Finally got my WDH set-up right!

[Buzam]

Just wanted to thank everyone here for their tips and knowledge. 🙂

Finally, after 8 months and lots of fiddling I have my WDH dialed in. After being sent home like many people with an improperly set up hitch that would cause my trailer to porpoise and had a tendency to sway I used tips from RV.NET to get it right. It only took me so long because with 3 & 1 year old at home I hardly ever have time to get out to do test tows. So slowly every time we camped I adjusted things. I started off by lowering the hitch head two holes on the shank, swapped out for heavier WD bars, added two washers to the hitch, and added a second sway control bar. Then Voila! porpoising all but eliminated, no tendency to sway; I can now actually proudly say "I forget it's back there!"

Swung though the scales on the way home from camping last weekend and go a loaded weight with a full tank of gas and the whole family in the car(only thing missing was the water). Didn't have time to unhitch and get a truck weight, because of the aforementioned kids. But I will try and get one soon. I'm pretty happy with how this is sitting.

Truck Front: 1550kg (3417 lbs)
Truck Rear: 1580kg (3483 lbs)
Trailer: 2260kg (4982 lbs)

[TomG2]

There is no way you can tell from a picture if the setup is optimal. Often the rear will drop 2"-3" and even if you return the front to its original height, it will "appear" that the tow vehicle is pointed toward the sky. Weights and measurements are the way to go. Vehicle manufacturers are pretty good about specifying what is required for safe and sane operation of their vehicles.

[Bob_Landry]

Terryallan wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

GMT830 wrote:
Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

The nose being high doesn't really mean anything. The purpose of WD is not to make the TV sit level, and in most cases it probably won't.

Actually, IF the nose is high. It does mean something. It means you are unloading the steering axles, reducing steering control. and unloading the steering axles, and reducing steering control, is a bad thing.
Reality is. The TV should sit pretty much the same, hooked up, as it does unhooked.
From the picture. It does look nose high, and tail down. But is hard to tell. Big question is. How does it tow? If you have -O- sway. Good to go.

If the nose appears high because of rear end squat, it doesn't mean the front end is too light. Too many people think the purpose of WD is to make the truck sit level and it is not. The OP's verification that the front fender height is within Ford's specification tells us the WD is adjusted correctly.

Uh you need to read again. He hasn't measured it with this setup. Since addng 2 more washers. Said he dosen't know.
But did say it towes well. All that counts.

That's not all that counts, and it doesn't indicate a correct WD adjustment, but there's nothing to stop you from tweaking your rig until the truck "feels right".. Go for it.

[Terryallan]

Bob Landry wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

GMT830 wrote:
Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

The nose being high doesn't really mean anything. The purpose of WD is not to make the TV sit level, and in most cases it probably won't.

Actually, IF the nose is high. It does mean something. It means you are unloading the steering axles, reducing steering control. and unloading the steering axles, and reducing steering control, is a bad thing.
Reality is. The TV should sit pretty much the same, hooked up, as it does unhooked.
From the picture. It does look nose high, and tail down. But is hard to tell. Big question is. How does it tow? If you have -O- sway. Good to go.

If the nose appears high because of rear end squat, it doesn't mean the front end is too light. Too many people think the purpose of WD is to make the truck sit level and it is not. The OP's verification that the front fender height is within Ford's specification tells us the WD is adjusted correctly.

Uh you need to read again. He hasn't measured it with this setup. Since addng 2 more washers. Said he dosen't know.
But did say it towes well. All that counts.

[Bob_Landry]

Campfire Time wrote:
The front will often look high. The general rule of thumb I've always gone by (and it came from tips on this forum!) is the front shouldn't rise more than an inch from stock height.

That's not exactly correct and there has been a lot of bad information given out on this forum.
The front end should be restored to the height specified in the truck's manual. That can be anywhere from the original height to 1/2 of the difference of the unhitched and hitched height.The amount of rise can be measured at the fender cutout and in line with the axle. The front end is going to appear as thought it raised, but that's because of the rear squat of the TV, so there is no specified distance that is acceptable for front end height increase.

[Campfire_Time]

The front will often look high. The general rule of thumb I've always gone by (and it came from tips on this forum!) is the front shouldn't rise more than an inch from stock height.

[Bob_Landry]

Terryallan wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

GMT830 wrote:
Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

The nose being high doesn't really mean anything. The purpose of WD is not to make the TV sit level, and in most cases it probably won't.

Actually, IF the nose is high. It does mean something. It means you are unloading the steering axles, reducing steering control. and unloading the steering axles, and reducing steering control, is a bad thing.
Reality is. The TV should sit pretty much the same, hooked up, as it does unhooked.
From the picture. It does look nose high, and tail down. But is hard to tell. Big question is. How does it tow? If you have -O- sway. Good to go.

If the nose appears high because of rear end squat, it doesn't mean the front end is too light. Too many people think the purpose of WD is to make the truck sit level and it is not. The OP's verification that the front fender height is within Ford's specification tells us the WD is adjusted correctly.

[Terryallan]

Bob Landry wrote:

GMT830 wrote:
Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

The nose being high doesn't really mean anything. The purpose of WD is not to make the TV sit level, and in most cases it probably won't.

Actually, IF the nose is high. It does mean something. It means you are unloading the steering axles, reducing steering control. and unloading the steering axles, and reducing steering control, is a bad thing.
Reality is. The TV should sit pretty much the same, hooked up, as it does unhooked.
From the picture. It does look nose high, and tail down. But is hard to tell. Big question is. How does it tow? If you have -O- sway. Good to go.

[Buzam]

GMT830 wrote:
Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

Better angle but with a pole in the way

[Bob_Landry]

GMT830 wrote:
Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

The nose being high doesn't really mean anything. The purpose of WD is not to make the TV sit level, and in most cases it probably won't.

[Buzam]

Bob Landry wrote:
How does the hitched height of the front fender compare with the unhitched height?

It was within Fords recommendation previous to adding the two washers, that being the WDH reduced half of the front end rise. But it still drove like crap. To be honest I haven't measured this new set up yet.

[GMT830]

Truck nose looks high to me. But it's difficult to tell with all the black and the shadow

[Bob_Landry]

Looks good doesn't guarantee that it's set up right. The only way to tell is to determine that the correct amount of weight is being transferred back to the front axle and that can be done either on a scale or by measuring the front fender height over the axle.

[Mvander]

Looks good to me! How the 5oh do pulling that trailer around? I'm thinking of going that route when my TV needs to be replaced and my trailer is simmilar to yours.

Nice set-up!

[Bob_Landry]

How does the hitched height of the front fender compare with the unhitched height?