Help needed with CAT scale numbers
After discussing in a previous thread about my Equalizer hitch 1200/12000 model and if is appropriate for my truck / trailer, I believe it would best to get real CAT weights. Below are my CAT sca...
Forum Discussion
Hi Baja Man,
I read over the lastest EQ manual online tonight before responding to see what their latest version is. This manual from their site.
https://www.equalizerhitch.com/documents/manuals/EQ-Owners-Manual_2016-06.pdf
I agree with their current manual as they have updated it from years ago. They are now on board with current day thinking and they are agreeing with returning the lost weight on the front axle of the truck 50% to no more than 100% of the unhitched weight. On my F350 with 500# of gear in the truck bed and 1,600# of loaded camper TW, I run the front axle approx 100# lighter then unhitched in my case. This helps with what they call, Oversteer where the truck in a hard turn can bite in so to speak on the front end and shove the truck into jack knife quicker with the trailer pushing the truck. SAE has done the research and now recommends this so the front end will slide only a little but that is better then biting in.
Your F350 will also ride better and be more stable when the top rear overload spring kisses or is resting on the frame bracket. This acts like a rear roll bar and helps stop the left to right wiggle in the back of the truck with a heavy TW camper pushing it. Your 600# of added bed weight cargo and a 1,200 to 1,400# TW camper will create this without issue. Setting the truck up empty and no bed load you will find the problem.
I will add a tip, get a 6" high wood block and carry it with you camping all the time. This goes under the tongue jack so you can jack up the truck and camper high enough to swing the WD bars onto the L brackets with "out" using the special lift handle. Those high rated WD bars are strong and pulling hard on them is unsafe if one flies off on you. Jack the rig coupled up high enough and all goes on by hand. Yes, it will look sky high but that is not a problem. That lift lever flying off at you will hurt big time.
Good luck, hope this helps and let us know if you need more
John
I read over the lastest EQ manual online tonight before responding to see what their latest version is. This manual from their site.
https://www.equalizerhitch.com/documents/manuals/EQ-Owners-Manual_2016-06.pdf
I agree with their current manual as they have updated it from years ago. They are now on board with current day thinking and they are agreeing with returning the lost weight on the front axle of the truck 50% to no more than 100% of the unhitched weight. On my F350 with 500# of gear in the truck bed and 1,600# of loaded camper TW, I run the front axle approx 100# lighter then unhitched in my case. This helps with what they call, Oversteer where the truck in a hard turn can bite in so to speak on the front end and shove the truck into jack knife quicker with the trailer pushing the truck. SAE has done the research and now recommends this so the front end will slide only a little but that is better then biting in.
Your F350 will also ride better and be more stable when the top rear overload spring kisses or is resting on the frame bracket. This acts like a rear roll bar and helps stop the left to right wiggle in the back of the truck with a heavy TW camper pushing it. Your 600# of added bed weight cargo and a 1,200 to 1,400# TW camper will create this without issue. Setting the truck up empty and no bed load you will find the problem.
I will add a tip, get a 6" high wood block and carry it with you camping all the time. This goes under the tongue jack so you can jack up the truck and camper high enough to swing the WD bars onto the L brackets with "out" using the special lift handle. Those high rated WD bars are strong and pulling hard on them is unsafe if one flies off on you. Jack the rig coupled up high enough and all goes on by hand. Yes, it will look sky high but that is not a problem. That lift lever flying off at you will hurt big time.
Good luck, hope this helps and let us know if you need more
John
