Towing issue

BarneyS wrote:
Tom,
Your WD hitch is not set up correctly

Tom, listen to Barney.

Here is a video that demonstrates the process that was explained earlier.

Youtube explanation of hooking up the weight distribution hitch.

Look around on Craigs list for a used WD hitch with 1000lb bars. Should b able to locate one for $150+/-.

Like already mentioned, you appear to have a WDH, it's just not right. You need to really get down to adjusting it, and you need to do it BEFOR it is time to travel.

Take your trailer to a level parking lot. Unhook. Measure the front bumper of the TV to the ground, measure the rear bumper to the ground. Write those numbers down.

Now hook back up, and measure them again. You need to adjust the hitch so that the front of the TV comes back down at least half way to it's unhooked measurement, for me all the way down would be best. The rear will come back up some, Just be sure NEVER to adjust the hitch to the point that the rear bumper is HIGHER than it was unhooked.

You can adjust the hitch by loosening, and tightening the chains, remembering that the bars should be level with the a frame of the trailer, never pointing down or up. So there is only so much adjustment there. The rest of the adjustment is in the ball itself.

IF you need more weight transferred / front bumper down. You will need to tilt the ball toward the TT. That will push the bars down and so pull more weight when you pull them back up to fasten them.

Keep at it until you get the measurements where they should be. It could take a pretty good while to get it right, which is why you need to do it befor it is time for your trip.

As for air bags. NO do NOT use them, The will level your TV, and TT, but will NOT transfer any weight back to the front, and the "rig" will not drive well, and will be very dangerous, because of sway. Use the hitch to level the truck, and trailer. Get the front of the truck right, and the rear will take care of itself.

Pictures would help a lot !!

Somewhat accurate weights would help. We are just guessing without them.

Sounds like you have more than one issue. Could be a trailer loading issue, could be truck over loading, could be undersized hitch, could be impropper hitch set up.

You need to be aware of more than just a max tow weight rating. There are also ratings for what the truck can carry (payload) and a weight rating on the hitch receiver. That max tow rating was set, considering the driver only weighed 150 lbs, and he had no aftermarket accessories, no passengers, and no cargo.

GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the maximum weight rating on the truck. I would suspect, you're over very close and possibly over this.

Payload is the difference between what the truck actually weighs, and its GVWR. Payload is eaten up by everything and everybody in or on the truck. It includes people, fuel, cargo, aftermarket accessories, weight distribution hitch, and trailer tongue weight. There should be a sticker on your drivers door post, that shows you what the payload was, when the truck left the factory. Any aftermarket changes, would affect that number and the max tow rating, pound for pound.

Receiver rating is max weight on the hitch, with or without weight distribution.

You say the truck has 6500 tow capacity (propper term). If you put 6 - 700 lbs of people and cargo in that truck, it's tow capacity is less than 6000 lbs.

On the trailer:

It could actually weigh over 6000 lbs.

You guess it weighs 5700 lbs. That is estimating only 450 lbs for a camping load. The average camping load (dishes, pots and pans, bedding, clothes, camp chairs, BBQ, groceries, water, etc) is 800 to 1000 lbs.

On the hitch:

The "V" stituation sounds like the hitch is not restoring any weight to the front axle of the truck. Could be the hitch is wrong type, could be the hitch is not set up properly, could be the hitch is undersized for the trailer weight. This causes a loss of steering control, and, even subconscious hand movement can cause sway.

Very good chance, you also have "P" rated tires that may be under inflated for the load. This causes sidewall flex in the tires.

Pictures and more accurate weights, would be a huge help.

First thing you should do, take truck / trailer combo to a CAT scale. You want axle weights on truck and trailer with WD bars hooked up, axle weights on truck and trailer hitched up without WD bars, and axle weights on just the truck. The numbers from those three scale passes, will determine actual weight of the truck, actual weight of the trailer, tongue weight of the trailer, and how much weight is being restored to you front axle.

Tom,
Your WD hitch is not set up correctly. See this thread for detailed instructions on how to get it done.

I think you would benefit from a new hitch if your old one has a fixed hitch head on the shank. That type of hitch is fine IF it is set up and welded in place for a particular truck/trailer combination but it most likely is not constructed right for yours. A new hitch will run you about $500 or a bit more, but for that money you can get a quality WD hitch with built in sway control like the
Reese Strait-Line hitch.
Reese Strait-Line hitch.

The Equal-i-zer hitch
Equal-i-zer hitch

or the Blue Ox SwayPro.
Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch

Air bags or other types of rear end propping up is not the way to go to solve your problem. A WD hitch is designed to do just that and should be the fix needed for you.
Barney

Weight Distribution Hitch




Trailer hitch with safety chains

Thanks sch911!!!

I will try that when we take it out in November.

Tom in Gloucester, Va

tjw0099 wrote:

sch911 wrote:
You may be confusing a weight distributing hitch with a sway controlling hitch. Those bars with chains are for distributing the weight into the tow vehicle not sway control. Sounds like it's not setup correctly or you're not connecting the chains correctly. Are you jacking up the TT's tongue jack prior to connecting the chains? Generally this type of setup would be used with a friction sway control mechanism.

I lower the tongue onto the ball then attach the chains to the grappling hook and lock the chains into place.

When I bought the camper, this setup wasn't explained, it was just shown, hooked up and 'There ya go'.

Drop the hitch on the ball and fasten.
Jack up the tongue jack till the back of the truck is about 1 to 2 inches higher that it was before the TT was added.
Connect the chains.
Lower the jack.
Connect the friction sway bar.
The truck should end up level and you'll be transferring much more weight to the front of the truck now.

Reverse the above process to remove the TT.

sch911 wrote:
You may be confusing a weight distributing hitch with a sway controlling hitch. Those bars with chains are for distributing the weight into the tow vehicle not sway control. Sounds like it's not setup correctly or you're not connecting the chains correctly. Are you jacking up the TT's tongue jack prior to connecting the chains? Generally this type of setup would be used with a friction sway control mechanism.

I lower the tongue onto the ball then attach the chains to the grappling hook and lock the chains into place.

When I bought the camper, this setup wasn't explained, it was just shown, hooked up and 'There ya go'.