Forum Discussion

BobsYourUncle's avatar
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
May 17, 2016

WD hitch, a bit if a learning curve...

I've been towing for over 40 years, and a huge variety of TV's and trailers.

Never, even once have I used a WD hitch. Never owned one, never found the need, until now.

I will be towing a 32 foot TT through the mountains of BC twice in the next few months. My current TT came with a WD hitch setup but the trailer is only 27 feet and I'm towing with a dually so never found the need to use it. It tows like a dream, even in severe wind like I encountered last year in Southern Alberta, a wind so severe it ripped my awning right off and scattered it on the highway.

Anyhow, back to the present, I'm looking to learn a quick lesson to set my WD up properly so it functions as intended.

I read Barneys sticky at the top of Towing but I am easily getting lost in details.
I get the impression I am to set the thing so the bars are parallel to the ground or trailer tongue, and 6 links is about ideal.

Guess I need to figure out how to attach the chains too, whether when the trailer is cranked up on the jack or when the full weight is on the ball.

Meanwhile I'll read Barneys post again and use the search function some more.

But if anyone wants to throw in a few tips and tricks, I will gladly accept them!
:B

Thanks,
Bob
  • LIKE2BUILD's avatar
    LIKE2BUILD
    Explorer
    May 22, 2016
    $$$ OUCH $$$
    That sounds very similar to issue my friend had. When the fuel was cool/cold there were no problems. However, when it got hot and the engine pulled hard it caused pressure issues in the injectors and made the engine stumble and throw codes. At that point the ECM went into limp mode trying to protect the engine from major damage.

    All GM's I've had were wonderful at having problems with bearings in the idler pulleys. You might want to give them a thorough check to make sure the bearings are in good shape. It possible you have a pulley that is getting tight or is too sloppy and that was the cause of the serpentine belt issue. That era of Duramax had 2 different idler pulleys. There is one up high for the main serpentine belt and another down low for the AC belt if I remember correctly. At one point I replaced both on my '04 because they were squeaking.

    Good luck.
  • BobsYourUncle's avatar
    BobsYourUncle
    Nomad
    May 21, 2016
    The check engine light first showed up 3 years ago, code P0087, only towing in hot weather and working the engine going up a long grade.

    I bought a code reader and carried it for these occasions, as I didn't have time to get it looked at or fixed. I would clear the code and keep going.

    I decided to get it looked at as I was planning a long haul with a 32' TT in tow.
    Extensive diagnostics and all the tests pointed at the injector pump and #5 injector, coincidentally the same hole I had to put one glow plug into about 3 years ago.

    Got the new pump in along with #5 injector and the thing runs like a dream. Towed the TT through the mountains and to BC's Okanogan Valley without any trouble, aside from one hiccup.

    After getting the thing back from the dealer, I got about 20 miles out of Calgary and it barfed the serpentine belt off. Cause unknown. Got a new one on and carried on.

    Bill for the pump and injector repair was $7700. including 6 new Michelins for the trip.
  • LIKE2BUILD's avatar
    LIKE2BUILD
    Explorer
    May 19, 2016
    Yep, that's a round bar system you describe.

    Lemme guess, you have multiple injectors that failed? I have a friend with an '07 Duramax and he was pulling his 5th wheel in Wyoming and Montana when the truck went in to limp mode, chugging and sputtering all the way. He had 5 of his 8 injectors that failed simultaneously. That was an $8,000 expense on that trip. He didn't say if they diagnosed a cause so it's hard to say why 5 injectors all tanked at the same time.

    I know the newer trucks with the Bosch CP4 injection pump which have been linked to failures causing metal shards to sent into the injectors. I think your '07 still has the CP3 pump which tends to be pretty reliable.

    KJ
  • BobsYourUncle's avatar
    BobsYourUncle
    Nomad
    May 19, 2016
    Thanks for the tip.
    My bars insert up from the bottom into holes in the hitch then rotate back to the trailer frame to hook up the chains.
    Bars are round.
    I should have got in close to ID the make but didn't. Got sidetracked with a major breakdown and truck is in the hospital for a huge fuel system repair. I'm up to $7500. and climbing.
    Ugh.....
  • LIKE2BUILD's avatar
    LIKE2BUILD
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    Need-A-Vacation wrote:
    If you have a trunion bar system make sure the lug will not hit the trailer frame in a tight turn! It depends more so on if you have a top mounted coupler or bottom mounted coupler. Top mounted couplers you usually need to adjust the bars down a little more for clearance of the trailer frame.

    Good point. I've found that trunion bar systems usually fit best on bottom mounted couplers and round bars work best with top mounted couplers. That tends to eliminate issues with clearance of the trailer frame rails and provides the bar angles and ground clearance.

    KJ
  • Need-A-Vacation's avatar
    Need-A-Vacation
    Explorer
    May 18, 2016
    If you have a trunion bar system make sure the lug will not hit the trailer frame in a tight turn! It depends more so on if you have a top mounted coupler or bottom mounted coupler. Top mounted couplers you usually need to adjust the bars down a little more for clearance of the trailer frame.
  • BobsYourUncle's avatar
    BobsYourUncle
    Nomad
    May 18, 2016
    Thanks for the tips guys, and your explanation KJ.
    Like said, not rocket science.
    I'm sure I'll get the hang of it real quick.
  • LIKE2BUILD's avatar
    LIKE2BUILD
    Explorer
    May 17, 2016
    BobsYourUncle wrote:

    I'm looking to learn a quick lesson to set my WD up properly so it functions as intended.

    I read Barneys sticky at the top of Towing but I am easily getting lost in details.
    I get the impression I am to set the thing so the bars are parallel to the ground or trailer tongue, and 6 links is about ideal.

    Guess I need to figure out how to attach the chains too, whether when the trailer is cranked up on the jack or when the full weight is on the ball.

    Thanks,
    Bob

    Measure the front wheel wells on the truck then attach the trailer with WD bars cinched up. Yes you're right, the bars should be parallel to the trailer frame for round bars and parallel to slight down angle for trunion.

    Under tension re-measure wheel wells. If they return to unloaded height you're good. If the wheel wells are high you need to tilt the head back further and re-try. Most WD systems use a mushroom bolt and you put washes in the bolt head to reach the desired tilt. Re-assemble, reinstall, and try again until you get the front wheels returning to unloaded height.

    For cinching up the bars the trick I've always used is this:
    1) Lower coupler onto hitch ball.
    2) Lock coupler onto ball then use trailer tongue jack to lift about 3" or 4".
    3) Attach WD bars using the correct # of chain links and a cheater pipe.
    4) Lower trailer and check all connections.

    I hope this helps.

    KJ
  • fla-gypsy's avatar
    fla-gypsy
    Explorer
    May 17, 2016
    Trackrig has some good observations and I will add it's not rocket science to anyone who is handy and can think through the process like yourself. The concept is simple enough, take some weight off of the rear of the truck and redistribute it to the front to equalize it some.

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