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NorthTexas · 03-13-2012, 04:04 PM

K so we just took our new to us travel trailer on our first road trip. 2003 model 3103 kz sportsmen. Trailer came with a weight distro hitch. Tow w/ 2003 Chevy 2500hd 4x4. Now when we got home on each side of the tailgate at the top is a good 1/2" gap that was not there before? Weight should be within the trucks range? Could that been caused by the trailer?

SarahW · 03-13-2012, 05:47 PM

Does your tailgate still close like it should? Our Silverado tailgate has about a 1/2" gap on each side of the tailgate near the top; it came that way.

NorthTexas · 03-13-2012, 08:18 PM

Yes it opens and closes like it did before and I may not have noticed it but I think it is different. I have side rail tool boxes and were both loose by the time we got home. It also felt like we have a bit more bounce on the way home of that helps. I am not even sure if I am hooking them up correctly. Bought the trailer at PPL in Houston and they just did a walk through said have fun and good bye. I saw the guy there hook the chain on the third link. Do not know if you hook them with the tongue jack up or down. Going down I did it with little weight on the truck but not all. But coming home the truck have the full weight. Was kind of a deal. By then I was already frustrated. The electric jack blow a fuse about 6" off the ground. The trailer did not include the back up crank and the only fuses I had were small automotive fuses. Was at a loss...no fuse and could not disconnect to go buy a fuse (stopped by autozone on the way home and now have enough fuses of every size and shape known to man to last to the end of time). Ended up finding a 30amp (needed 25) in the TT power converter. Stole it and raised the jack all the way and returned fuse to converter. By then it was raise the jack and hook up the spring bars and go home.

IWillRVToo · 03-13-2012, 09:51 PM

Google a tutorial for the proper setup for your brand of WDH.
Ford (for me) has some specific advice about ride height when using a WDH.
Check the tongue weight of the trailer. The spring bar rating must exceed that number.
It is easier to attach the spring bars with the tongue jack down but it is not necessary to do so.

SmokeyWren · 03-17-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IWillRVToo

It is easier to attach the spring bars with the tongue jack down but it is not necessary to do so.

Depends on the hitch and trailer and tow vehicle. With the rig in the attached photo, you cannot install the spring trunions unless you first connect the trailer to the ball, then raise the connection a coupla inches with the tongue jack. After the trunion bars are connected right, then let the tongue jack down and you're good to go. 2012 Skyline Nomad Joey 196S, 2012 F-150 SuperCrew 4x2, and Reese StraightLine dual cam hitch with 800-lb trunion bars.

JimM68 · 03-17-2012, 04:16 PM

I find it hard to imagine how a bumper pull could affect the sides of the box.

FishaPalooza · 03-18-2012, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Depends on the hitch and trailer and tow vehicle. With the rig in the attached photo, you cannot install the spring trunions unless you first connect the trailer to the ball, then raise the connection a coupla inches with the tongue jack. After the trunion bars are connected right, then let the tongue jack down and you're good to go. 2012 Skyline Nomad Joey 196S, 2012 F-150 SuperCrew 4x2, and Reese StraightLine dual cam hitch with 800-lb trunion bars.

I have to do the same with mine. Also, I'm betting it was always like that. The trailer is pulled by the truck frame and the bed assembly is bolted to the the top of the frame so unless you bent your truck frame which seems unlikely, I'd say you're OK.

StStg1 · 03-18-2012, 02:24 AM

Using a WD hitch should not affect a tailgate. It's always eaiser to attach the trunion bars with the jack rasing the connection of the truck and trailer a few inches. On my rig, I hook the bars by droping the first three links of the chain and hook them in the fourth link. You may have to experiment on the different links to get your rig hitched properly. The goal of the WD hitch is to spread the weight of the combination to the front wheels of the truck and to the back wheels of the trailer. On the sway bars, I use two friction bars because my loaded weight of the trailer is 7200#. I believe that most manufactures recomend two bars when the weight of the trailer is 6000# and above. Hope this was helpful.

NorthTexas · 03-18-2012, 09:54 PM

Thank y'all much. That was my thinking also but wanted another opinion. Overly sensitive I think. The truck has side tool boxes and I noticed a dent on top of the rails equal on each rail so I am now thinking the previous owner may have dropped a trailer at some point and spread the bed a bit and I did not ntice.