Hi NC,
Thinking on this, there are some pieces in weights missing so I'll get you in the neighborhood.
Not having your truck empty weights makes this a little hard, but here goes.
By the pure math, if you truck has 153" wheel base (I looked that up, confrim I have it right) and a 65" rear overhang, tow ball to center of rear axle, then
With a tongue weight of 1,320# dead weight on the ball, the rear axle gains 1,881# and the front axle looses 560#.
Following you older post,
Here you posted this:
NC wrote:
Loaded with bars off, camper on ball.
Steer: 3180
Drive: 4680
Gross: 15260
Camper alone, no propane up front.
Tongue: 1320
Trailer axle: 7320
Gross: 8640
I do not know how you did those weights or came up with the TW of 1,320#. There is some error in the numbers. The TW if that is the jack on the scale, then it is good and the truck numbers have some issues. Also you said no propane, don't know if that is with no tank or just no LP in the tank. 2 , 30lb'ers add ~ 60# more to TW
If the gross CW is 15,260 and the camper is 8,640 this makes the truck alone 6,620# GVW
However then, If the TW is 1,320# then if we add 3180+4680 = 7860# TV GVW with camper hanging dead weight on the ball. 7860 - 1,320TW = 6,540# on the truck.
6620 - 6540 = 80 lb difference. This is more then scale error and may reflect doing weights at a different time. Don't know. Do you?
So now lets try Turk2500's truck weights. Bob weighed his truck a few times. Here is his last weights with a little bit of bed weight
Unhitched truck. 2002 2500HD ext cab 4 x4.
FA 3,480#
RA 2,900#
GVW 6,740#
His GVW is ~ 120 to 200# different then yours but you have more cab length. OK they are "close"
From
hereNC wrote:
Update with new CAT weights.
At 5 links.
Steer: 3580
Drive: 3900
Trailer: 7420
6 links had the steer at 3380# so the switch to 5 links adds another 200#. Truck alone was 3180, so I'm transferring 400 total to the front.
Those 5 links weights creates a 14,900# GCW. This is 360# less then the weights posted before. OK Did you do a quick scale pass this week and just use the older 3180 and where did the 3380 come from?
Point in all this, If your truck empty has a front end weight close to Bob's with 3,480# FA empty and your 5 links WD engaged is 3,580 you are only 100# short of full load restoration on the FA. But your front end fender measurements seem further then that. So either your truck front axle weight empty is lighter then Bob's or your tongue weight is different then the 1,320#
The only way to get that closer is to do all the weighing at the same scale trip and get the truck unhitched weight at the same time.
I can't think of how to get any closer on the weight differences with we have unless I missed something. Please point it out.
So now what?
Here is what I feel may be going on.
1. Your receiver is working well. We can see the shank does not have a lot of excess up tilt to it. So this is not a receiver issue.
2. Yous WD bars do have some flex, but not mega excessive. I would not however go to 4 links or you will run into DC and WD bar binding in turns. If you want more WD, tilt the head back to towards the trailer leave the chains alone. If that head has the serrated washer tilt, 2 teeth are approx 1 chain link of tension. Your pic is dark and I cannot tell if there serrated teeth are there or not.
3. Your TW could be 1,320 or with LP gas ~ 1,400#. With heavy TW like this, 1,500# WD bars are not going to make the truck ride rough. It is true the best ride is at the rating of the WD bar. And running a 800# TW on a 1,200# WD bar can give a harsh ride. But not in the 1,300 to 1,400# range. I'm using 1,700# WD bars and went from 1,200# to 1,600# TW and cannot really tell a ride difference. It may be my 1 ton suspension.
Point: If you do have a 1,400# TW, running 1,200# bars may be trying to cushion out too much with the lighter bar and you start bobbing up and down when going over a bump. Bobbing up and down is also a sign of not enough WD. I myself would use a higher rated WD bar. 1,500# bars are ideal in your case. It is a lot easier to get better WD and not bounce the back of the truck so much.
I would adjust with head tilt to get closer to unhitched weight/height but "do not" do beyond unhitched. 50# lighter is great. 75# is OK. You can get closer with the fine head tilt.
4. The 265 tires on 245 rims. This may be a bigger factor then we know. It is not good for the problem you are having. If the back or front tires are side wall soft, the rig will not be stable with a DC. I do not know how to test this short of a buddy with the right size tires and rims and switch. For the DC to work, the tires have to hold the truck rigid enough or it will not control like it should.
New WD bars, ~ $200
1500 # WD on E trailer Finding 1,500# used ones may be complex. But you can sell your 1,200's on Craig's list.
Check your shank it is rated for 1,500#
As Burbman said, do I put more money into tires or WD bars or go to a 1,400# HA or PP? You still need to adjust for WD and bobbing up and down but you can split apart the sway control from the WD.
Wish you where closer, you could test with my WD bars and we go adjust in the parking lot. Then you know you eliminated all the variables but the tires.
Hope this helps
John
