Weight Distribution Hitch Adjustments

FishAr · October 6, 2016

Traded trucks from Silverado 1500 to Silverado 2500 HD. The difference in the hitch height was approx. 2 inches.
I had to buy another shank to drop that low, I was at the bottom of the adjustment on the one I had.

I did it at home with measurements, my trailer was 130 miles away. We went today to move the Windjammer to another trailer park closer to my next job, about a 30 mile trip.

I measured my fender wells before I left. Fronts were 39 5/8, Rears were
42 3/4.

I have the hitch ball pretty much straight up in the assembly, lots of room for backward tilt.

After hooking up and pulling out on the campground street I noticed the trailer was a little high in front and the wdh bars weren't parallel to the frame, they were closer to the trailer frame at the chain end than at the hitch end.

I measured the fender wells on the truck. 40 inches in front and 41 inches in back.
I didn't want to take up another link on the chains since I was already trailer high in front and a little high on the front of my truck. So I pulled it like it was and it pulled fine.

But I want it right before I pull it the 130 miles home later in the year and then on down to Florida for the winter.

So if I'm figuring this right I should tilt the ball back to lower both the front of the trailer and the bars to get them parallel to the frame of the trailer.

Then take it up another chain link to put more pressure on the front wheels of the truck.

Am I on the right track?

Blue2500CC · October 6, 2016

Congrats on the new truck!!!

Adjusting the wdh without having the tt there can be tricky as you have found out. What style wdh do you have? Some you do want the bars as close to parallel to the trailer frame as possible, but pointing slightly up is ok also if a round bar system. If a Reese trunnion style, you may need the bars pointing down a little to prevent the bar from hitting the trailer frame near the coupler. This is based on the coupler mount you have: top, middle, or a bottom mount coupler.

Depending on your wdh style, it does sound like you could adjust the head tilt back some. Without seeing your set up (pics), from you stating the tt tongue was a little high, I would suggest lowering the hitch head another hole on the shank. A level or slightly tongue low trailer will usually pull better than a slightly tongue high trailer. Did you buy a new 2" or 2.5" shank? If a 2" and you are using the adapter sleeve, the play could be part of the equation also. When we bought our new tt last year, I got a 2.5" Reese Titan shank as part of the deal. Crazy how much less play the hitch head has now vs the 2" with the adapter sleeve.

If you have a CAT Scale on the trip home from working, weighing your set up is the best way to see how the wdh is adjusted. Make sure the front wheels aren't pulled to far forward, which can result in the rear truck wheels being on the front axle scale.

You will want to weigh three time total to get all your weights.

1: Truck and tt read to roll, w/ wd bars hooked up.

2: Truck and tt hooked up, but unhook the wd bars and place them in the bed.

3: Truck only, leave the wdh in.

Make sure you have a broom stick or something long to reach the call button at the scale. I started going inside before weighing, to mention I needed to weigh three times and ask if I could pay for all after. This is due to never having an issue doing so until one time the scale attendant was pretty nasty when I wanted the second weigh before paying.

Also, if there isn't any trucks waiting for the scale, I have quickly unhooked the wd bars while still on the scale amd gotten the second weigh without even pulling off the scale.

Good luck!!!

FishAr · October 6, 2016

I have this hitch, it's a round bar.

http://www.rigidhitch.com/products/,49570

Using the adapter 2 inch to 2.5 inch on the hitch.

I can't lower the head on the shank any more. Anyhow I think I'm only one inch high in front due to the measurements I took on the trailer, of course road variations could screw those measurements up easily on a 36 ft. trailer.