Apparent Hitch height disparity ???

[idroba]

Rednax: Yes, I asked the question in the fall, and lost the thread, thanks for the help in re locating it, and the responses. Although they are for the Mercedes system, I think it is either similar or the same as the Jeep's as MB was still involved with Chrysler when this series of Jeep was being designed.

When I get back home in a couple of weeks I will do some serious work on the issue, weights and all, as well as trying to get some information from Jeep. I have an excellent small local dealer with a very good shop and service guy. They will be willing to talk with the zone reps I am sure, or have me down to show the problem. I had just thought that by this time, someone else may have had the issue (this is the second year of the Grand Cherokee with the Quadra Lift suspension), and I might shorten the process riding on others experiences.

Maybe I will wind up being the "expert" on the system, who knows. I just want to be totally safe and don't feel comfortable without my WD hitch doing some work.

I will be able to use the Idaho DOT State Scales when they are closed, as they are always left on. Unfortunately they are 100 miles from me.

[slowmover]

What I linked above was the extent of what I found. I would assume that the CW link from Australia would be worth following into what those guys found for Land Rover vehicles given care that their different percentage approach to WDH is clearly differentiated.

Yes, you may well become the point man for North America, ho! The weights posted and what hitching attempts show via different scale values would be useful to anyone else.

Is Lewiston (CAT Scale location at truckstop) really so far? An initial weigh is only $10, and all subsequent weighs that day only $1 or $2 each. Plus, being able to replicate them at any other location in the US would be great (not all scales are the same; CAT builds and adjusts theirs all the same).

Looking forward to what you come up with. Your own thread on the subject (with links to this and earlier/other posts) would be great.

.

[steveopt]

idroba and everyone else...if you get any good information on the Grand Cherokee please post it. I just bought a 2012 Grand Cherokee Overland to tow a new trailer and the vehicle keeps raising itself up and makes the trailer sit too high in the front. I have only towed it from the dealer to my home, and will make my first trip out this weekend, so I will see how it goes with the tension on the WD. I did a TON of research finding a mid-size SUV to tow with...and the Jeep was the best. It tows a lot and you can use a WD hitch - a rarity these days in the mid size SUV. I was certainly not expect these issues with the load leveling feature.

[idroba]

Rednax and steveopt: I will be going home from my winter place in AZ in a couple of weeks, and then I can seriously work on this issue. I will start a new thread on the subject as this on has fragmented all over the place (my fault, but it was an accident).

Rednax: yes, unfortunately the scales I can get to and use are 100 miles west of my home, but that is the beauty and curse of living in the boondocks. I will use the Idaho DOT scales when they are closed but left on, that way I can take all the time necessary to measure and hook up and weigh at my own speed. It will also have a dead level location. I may have to get a new drop shank hitch stinger, as I am about as low as I can go on my current one. I have a new Dexter axle on the trailer, and new 16" wheels and tires, so I am pretty sure the trailer is good to go.

Steveopt: I feel your pain. As you may have seen in the manuals, Jeep requires a WD hitch for heavy tongue loads, but neglects to tell you how to use it in conjunction with the Quadra Lift system. I spent a couple of more hours yesterday on the Jeep forums and the only thing I found relevant to towing with the Quadra Lift was one photo of a GC and a car hauler trailer, which the poster said towed fine. But an inspection of the photo showed no WD hitch being used.

You may have to have a drop stinger for your hitch, as I suspect I am going to need to allow your initial hitch ball height on the trailer and on the Jeep be equal, unhitched, to start with. I suspect, but am not sure, that this might be a part of my own problem that will need to be resolved. Like you have found, my Jeep wants to raise the front of the trailer once it is hooked up. That then removes the tension from the spring bars of the WD hitch.

We will solve this, I am sure.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by steveopt

idroba and everyone else...if you get any good information on the Grand Cherokee please post it. I just bought a 2012 Grand Cherokee Overland to tow a new trailer and the vehicle keeps raising itself up and makes the trailer sit too high in the front. I have only towed it from the dealer to my home, and will make my first trip out this weekend, so I will see how it goes with the tension on the WD. I did a TON of research finding a mid-size SUV to tow with...and the Jeep was the best. It tows a lot and you can use a WD hitch - a rarity these days in the mid size SUV. I was certainly not expect these issues with the load leveling feature.

Our local jeep dealer said that they thought that the load leveling could not be easily defeated / restored by the user (possibly with dealer reset via computer link)... something very essential with a WD hitch - as we are informed on this forum. We liked everything about the 2012 Grand C-Overland except for that undefeatable feature (none of the user settings would work)... bought a new truck instead (traded in wife's jeep wrangler - unsuited for towing AS to us due to short wheelbase). Hence my questions about spec'd hitch height ... we needed a new longer drop shank as well.

[Airtandem]

A good addition to the "tow haul" ratings might be to include the hitch height for each of the vehicles.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by mefly2

Our local jeep dealer said that they thought that the load leveling could not be easily defeated / restored by the user (possibly with dealer reset via computer link)... something very essential with a WD hitch - as we are informed on this forum. We liked everything about the 2012 Grand C-Overland except for that undefeatable feature (none of the user settings would work)... bought a new truck instead (traded in wife's jeep wrangler - unsuited for towing AS to us due to short wheelbase). Hence my questions about spec'd hitch height ... we needed a new longer drop shank as well.

mefly,

I think what you need to do is measure how high the tongue/ball height is with the TV and trailer hitched & loaded for camping, suspension activated no WD tension.

TV would then be level with the tongue high.

Use that measurement to get a drop stinger that will level the the trailer.

The question then becomes..how will the suspension react as the WD bars are tensioned. And more importantly how will it effect your CAT scale weights. You will still need to keep the str axel weights within the safe limits.

my 2 cents

Bob

[mefly2]

10-4; thank, Bob. I am now armed with a new more heavily "dropped" shank to put into the EQ hitch.