Towing

Thanks skipnchar. Your sugestions worked. I now am within 1/2" in the front and 1 1/2" rear difference between loaded and unloaded on the TV. The TT is 1/2" out of level (lower in the front of the TT). I think it tows better having more even distribution of weight on the tandem wheels.

A lot of people here get hung up on getting the TV level, and that's wrong. That's not the purpose of WD. You can level the trailer by moving the hitch head up or down. Once you are happy with that, adjust the WD according to the hitch instructions and to the spec given in the manual for YOUR truck. Don't try to level the truck using the hitch. Once it's right, don't tweak it. Ignore suggestions to "play with it" to see if you can get a better ride. That also is not the purpose of WD.

If you haven't read the stickies at the top of this forum, then do so. They should be required reading and a lot of people here have chosen to ignore the information and instructions in order to do it their way. Again, not correct.

"Level" is not nearly as important on the TV as the TT.

On the TT, level means you are putting roughly equal weight on all four tires...

On the TV, you're mostly worried about the ride height at the front fender. That ride height indicates how much weight is on the front wheels. You also don't want excessive sag in the rear, but 2" is perfectly acceptable.

What you need to do here is put more pressure on the WD bars. Bringing the front end down that 1/2" will bring up the rear end to approximately 2" total sag.

That means you need to tilt the WD head back one more notch, or take up an extra chain link on the WD bars in back.

Moved from Forum Technical Support

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=anhi8lo4Od0&feature=endscreen
Dealers rarely spend the time it takes to get it right. Not knocking the dealers it's just business. This video should help and if your dealer did not supply you with the installation instructions for your specific hitch call them and get it or contact Huskey for the directions. Happy camping :B

Some suggestions:
1. Check the spring bar weight rating. they SHOULD be at least the fully loaded weight of your trailer tongue. If this is not known, then use 15% of your trailers GVWR as a minimum spring bar strength.
2. If you are not transfering enough weight (that would be indicated by the rear end sag and front end lift) you need to tilt the hitch head toward the trailer (tilt it back). This will make the ends of the bars closer to the ground and make it more difficult to latch up the spring bars. You SHOULD find it necessary to use the trailer tongue jack to raises the hitched tow vehicle and trailer about 6" to a foot in order to be able to latch up the bars. When the tongue jack is retracted again it will put that tension onto the spring bars.

When the correct spring bars and adjusted correctly there is NO reason to use air bags, helper springs etc. Those items will do nothing but prop up the rear of your tow vehicle and will do nothing to improve the handling or ride of the towing combination.

The MEANS of tilting the hitchhead are varied depending on the equipment you have. Generally it is done by adding or subtracting washers behind the hitch adjustment and re=tightening again. SOME hitchheads use an eccentric tab that is rotated to different positions to cause the hitchhead to tilt differently and some use a threaded bolt which is tightened or loosened to change the angle. Without more information about YOUR system I can't comment on how yours works.

Fords LATEST recomendation for setting up weight dist systems is to replace one half of the rise in the front of the vehicle when hitched up. Measure from the fender well to the ground before hitching up then again afterward and split the difference due to adjusting the hitchhead.

The GOAL should be spring bars that are approximately parallel to the trailer frame (when latched up with weight on them) so choose the chain link that accomplishe3s this first THEN adjust the tilt to get the weight transfer correct.

Good luck with the new set up. Doesn't sound like your dealer did you any favors by providing a hitch with no instructions or without properly setting it up for you.