle on the truck is to make sure it is not HIGHER than your unhitched height (doesn't happen often, but it CAN happen, and the results are very dangerous).

Goals:
1) You want to return the front axle to unloaded weight.
2) You want the trailer to ride level or slightly nose-down


The truck being level is not the goal, but it is nice if it is. That's why people put on air bags or helper springs; it is not the job of the WDH to level the truck.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Though I did just read that there is a recommendation that the spring bars be set so that the pre- and post- loaded measurements for the front axle be the same. I'm not convinced. That would still leave the rear compressed more than the front.

Don't go by spring compression. That's not the same as restoring weight to the steering control. Check your manual, there should actually be a spec for it. GM says to bring the front fender back to factory height. I believe Ford says to bring the front at least 1/2 of the distance it raised up.

EDIT: Will the manual convince you? I looked at the 2015 Tacoma manual and it says the same things as GM on page 221. You'll have to look at your 2009 manual. I'm sure it's the same spec.

"If using a weight distributing hitch when towing, return the front
axle to the same weight as before the trailer connection.
If front axle weight cannot be measured directly, measure the
front fender height above the front axle before connection.
Adjust weight distributing hitch torque until front fender is
returned to the same height as before connection."

[bedrck46]

Originally Posted by bedrck46

MIKE
There is a vey good video on you tube on how to set up the hitch.
What I do is to get the TT on level ground and also leveled Then I measure from the ground up to the top of the coupler. I then set the ball on my receiver to the same height. Then hitch up and using the equalizer bars make my adjustments

I would like to clarify my statement in which I state how to set ball height.

In the video its stated to measure from the bottom of the coupler to the ground and then set the ball higher by 1 to 1 1/2 inch then the coupler measurement

My statement was to measure to the top of the coupler and set the ball to the same height.
If one were to measure the distance from the bottom of the coupler to the top of the coupler they would find a difference of approx. 1 to 1 1/2 inch.

Either method will produce the same results

[mike837go]

Thank you so much.


Critical: Zero (or as close as possible) front ride height change between unloaded and fully hitched up.


Almost as important: Trailer level after being hooked up. If cannot achieve level, nose down is better than nose up.


Some rear compression is expected and OK.



Measurements taken at the edge of the wheel opening perpendicular to the ground, passing through the center of the axle.

Now to put all 3 together: truck, trailer and flat & level place.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Now to put all 3 together: truck, trailer and flat & level place.

And that's the hardest part for me!! The rest is just numbers and turning wrenches, which is EASY!

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

And that's the hardest part for me!! The rest is just numbers and turning wrenches, which is EASY!

Too True


The trailer and truck live 15 miles apart. And it's 5 miles from where the trailer is kept to a decent parking lot.

[tjpolsin]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Though I did just read that there is a recommendation that the spring bars be set so that the pre- and post- loaded measurements for the front axel be the same. I'm not convinced. That would still leave the rear compressed more than the front.

From experience, I attempted to level the truck as you discuss. I ended up with a rough ride and broken hitch parts.

Now the front is within half inch of preload height, back squats an inch and a half, the trailer is level.

No sway when passed, smooth ride. In short, I don't even know it's back there when driving.

Jayco 2008 26bhs - 8600#
2010 ram 2500 cclb
Reese strait line w/1000# bars

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

From experience, I attempted to level the truck as you discuss. I ended up with a rough ride and broken hitch parts.

Now the front is within half inch of preload height, back squats an inch and a half, the trailer is level.

No sway when passed, smooth ride. In short, I don't even know it's back there when driving.

Jayco 2008 26bhs - 8600#
2010 ram 2500 cclb
Reese strait line w/1000# bars

We can't change what we already posted. So my "I'm not convinced" has already been changed to "I will be following those recommendations"

[DocBrown]

Mike I found one of the best things about setting everything up myself is that when something goes wrong on the road, you are in a much better position to deal with it and make good decisions on the solution.

My favorite quote is from explorer Roald Amundsen, "Adventure is just bad planning".

[tjpolsin]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

From experience, I attempted to level the truck as you discuss. I ended up with a rough ride and broken hitch parts.

Now the front is within half inch of preload height, back squats an inch and a half, the trailer is level.

No sway when passed, smooth ride. In short, I don't even know it's back there when driving.

Jayco 2008 26bhs - 8600#
2010 ram 2500 cclb
Reese strait line w/1000# bars

It was pointed out to me in a PM that by my signature that I might be overloaded in my trailer by 1100#. The 8600# listed above was just a swag. I was sitting in the dentist office with my daughter checking this forum on my phone. Accurate data was not at the front of my mind while trying to type on a smart phone.

Jayco.com lists the specs for a 2016 Jayflight 26BHS as:
unloaded weight = 5920#
hitch weight = 800#
GVWR = 7750#
cargo weight = 1830#

Based on these numbers, it does appear that I am overweight by ~1100#.
HOWEVER, I have a 2008 Jayflight G2 26BHS.
Jayco.com lists the specs for this trailer as:
unloaded weight = 6210#
hitch weight = 740#
GVWR = 8180#
cargo weight = 1970#

so the swag on my signature above is about 400# above what Jayco lists.

Now it gets interesting when I checked with weight tag on the trailer itself
GVWR = 9200#
unloaded weight = 6535#
freshwater = 383#
propane = 60#
cargo carrying capacity = 2222#

All in all, I am probably towing 8000# to 8500# whenever we camp.

One of these trips I will weight the truck and trailer on the way out of town, but I doubt my passengers would appreciate the delay.

Tim
2008 jft G2 26BHS - GVWR = 9200#
2010 ram 2500 cclb w/cummins
reese strait line WDH w/1000# bars.