Forum Discussion

cccougar's avatar
cccougar
Explorer
May 12, 2015

WDH Adjustment

So we brought home our tt with the wdh and sway bars adjusted at the dealer- all looked great. My question is after everything is loaded for the first time, do I need to go back to the dealer for another adjustment? This is our first tt and first time towing anything. I've seen pix of back bumpers leaning down and nothing looks level.
Thanks

7 Replies

  • I have just gotten mine adjusted where it feels comfortable. It has taken a few adjustments and different highways to do it. It does moan and groan when pulling around corners and in the campground. I have a ProSeries WDH with SC, the bars are rated for a 14,000 lb trailer. Takes me a little lift to get them on the pads. The dealer didn't have them adjusted nowhere to what it is now....
  • You really shouldn't trust the dealer's installation in the first place. Read the manual and adjust yourself when fully loaded.
  • Yup, as the others have described the process is easy.
    • When unhitched the TV is level and the TT is level on the tongue jack.
    • You drop the TT on the ball and the TV sags in the back.
    • This takes the weight off the front axle and makes for poor braking and a steering.
    • You adjust the tension bars to shift the weight forward to the front axle again so the TV and the TT sit level again. Some weight is also transferred back to the TT.
    • This returns the steering and braking to the front axle.

    You can see that as you add or subtract weight to the TT and TV the amount of bar tension required to get to level changes so you must add or subtract links in the bar tension chain. I had to change one or two links from what my dealer set when the TT was empty.

    As always there are other subtle variables involved. Since you added weight to the TV it will sit lower than when it was unhitch even though some of the weight was transferred forward. Unless you are on level concrete, exact measurements are hard to get, but over all you want the TV and TT to sit fairly level.
  • Worry less about rear end squat on your truck and pay more attention to how much your front fender rises. The purpose of WD is to put the weight back on the front wheels and restore steering control.

    Don't know what TV you have. With GMs the spec is to adjust the hitch so that the front fender is back to stock height. Ford I believe allows for half the distance of the same adjustment. No idea on other manufacturers. You TV owners manual should have this in the Towing section.
  • I would measure my truck height before I hook up and check for height drop after I'm hooked up. If the drop is within an inch and a half and the trailer is still level I would say your good. If not you could try tightening your torsion bars by using 1 less chain link. If that won't work you can also adjust your hitch head height. I would suggest you check out you-tube or e-trailer for some of their excellent videos.
  • So we brought home our tt with the wdh and sway bars adjusted at the dealer- all looked great. My question is after everything is loaded for the first time, do I need to go back to the dealer for another adjustment? This is our first tt and first time towing anything. I've seen pix of back bumpers leaning down and nothing looks level.
    Thanks


    After the trailer is loaded for camping you should readjust the WDH. No need to take it to the dealer, do it yourself. It is not hard. If you get stuck trying to readjust the hitch and you don't have a manual for the hitch, there is an incredable amount of good info on these forums.