If the truck is level after hooking up the TT and adjusting the WD bars, the tongue weight would have to be distributed properly front to rear assuming you don't have super stiff springs in the rear of the truck.

 

Roadie - That's not quite right. The "non-scale" method is to measure the drop in the wheel openings at the front and the rear. They should drop approximately equally. But, if the truck's original "stance" is not "level", it won't be after hooking up the trailer either if you use this method. But yes, the truck should not look like it's suddenly more "nose down" or "nose up" either.

The problem with this method though is that it assumes the springs on the front and rear are of equal strength. As you implied in your post, with the comment about "super stiff rear springs", I don't know that they are. So, the BEST method would be to weigh the truck on a scale that has separate platforms for the axles.

I found my truck's steering was pretty sensitive to the adjustment of the WDH.

- Jack

 

For what it's worth, I just finished hauling two loads of pellet stove fuel (25 bags / 1000# per load) at rural highway speeds for about 15 miles each trip in my 2014 F150.

I found the steering to be noticeably "lighter" and more "twitchy" with that weight in the bed. The truck still tracked straight ahead, but the steering felt more "neutral", heading towards oversteer.

So, I think a heavy load on a trailer hitch without a Weight Distributing Hitch, or, an improperly adjusted WDH will definitely effect the steering.

- Jack

 

I have that feeling in my '12 towing my sled trailer at times. It gets really unnerving on slick roads when you don't have the steering feel to know if the tires are slipping at all.

I'm bagging mine to keep the truck angle similar to an unloaded position.

 

When I drove big truck I was always leery when passing big campers pulled by 1/2 ton pickups. I would say that 1/2 of them on the road are not set up correctly. When I would make my pass - just as was said in the quoted post - I would watch the truck/camper first suck toward me - then watch it push away from me as I would get by them.

Really scary from my point of view. I always tried to give them as much room as I could when passing but always shake my head - watching the driver with a death grip on his steering wheel. I just couldn't imagine driving like that all day - and what a hazard.

I always want to commend folks like on the forum who take the time to learn and setup their trailers properly. Thank you!

 

what type of driving? Highway or city?

How fast were you driving?

these are important details.

 

Update. Hit the scales this past weekend. Weighed the truck and each axle without the trailer. Weighed the trailer. 6440lbs with our stuff loaded so far. TT GVWR is 7500lbs. Attached the trailer and re-weighed. Tongue weight was at 11%. The weight difference on the front axle didn't change that much. Took up another link in the WD hitch. That made a difference. Front axle now weighs 150lbs below the GAWR. TT pulled better. Only issue now is that the back end and front end of the TT sits a little high. May have to adjust the ball location.

Gary

 

mkosu04

When pulling the TT, it is highway at 55 to 60 mph.

 

I THINK, you should raise the ball one step to correct that condition (check your Hitch owner's manual to be sure). At 11%, you are trying to transfer about 700# to your truck axles. That's a pretty heavy load. If your front axle is still 150# under the GAWR, you may still have too much load on the rear axle. What was its condition?

Again, you really want to see an equal increase on both vehicle axles, or as close to that as possible. And, of course, you don't want to exceed the GAWR on either. It will be a fairly delicate balancing act with your trailer size.

- Jack

 

Correction to my post. The back end of the truck and the front end of the TT sit slightly high or appear to be bowed up slightly when on level ground when I took up one link to shift more weight forward. Should the ball be lowered at this point? Currently looking for someone with a good knowledge of WD hitches in the Wichita area so I am safe on the road.

Gary

 

Gary, here's a video on setting up Reese hitches:
It gives you the starting position of the ball, and, talks about setting up the angle of the ball. If your ball is at the correct height, it appears you would adjust the angle of the ball, which changes the distance the spring arms are from the trailer tongue.

And, it appears to me that Reese's instructions are somewhat different from the guidance Equal-I-Zer puts out, so used those given by Reese.

It's a bit of trial and error. Don't be afraid to experiment.

- Jack

 

Thanks for the video. I'll watch and try experimenting some with the hitch.

Best regards,

Gary