Everyone’s favorite topic - hitch set up

[AnnaBelle33]

Tow Veh is 2019 RAM 2500 Limited (diesel)

When I’m hooked up and have WD on, the trailer (2021 Classic 33) sits about 1/4 inch higher than level. Is that ok or should I try and lower it. I wasn’t sure if I added another washer if it would drop it lower and would end up being a waste of time.

I have Equalizer hitch 1400#.

Do I actually need the WD? Not much movement regardless of WD on or not.

The measurements were:

40 3/8 naked
40 7/8 no WD
40 3/4 WD on

My truck has:
Electronic Stability Control

Traction Control

Trailer Sway Damping

[B. Cole]

You have a real tow vehicle.No WD hitch needed.You arnt operating at the outer limits of your tow vehicle.
It is what it is...
Here they come ....lol

[Bill M.]

Sitting level and the amount of WD transferred are two different things. I can not tell 1/4 inch out of level. I think you need to take the rig to a CAT scale now and do at least 2 passes. One with the truck alone and one with the WD engaged. Use that to try to get about 50% restoration of weight to the front axle. Then look at what you need to do in terms of ball height to get the trailer level. I initially set my hitch up by measuring the rise and fall of the front fender when hitched and adjusted. That turned out to be pretty close but there is not a lot of movement with the heavy suspension and you have to work out a way to measure to about 1/16" precision.

I pull with a Dodge 2500 and I sure like the feel and ride with the WD and a fair amount of transfer. I am close to 100% restoration.

[gypsydad]

I would recommend the WDH with Sway Control, for sure. Many threads (opinions) on this with/and without. Antisway and WD is very important and you will notice the difference/feel. Antisway is there for you should you have a need; wind, semi passing, etc... you might be fine without it should an event happen; but you will appreciate the added value if you have it. As for set up, if you have to deal with 1/2" difference, you should make sure that hitch on the ball is going up not down onto the ball after hookup. Also, before hooking up on flat level ground, measure the bottom of your front fender from pavement. When hooked up and Antisway WDH engaged, that fender to pavement measurement should be the same, or within 1" max difference if connected properly.

[AnnaBelle33]

Here are the two weights. No trailer and then with trailer on and WD on.

[thewarden]

1/4 inch off of level is not an issue, as long as you are maintaining 12-15% tongue weight.

While you have a 2500 with loads of suspension for your situation and WD is not that necessary, it is still a very good idea. Sway control, on the other hand, is a must, especially with this length of trailer, so I would strongly recommend you look at that.

I have a 27 FB that we tow with a 3500 SWD. I spent the better part of a Sunday afternoon at the public scales setting up my WD. Again, while it was not necessary because I have lots of suspension to handle the tongue weight, the truck rode and felt the best by returning about 50% back to the front axle. We use a Reese Strait-Line hitch with built-in sway control and am happy with it. There are many other good ones out there.

As has been mentioned, taking a few passes over the scale and experimenting with how much WD to apply to improve the ride and feel of your truck is a must.

In summary, while not necessary in your case, WD is highly recommended. However, some form of reliable sway control, IMHO, is an absolute must.

[Bill M.]

Looks pretty good on weights to me. How does it drive? And I would want it level or down 1/4" in front. If I could tell 1/4" off.

[AnnaBelle33]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

Looks pretty good on weights to me. How does it drive? And I would want it level or down 1/4" in front. If I could tell 1/4" off.

Drives like it isn’t behind me. How would I drop it a half inch? I put a level in the trailer and then on the battery cover. It just looked a little off which is why I put a level on it. When I picked up the trailer & they put the hitch on, I had about 700# of gear in my bed. They did not remove it and told me it wouldn’t make any difference to the set up.

[JayOhBee]

I have a similar setup with the Ram 2500 and a FC 30RB. Attached are my numbers from my last weighing and my computations. The truck was loaded for a trip but the trailer was not, so it is light. I like having both TV axles firmly planted on the ground especially the front axle. Perhaps the gain of 240 lbs on the front axle is small, but it makes me feel better.

[JeffRadford]

Lol.

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by AnnaBelle33

Here are the two weights. No trailer and then with trailer on and WD on.

Do you realize your truck is (slightly) overloaded? The second scale ticket shows 10,040 pounds on the truck axles and the GVWR I found for the 2019 Ram 2500 is 10,000 or 9,900.



The scale tickets also show the truck carrying 1740 pounds of tongue weight (unless you added other weight to the truck between the two scale tickets). 1740 is an amazingly high tongue weight. It's 18% of your 9,640 pound trailer weight.

[AnnaBelle33]

The truck is GVWR 10k. The two GAWR is 6,040. Payload is 2,056.

The first weight is empty with only me; and the second one has wife, gear in cab and 500#s of camping stuff in the bed.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by SSquared

The scale tickets also show the truck carrying 1740 pounds of tongue weight (unless you added other weight to the truck between the two scale tickets). 1740 is an amazingly high tongue weight. It's 18% of your 9,640 pound trailer weight.

How did you arrive at a TW number, the only numbers on the ticket are the numbers on the TV & AS axles?🤔

Bob
🇺🇸
TW is measured at the ball socket on the tongue.

1200lb TW, scale
Weight increase on TV rear axle w/o wd ,1920.
860lb receiver wt with WD set
560 to the FA
160 to the AS
720 moved

[SSquared]

Robert,
I took the difference between the TV axle sum on the two tickets. That difference is the 1740 number.


I believe you are trying to point out that you cannot measure the actual tongue weight of the trailer this way: The WD forces change the number. That is why I said "1740 pounds of tongue weight" instead of saying "your tongue weight is xxxx". I guess I should have said "1740 pounds of weight from your trailer".


AnnaBelle: Sorry for the digression.


I don't have experience towing with a 2500-class truck, but my guess is that it will tow better with WD on.

[AnnaBelle33]

No worries SS. I love the forum. I learn something all the time. I towed a 42’ 5th wheel with a 2500 for years with no issues. Hopefully I can do this Classic 33 with it. I found a cool calculator I posted a few weeks back and I think I’m good. I’m more concerned with it towing slightly higher than level than I am the weights.

Anyone have a team left in the playoffs??

[ROBERT CROSS]

We do...🤔

Bob
🇺🇸

[BayouBiker]

Back to SSquared's point. Did the empty truck weight not include driver or passengers but the hitched weight did?

You needn't worry about slightly exceeding the Ram's 10000 GVWR. It is derated by over 700 lb to stay under DOT regulations and licensing for commercial use. As long as GCVR stays below vehicle GVRW + trailer GVWR the DOT and local jurisdictions consider you under licensing restrictions, which everyone ignores for RVs anyway.

[AnnaBelle33]

The original weight included me only.

The second weight had me, wife, gear in cab & a bunch of stuff in bed of truck plus trailer with WD connected.

[BayouBiker]

there you go then! As far as towing slightly higher, slightly lower is the better of the two but less than an inch off is not bad. Given the shank hole spacing of 1-1/4 inch, being 1/4 high is comparable to being 1 inch low so moving it is a tossup at best. Best not to use WD tension adjustment to level the trailer. Use WD tension to optimize handling and comfort. So you might experiment with a bit more tension and then when you're happy with it, check the level again and go from there.

[AnnaBelle33]

Thanks Brian. I think that’s where I’m at.

Thanks everyone!!