Towing set ups.

[Sandhill Crane]

Do any of you use a bumper pull hitch with spring bars?
I have one that came with a trailer.
It is a 2" receiver mount (with a 2 1/2" reducer sleeve for the truck) and there are many round holes for height adjustment in the vertical section. 2 5/16" ball.
The ball mount itself has round holes for the spring bars to slide up into and spring clip in place, and slotted holes for the vertical height adjustment for leveling the trailer. Two large bolts for vertical height.
In addition there is a rivet head type pin (and stacked washers on the pin shaft) above the top mounting bolt, and a bolt below the bottom mounting bolt which seem to be used to adjust tilt of the ball mount.
The pin and the bolt do not seem long enough to both make contact. The result being the ball tips back, or down, with tongue weight and I assume up when the weight shifts due to bumps.
The pin and adjusting bolt don't make sense to me because as it is now, the ball can tip up/down due to the slotted holes in the U-channel ball mount.
Any of this make sense?

 

[Nick Kent]

I tow with wd often. Do you have any pics?

 

[Nick Kent]

I only use trunnion bars, not round bars. I’m not sure I totally understand what kind of setup you have.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I never messed with one, but never towed very heavy either, the heaviest I can think of was only about 20,000lbs... whatever a Case 580 weighs and the trailer.
Otherwise, only maybe 10-12000lbs

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I'll get some pics.

 

[mijdirtyjeep]

From Etrailer

Weight distribution heads are adjustable to get the spring bars level or just below level with the trailer frame. Depending on the trailer frame, the head may need to be set at 90 degrees, it also may need to be tilted down as far as possible to keep the trailer level. This will also depend on the weight of the trailer and strength of the suspension on the vehicle.

Head angle affects bar tension. With too much spring bar tension the rear of the vehicle could lift. Not enough tension and it will still sag.

I have used one with round bars and the clamping type sway control. Bars worked great for distributing the weight. Sway control was downright scary and was very noisy when turning and backing up.

WD hitch/ Sway control I use on my camper is the Anderson No-Sway. While it does distribute the weight a little, it is best feature is the sway control.

 

[mijdirtyjeep]

Off topic, but talking WD hitches made me think of it.

I never thanked you for posting about your camping trip to Turkey Run. I read that post and took the family there last Thanksgiving for 5days. What a gem of a place and I never would have even thought to look around there for a spot to camp and hike. We hiked every trail there and enjoyed ever second!!

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Glad to hear.
Turkey Run, a state park in sw Indiana, is a beautiful place for hiking and camping. In addition to camp grounds, there is a large lodge with a restaurant. Some mornings were rainy so we hung out there for a late breakfast several mornings. They also have horseback riding.

Interesting hitch. I've not seen one like it.

The ball mount part of the hitch is in the back of the car, which is not here at the moment.
So no photos yet.

I did do some additional reading on-line and under installation of a similar hitch and the tilt of the ball mount is to level the spring bars so the tails of them have decent road clearance and are not angled down. I can only imagine an overloaded, tail sagging vehicle that would require that kind of adjustment. Or possibly a frame hitch that was mounted so the hitch mount in the receiver was not level.

At any rate my hitch is not set up or adjusted right as is in that there is play, although only under tension and not by hand. This ball mount WD hitch came with the rv trailer. The previous tow vehicle was a Jeep Commander. And from what was said they only spotted the trailer a few times using it as a summer cottage, with extended family with rv's at the same place. So it may have been adjusted for that, possibly changed for another vehicle, or never set-up right from the get go.
I guess if ball height is improper for a level trailer that could effect it too.

Interestingly the ball mount is rated 5,000 lbs, the ball mount w/spring bars is rated 10,000 lbs.

FedX brought us, me and my helper, some WeatherTech mud flaps yesterday.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Unfortunately, I can't help with your hitch...I am however very curious about the camping. My family (wife, 2 teenage daughters) really enjoy backpacking, tent camping, the more rustic the better. Last year we spent 10 days on Isle Royale. We are looking for an adventure for this coming summer.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

bowtechmadman: I'll send you some pictures tonight or tomorrow. Call it firewood trucks on vacation.

Ball mount photos.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I wouldn't fuss with that thing. If your duallie can't handle a normal bumper pull trailer, something is wrong!

 

[blackdogon57]

I wouldn't fuss with that thing. If your duallie can't handle a normal bumper pull trailer, something is wrong!

Well said. Those things are a giant pain in the butt.

 

[mijdirtyjeep]

You may not need a WD hitch, but you still will want some sort of sway-control.

Heck my 2500hd diesel does not need any sort of WD hitch for my camper, but get caught in and incoming storm and that baby will start swaying like no other.

I see it has the clamp type sway bar for the receiver. They are not my cup of tea, but better than nothing. If it is not a heavy long camper, just hook that up for now.

PS: loosen the clamp before backing or risk bending the sway-control in half

 

[CaseyForrest]

The top bolt with the stacked washers is what you used to adjust the tilt on the head to load or unload the weight bars as needed. The bottom bolt takes up the slack so the head doesn't move.

The proper (depending on who you ask) way to adjust the tension on the weight bars is to hook the trailer up and put full tounge weight on the truck. Measure the heights at the front and rear of the truck from the fender to the ground. Then you set up the bars so that you limit the upward movement at the front of the vehicle. You may not notice much change because you're running a 1 ton.

You can adjust the head while connected by taking the trailer weight off the ball. You also want to have the trailer connected, but the weight off the ball when connecting the bars. This is where the tilt in the head comes in, as the trailer weight is loaded onto the truck, the truck drops and subsequently starts loading the bars. As you flatten the ball mount, or even tip it away from the truck, then more load is placed on the bars. Again, with yours being a 1 ton, you wont need much.

How much tongue weight do you have ready to roll? We are right at around 1000 pounds on the ball, But I did just pull 1 bank of the 6v batters and a tool box off the tongue. Ill have to reconfigure the weight. Im running a Blue Ox WD hitch... Dont need to mess with the head angle and there no popping and grinding while turning.

 

[bear1998]

bowtechmadman: I'll send you some pictures tonight or tomorrow. Call it firewood trucks on vacation.

Ball mount photos.View attachment 638235 View attachment 638239 View attachment 638238 View attachment 638233View attachment 638234View attachment 638235

Looks pretty close to the set up I have....where I purchased the trailer n hitch assembly w/weight distribution bars.
Works out great....just watch when makin sharp turns.....I try to limit them.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Watched a YouTube video air bags vs WD hitch.
They set the truck and trailer on individual tire scales after setting something like 1,000 lb tongue load on the trailer.
Without anything, air bags or WD, the tongue weight increased rear axle weight by more than 1,000 pds. and lighten the front by 350 pds. (Don't remember the actual numbers, just est.) Also, dropping the rear as measured by tape on the fenders at each axle. Front end lifted.
Air bags: Leveled truck with 50 lbs air pressure and increased rear axle weight. Front end still light.
WD hitch: Leveled truck: Front end something like 75 pds lighter than without trailer. Rear axle was less weight than beginning truck/trailer, and trailer axle weight increased. So tongue load has less cantilever on front axle, and spreads load from rear axle to trailer axles.

Casey: Not sure what my tongue weight is. Trailer is 4,000 empty, so maybe 600 pds. 400 would be 10%. 800 pds maybe, at most. Past experience is truck pulls trailer like it isn't there but rides rough. Regular cab, 8' box, 3500 Silverado, bumper pull. With WD hitch the truck rides smoother, but feels like the front end floats/drifts ever so slightly on the highway and required more driving. It has the older style, friction, sway bar. Perhaps it is the sway bar and not the WD which makes it feel like that. It is a dually so not a lot of lane left for drift.

 

[mijdirtyjeep]

Is the 4K lbs actual scaled weight or is that sticker on the camper?

Mine is only a 21’ bumper pull and the sticker says 4200lbs empty weight. When I put it on the scales ready for camping it is 5900lbs, but has 780lbs of tongue weight. I do have 2 batteries up front, 2-30lb propane tanks and a spare tire.

Even the Wife Grand Cherokee has no problem leveling with out the WD hitch “has self leveling air ride suspension”, but it is way more enjoyable to tow with it”. The jeep is what we use over the 2500hd to tow that to Florida twice a year as it is a more comfortable ride. Local camping the truck is used as I can bring campfirewood then.

Point in this post is to get to a CAT scale and weight it. Might just be the camper is not balance or need to get the WD set up right. If a Jeep Grand Cherokee can tow a camper about the same size as yours and has over 10k miles doing it, yours ought to tow it 10 times better.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Casey: Not sure what my tongue weight is. Trailer is 4,000 empty, so maybe 600 pds. 400 would be 10%. 800 pds maybe, at most. Past experience is truck pulls trailer like it isn't there but rides rough. Regular cab, 8' box, 3500 Silverado, bumper pull. With WD hitch the truck rides smoother, but feels like the front end floats/drifts ever so slightly on the highway and required more driving. It has the older style, friction, sway bar. Perhaps it is the sway bar and not the WD which makes it feel like that. It is a dually so not a lot of lane left for drift.

Rides rough is just a function of a single cab, long box one ton on MI roads.

I would think pulling a trailer using your truck, given the specs of the trailer, without the WD set up, would smooth things out a bit.

I'm going to chalk your "front end drift" up to the effects of pulling a billboard down the road. I don't think its a matter of weight distribution. Sway induced from the trailer can have the effect of making the front of the truck feel light and want to wander.

 

[Beetlejuice]

Unfortunately, I can't help with your hitch...I am however very curious about the camping. My family (wife, 2 teenage daughters) really enjoy backpacking, tent camping, the more rustic the better. Last year we spent 10 days on Isle Royale. We are looking for an adventure for this coming summer.

As far as hiking goes, I do walk to the icebox for a beer every so often, and camping means I fell asleep on the couch. But I do like pups..besides my wife, our 2 Chihuahuas and 2 min-pins are my hiking (walks), and camping (naps) partners. So needless to say, and I apologize for straying off topic, but that's a beautiful dog. Just saying.. Cheers, K

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

The WD bars will transfer weight on the steer axle for sure.

My Dad pulls a 28ft bumper pull with slide out with a 1/2 ton. Was an F150, now a Tundra.

When he first setup the Ferd, he adjusted the bars too much and just about has the drive tires off the ground.

The Tundra sinks down a good 6-7" without the bars. I helped him move the trailer once and almost ran out of jack travel before it quit sagging!

These are "trucks" made to pretty much haul 3 carts of groceries.

BUT with a 1 ton duallie (I'm assuming diesel), it'll benefit from some ass weight as its built to haul and tow. Most people don't drive a duallie around just to haul 80lbs of groceries.