Help with weight distribution hitch

[rferoni]

Hey all,

I've read the stickies and have tried setting up the hitch and have a few questions.

Hitch is a drawtight 800 about 13 years old I think. Came with the trailer we bought. My tow vehicle is a 2004 F150 5.4 liter.

I followed all the instructions on the stickies and the hitch may even be setup right but I just want to make sure.

Basically, after all is said and done, the front of my truck is within 5/8" of unloaded height. The rear of the truck though is squatting about 2" below unloaded height. The trailer is level.

I have 5 links on the trunnion style bars. One thing I don't understand is the angle of the ball and how to adjust/use it to my advantage. There is a jack screw that looks like it is used to adjust the angle of the ball.

I'm not sure if I have the right shank for my truck. I think the previous tow vehicle was a ford f150 also but it looked pretty new.

Appreciate any help,
Ron

[Community Alumni]

rferoni wrote:
snip.....Basically, after all is said and done, the front of my truck is within 5/8" of unloaded height. The rear of the truck though is squatting about 2" below unloaded height.......snip

Ron,

Being within 5/8" is getting close to calling it a day, so before trying to add tilt to your ball mount for increased spring bar leverage (maintaining your 5-links under tension), I would drive your TV/TT around the block and see if the front suspension settles a little, may just see the 5/8" practically disappear and save you some work.

Also, depending on the TV suspension adding the weight of a driver and passenger may work in your favor against the 5/8".

Isn't uncommon for a TV to have a 1 1/2" to 2" rear squat with a WDH adjusted correctly.

Bob 🙂

[myredracer]

Do you know if you have the correct rating of spring bar for the actual TW? Don't count on a dealer knowing what's right. Figure on 12-13% of the TT GVWR for an actual tongue weight if you haven't been to a scale. What is the TT GVWR and what is the F150 payload figure (on door pillar sticker)?

Since with new Ford trucks they now say to restore to no more than 1/2 the difference between bars not engaged and unloaded/no TW, does 5/8" mean that the front fender height was 1 1/4" higher or more without bars engaged?

You can adjust the tilt of spring bars on a WDH to shift the amount of weight transferred between the steer axle and TT axles (usually 80%/20% split). You would need to go to a scale to adjust this. Usually adjusting by front fender height is sufficient.

Yes, you need to raise the ball on the truck by using the tongue jack to be able to more easily get the chains onto the snap-up brackets. Means 2 up/down cycles - one to get the coupler engaged and 2nd to raise the coupler/ball up enough to get bars hooked up.

With the bars engaged, you want the trailer to sit level to slightly nose down. It's very important that the trailer is not nose high when the bars are engaged. The chains should be as close to vertical as possible (they move fore/aft in turns).

[Terryallan]

higher you raise it. the easier it is to hook

[rferoni]

thanks again y'all. Ok yeah I found a youtube video showing how you hook up the TT to the TV then jack it up a little above unloaded height and then connect the w/d bars. I was setting the w/d bars AFTER hooking up the TT AND letting the weight settle on the TV. I will go to 4 links instead of 5 and see what happens. I'm hoping it will give me that 5/8" I need! I'll keep everyone posted, but won't be until Wednesday when I can mess with it again.

Thank you all!
Ron

[Terryallan]

rferoni wrote:
Ok thanks y'all. Right now that jack screw isn't even hitting/resting on the shank. Above the jack screw there is another sort of 'bolt'(not threaded) that has some washers on it. Looks like you could add/remove washers?? This part is resting against the shank.

I tried to go to 4 chain links but the brackets are so low I can't get the pipe underneath without the pipe hitting the ground. Yes I can get a different pipe or maybe put a bend in it just haven't had the chance yet.

I think the ball was tilted toward the trailer when we set it up. I'll get the ball straight(level) and redo everything from there.

Question...Do I adjust the tilt while everything is hooked up? I mean with the w/d bars tightened down and everything? If so, how exactly do I do that? Do I need to loosen the bolts holding the hitch head to the shank, or just crank on the jack screw?

Thank you all again for the input,

Ron

No you add washers with the bars off..

Also. With the TT hooked to the truck. You need to jack the TT UP WAAAAY up. Even raise the rear of the truck. Not so far as to raise the wheels off the ground. But the higher you jack it while hooked up. The easier it will be to put the chains in the correct link, and pull them up. Raise it high enough, and you won't need the pipe. I stop just short of that. If you are trying to do it with out jacking the TT, and TV up. That would explain why you aren't pulling enough weight with the bars

[rferoni]

Ok thanks y'all. Right now that jack screw isn't even hitting/resting on the shank. Above the jack screw there is another sort of 'bolt'(not threaded) that has some washers on it. Looks like you could add/remove washers?? This part is resting against the shank.

I tried to go to 4 chain links but the brackets are so low I can't get the pipe underneath without the pipe hitting the ground. Yes I can get a different pipe or maybe put a bend in it just haven't had the chance yet.

I think the ball was tilted toward the trailer when we set it up. I'll get the ball straight(level) and redo everything from there.

Question...Do I adjust the tilt while everything is hooked up? I mean with the w/d bars tightened down and everything? If so, how exactly do I do that? Do I need to loosen the bolts holding the hitch head to the shank, or just crank on the jack screw?

Thank you all again for the input,

Ron

[downtheroad]

I'm visual...how about posting a couple of pictures to this thread of your hitch and set up.
Doing that would give a better understanding of what you have going and how to help you...

Use this to post your pictures.....RV Forum Photo Uploader....HERE

[bfast54]

You definitely need to adjust it so that basically the front of the truck is going down -----instead of up----- like they said

You adjust the ball and put enough " torsion"..... shorter number of links --to transfer the weight to the front of the truck .

. So yeah you definitely need to shift a little bit ........ so that it will transfer weight to the front instead of taking weight off the front.

[Terryallan]

Tilting the ball / hitch head, TOWARD the trailer will cause the bars to pull more weight.

Also I too have a 2004. 5/8 inch rise on the front is too much. 150s of that year require that the front return to unloaded height.
So tilt the ball toward the Trailer until the bars pull enough to bring the front back down.

My TT weighs in around 6000lbs, and I "hang 3" chain links from the snap up bracket.
You may, and probably do need to use washers / spacers in front of the jack screw to get the proper angle on the ball / hitch head.

[TNRIVERSIDE]

Wish I could help Ron. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along. I use a Equalizer hitch and found there web site very helpful. You may want to look at Drawtight's web site.