WDH set up help needed

Chaos wrote:

BenK wrote:
The OP is bit ahead in the process

Need or suggest to understand the 'goal' of it all...including weights vs ratings

Decide if you believe in the ratings or not

I will be following all the ratings, as required by law.

Good for you and a rare position/understanding on this forum

If not, then do whatever but note that over the ratings may have warranty denied...if
they find out

If yes, then go out and weigh the whole setup. Axle by Axle both fully loaded
and empty

I can't do that until I get the hitch set up. Can't tow it anywhere without a hitch.

Why would empty weights matter at all? I will never run it empty.

Then use that trailers GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) as the
max or guesstimate how much it will weigh fully loaded....note that
the 'dry' is useless. As it is the stripper model and most do NOT
purchase a stripper model. So it *WILL* weigh more than the 'dry'
weight

Empty weights vs it's ratings tell how much 'capacity' you have
for all the stuff loaded on and in it

Read up on the HOW2's and understand them

I have been reading and I'm doing my best.

The OP is adjusting without knowing where they are in reference to their ratings
and unknown to us is the orientation of the setup

What do you mean "the orientation of the setup?"

How level the trailer is in reference to the ground. Why it is best
to setup on level ground, like a parking lot

Old rule of thumb is to also have the TV evenly drop, but that is no
longer the OEM's advice. It has to do mainly with oversteering tendencies
when too much is removed from the TV's rear axle over to the TV's front axle

Now it is to move enough to the front to maintain enough traction
for steering and controlling the setup

I like to have the trailer level at it's highest pointing and preference to
have it pointing slightly down

I do not comprehend. At all.

Reference above and is that the trailer is level with the groung.

If it is pointing higher than 'level', many have instability (sway
is the main issue) with the trailer

Moving the shank/head without knowing the orientation is useless

Tilting the head is a ditto and note that tilting the head is to gain more
WD spring bar (either round or trunnion) distance to increase their preload
Tilting it back towards the trailer is the right way. Tilting it forward removes
WD spring bar preload potential

The height of the shank/head is determined by the final orientation of the
trailer and the TV

The front end height as instructed by the manual is out of context without
knowing the weights, the spring bar ratings, etc

OP, please post these ratings and actual weights: front GAWR/GWR, rear GAWR/GWR,
GVWR and the actual weight of the trailer. The trailer dry weight is not helpful,
but it does provide a range of the tongue weight vs the actual weight

Again, I cannot take it to a scale to get the weights until the hitch is set up. I am using the tape measure method, as instructed by the hitch and vehicle manufacturers. I could post my ratings, but they would not provide any useful information.

Once I get everything set up, I do plan to take it to the scales.

Since you can not move it, then setup where ever you have it and get
it as close to 'level' to the ground as possible. Then go to a very large,
level parking lot to fine tune it AFTER you go out and weigh the
whole setup axle by axle

Both to confirm you have it under the ratings and if the WD bars
are sized correctly for that tongue weight (a WD Hitch system can
be undersized, over sized to just right (there is a range each set
of bar ratings will cover

Finally...hope you either understand this or have seen and understand
how the ratings system works. This is a diagram showing how it works
in graphical form

Note that the MTWR (max tow weight rating) is based on a 'curb' TV,
which is the stripper model. Unless you have a stripper model...it WILL
weigh more and will have a pound for pound reduction in that MTWR...also
anything you load on/in the TV will also reduce the MTWR pound for pound