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Old 05-27-2011, 06:24 PM   #41
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Originally Posted by Gringo View Post
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...
You can consider the spring bars or equalizing arms (labelled draw bar in the sketch) as a ridgid extension of the tow vehicle's frame.

As you see in the sketch, it extends under the trailers frame. Now, if you pull up on the ends of the spring bars with a chain attached to the trailer frame, you are essentially trying to put the tow vehicle frame and the trailer frame in a straight line, counter acting the tendancy of both the trailer and tow vehicle frames to tilt downward towards the ball due to the weight of f the trailer tongue on the ball.


It is this attempt to straightening things out so that both trailer and tow vehicle frames into a straight line when the spring bars are pulled up by the chains that throws some weight off the ball up to the tow vehicles front wheels and some back on the trailer wheels.

That's the way I think of it anyway, hope this helps rather than confuses!

Brian.
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Old 05-27-2011, 09:13 PM   #42
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That's what I'm looking for

Zedex hit the nail on the head.... i want to get my wd dialed in so that at 6000 lbs and my double cab Tundra i can barely feel the trailer behind me when i go over a dip... no bucking and bouncing...


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.



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Old 05-28-2011, 12:08 PM   #43
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Got truck weight

Got my truck weighed this morning. Front axle 3020, rear axle 2320.

Last week with 23 AS tensioned up, Front axle 3080, rear axle 2980, trailer axle 4580.

So only 60 lbs got transferred to front, 660 on rear axle,

So I think this means that I need to transfer more of the weight forward? Is this achieved by putting less chain links under tension?
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Old 05-28-2011, 01:02 PM   #44
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Yes. You need more tension which would be less links between bars and cam.What i usually do is hitch up my trailer with just the ball . I then lift the trailer with my jack which also lifts the back end of my truck up. Then i install the spring bars and tension them up , then let my trailer down again. If i dont do this it is very difficult to get my leveraging tool into the chain cam + i have to put a lot of force into getting the bars tensioned.If the leveraging tool were to slip out of my hand it would not be pretty as i am exerting alot of force into getting the bars tensioned. With the trailer and truck lifted its easy and alot safer. I have 4 links between my bars and the cam as a reference.
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Old 05-28-2011, 01:27 PM   #45
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As a note i am also running a rear airbag system on the tv. So i can air up my rear end of the TV a bit which allows me to still have good weight transfer and retain my original vehicle ride height. What this does is it keeps all my TV drivetrain exactly the same as if it had no trailer ,so all the suspension geometry remains the same on the TV. I already had the airbag system on my truck because i used to haul around my quad quite a bit for hunting etc. So it works great for towing as well. You might consider installing a system yourself if your kind of handy and you know some electrical. The airbag system is a wireless system so i can adjust any bag pressure i want by hitting a button on my remote control inside the cab or anywhere within 100 ft of the tv. The system has an on board compressor so i just choose my pressure,hit a button and the back of the tv lifts a bit to accomodate any weight i have in the truck.
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Old 05-28-2011, 01:36 PM   #46
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Thanks. i will probably try to get the wd dialed in before i think of an airbag system.
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Old 05-28-2011, 02:44 PM   #47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zedex View Post
Yes. You need more tension which would be less links between bars and cam.What i usually do is hitch up my trailer with just the ball . I then lift the trailer with my jack which also lifts the back end of my truck up. Then i install the spring bars and tension them up , then let my trailer down again. If i dont do this it is very difficult to get my leveraging tool into the chain cam + i have to put a lot of force into getting the bars tensioned.
FWIW....Try tensioning your bars before you hitch, saves ware & tare on the tongue jack.

Just to give you an idea of how much weight can be transferred I dug out some CAT tickets.

Truck unloaded.
St axle..3740
Dr axle.. 3600

Truck & trailer loaded.

No bars
St axle..2980
Dr axle..5520
Tr axle..7480

Tensioned for the road
St axle..3640
Dr axle..4680
Tr axle..7640

I know my rig is a lot different than 'ya all's, but it will show what the bars do. Note the weight transferred to the trailer.
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Old 05-28-2011, 04:18 PM   #48
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Oh... now I really am confused.... understand the theory.... now just need to figure out exactly what the optimum is for my rig.
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Old 05-28-2011, 05:52 PM   #49
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Oh... now I really am confused.... understand the theory.... now just need to figure out exactly what the optimum is for my rig.
Thats the goal,(sorry)....took me the better part of the first Season with the current TV to reach ours.
Once the numbers are close, the minor tweaks are a seat-of-the-pants kinda thing.
If the steering feels light, tighten-up the bars, rear bouncy, loosen a little.

Good Luck...
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Old 05-28-2011, 05:59 PM   #50
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Thanks

Thanks Bob. Im sure i will get it sooner or later.... always great help here on the Forums
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Old 05-28-2011, 06:32 PM   #51
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Goal 15
NOW you are gettin it EACH RIG is different and should be treated as such. IF 6 links under tention is fine for me it may not be for you. When you AIR UP that rear suppension on the truck you automaticly transfer weight to the steering axle.
YOu will have to play with this setup till you get the air bags and the WD bars working together to give you and trailer a soft ocean wave ride. It make take a few trips to the CAT SCALE to gitter right,
BEST OF LUCK Looks like a lot of cuttin and tryin in your future. BE PATIENT
YOU'll GET IT
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Old 05-28-2011, 07:33 PM   #52
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Thanks Roger
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Old 05-28-2011, 08:30 PM   #53
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I went to UT, lived in Austin from 69-71, then back in 77 for some more. now, I detour through there at every opportunity to check up with old friends from the 60's and 70's. I well remember Armadillo World Headquarters, Oat Willies, Zilker Park, Greasy Wheel, Threadgills....

I hear I had a real good time. Reports are still filtering in.
You left off Schultz Beer Garden..
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Old 05-29-2011, 05:00 AM   #54
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You're right. How could I have left the Beer Garden out. Or 6th street. or being able to load up with two plates of mexican food and a pitcher of Shiner Bock for $5 at Taco Flats.
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