Community Forums

chaps2018 · 08-11-2014, 11:53 AM

Ok towmeisters, I need the forum's knowledge-

I have a keystone hideout 26b/Ram 3500 drw, (both stock) that I can't seem to get level front to back when hitched (front high). My husky round bar wdh is on its lowest mount on the stock shank. I can order a shank to get it lower but the bottoms of the spring bars are already about 8in from the ground.

My definition of level is when frame i-beam is the same distance to ground front and back. The best I can get is 4in difference when hitched.

The only solution I can come up with is I need to look at a lower profile wdh system (ie, trunnion).

Anyone had this situation/suggestions on this camper or any other?

lynnmor · 08-11-2014, 03:31 PM

Need a photo, we can only guess as to what you have.

jesilvas · 08-11-2014, 07:31 PM

Agree, just guessing. But, don't even count the bars right now. You need to level the trailer as you stated, not hooked to the truck. Then measure to the top of the coupler. The trailer ball needs to be as close to that height as possible. If that means a longer shank drop, get a longer drop.

SmokeyWren · 08-11-2014, 08:15 PM

And one of your problems is the cheap Husky round-bar hitch. Husky makes an excellent weight-distributing hitch, but the round bar is not it.

Throw away the round-bar hitch and invest in a Husky CenterLine hitch. Those are sold in four components: shank, head, ball, and spring bars. You can probably use the shank and the ball from your old hitch. Then you need two other components, the head and the spring bars (torsion bars that some call trunnion bars). The spring bars are sold separate from the head. Order the correct spring bars based on your max tongue weight. Husky has three different spring bars that all work on the same hitch head:
500 to 800 pounds tongue weight
800 to 1200 pounds
1000 to 1400 pounds

Amazon.com is a good source for a Husky Centerline hitch at a good price:
Amazon.com: Husky 31390 Center Line Head Assembly: Automotive

After you get it all hooked up and adjusted, if you still cannot drop the tongue enough to have a level floor in the trailer, then you'll have to invest in a new adjustable shank with more drop than the one you have now.

jesilvas · 08-11-2014, 08:18 PM

The Husky round bar is fine. It will do what you need. No it's not top of the line, but I install many and they work very well.

Highway 4x4 · 08-12-2014, 11:23 PM

Call the TT Mfg and ask them what the proper ball height is for that TT, they should know. Then just mount the ball so the top of is is at that height. That 3500 DRW Ram shouldn't go down more than an inch with that TT tongue weight.

VanDiemen23 · 08-12-2014, 11:46 PM

so here's how I do it:

1. Weigh the trailer tongue with an appropriate scale under the tongue jack. make sure the unit is level by using the jack.
2. Figure out your effective spring rate. With the truck level, measure the distance to the bottom of the ball mount. Then stand on the ball and measure the new height. Divide your weight by the drop and you have the spring rate in lbs/in at the ball.
3. Multiply the rate by the tongue weight and you have the amount the ball will drop with the trailer on it.
4. measure the height of the trailer coupler when level. This value plus the drop is how high the ball must be on the truck.

I'd think with a dually and just a 26'TT you wouldn't need a WDH. I pulled a 25' toyhauler with nearly 2K of tongue weight with my GMC 2500HD and didn't need to use my weight bars.

chertz · 08-13-2014, 03:57 AM

I had to buy an extended drop shank to use on my ram 2500 pulling my 30 foot TT... I use an equalizer hitch though, it does not stick very far down below the trailer tongue at all and works great.

chaps2018 · 08-13-2014, 11:18 AM

Thanks for your feedback. You are correct, it isnt necessary on the 3500 I just need to get a drawbar that has the 8.5k lb capacity

NFlcamper · 08-13-2014, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjlakatos

Thanks for your feedback. You are correct, it isnt necessary on the 3500 I just need to get a drawbar that has the 8.5k lb capacity

How does the Dodge and trailer sit with the WDH hooked up WITHOUT the round bars connected? Does the tongue weight squat the dually enough to get nearly level? If so, use the WDH without bars - and if equipped, you have sway control too. The length of the trailer will have more effect on your dually than the tongue weight.

chaps2018 · 08-13-2014, 01:47 PM

From a practical perspective, the 3500 stance/level is not measurably impacted when hitched/no bars. The spec on the hitch head is 600# and 6k# max tow capacity without springbars. (800#tongue wt, 8k# tow capacity max)

Trailer is 650# tongue wt (measured), 5800 dry/7600 gvwr (dataplate)

This spec is commensurate with other 2in drawbars that I have seen.

That said, I see no ball-only hitch solutions. What did I miss here?

NFlcamper · 08-13-2014, 07:00 PM

Check this hitch out. The last one you will need to buy.

Tow & Stow™ - Receiver Hitch | B & W Trailer Hitches

1,000 lb tongue weight with 2&5/8 ball and 10,000 lb trailer capacity. They stand behind them - I got a recall on the adjusting pins and they replaced them for free.

TDI-Minnie · 08-29-2014, 11:40 AM

I may be alone on this, but a DRW 3500 should not need any WD with a 26'TT.
It will probably work better without it.
Get the right drop for the ball mount and enjoy.

SmokeyWren · 09-03-2014, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDI-Minnie

I may be alone on this, but a DRW 3500 should not need any WD with a 26'TT.

If the dually has a stiff enough suspension that you don't need the WDH for weight distribution, you still need excellent sway control. Ordinary friction-based sway bars do not provide excellent sway control. For excellent sway control you need a Reese Strait-Line with dual cam sway control, or Husky CenterLine, or Equalizer or similar relatively expensive WD hitch that retails for around $1,000 and costs more than $500 from discount online sources. Even better sway control is provided by the the ProPride or Hensley Arrow that costs over $2,000. I drag my cargo trailer with a Reese Strait-line, and I drag my TT with a ProPride. But I'm experienced enough that I have had uncontrollable trailer sway, as well as hundreds of thousands of miles of safe towing. So I insist on excellent sway control on any trailer I can tow with a pickup.