Trailer Hitch Set-up Option

BenK good description-Thanks. I'll look into that concept and see what results I get. This could be a good idea, you saw how low those bars were hanging. Having them higher couldn't hurt.
Thanks again for your reply.

As long as there is enough travel for the bars, lowering the hitch head & tilting it farther back towards the trailer will allow the bars to be tensioned more

When the bars are tensioned, it lifts the TV’s tail end in order to “WD” the weight off the TV rear axle and moves that weight to the TV’s front axle.

Flipping the drawbar/stinger/shank will have the hitch head too high and the trailer tongue will be pointing up into the sky. A bad situation, as trailers follow best when level or pointing slightly down

Key is if your bars have enough tension rating to do this & enough room to be tensioned that much

Benk Thanks for the info.
I don't see how lowering the head one set of holes will raise the stinger all said and done. I have 3 links hanging on the bar chains, so if I do that do you suggest going with 4-5 links etc... hanging? Not sure I can muscle that much tension to lift and lock those bars but maybe I'LL give it a try.

Buckaroo Billy wrote:
Funny all these years I never heard of it called a "Stinger"
10-4 on the tailgate.
I'll have to monkey with it and see if I want to turn it over or just cut some of the bottom off. Don't have a metal band saw or a torch. So we will see....

I never did either until I got my first Weight Distributing Hitch. When you’re maneuvering the beast of a hitch into the receiver, calling the part sticking out a stinger makes some sense and it’s better than a vulgar alternative around the grandkids ;)

Looked at your picture again and you might try this before spending $$$ on new whatevers

Depending on what the spring bars are rated for and how your TV is in reference to its ratings...


Try LOWERING your hitch head one drawbar/shank/stinger hole and increase the tension on the bars


That will transfer more tongue weight from the TV rear axle over to the TV front axle. Some of that tongue weight goes back onto the trailer tongue, which will raise the TVs rear bumper.


This can also be accomplished by tilting the hitch head backwards toward the trailer. The increase the tension bars reach, therefore more links can be hooked up...but from the looks of your picture, the hitch head is already tilted back. Maybe there is more to go?


This is why knowing your weights & where they are is important to dialing a setup in


A hand held hacksaw and several new blades can cut through that shank/drawbar/stinger...jut lots of elbow grease & time

Funny all these years I never heard of it called a "Stinger"
10-4 on the tailgate.
I'll have to monkey with it and see if I want to turn it over or just cut some of the bottom off. Don't have a metal band saw or a torch. So we will see....

Yep the stinger is the L shaped part that you are talking about flipping over.

If you do flip the bar over be careful and make sure you can open the tailgate without damaging it.

Buckaroo Billy wrote:
Stinger? What do you mean?

Nickname for the drawbar of a multi position drop/rise hitch. The part that slides into the hitch receiver.
In basic terms, a hitch has a trailer ball mounted on it. So, a truck from the factory does not have a hitch installed. It has a hitch receiver or bumper mount.

I dont have that type of hitch. And I dont know the slope of your driveway. But if thats the only place your bottoming out, take the hitch bars off before backing in?

Think flipping your drawbar/shank will have the WD hitch head too high

Does your drawbar/shank have a couple more holes above where you top hitch head bolt pokes through ?

If yes, then move the hitch head up one or two more holes.

If no more holes higher up, then look for another drawbar/shank. Something like this, where there are holes higher up


This one is for a 2” receiver (the part that bolted to the TV)
https://www.etrailer.com/Drop-Hitch/Fastway/FA49-00-5900.html

https://www.etrailer.com/Drop-Hitch/Fastway/FA49-00-5900.html



This one is for a 2.5” receiver (the part boltes to the TV)
https://www.etrailer.com/Drop-Hitch/Fastway/FA49-00-5925.html

https://www.etrailer.com/Drop-Hitch/Fastway/FA49-00-5925.html


No matter which one you use (yours, or the ones I posted links to), you will have to cut off the bottom

How much is up to you and think it should be long enough to protect your WD spring bars

I have a 2007 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, but don’t tow much with it. The Suburban is my main TV

As only some have advised, follow your TV’s manual/label ratings information

Decide if you believe in the ratings system or not

If not, then do whatever you wish to do

If yes, then weight everything, axle by axle. Both empty and fully loaded

Orientation of the whole setup is to have the TV drop as per the manual. Most will say return the front axle to either unweighted height or some poundage

The trailer should be level at it’s highest pointing and personally have mine pointing slightly down. Trailers follow better when they are level or slightly pointing down

Good luck and tell us how it goes