WD set up question

JerEazy

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Joined
Jan 16, 2025
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1
Location
Florida
I have been tweaking and adjusting for a bit and I’m damn close.

TLDR - first trip with this TT. The truck front fender well measurement is dead on same with trailer hooked and WD bars on. But the front of the trailer is SLIGHTLY higher than rear when measured at the frame. We good?

17 1/2 front 16 5/8 rear. That’s good enough for government work right? It’s not like she’s pointed towards the sky.


Long version:
The trailer is not very heavy. 4500 unloaded weight - But with 6000 GVWR and 25’ total length and all the crap we take camping; I think a light W/D set up is warranted. Tow vehicle 2023 f-150 lightning.

Finding a WD hitch was a PITA because the Jayco powder coating made the frame like 6 1/8” tall. All the major brands have a very strict 6” height for the WD brackets (no dice with Andersen and Equalizer). Think it got it set with a Reese hitch that has a 7” hole. There’s a slight gap between the bottom bolt and frame bottom. But I figured the pressure from the bars and the 160lb/ft torqued bolts will keep it in place.

Fiddled around quite a bit to get it as close as it is. I could drop the shank another hole. And bring the ball high down and add some washers/move the brackets again. But if she’ll send. I’m good to send. Camp ground is about 25 miles interstate down the road.
 
I have been tweaking and adjusting for a bit and I’m damn close.

TLDR - first trip with this TT. The truck front fender well measurement is dead on same with trailer hooked and WD bars on. But the front of the trailer is SLIGHTLY higher than rear when measured at the frame. We good?

17 1/2 front 16 5/8 rear. That’s good enough for government work right? It’s not like she’s pointed towards the sky.


Long version:
The trailer is not very heavy. 4500 unloaded weight - But with 6000 GVWR and 25’ total length and all the crap we take camping; I think a light W/D set up is warranted. Tow vehicle 2023 f-150 lightning.

Finding a WD hitch was a PITA because the Jayco powder coating made the frame like 6 1/8” tall. All the major brands have a very strict 6” height for the WD brackets (no dice with Andersen and Equalizer). Think it got it set with a Reese hitch that has a 7” hole. There’s a slight gap between the bottom bolt and frame bottom. But I figured the pressure from the bars and the 160lb/ft torqued bolts will keep it in place.

Fiddled around quite a bit to get it as close as it is. I could drop the shank another hole. And bring the ball high down and add some washers/move the brackets again. But if she’ll send. I’m good to send. Camp ground is about 25 miles interstate down the road.

I don't know a lot, but what I know I 'think' I know. What you've written here sounds reasonable. I don't think that 1" is going to make a bit of difference. I added Timbren bump stops because I had too much bounce when towing. They helped A LOT.

I tow 28' and about 500lb more than you dry/loaded. I taken my setup to the scales and my tongue is approximately 800#. I tow with my 2023 F150 XL with the 'XL payload package.' I use a W/D hitch by Camco. Once the hitch was adjusted correctly, my truck front end is just under 100# LESS on the front axle than when unhooked and the other weight is spread out to the camper axle. All in all I'm good and it tows really nice. I make sure to input my trailer info into the truck's computer, then dial the truck into 'tow/haul mode.' The transmission does a great deal of the braking when you do and it's great.
 

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I have always gone with the premise that the front of the trailer should be slightly lower than the rear to minimize fishtailing. Has always worked for me. There are also plenty of videos/articles out there on the internet to back up this point.

To that end, You should be able to get the same results on your tow vehicle heights/weights by lowering the hitch ball and resetting the bars. You will still transfer the same amount of weight, just from a different starting point. I remember having to change my ball height several times when I first set up my WDH to get everything lined up correctly.
 
You're good to go bro :)
I don't think 1" out is bad at all unless you're some king of perfectionist :)
 
You're good to go bro :)
I don't think 1" out is bad at all unless you're some king of perfectionist :)

... agree. Most WDH instructions allow about that much tolerance. Fastway E2 is 1 1/4".

mrmom above mentions the front being slightly lower (nose down). That's my preference. I think it handles better. SLIGHTLY being the key word.
 
I have a 2023 F150 PowerBoost Hybred. I had a problem with the steering getting "busy" above 60 mph. the truck just seemed to always need input to the steering wheel at higher speeds.

We were on a long trip with the camper and I stopped at a camping world for a break. They had a great sale on the Curt TruTrack 4p hitch system and I bought it to replace the 50 year old Reese chain and bar type weight distribution with clamp on sway bar I was using. I would have installed it there myself but they wanted $250 bucks to tighten up the 2 head bolts so instead we loaded it in the back seat and later installed it at my brothers home that was part of our route on that trip. The new nice and quiet and it helped a lot but it still was not perfect.

Accidentally I discovered that the problem seems to go away if you put the truck in tow/haul mode. I know, I probably should be in that mode but in the ICE engine that mode holds me in a higher gear which makes for higher RPM so I kept trying to use Eco or Normal mode. apparently tow/haul mode also changes the power steering characteristics as well.

I am interested in what RV you have (we have a 2024 21mml) and how you make out with the lightning towing. I really want one. we also have a Mach E and love it.

According to my calculations from my home to Pensacola beach I would have to make 4 stops to charge for around 1/2 hour. I already stop 3 times for at least 1/2 hour with my current truck buying gas, food, rest, etc so its not much different. I need to look next time I make the trip to see how easy it is to find charging spots that will take a truck AND a trailer.
 
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It’s more about the tension bars being level than the TT. As long as those bars are level you’re good.
 
I have always gone with the premise that the front of the trailer should be slightly lower than the rear to minimize fishtailing. Has always worked for me. There are also plenty of videos/articles out there on the internet to back up this point.

I have never heard of this is in 17 yrs of towing both as a CDL driver and my personal 5ver.

You trailer nose should NEVER be lower than the rear, was this a typo on your end? Thats exactly what gets people in trouble, it creates more tounge weight which can cause the fish tail.
 

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