Equal-i-zer - shank and ball height questions

Baja Man wrote:
I have a new to me 2016 ORV Timber Ridge 280RKS. It has a GVWR of 9600#, My truck is a 2003 Ford F-350 single rear wheel, 4X2. It has a payload capacity of 3860#.

I followed the set up procedures for the Equalizer hitch.

My trailer sites 5.75" lower in front when EQ bars are loaded for travel. This is measured at rear and front of frame (18.5" front and 24.25' at rear). I have attached a pic.

I have read that slightly lower in front is preferred to level.

Using the shank selection guide on Equalizer.com's website it calls for the shank I am currently using.

Front tow vehicle axle barely rises between loaded and unloaded.....approx. 1/2"

Since I am maxed out on ball height (using highest holes on a shank that has been flipped up), why I am unable to get my trailer to sit higher in front?

Hi,

I'll see if I can help. Something is off if the EQ site stated your shank should work. You are approx 6" nose down. In my point of view, that is a lot and you can and should do better.

I looked up your camper. Nice camper by the way. http://www.gardnerrv.com/product/new-2016-outdoors-rv-timber-ridge-280rks-498252-29

For long term, you want the camper as close to level as it can be with the right WD hitch setup. Yes, slight nose done is better then nose up from a sway perspective but there is meaning to the words "slight" as far as distance. You can only be within 1 hole of adjustment on the shank, so you have to pick sometimes. Is it 1/4" nose high or 3/4" nose low? 1/4" high on a 34' TT is not a disaster. And if your truck bed load will change to heavier, the 1/4" high can change to being almost level. I would not pick 3/4" high though.

Being 6" nose down can add extra weight loading to the camper front axle. It already takes on extra load from the WD transfer process. The combo of the 2 (excess nose down and WD transfer) really does not help the ST tires loading situation. You may have one wheel close to or over it's limit in this case.

We should talk about your setup. That 34 ft camper starts with a 1,010# dry unloaded tongue weight. Your floor plan being a rear kitchen will help balance out some of the cargo weight that can be added to the front bedroom slide, under the bed, bedroom cabinets and the large pass through cargo hole.

Do you by chance know your loaded tongue weight and are you fully loaded or still in the process of adding gear?

That camper can be at and over 1,200# loaded TW real easy. Which Equal-I-zer hitch do you have? The 1,200 or the 1,400?

Your truck and mine have a similar rear axle spring setup I do believe. Is your rear axle rated at 7,000# with a 11,000 GVWR? However the front end is very different. The 2005's and up now have an upgraded front suspension with coil springs. I think yours still has the leaf springs. And my V10 has the 3 valve upgrade and different heads (I breaks plugs, your vintage spits them...) but the engine weights are close.

The 1/2" front end rise you are seeing is a good amount. Until you get to the scales you may not know much more as I run mine a little light on purpose. I make sure with my truck bed load and the camper hitched up, the rear overload springs at least just kiss the frame hanger. The front frame hanger has lot of air over it. I have about 500# of bed cargo plus 1,500 to 1,600# camper TW using 1,700# WD bars. By having the top overload spring kiss the frame hanger, there is a global shift in left to right stability in the truck. Those springs act like and extra roll bar and stiffen up the back of the truck. Once I figured this out, everything towed a lot smoother.

Where I'm going with this, we should check the WD hitch sizing against what your loaded TW will be. If you are still on the standard Ford 2" receiver it tops out I believe on yours at 1,250# in WD mode. I had to upgrade mine to get a higher WD rating for the 1 ton truck. The newer F350's get a bigger receiver but us guys with older ones can be limited on receiver rating.

Equal-I-zer does make extra length shanks. https://www.equalizerhitch.com/store/specialty-adjustable-shanks And they also make 2 1/2" shanks that tapper to the 2" to go into the hitch head.

Odds are high you you are going to need a different shank but your receiver needs to be rated for the loaded TW and the WD bars need to be rated for the loaded TW. If you need a receiver change that may affect which shank you buy.

What is the ball height of the camper when level? Ground to inside ball coupler.

What is the receiver height on the truck with the bed loaded to go camping? Ground up to "top" inside of the 2" pin box the hitch shank goes in.

Your truck will be a good match to the camper when your all done setting it up.

Hope this helps

John