Here goes, I got home from Pakistan on Sunday and went Tuesday to retrieve my RV from the dealer as they were fixing the plastic items on top due to hail damage. I followed the directions included with the hitch as close as possible. The only thing skipped was torqueing the ball to 250ft. pounds. After setup the front height was exactly where it began. The back was 2" higher than front pre and according to the measurements was within 1/4" of the front height after hookup. We drove down the road about 10 miles then turned into a walmart parking lot and verified everything was still tight and measured again. The truck didn't change but looking at the pic the trailer is sitting high front low back. Trailer was leveled and tongue height measured but I am not sure what happened. I plan on dragging it over to the church parking lot and doing the setup again but maybe some pointers can be offered. Here is the hitch I purchased

First, Please edit the image tag and add width limit per forum rules, and my small screen:{img}www.whatever.com/mypic.jpg width=640{/img}There is no need to measure the height of the rear axle, only front. There are two goals: One goal is to get the front axle the same height with WD as unhitched. Second goal is to get the TT level to slightly nose down. I agree, it looks slightly nose up, but measure the frame to ground front and back to confirm.

Yeah I didn't notice it was HUGE so I reposted and made it smaller.

Depending on your tow vehicle, the manufacturer may recommend not returning the front end completely back down to its unhitched measurement. If it is a Ford, they are currently requiring approximately half way between hitched and unhitched. The front of the trailer does look too high, but only a tape measure will tell for sure. Even with measurements and advice, I would still run it across the scales to determine the actual loading.

First off I say "Good for you" for taking the time to do it yourself and understand how it works. When you are on the road and something happens it is good to know your entire setup.One thing, and I made this error initially, is that you said you measured the hitch height. Did you measure the trailer frame front and back? If so did you measure the hitch frame in front as it is lower to the ground than the actual trailer frame? It does look front high. Can you drop the hitch head down a hole on the shank? I can tell from pic if there is room for that. That would bring the trailer front down and you could then readjust. Aside from that it looks and sounds like you are doing the right thing to get it adjusted properly. The general rule is to get the front within a half inch or so of unloaded, have the trailer either level or slightly nose down. The rest is truly about the balance of weight. With measurements you are just going to get it close but once close a trip to the scale can really help you dial it in. I think you are well on your way.

Here are the basics:++Level the TOW vehicle with w/d bar adjustment...++Level the TT with the hitch height adjustment...++Level the w/d bars with the angle adjustment on the hitch head...Assuming that you are on level ground, it looks like your trailer is nose high which is not good. That could induce sway.To start with, get an adjustable ball mount shank so that you can lower the ball and the front of the trailer...then go from there with your frame measurements and your wheel well measurements.something like this.

First setup attempt for my WD hitch. Maybe wrong

DWolfrom
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
When I set up my WD, I didn't level the trailer as I knew the parking lot I was in wasn't level...I made sure the distance to the ground from frame was the same in front and back. Remember, all parking lots and driveways have slope built in to shed water. If you leveled your trailer on anything but a PERFECTLY level surface, that could be the reason for the skew. I learned this the hard way many years ago when I mounted a side tool box in the bed of my truck and it turned out looking like....!
BenK
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
Welcome to the forum !

It is really not that confusing, but can be until you understand the 60,000 foot
view of the 'system'. Confusing if down in rat holes without benefit of the big pix

The setup's orientation should
Have the trailer level at it's highest pointing, or slightly pointing down (my preference)
Tongue weight should be 12%-15% range of the 'actual' weight
The WD Hitch system transfers enough weight from the TV rear to the TV front
The amount of weight is no longer 'one size fits all', but whatever your TV's manual says
Washers/head tilt/etc is to allow more WD bar travel...therefore more bar tension
Numbers of holes on the drop shank depends on how much your TV drops vs getting the TT level or pointing slightly down
Big ETC, ETC, etc...

Since the TV's rear end will drop from the trailer tongue, the starting
height really doesn't matter, therefore measuring only for the range
it will drop to, then what it will be after tensioning the WD Hitch
system

Post back on how it goes and feel free to PM me

Good luck !
mezerr
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
Simple. As others have said, you need to lower the head a couple holes down. I'm willing to bet that you're already on the lowest hole. If that's the case, you need to spend $100 on a longer shank.

For what it's worth, I have a Dodge Ram, and the standard shank length wouldn't work, and had to buy a longer one.

That also seems like ALOT of rear-end squat, and I can see your front end is lifted. I think you need more washers in the hitch head.
Bedlam
Moderator
Aug 08, 2013
downtheroad wrote:
Assuming that you are on level ground, it looks like your trailer is nose high which is not good. That could induce sway.

To start with, get an adjustable ball mount shank so that you can lower the ball and the front of the trailer...then go from there with your frame measurements and your wheel well measurements.

something like this.

If you are on the lowest hole of your shank when it points up, you may be able to rotate it 180 degrees and attach the hitch head with the shank pointing down. Expect that more weight will be transferred to the tongue once you have a level or slightly nose down attitude on the trailer.
kells81
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
BTW the directions given with the hitch itself are vague at best.

ETA just went through the EQ website and watched vids and read the PDF manual. Even though the store I purchased my hitch says its made by EQ I am thinking they are selling a knock off. :(

There are small differences between the hitch in the video/manual and my hitch. The biggest one is my sway arms have a quick removal apparatus that seems wonky to me. The EQ hitch on the vid/website the bars are positively held in place.
kells81
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
downtheroad wrote:
Here are the basics:

++Level the TOW vehicle with w/d bar adjustment...

++Level the TT with the hitch height adjustment...

++Level the w/d bars with the angle adjustment on the hitch head...

Assuming that you are on level ground, it looks like your trailer is nose high which is not good. That could induce sway.

To start with, get an adjustable ball mount shank so that you can lower the ball and the front of the trailer...then go from there with your frame measurements and your wheel well measurements.

something like this.

It has this on it. I leveled the trailer then measured and matched. I think the flaw is the rear is sitting lower than original and should have set the trailer nose low rear high but had just the opposite effect.
downtheroad
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
Here are the basics:

++Level the TOW vehicle with w/d bar adjustment...

++Level the TT with the hitch height adjustment...

++Level the w/d bars with the angle adjustment on the hitch head...

Assuming that you are on level ground, it looks like your trailer is nose high which is not good. That could induce sway.

To start with, get an adjustable ball mount shank so that you can lower the ball and the front of the trailer...then go from there with your frame measurements and your wheel well measurements.

something like this.
phenrichs
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
First off I say "Good for you" for taking the time to do it yourself and understand how it works. When you are on the road and something happens it is good to know your entire setup.

One thing, and I made this error initially, is that you said you measured the hitch height. Did you measure the trailer frame front and back? If so did you measure the hitch frame in front as it is lower to the ground than the actual trailer frame? It does look front high. Can you drop the hitch head down a hole on the shank? I can tell from pic if there is room for that. That would bring the trailer front down and you could then readjust. Aside from that it looks and sounds like you are doing the right thing to get it adjusted properly. The general rule is to get the front within a half inch or so of unloaded, have the trailer either level or slightly nose down. The rest is truly about the balance of weight. With measurements you are just going to get it close but once close a trip to the scale can really help you dial it in. I think you are well on your way.
TomG2
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
Depending on your tow vehicle, the manufacturer may recommend not returning the front end completely back down to its unhitched measurement. If it is a Ford, they are currently requiring approximately half way between hitched and unhitched. The front of the trailer does look too high, but only a tape measure will tell for sure. Even with measurements and advice, I would still run it across the scales to determine the actual loading.
kells81
Explorer
Aug 08, 2013
Yeah I didn't notice it was HUGE so I reposted and made it smaller.