Tail squatting...

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Jim Foster

Increase the tension in the bars until the truck is level. Then determine what is needed to get the trailer level. Don’t try to do both at the same time. Truck first, then the trailer. Very easy that way.

???? Which is more important, AS level or TV?

IMHO...The AS
Most likely your TV isn't level without the AS.

Important that they both be close, but the AS takes priority as a must be.

Bob
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[DCPAS]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Can you increase the WD to move 160lb leaving the FA 100lb light. I would not try to return more than 200 though, you do not want to have the FA lighter than the TV alone weight.

Bob (or anyone else): Looking for comments if you have time. I took my rig to a shop today, had them do what they thought best and stopped at a Cat Scale afterward. My front axle weight is now the exactly the same as when the I weighed the truck alone. You had suggested leaving the front 100lb light. I was at the weight limit on my rear axle before so I needed some more WD. I ended up moving 260 to the front axle and 120 to the trailer putting the rear axle 380lbs under its limit. I do have a concern is that my calculated tongue weight after WD ends up being 600lbs with a trailer weight of 6320. Actual tongue weight on the shop's scale was 900lbs. Is this a concern?

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by DCPAS

Bob (or anyone else): Looking for comments if you have time. I took my rig to a shop today, had them do what they thought best and stopped at a Cat Scale afterward. My front axle weight is now the exactly the same as when the I weighed the truck alone. You had suggested leaving the front 100lb light. I was at the weight limit on my rear axle before so I needed some more WD. I ended up moving 260 to the front axle and 120 to the trailer putting the rear axle 380lbs under its limit. I do have a concern is that my calculated tongue weight after WD ends up being 600lbs with a trailer weight of 6320. Actual tongue weight on the shop's scale was 900lbs. Is this a concern?

No, it's not a concern. Your tongue weight is still 900 lbs. You only "distributed" it. You did not decrease the tongue weight.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by DCPAS

Bob (or anyone else): Looking for comments if you have time. I took my rig to a shop today, had them do what they thought best and stopped at a Cat Scale afterward. My front axle weight is now the exactly the same as when the I weighed the truck alone. You had suggested leaving the front 100lb light. I was at the weight limit on my rear axle before so I needed some more WD. I ended up moving 260 to the front axle and 120 to the trailer putting the rear axle 380lbs under its limit. I do have a concern is that my calculated tongue weight after WD ends up being 600lbs with a trailer weight of 6320. Actual tongue weight on the shop's scale was 900lbs. Is this a concern?

GOOD JOB....returning 100% is fine as long as you have no porpoising over undulations in the road.
I can do the same with our rig, but dialing back to 200lb light makes no difference in handling, so I've just left it there.

NEVER return more than what the unhitched FA weighs.

Your hitched TW, (actually receiver weight) is fine.

Bob
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[rmkrum]

I crank up my power WD jacks to an appropriate level with a ruler, then test drive. Usually add a little bit more tension on the order of 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch, depending on loading, until porpoise motion just stops. Seems to be the sweet spot on my rig.

Power jack on street side



The guys that I sometimes think built my rig.

[DCPAS]

Thanks for your replies!

[Blomb]

we added roadmaster helper springs and it does help keep the truck from squatting so bad, it also makes using the equalizer WD easier to use.

[ROBERT CROSS]

TV "squat"when hitched should be remedied with the weight distribution bars.
The more compliant the lash-up the better.
More important that the AS is level loaded for camping.

Very few TV vehicles are level with no payload.

Bob
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[chaeha]

Coming in to this thread mid-discussion...I know there are many variables at play but in general how ‘aggressive’ can one be moving the L brackets higher on an equalizer set up? I’m near level both truck and trailer but wonder after reading his thread that if I moved my L bracket one hole up I’d be more parallel to my A frame and more level overall both truck/trailer. Just feels sort of unsettling when I’m raising my electric hitch up and my truck along with it to engage the bars. I guess in theory the rear 2” receiver and the trucks suspension should be able to tolerate it being raised just like when it’s on a mechanic’s lift?