Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-26-2011, 04:58 PM   #21
1 Rivet Member
 
1970 27' Overlander
Elm city , North Carolina
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 17
Images: 5
Thanks Zedex I get it now, I was having the same trouble understanding how the weight dist hitch worked. Thanks a million

Dan
dandahandyma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2011, 10:10 PM   #22
Rivet Master
 
dkottum's Avatar
 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake , Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
So I have a hitch receiver rated for 800 lbs, and a trailer tongue weight of 800 lbs. Now if I add the 200 lb weight distribution hitch, have I exceeded the rating of the hitch receiver?

To put it another way, does the weight of the weight distribution hitch add to the trailer tongue weight?

doug k
dkottum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 05:26 AM   #23
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Not necessarily.... IF, the WD bars are tensioned properly.

The weight of our HAHA adds about 125# to the unhitched weight of the tongue.

The WD bars distribute a portion of the hitched tongue weight forward to the TV str axle and back to the trailer axles. The remainder on the receiver.

A trip to the CAT scales will better illustrate this.
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 05:30 AM   #24
one of those
 
Gringo's Avatar
 
2011 27 FB International
'03 F250 PSD , Airstream summers, Catalac winters
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,091
Did Monty Python invent these things?
__________________
A Blog from the Devil's Triangle
https://2gringos.blogspot.com/
Gringo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 05:31 AM   #25
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Not necessarily.... IF, the WD bars are tensioned properly.

The weight of our HAHA adds about 125# to the unhitched weight of the tongue.

The WD bars distribute a portion of the hitched tongue weight forward to the TV str axle and back to the trailer axles. The remainder on the receiver.

A trip to the CAT scales will better illustrate this. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...-in-17984.html
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 05:48 AM   #26
Rivet Master
 
Wingeezer's Avatar
 
2005 30' Classic
Burlington , Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,743
Quote:
Originally Posted by zedex View Post
Here's some professional artwork to convey forces acting on the tow vehicle when using an equalizer hitch. Point A is attached to the top of the eq hitch. Point B is attached to bottom of eq hitch. When you pull up on C which is the draw bar, the forces act on A pushing the top of EQ hitch forwards and pulls B backwards thus pushing the front of the tow vehicle down. Its all about leverage.Hope this helps a bit.


Not to be picky, but in your diagram, shouldn't what you call the "draw bar" be called the "equalizing bar" or "weight distribution bar?"

To me, the "draw bar" would be what goes into your hitch receiver.


Not trying to be a smart ass, just trying to help!


Brian
__________________
Brian & Connie Mitchell

2005 Classic 30'
Hensley Arrow / Centramatics
2008 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD,4x4,Crew Cab, Diesel, Leer cap.
Wingeezer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 06:24 AM   #27
one of those
 
Gringo's Avatar
 
2011 27 FB International
'03 F250 PSD , Airstream summers, Catalac winters
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,091
I'm still having a bit of trouble visualizing what's going on here. With only one attachment point to the tow vehicle ( the ball and socket) and that point being fully articulated and allowed to swivel, what is making the "force" in the diagram jump over the rear of the tow vehicle wheels? All the weight at the tow vehicle appears to still be pushing down on the hitch area arond that ball. All of the weight still looks to be leveraging the rear of the tow truck frame downward, with the rear axle being the fulcrum...
__________________
A Blog from the Devil's Triangle
https://2gringos.blogspot.com/
Gringo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 06:47 AM   #28
Rivet Master
 
AirsDream's Avatar
 
1999 23' Safari
Perrysburg , Ann Arbor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 916
Point is, there is more than one attachment to the tow vehicle. The items labelled "draw bar" in Zedex's drawing (there are two of them, one on each side of the hitch ball ... some are called trunnions, to confuse things a bit more) are made of spring steel and are attached to the hitch via couplings. So when you "lift up" on the rear of these bars - in the direction of the red arrows - it transfers the force of that lift directly to the tow vehicle frame, thus raising the rear of the tow vehicle and lowering the front of the tow vehicle. And then the rearward most part of these lever arms is attached to the trailer frame near point C. Once that is done, there is a downward force at the rear of the trailer.

It's really quite a clever design, especially one items such as "cams" are added in order to add a "straighteneing moment" that works to keep the tow vehicle and trailer in a straight line.
AirsDream is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 06:53 AM   #29
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Gringo,

Next time your hitched, tension your bars fully, measure the distance from the top of all four wheelhouse openings to the ground on the TV. Then release tension and measure again. You will notice that when tensioned the front measurements will be less than when no tension is applied to the WD bars, that difference represents the added weight transferred to the TV front axle.

Your CAT scale weights will confirm those measurements.
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 08:02 AM   #30
one of those
 
Gringo's Avatar
 
2011 27 FB International
'03 F250 PSD , Airstream summers, Catalac winters
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,091
We haven't bought the tow truck part of this whole equation yet. I rented a new F350 for our first little four day trip, and it only had a straight receiver hitch. So I have absolutely NO first hand experience with these doo dads......yet. And we didn't appear to need anything other than that straight hitch on the Ford we rented.

That's why I am asking all these asinine questions. I am trying to figure out whether we need one of these and a smaller truck, or just the bigger truck like the one we rented, without the WDH.

If I understand what AirsDream is saying, the two trunnions are essentially levers lifting the rear of the tow vehicle frame. basically, a splint across the vertical forces between the two vehicular frames when the tongue weight is transferred from the jack to the tow hitch. Essentially a mechanical extension of the tow truck frame.

so, in effect, they turn the hitch into a wheel barrow....lifting forces the same that pick up a wheelbarrow's feet and put the weight on the front axle and the end of the levers...right?
__________________
A Blog from the Devil's Triangle
https://2gringos.blogspot.com/
Gringo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 08:14 AM   #31
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gringo View Post
We haven't bought the tow truck part of this whole equation yet. I rented a new F350 for our first little four day trip, and it only had a straight receiver hitch. So I have absolutely NO first hand experience with these doo dads......yet. And we didn't appear to need anything other than that straight hitch on the Ford we rented.

That's why I am asking all these asinine questions. I am trying to figure out whether we need one of these and a smaller truck, or just the bigger truck like the one we rented, without the WDH.

If I understand what AirsDream is saying, the two trunnions are essentially levers lifting the rear of the tow vehicle frame. basically, a splint across the vertical forces between the two vehicular frames when the tongue weight is transferred from the jack to the tow hitch. Essentially a mechanical extension of the tow truck frame.

so, in effect, they turn the hitch into a wheel barrow....lifting forces the same that pick up a wheelbarrow's feet and put the weight on the front axle and the end of the levers...right?
HOSANNA....I tink 'ya got It, must be the Triangle

Now about that 350 suspension and how much the Stream likes a softer ride,
another time maybe...
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 08:32 AM   #32
Rivet Master
 
Goal15's Avatar
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Holly Lake Ranch , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,794
Images: 1
So therefore . . .

If my front wheel well measures 36.5 unhitched and when i put the wd hitch on and tension it up, if it remains at 36.5 I haven't actually shifted any of the weight forward?

RobertCross,

Which way do I go on the chains to adjust that? PO said that he used next to last link from end of chain. I did that a couple of times and thought that the 23 ft Safari was pushing my 5.7 V8 Tundra Double Cab around a bit too much on some of the back roads with dips so i moved it down a link so that ther were two links not under tension instead of one. Thought that it made some difference but it didn't change my wheel well height in the front and the back actually went up a half inch.

Scheduled to go into local AS dealer service dept to check a couple of things including set up of wd hitch but all advice is welcomed in the interim. And I don't even have the Triangle to blame.... Although I do have to pass Southfork on the way to and from storage, so it could be something JR Ewing did . . .
Goal15 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 08:43 AM   #33
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goal15 View Post
If my front wheel well measures 36.5 unhitched and when i put the wd hitch on and tension it up, if it remains at 36.5 I haven't actually shifted any of the weight forward?
You have...Thats the exact goal we are all after!!!

Next time you are out, stop at the CAT scales and weigh the rig with the bars tensioned and not. This will give you printed evidence of what you have accomplished.

Stream Safe..
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 08:52 AM   #34
Rivet Master
 
Goal15's Avatar
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Holly Lake Ranch , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,794
Images: 1
Thanks Bob.

Have already weighed on CAT scale with AS connected, so I guess I need to go back and weigh just the truck to see what my benchmark truck axle weights are when not under tension. I thought in your prior post that the front height would be less than the benchmark if weight was being transferred forward, in my case 36.5 would go to 36 or 35.5, but I guess the goal is same height when under tension?
Goal15 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 09:06 AM   #35
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Goal,

Thats what I did on our first trip fully loaded.

Got a base weight on the TV alone, then the rig with and without bars tensioned. I even went so far as separate weights at different bar settings. Most scales will allow multiple weighings at reduced rates.

Remember a level trailer and TV is the ultimate Goal.
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 09:13 AM   #36
Rivet Master
 
Goal15's Avatar
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Holly Lake Ranch , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,794
Images: 1
ultimate goal ...

well, actually, now that you brought it up . . . ultimate goal is a bicycle kick from the edge of the penalty area into the upper 90 just seconds before the referee's whistle blows . . .

gooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!! !!

but i digress.
Goal15 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 03:24 PM   #37
Rivet Master
 
dkottum's Avatar
 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake , Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
It may be possible and dangerous to add too much lift with the w.d. bars, so the back axle of the tow vehicle is too light and not getting enough traction. I avoid this condition by measuring the distance of the rear fender well to ground before hooking up, then measure again after hooking up to ensure the fender well is a little lower (but especially not higher).

This is in compliance with Equal-I-Zer brand hitch instructions.

doug k
dkottum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 03:49 PM   #38
one of those
 
Gringo's Avatar
 
2011 27 FB International
'03 F250 PSD , Airstream summers, Catalac winters
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,091
So, in a perfect installation, would the front bumper and rear bumper go down equal amounts, if they were equally preloaded? Or should it be something like a 60/40 ratio or similar? Wouldn't be too hard to measure proportionally with a metric ruler.
I can't do fractional inches into digital inches in my head very well. mike-mike's I understand.
__________________
A Blog from the Devil's Triangle
https://2gringos.blogspot.com/
Gringo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 04:59 PM   #39
steel/aluminum fabricator
 
2004 22' International CCD
Penticton , British Columbia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 133
Wingeezer. Yes. I call them draw bars only because i really dont know what to call em.But you get the picture.

Gringo. You nailed the wheelbarrow scenario. Thats it exactly.
Your ultimate goal is to have the TV exactly level ,and the trailer exactly level with the TV.
With your wd system dialed in you should be able to drive over dipps in the road and not even feel(or barely) the trailer behind you.
On my Tacoma for example, i used to tow my 13 foot boler with a weight of maximum 2000lbs fully loaded. Going over dipps in the road i could feel the back end of the truck bucking and bouncing a bit. With my 22 foot airstream weighing in at around 5000lbs i can barely feel the trailer behind me. Makes a huge difference.
zedex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2011, 05:58 PM   #40
Rivet Master
 
dkottum's Avatar
 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake , Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
Yes Gringo, the front and rear bumpers should go down equally. The tow vehicle will be level only if it was level to begin with.

doug k
dkottum is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ok I feel dumb Nightwatch Electrical - Systems, Generators, Batteries & Solar 10 02-03-2012 01:33 PM
$1,041.95 lost at sewer dump Janet H Our Community 61 02-26-2011 10:06 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:06 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.