Community Forums

racetech · 03-27-2019, 06:21 AM

This one has me stumped. Say you had a TT with a 400lb tongue weight, and a 1/2 ton truck. Then you add a 600 lb quad to the bed of the truck while your towing TT. How does this effect your WD hitch, and the set up of it. Truck also has air bags. Would you set up your WD hitch without the quad, then add the quad and take up any sag with the bags??

Cumminsfan · 03-27-2019, 09:05 AM

BTDT sorta. Had a TT with a 500 lb tongue weight and an 08 F150. I had a shell on the F150 and loaded a lot of stuff in it. Probably 900+ lbs between the trucks stuff and the TT tongue weight. I tried 1,000 lb bars but the ride was horrible.
So I got some light weight bars rated at 400-600 lbs and added airbags to the truck since the light weight bars couldn't lift the tongue weight and truck stuff enough to transfer weight back to the front of the truck.

Here's how I set it up. I measured the rear fender, loaded all my stuff in the truck, then aired the bags until I was back to the OEM rear fender height. I then hitched up the TT and set the front of the truck up using the WDH.
Worked perfectly. Truck and TT road like a Caddy. Smooth and no jerking.

racetech · 03-27-2019, 09:22 AM

Awesome, I was looking for some info from someone who has actually set it up that way! I did not like the idea of heavy bars to take the load of both cargo and trailer, now I know why.

SmokeyWren · 03-27-2019, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racetech

This one has me stumped. Say you had a TT with a 400lb tongue weight, and a 1/2 ton truck. …

Not a realistic example. A properly-loaded TT with 400 pounds TW would gross only 3,100 pounds. You're not going to find a normal TT that grosses only 3,100 pounds when wet and loaded for camping. More realistic would be a very small TT with 700 pounds TW that would gross about 5,400 pounds.

But 700 pounds TW plus 100 pounds for a good WD hitch plus a 600-pound quad in the bed would be 1,400 pounds payload before you added any people or their stuff in the cab or toolbox or anything else in the bed. Most half-ton pickups would be overloaded with that load, so you would need the air bags to mask the symptoms of being overloaded.

Quote:

Then you add a 600 lb quad to the bed of the truck while your towing TT. How does this effect your WD hitch, and the set up of it. Truck also has air bags. Would you set up your WD hitch without the quad, then add the quad and take up any sag with the bags??

No. The last step is to adjust the tension on the spring bars to result is reducing the lift in the front end of the truck to near unloaded height. Load the truck and air up the air bags before you tie onto the trailer.

If that doesn't result in the stance you want, then disconnect the spring bars, adjust the PSI in the air bags, then adjust the tension on the spring bars to result is reducing the lift in the front end of the truck to near unloaded height.

The overload air suspension (air bags) are for use to raise the rear end of the overloaded truck. The WD hitch is for use in reducing the rise in the front end of the truck, caused by tongue weight (TW), to near unloaded height

racetech · 03-27-2019, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Not a realistic example. A properly-loaded TT with 400 pounds TW would gross only 3,100 pounds. You're not going to find a normal TT that grosses only 3,100 pounds when wet and loaded for camping. More realistic would be a very small TT with 700 pounds TW that would gross about 5,400 pounds.

But 700 pounds TW plus 100 pounds for a good WD hitch plus a 600-pound quad in the bed would be 1,400 pounds payload before you added any people or their stuff in the cab or toolbox or anything else in the bed. Most half-ton pickups would be overloaded with that load, so you would need the air bags to mask the symptoms of being overloaded.

No. The last step is to adjust the tension on the spring bars to result is reducing the lift in the front end of the truck to near unloaded height. Load the truck and air up the air bags before you tie onto the trailer.

If that doesn't result in the stance you want, then disconnect the spring bars, adjust the PSI in the air bags, then adjust the tension on the spring bars to result is reducing the lift in the front end of the truck to near unloaded height.

The overload air suspension (air bags) are for use to raise the rear end of the overloaded truck. The WD hitch is for use in reducing the rise in the front end of the truck, caused by tongue weight (TW), to near unloaded height

I do not wish to over load my half ton, thats why im looking at small TT in the 3-4000lb range. Im also looking at small toy haulers as this would eliminate this conundrum completely. I dont have a big family we dont need anything to big.

450Donn · 03-27-2019, 11:14 AM

600 pound quad plus say200 pounds for equalizer hitch weight that lands on the rear axle. Add that to the weight of the unloaded truck and you could be over the rear axle weight rating. Air bags, Timbrens nothing will alter or increase that number.

keymastr · 03-27-2019, 01:29 PM

You need a 3/4 ton to haul a trailer and a quad, even if it is a toy hauler trailer.

racetech · 03-27-2019, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keymastr

You need a 3/4 ton to haul a trailer and a quad, even if it is a toy hauler trailer.

I respectfully disagree. Would it be optimal yes. Can a half ton handle a small toy hauler with a quad. Yes ive pulled my brothers many times with no problems. About 4000 lbs with the quad in it.