Help needed with CAT scale numbers

Baja Man wrote:

Drove it approx. 25 miles to CAT scale. Drove great!

Here are NEW weights:

Weight #1 (Truck and trailer WITH WD engaged):

Front axle: 3400#
Rear axle: 4680#
Trailer axle: 8140#
Total: 16220#

Weight #2 (Truck and trailer WD NOT engaged):

Front axle: 3220#
Rear axle: 4980#
Trailer axle: 8040
Total: 16240#

Weight #3 (truck only with new camper shell and 40# in bed):

Front axle: 3700#
Rear axle: 3280#
Total: 6980#

So.....is this better than where I was the first weigh in and previous hitch?
Are further fine tuning adjustments needed? If so, what exactly?

You are in a much better place now. But one point for a heads up.

You added the new truck cap but only have 40# of gear in the truck bed. Is this the way you plan on camping? only 40# in the bed?

From your numbers, the dead weight of the tongue with no WD removes 480# from the front axle. (3700 - 3,220 = 480) When you add the WD bars, you move weight up front but the front axle is still 300# from unhitched (light.) (3700 - 3,400 = 300) You moved 180# up front from the rear axle. That is not yet even 50% restored from unhitched. 50% would be 240# moved up front. Between 50% and no more than 100% back to original is better. If you want a target, shoot for 75%. (120# light on the front or moved 360# to the front axle in place of the current 180# moved)

The truck is riding good now. This is a good first step. From my experience, you are on the edge of being optimized. If more weight is added to the back of the truck behind the rear axle, this will affect the WD to making it somewhat worse then it is now which is already not optimized.

I would recommend you load the truck bed like you go camping. Check the WD settings on the truck by the fender heights. Reset the WD hitch again and while doing it, shift some more weight towards the front axle. Odds are high 1 more washer of ball tilt back towards the camper will put you right about where you need to be. Then check the L brackets that the WD bars are close to parallel with the frame and brackets, check for level camper and figure out if you need to move the shank (again) and try a test drive.

Once you get the WD optimized, then some level of truck bed weight and or camper TW will not affect the settings enough to be noticed. In your case, with a 1,220# loaded TW, 1 ton truck, a bed weight change of +/- 100# will not really be felt, "once" you are optimized. Your not quite there yet. But a lot closer. If you add 100 to 200# to the truck bed now, since you are not optimized, it can make the front axle even worse.

It normally takes "at least" 3 times to dial in a WD hitch. And it is common that folks new to setting a WD hitch often end up being light on the front end. It's OK, it is all adjustable and your getting better at it every time you go back at it. And you will enjoy the good times when you are dialed in to be optimized. And even better, understand why and how you made it to this point.

We commend you for taking this seriously and trying to get the setup the best it can be. Good for you!

Hope this helps

John

PS, are you having any issues swinging the WD bars onto the L brackets by hand? Meaning not pulling up hard with the lift handle? If you are not able do this without the lift handle pulling up, let us know. There is a technique by jacking up the truck and camper high enough to allow this and not get yourself hurt with the WD bar handle.