I wanna double check my blue ox wdh setup
04-11-2018, 10:11 PM
#11
Once you are loaded, the best method is on the scale, otherwise it is just guessing. You don't want to move too much weight forward, up to unloaded weight but not more. You should take just the truck and get an empty weight reading, then return the front axle to that scale reading when loaded. It is somewhere around 3240 pounds on an EB, which is about 20 pounds more than the 5.0.
04-11-2018, 10:16 PM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Once you are loaded, the best method is on the scale, otherwise it is just guessing. You don't want to move too much weight forward, up to unloaded weight but not more. You should take just the truck and get an empty weight reading, then return the front axle to that scale reading when loaded. It is somewhere around 3240 pounds on an EB, which is about 20 pounds more than the 5.0.
Last edited by Olotti76; 04-11-2018 at 10:31 PM.
04-12-2018, 02:01 PM
#13
Grumpy Old Man
...now I’m wondering how do I know how many links to use for proper flex and weight distribution and I want to make sure the ball is at the right height.
When wet and loaded for the road,
[1]the FLOOR of the trailer should be level front to rear
[2] and the front fender well should be the same, or not more than one-half inch higher off the ground, with the wet and loaded trailer as without a trailer.
Whether the tow vehicle is level front to rear doesn't matter.
The height of the hitch ball should be whatever is required to result in the floor of the trailer being level with the WD spring bars tight. When estimating the height of the ball without the trailer tied on, then ball should be a coupla inches higher than the coupler of the level trailer to make up for rear end sag in the tow vehicle when the weight of the tongue is on the ball with the WD hitch adjusted. But don't stop there. Fine tune the height of the ball until the floor of the trailer is level with the spring bars tight.
You can adjust the height of the fender well to the ground by tightening or loosening the tension on the spring bars.
With the trailer level front to rear, if you cannot bring the front wheel wells down enough to achieve the proper height of the front fender wells from the ground by tightening the spring bars more, then you need heavier-duty spring bars. The Blue Ox SwayPro hitch has 6 different inter-changeable spring bars, and they are available with TW rating from 350 to 2000 pounds. So no need to buy a new hitch, just order different spring bars.
http://www.blueox.com/?s=spring+bars
Last edited by smokeywren; 04-12-2018 at 02:11 PM.
04-12-2018, 02:26 PM
#14
Good point, missed that one. I was focusing on the front axle balancing act to get him to the scales so that he can then fine tune the setup.
04-12-2018, 02:43 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Back up a bit.
When wet and loaded for the road,
[1]the FLOOR of the trailer should be level front to rear
[2] and the front fender well should be the same, or not more than one-half inch higher off the ground, with the wet and loaded trailer as without a trailer.
Whether the tow vehicle is level front to rear doesn't matter.
The height of the hitch ball should be whatever is required to result in the floor of the trailer being level with the WD spring bars tight. When estimating the height of the ball without the trailer tied on, then ball should be a coupla inches higher than the coupler of the level trailer to make up for rear end sag in the tow vehicle when the weight of the tongue is on the ball with the WD hitch adjusted. But don't stop there. Fine tune the height of the ball until the floor of the trailer is level with the spring bars tight.
You can adjust the height of the fender well to the ground by tightening or loosening the tension on the spring bars.
With the trailer level front to rear, if you cannot bring the front wheel wells down enough to achieve the proper height of the front fender wells from the ground by tightening the spring bars more, then you need heavier-duty spring bars. The Blue Ox SwayPro hitch has 6 different inter-changeable spring bars, and they are available with TW rating from 350 to 2000 pounds. So no need to buy a new hitch, just order different spring bars.
http://www.blueox.com/?s=spring+bars
When wet and loaded for the road,
[1]the FLOOR of the trailer should be level front to rear
[2] and the front fender well should be the same, or not more than one-half inch higher off the ground, with the wet and loaded trailer as without a trailer.
Whether the tow vehicle is level front to rear doesn't matter.
The height of the hitch ball should be whatever is required to result in the floor of the trailer being level with the WD spring bars tight. When estimating the height of the ball without the trailer tied on, then ball should be a coupla inches higher than the coupler of the level trailer to make up for rear end sag in the tow vehicle when the weight of the tongue is on the ball with the WD hitch adjusted. But don't stop there. Fine tune the height of the ball until the floor of the trailer is level with the spring bars tight.
You can adjust the height of the fender well to the ground by tightening or loosening the tension on the spring bars.
With the trailer level front to rear, if you cannot bring the front wheel wells down enough to achieve the proper height of the front fender wells from the ground by tightening the spring bars more, then you need heavier-duty spring bars. The Blue Ox SwayPro hitch has 6 different inter-changeable spring bars, and they are available with TW rating from 350 to 2000 pounds. So no need to buy a new hitch, just order different spring bars.
http://www.blueox.com/?s=spring+bars
Last edited by Olotti76; 04-12-2018 at 02:51 PM.
04-12-2018, 04:35 PM
#16
Senior Member
acdii's bend to the bars look much more like they should be, without tension, you are not letting the hitch do its job. We have to jack up the trailer to get the chains on. I don't know how everyone calls the links, but we have 7 fully loose links dangling over when we are set up/ Not sure if it would be possible for us to even get 8 links loose.
04-12-2018, 08:21 PM
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
acdii's bend to the bars look much more like they should be, without tension, you are not letting the hitch do its job. We have to jack up the trailer to get the chains on. I don't know how everyone calls the links, but we have 7 fully loose links dangling over when we are set up/ Not sure if it would be possible for us to even get 8 links loose.
04-12-2018, 09:48 PM
#18
Sounds like you got it. If you don't crank it up to hook the chains, then you will be too light on the bars, which will lead to porpoising that you experienced. There should be some tension when trying to close the cams, if not, then you need to add a link, they should not be easy to close.
I would suggest getting a wrench like I have, if you look close you can see it, 1/2" drive 24" flex head and 3/4" deep socket, it will save your hands and make it easier to engage and disengage. By your second trip you will have it nailed, it's not something overnight, takes a trip or two to get it all setup perfectly.
I would suggest getting a wrench like I have, if you look close you can see it, 1/2" drive 24" flex head and 3/4" deep socket, it will save your hands and make it easier to engage and disengage. By your second trip you will have it nailed, it's not something overnight, takes a trip or two to get it all setup perfectly.
04-18-2018, 01:41 PM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Sounds like you got it. If you don't crank it up to hook the chains, then you will be too light on the bars, which will lead to porpoising that you experienced. There should be some tension when trying to close the cams, if not, then you need to add a link, they should not be easy to close.
I would suggest getting a wrench like I have, if you look close you can see it, 1/2" drive 24" flex head and 3/4" deep socket, it will save your hands and make it easier to engage and disengage. By your second trip you will have it nailed, it's not something overnight, takes a trip or two to get it all setup perfectly.
I would suggest getting a wrench like I have, if you look close you can see it, 1/2" drive 24" flex head and 3/4" deep socket, it will save your hands and make it easier to engage and disengage. By your second trip you will have it nailed, it's not something overnight, takes a trip or two to get it all setup perfectly.
So here is my setup taking the camper, dry to the storage today. Went to 8 links in the block and there is def a little bow to the bars hopefully you can see it in the pics. Front wheel well height before hookup is 38” and after its 37 3/4” so I’m thinking with a loaded camper i may even need to go to the 9th link to even the load out. How does this look now compared to the earlier pic where I was 9n link 7. The last pic is to show the tt is level and I took readings from front to back and all were level so I believe the ball is in the right placement too.
04-18-2018, 01:51 PM
#20
Looks much better. There should be noticeable bowing to the spring bars, and I can see it. You most likely will need one more link when all is said and done, but looks good.