Hitch questions

[anniem]

Originally Posted by Shane826

Just raising or lowering the ball to level the trailer isn’t solving a bunch of other problems…

What sort of problems?

[Shane826]

If you raise the hitch ball to level the trailer, that does nothing to alleviate the squat of the tow vehicle.

If you just add air bags to alleviate the squat, that isn’t putting weight back on the front axle for braking and steering traction.

“Golly gee, Shane! So what should I do?”

A weight distribution hitch, properly set up, will fix all of the above mentioned problems.

“Oh dear. So what weight distribution hitch should I get?”

See my original reply waaaaay back in post #2.

[Kidkraz]

I have a 2619, and do not use a weight distribution hitch.
Even not knowing how much weight they'll add to the back bed, they may not require one. Their tow vehicle is a 4x4, so I would wait to see how much it dips once they connect to it.

[Bill]

I agree with KidKraz. Not every vehicle needs a WDH. In the Trailmanor Technical Library, we have two threads that provide a lot of information about WDHs. TM owners, or soon-to-be owners, who are wondering about those devices, should take a few minutes to read them.

Choosing a WDH https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...ead.php?t=2922

Adjusting a WDH https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...ead.php?t=2616

We should also understand that the Andersen WDH is a good device, but there are a lot of other WDHs on the market that will perform well. Shane's enthusiastic recommendation for Andersen is based on his own experience, and it is welcome. But it is not a formal or even near-universal recommendation from the Forum or its members. I myself have had great experience with a WDH from Reese, but there are a number of other hitch manufacturers such as Blue Ox, Camco, Equalizer, and more. Andersen hitches tend to be expensive, so if that is a consideration, a little time spent browsing through the listings from RV equipment suppliers such as eTrailer.com, pplmotorhomes.com, and dyersonline.com may pay off. All provide good information.

As you dive deeper, feel free to ask more questions here on the Forum.

Bill

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by anniem

Gotcha. I will get a photo next time we have it out. This was what the seller said: The half ton trucks will typically drop about 1-2 inches, so I would
recommend getting the ball height set at around 25 inches.

We won't have the TM for another couple of weeks. Snow is coming and we want to wait until that is done.

The final ball height is determined by the height of the trailer tongue coupler when the trailer is level. 25" sounds a bit high. My 2009 2720SL has a ball height of 21". If your trailer has a large lift kit on it and large tires, it could possibly be 25" but I doubt it. You will just have to level YOUR trailer and measure.

[Shane826]

I have a 3326 and a Ram 1500. Tows ridiculously better with the weight distribution hitch. Remember modern half ton trucks are very soft sprung in the rear so they ride more like a car.

[Bill]

Annie -

I agree that 25 inches sounds kind of high. As I suggested in your other thread on the same topic ("Opinions, please"), you should expect something more like 19 inches from the ground to the top of the ball. This will change a bit when you find out how much the rear of the truck sags when you drop the hitch onto the ball, and a bit more if you add a lot of weight to the back of the truck. I would not expect much sag on a full-size pickup, but as Wavery said, you will have to level YOUR trailer and measure.

Just FYI, my F-150 has an unloaded ball height of 20 inches.

Bill