How much weight to distribute

[Merlintiaga]

I have a TV with an auto leveling rear suspension. The manual says it requires a WD hitch when tongue weight is above 600 pounds. My tongue weight is about 1000 pounds. I can’t use the standard methods (bubble level and/or tape measure) to set the load on the bars because my TV levels itself as the trailer is lowered on the ball. I’m thinking the way to go is few trips through the CAT scale.

My question to the group is, ideally, for a dialed in WD hitch on a 2022 27FB Globetrotter and a TV with 5500 pound curb weight and 700 pounds of stuff/people, approximately what should my weights be?

Please note, I’m not including the type of TV (1/2, 3/4 or 1 ton) and I’m not including the type of WD hitch (equalizer, propride, blue ox, etc). Not going down that rabbit hole.

[SYC2Vette]

I try to get the front end weight back to what the truck is with no tongue weight. A suitable scale or better yet using a CAT scale is the best way to get there. Unless you can deactivate your auto leveling (pull a fuse maybe?) don't know how to adjust your WD without a scale. Some owners manuals say to adjust the WD so that your suspension rise in front is halfway between the rise with and without tongue weight and in that case it would be returning half the weight lost with the tongue weight. Plenty of discussions on this if you search.

[WhatNext]

Easiest way to setup your WD is to turnoff/disable the TV air suspension via a switch/fuse/battery disconnect. Then adjust the WD hitch to level your TV. No need for weighing before/after and the calculations. For your passengers/cargo, I would just let the air suspension compensate for that. So leveling of your TV is split between the WD hitch and your air suspension.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Merlintiaga

I have a TV with an auto leveling rear suspension. The manual says it requires a WD hitch when tongue weight is above 600 pounds. My tongue weight is about 1000 pounds. I can’t use the standard methods (bubble level and/or tape measure) to set the load on the bars because my TV levels itself as the trailer is lowered on the ball. I’m thinking the way to go is few trips through the CAT scale.

My question to the group is, ideally, for a dialed in WD hitch on a 2022 27FB Globetrotter and a TV with 5500 pound curb weight and 700 pounds of stuff/people, approximately what should my weights be?

Please note, I’m not including the type of TV (1/2, 3/4 or 1 ton) and I’m not including the type of WD hitch (equalizer, propride, blue ox, etc). Not going down that rabbit hole.

Without all the info how about a guess?....No wait you haven't specified the actual weight you need to move so even a guess won't help.

Get the weights and you will know how to set the WD properly.

Ck your TV manual and see if you have a way to disable the 'auto leveling' when setting the WD.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Bill M.]

Your operators manual might/should have comments about how much weight to restore to the front end when using a WD hitch. And how to set it with the WD hitch.

[DCPAS]

Your hitch instructions probably say the range of front end lift to decrease when adjusting WD. The ones I have seen say to return 50 - 100% of the lift, but not more than 100%. I have assumed that one can use the same range when using weights instead of distance. So, I believe the target for such a hitch is to end up with up to the TV alone front axle weight but not more after adding WD.

What I did was weighed the TV loaded for travel and got that front axle weight. Then I adjusted WD such that my front axle weight with WD engaged was just a little less than the front axle weight of the TV alone.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I would do a bit of a deep dive on whatever suspension setup you have on whatever TV you have. Auto this and that is great. In some cases it will do this one time and that the next time. There may be a fairly specific series of steps to make it happy.

Bob

[Jason P M]

I have roughly the same tow vehicle specs and trailer. 2018 Suburban Premier with 6000# curb weight and 1500# payload and also auto leveling air suspension. 2021 GT 25FBT. I have a ProPride 3P. My Suburban manual says to return enough weight to the front end to bring the front end down 1/2 of what the rise is without weight distribution. To do this I measure the rise with the truck turned off to prevent auto leveling. It rose one inch. I needed to raise my ProPride jacks 5 1/2” to bring the rise down to 1/2”. Then I started the truck and let the rear end auto level. Note my weight under the stinger is 750 lbs even though the weight under the tongue jack is almost 900 lbs. That’s because the length of the stinger distributes weight back to the trailer even before it is connected to the tow vehicle due to the extra length. I measured both these weights with a Sherline scale with the trailer disconnected from the tow vehicle but the stinger attached to the trailer hitch.

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by Merlintiaga;

I have a TV with an auto leveling rear suspension. The manual says it requires a WD hitch when tongue weight is above 600 pounds. My tongue weight is about 1000 pounds. I can’t use the standard methods (bubble level and/or tape measure) to set the load on the bars because my TV levels itself as the trailer is lowered on the ball. I’m thinking the way to go is few trips through the CAT scale.

I had auto leveling rear suspension. 2 choices.

1. Disconnect the battery. Setup the vehicle with 50%+ restoration of the front fender height using WD hitch. Once you have your settings you are done, reconnect battery.

2. Let the air suspension in the rear so do it’s job. Use the 50% restoration method or cat scales to measure 150lbs - 200lbs back to the front axle on a 1,000 lb tongue. Done.

Either way you are going to ride relatively level with additional spring rate with your air bags …with restoration to the front axle so you don’t get under steer.

Don’t over think it.

[Merlintiaga]

Originally Posted by Jason P M

I have roughly the same tow vehicle specs and trailer. 2018 Suburban Premier with 6000# curb weight and 1500# payload and also auto leveling air suspension. 2021 GT 25FBT. I have a ProPride 3P. My Suburban manual says to return enough weight to the front end to bring the front end down 1/2 of what the rise is without weight distribution. To do this I measure the rise with the truck turned off to prevent auto leveling. It rose one inch. I needed to raise my ProPride jacks 5 1/2” to bring the rise down to 1/2”. Then I started the truck and let the rear end auto level. Note my weight under the stinger is 750 lbs even though the weight under the tongue jack is almost 900 lbs. That’s because the length of the stinger distributes weight back to the trailer even before it is connected to the tow vehicle due to the extra length. I measured both these weights with a Sherline scale with the trailer disconnected from the tow vehicle but the stinger attached to the trailer hitch.

Jason P M: what size load bars do you have on your propride? 800 or 1000?

[Jason P M]

Originally Posted by Merlintiaga

Jason P M: what size load bars do you have on your propride? 800 or 1000?

1400. I was going to buy the 1000, but Sean at ProPride suggested 1400 to give me some cushion.

[panamerican]

Originally Posted by Jason P M

1400. I was going to buy the 1000, but Sean at ProPride suggested 1400 to give me some cushion.

Not that Sean isn't knowledgeable, but why would you get 1400lb bars if your trailers hitch weight is near 1000? Cushion for what exactly?

A trailer such as yours you'd be fine with 600 or 800lb bars. I say that because there is no way you are going to offload all 900-1000lbs of hitch weight. In essence, you are significantly over-hitched with anything over 1000lb bars. Not sure how autolevel comes into play to soften the connection. If you are trying to take some of the 1500lbs of payload away from the truck, it is true that some will be shoved to the trailer axles, but the amount sent to the front axles still is included in payload, so you really aren't saving anything in terms of lessening the payload, but you are creating a really firm connection, one that the trailer might not enjoy very much.

Maybe Sean is thinking in the event you upgrade, but deal with that then, if it were me (and I have done this for about 20 years), don't use 1200 or 1400lb bars. Highest I would even consider is 1000, but I've used 600lb bars (spending on trailer) with full sway and weight distribution with no issues. Currently using 800lb bars.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Jason P M

1400. I was going to buy the 1000, but Sean at ProPride suggested 1400 to give me some cushion.

I also was told 1400 with our HaHa PP....ended up with 1000.
It all depends on the stiffness of the TV suspension and how much weight you need to move.
The more compliant the lash-up the better the outcome.👍
I just don't see how stiffer bars result in more cushion between the AS & TV.
The PPP is not that much different than the Hensley.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Waterbeach]

With a Suburban there is a long wheel base - which I understand makes it tougher for torsion bars to shift weight to the front - hence the need for stronger bars.

[pteck]

It would be useful to know the specific hitch and tow vehicle. This is a setup discussion. Not a debate on the merits of various TV and hitches.

Setting up can be complicated and easy depending on perspective. It may not be as simple as turning off the leveling and may require multiple passes.

Leveling plays into this and is not what others are making this out to be by just turning it off. Because WD bars and hitches are height sensitive. By turning off leveling, the rear almost indefinitely sags to a degree not representative of final configuration. This will misleadingly convey that there may be sufficient WD tension when there isn't at the final ride height. Because we all know when jacking by the tongue, that effectively relaxes WD tension, and self leveling will do the same thing.

Please share TV and WD hitch.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Waterbeach

With a Suburban there is a long wheel base - which I understand makes it tougher for torsion bars to shift weight to the front - hence the need for stronger bars.

Not true in our case....'06 2500 8.1L.
560 to the FA...160 to the AS...720 moved. 1000lb bars.

Actually the longer WB can ease WD...Think longer handles on the wheel barrow.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

[panamerican]

Originally Posted by Waterbeach

With a Suburban there is a long wheel base - which I understand makes it tougher for torsion bars to shift weight to the front - hence the need for stronger bars.

Also agree not true, I have a 3/4 ton Suburban and my 600 and 800lb bars provide efficient weight distribution with correct flex and proper level.

I've read in many places that auto level should be deactivated if towing. How accurate that may be I can't say, but I've seen it on and off and off does seem to yield better results.

Wheelbase has very little, if anything to do with weight distribution. Suspension, vehicle specs and hitch weight are really what I believe dictate weight distribution.

Airstrean trailers like soft rides. Using 1400lb bars with a 1000 or sub 1000lb hitch weight with a full size SUV is kin to trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. Might work, but not best way to go about it.

[pteck]

Originally Posted by Waterbeach

With a Suburban there is a long wheel base - which I understand makes it tougher for torsion bars to shift weight to the front - hence the need for stronger bars.

Maybe a bit of half truths. Longer wheelbase should not in itself drive the need for heavier torsion bars. That would be a futile exercise toward frame bending forces. Realistically, longer wheelbase, or more accurately better wheelbase to rear overhang ratios, should necessitate less WD tension as they inherently are more stable.

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Not true in our case....'06 2500 8.1L.
560 to the FA...160 to the AS...720 moved. 1000lb bars.

Actually the longer WB can ease WD...Think longer handles on the wheel barrow.��

Bob
����

That's not quite right either. Just looking out for you, but you may really want to consider lessening your WD tension. What your showing is almost 100% FALR. Compounded by long wheelbase which means your subjecting the AS to some untoward forces.

[Bill M.]

Hopefully your TV manual will address that number. If not, it is common to restore from 1/2 to all of the weight shifted from the front axle by the trailer without the WD. The actual weight numbers are very dependent on the TV and the trailer.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by pteck

snip QUOTE

That's not quite right either. Just looking out for you, but you may really want to consider lessening your WD tension. What your showing is almost 100% FALR. Compounded by long wheelbase which means your subjecting the AS to some untoward forces.

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Really?....Blanket statements do not apply here.

Your TV may have a limit of 50% ours never did.

I replace all but 100-200lb pounds, depending on load since getting the Hensley in 2007.

The 'Force' has been with us ever since.

Bob
🇺🇸

The rig is level with proper WD in 2007 and again in 2019. 👍