2500 HD w/ Weight Distribution Hitches

[Big Dog Jim]

Forgive me if this has been discussed but I did a search and didn't come up with any answers/help.

 

last summer I purchased a new 2018 2500 HD 6.0 4x4 WT to pull a 30 ft toy Hauler. The RV dealer installed a Blue OX Weight distribution, anti-sway hitch and set it up as they normally would. The truck pulls the 11000 lbs with-out an issue.

But here is my question/issue... when towing it rides terribly, the truck bumper, hitch and tongue area bounce like crazy. I watch the dealer install the weight distribution hitch and here is why I think it bounces so bad...ITS TERRIBLE..... they measured the track bed wheel opening height before adding the trailer, then they added the trailer, measured the drop off the wheel well, and than adjusted the hitch so the truck really had no weighted difference in ride height/weight with the trailer vs. without the trailer. So there really isn't a lot of tongue weight on the rear of the truck, is this making it bounce?

Spring is coming and I want to address this because we have several multi-week trips plans and I am not sure I can handle it the constance bouncing I feel like the hitch ball should be lowered so there is some amount of weight on the ass end of the truck, to put weight on the springs. 

This is also my 1st winter with this truck and it rides rough and has no weight in the bed, so I put 400 lbs of salt in the bed and it rides so much better, that is why I am thing I need to lower my hitch ball. 

 

yes the trailer is fairy balanced front to back, this happens with-out any toys in the garage, or with an HD in there, all the storage 5-700 lbs of stuff is all in the front of the trailer.

 

Any help from some trailering experts would be great

Edited February 25, 2019 by Big Dog Jim
typos

[AJE]

Do you have a manual with it?

 

I'm not familiar with that model of hitch but you should be able to reduce some of the distribution action to allow a little more tongue weight.

 

I bought my WD hitch when I had my 1500, so I figure I'm going to have to readjust it for my new truck.   I may not need it for weight distribution but I like the idea of keeping the sway control. 

[cperk]

I think if you adjust the weight distributing hitch to let the truck drop say 2” it will help with the porpoising. I had a 1500 then got a 2500 and found that it rides better and porpoises a lot less with less tension on the levelers. The back ends of the trucks are high to account for some load. Put some load on it. It will ride much better and feel more planted.


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[Donstar]

I have the blue ox system but a smaller trailer and lighter truck.  It sounds like you need a reputable RV service centre to guide you in the proper setup. Go to a couple of service centres and talk to them.  You can tell pretty quickly when the person is talking from experience and knowledge or simply blowing smoke. Your truck, trailer and hitch combination should be a perfect match and should ride  smoothly.   Have you tried pulling your trailer without the torsion bars attached?  I was taking my trailer in for winterization a few months ago and decided not to bother with the torsion bars for the short, unladen trip.  I was impressed with how well it behaved.  I really noticed the reduced bounce when going over bumps like RR crossings.  I am seriously thinking of buying a simple receiver and ball to use on shorter trips this spring.  (Save the cumbersome weight distribution setup for longer trips).   I don't want to hijack Op's thread but I'd be curious to know if others, especially with the 20' range of trailers  pull with out a WD hitch.

[DONWT15]

The OP has it right. His setup is taking too much weight off the truck. The trailer is rocking up and back and causing the bounce. They're not meant to take all the weight off the hitch. Here is a copy of the chart from the owners manual.

 

[Big Whiskey]

Yeah, the guys are right, there's too much weight being taken off the rear of your truck. If you look at the manual, the HD's don't even need a WD hitch. I'd probably still use one when towing a heavy trailer on a long trip though. But, as stated, adjust your hitch so there's more weight on the truck and you'll notice a nice improvement. 

Edited March 21, 2019 by Big Whiskey
spelling

[Cowpie]

How any WDH should be set up is adjusted to where the back end still has just a slight rake in the back end, about 1 inch higher than front.   Keeping it at the cat in heat stock height in the back is not a proper setup.  On something you are doing, a WDH is a good thing to have. Something like the Blue Ox is also an anti-sway hitch.  In some serious cross winds or a lot of semi truck traffic going by you, it can make a big difference in handling.   The 2500 really doesn't need it,  in and of itself, but that doesn't negate the other beneficial aspects of a WDH.

 

Hook up the trailer without the bars set and see where things ride as if you didn't have the WDH on.  Then adjust as needed.  If there is no real need to distribute weight off the back of the truck, then put just enough tension in the bars to help with lateral control.  

[Chevor]

I disagree.  Toy haulers are tongue heavy and you saying the bouncing is worse without something in the garage verifies this.  You should try putting more tension on the spring bars when there is nothing back there first.   IMO the Blue Ox makes it worse do to how far the ball is postioned off the rear of the truck.  The closer you can get the ball to the bumper the better the truck will handle the trailer.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Chevor

[gmckenzie]

I'm confused. Did they measure the drop of the rear or the front of the truck?

Everything I've seen says to return the front height to near what it is unloaded. Some options are to less than an inch more, but it's focussed on the front raise, not the rear drop.

[sdeeter19555]

I have the blue ox system but a smaller trailer and lighter truck.  It sounds like you need a reputable RV service centre to guide you in the proper setup. Go to a couple of service centres and talk to them.  You can tell pretty quickly when the person is talking from experience and knowledge or simply blowing smoke. Your truck, trailer and hitch combination should be a perfect match and should ride  smoothly.   Have you tried pulling your trailer without the torsion bars attached?  I was taking my trailer in for winterization a few months ago and decided not to bother with the torsion bars for the short, unladen trip.  I was impressed with how well it behaved.  I really noticed the reduced bounce when going over bumps like RR crossings.  I am seriously thinking of buying a simple receiver and ball to use on shorter trips this spring.  (Save the cumbersome weight distribution setup for longer trips).   I don't want to hijack Op's thread but I'd be curious to know if others, especially with the 20' range of trailers  pull with out a WD hitch.

I have two setups, a 2.5" cushioned ball mount and a used torsion bar WDH for my small 24' camper. I use the ball for local trips and the WDH for longer trips. I don't think I need...a WDH, but it does make a slight improvement in ride.

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[sdeeter19555]

I disagree.  Toy haulers are tongue heavy and you saying the bouncing is worse without something in the garage verifies this.  You should try putting more tension on the spring bars when there is nothing back there first.   IMO the Blue Ox makes it worse do to how far the ball is postioned off the rear of the truck.  The closer you can get the ball to the bumper the better the truck will handle the trailer.

It could be just the opposite...I've seen toyhaulers that have almost centered axles...it could be bouncing worse because the trailer becomes tail heavy/lighter on the tongue when the weight is removed.

Ideally, the bars should be set with a loaded trailer...probably could run without the WDH with no load (assuming a 2500). I adjust mine whether I have water or not (50 gallons way forward of the axles).

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[jumpinjoe]

It's always been my experience that the measurement should be taken at the front of the truck, the rear measurement means little. But the first and most important thing to do is to ensure your hitch ball height and your trailer tongue height are the same.

 

Level the trailer, then measure the height to the inside of the top of the coupler (in other words where the top of the ball will ride). Then actually measure the top of the ball with your truck sitting normally loaded, no air bags, spring blocks, etc. Adjust the hitch to make sure both the top of the ball and the inside of the top of the coupler are equal.

 

Then to hook up ...... before you hook up the trailer, measure the front of the truck at any place easily measured from the ground. Remember that measurement, then hook up the trailer (add the tongue weight but no spring bars yet) and measure again from the same point at the front of the truck. Then using the weight carrying capability of your particular hitch, add tension to the spring bars until the measurement at the front of the truck is between the original measurement before hooking up and half way to the measurement after hooking up (adding tongue weight). In other words you want to end up with the front of your truck to end up measuring in the lower half of the two original measurements.

 

An example would be .......... measurement to an easily repeatable place on the front with no tongue weight applied = 22". Measurement to the same place on the front with tongue weight, but no spring bars = 26". Then optimal measurement with properly applied and loaded WDH would fall half way between the 22" and the 26" @ 24.  Anything between the 22" and the 24" is acceptable. If you can't find the exact measurement you need, it's preferable to be just under the halfway measurement rather than above the halfway measurement. You may have to try a couple chain link changes to get the right distribution, but it'll be well worth it in the end. Your truck and the suspension will handle much as if it's not loaded or towing any load, even though performance (acceleration, hill climbing, etc) will show it. All this is assumed your suspension is factory standard, IE: no lift kits, air bags, recurved springs, etc.

 

Then as long as you keep the same trailer and keep it basically loaded the same you can count the number of chain links needed to get your measurement at the front and just repeat the same number of links to the spring bars each time you hook up. As an aside note, if you're going to a campground with hook ups, don't load yourself down with 30-40 gallons of water while traveling. Carry only the amount you might need for a quick rest stop, but wait till you get to the campground to fill your water tank. H2O is about 7+lbs per gallon, so do the math. But what's worse is to go with empty tanks one trip then full tanks on the next. That alone will make a huge difference in how your towed load will affect your tow vehicle.

 

A little advice is it's been my experience to never believe an RV salesman or a dealer's service tech about towing. The salesman's goal is to sell you a trailer, so he's gonna be absolutely certain  your truck will handle it. The service tech is a 'mechanic' at best and very few will know anything about towing. And the bottom line is neither of them will be liable for telling you anything about your truck or about towing. If you have questions or confusion, go to the guys who designed and built your tow vehicle. They did all the calculations and engineering on your truck and they're a whole lot smarter than most of us. Rely on them for most events and you'll get along fine. The final decisions and ultimate responsibility of towing any load however is the drivers/owners/operators. I want you to recognize I'm in the same category as the salesman and the mechanic. Even with my experience I went to the factory just today with a question, and even they were not positive they had the right answer, but it was their answer. And it was the kind of answer I felt I could rely on.

 

I've given you the very best information I know relative to setting up a WDH. It has always worked for me and if you'll go by it I think you'll find it will work for you. I would suggest you give it try and see for yourself. But remember the most critical measurement you must deal with is to ensure the height of the top of the ball with the truck sitting naturally must be equal to the height of the inside top of the coupler with the trailer sitting dead level (+ - 1/4"). And all of the above info is based on your truck being capable of the load you're towing, both in pulling power and stopping power. Any seriously overloaded truck will never work optimally if overloaded in GVWR and/or GCWR and your equipment is not up to spec.

 

I'm no engineer but I am an ASME certified welder and fabricator of many, many years with many years experience in calculating needs for towing, lifting, and moving heavy loads, and then building custom fit/use WDH's for many different cars, trucks, and vans of all sizes and shapes with never a failure in a career of about 55 years. But in any event I'll not be liable for anything said or written here.

 

Regards,

Joe

 

 

Edited October 23, 2019 by jumpinjoe
unintentional bad formatting