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WDH setup help?

Discussion in 'Towing & Hauling' started by Luckie Stiff, May 15, 2018.

  1. May 15, 2018 at 5:01 PM
    #1
    Luckie Stiff

    Luckie Stiff [OP] New Member

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    Scott
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    here's the guts, I upgraded trucks since buying the TT. I've got the equalizer 4 point 10K wdh, currently there's 5 washers on the pivot thing, in the pic you can see the height difference, this is with both TT and Tundra dead level (almost) from what I've read online both here and other places it looks to me like I need to go up one hole in the shank. Yes? No? Thoughts?

    Thanks!

    20180515_183101.jpg
     
  2. May 15, 2018 at 5:06 PM
    #2
    Bappa

    Bappa Off the grid

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    I just got a new WDH a week ago and hooked it up Sunday. Mine can adjust by leaning it forward or backward, as well as moving up or down a hole. Looks like it just needs adjust forward a little, to get the ball a little higher. I cant tell by the picture if yours is like that or not.
     
  3. May 15, 2018 at 5:43 PM
    #3
    JoshuaA

    JoshuaA Canuck Member

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    Not a fan of an angled ball that the coupler needs to hold onto, I’d get a longer shank with a lower drop, Curt brand (compatible with Equ) and eliminate the pivot so it’s vertical.
     
  4. May 15, 2018 at 6:08 PM
    #4
    gdiep

    gdiep I like cookies

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    You would want the TT to be level or slightly nose down when hitched to the Tundra. You want the tundra about the same wheel-to-wheelwell gap before and after the TT is hitched with the wdh bars installed (you have to take before and after measurements for front and rear wheelwells). You have to make adjustments until you end up with level or slightly nose down on trailer while the front and rear of the tundra is relatively the same after you hook everything up. Once you do that, then your all set, shouldn’t have to change much from trip to trip. I would probably take one or two washers out to try to get the ball more plumb. It only needs a slight tilt to the trailer (my opinion on this only).
     
    CM-LENNY likes this.
  5. May 15, 2018 at 7:33 PM
    #5
    Sterlinglwood

    Sterlinglwood Never enough!

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    How many links are you at when hookin up the bars? More than half with it jacked all the way up than I would adjust.
     
  6. May 16, 2018 at 3:39 AM
    #6
    gdiep

    gdiep I like cookies

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    He’s got an equalizer - no “links”.
     
  7. May 20, 2018 at 4:52 AM
    #7
    astro-jason

    astro-jason New Member

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    You want the ball as level as you can get it with the trailer and equalizer hitch hooked up. As for the truck you want it as close to factory ride height (before you hook up trailer)and the trailer level or nose down a couple of degrees. It usually takes me about 1.0 to 1.5 to set one up, but then again I'm a little picky, but once set up correctly you will be a happy camper.

    -Jason
     
  8. May 20, 2018 at 6:43 AM
    #8
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    The reason the coupler is angled:

    - This gives you the desired tension on the bars for load distribution and sway control.

    29A0B912-FEDF-4F61-8041-427067429F1C.jpg
     
    JoshuaA[QUOTED] and CM-LENNY like this.
  9. May 20, 2018 at 6:55 AM
    #9
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    https://www.equalizerhitch.com/manuals-guides/tips/top-10-installation-tips

    How does the trailer level out when hooked up?

    My experiences are like your research, the ball should be 1.5-2” above the trailer coupler.
     
  10. May 20, 2018 at 8:35 AM
    #10
    Luckie Stiff

    Luckie Stiff [OP] New Member

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    thanks for all the responses, i did end up going on notch higher on the hitch, left the angle of the dangle alone and it feels/looks right
     
  11. May 20, 2018 at 9:16 AM
    #11
    JoshuaA

    JoshuaA Canuck Member

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    Isn’t it less than optimal anytime the ball is beyond 90 degrees? (coupler coming from the right of this protractor like pic above)

    5B2691D4-4AA3-416E-A5F8-C09CE0FABC21.gif

    Also, I’m wondering what do people do with Timbrens/Sumo/Airbags when they have shackles? Because the removed bumpstop clearance is now greater than 6.5”. Have people here mentioned using spacers, from where? Thx
     
  12. May 20, 2018 at 9:52 AM
    #12
    CM-LENNY

    CM-LENNY No Complaints

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    As stated above, the key thing is taking measurements of the truck fenders to the ground before and after trailer hook-up. You want the front and rear as close as possible as it was before you hooked up the trailer. I have that same hitch and I spent an hour or so dialing it in to get it right on. Not enough adjustment washers in there will not give you enough weight distribution to the front of the truck and your steering will be light. To many washers is to much weight to the front and your trucks ass end is light. Don't worry about the look of the ball angle when un-hooked. Once everything is connected and dialed in with the W/D bars and hitch you will be golden. It's all about tape measurements on the truck and trailer. Happy Towing.............
     
  13. May 20, 2018 at 10:50 AM
    #13
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    It isn’t less optimal if you understand how a LDH works and how the spring bars get tension and raise the load/truck back up.



    The people with “other” load systems and lift their vehicles either have to raise the bump stop or just wasted their money.
     
    JoshuaA[QUOTED] likes this.
  14. May 20, 2018 at 1:42 PM
    #14
    j2007

    j2007 New Member

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    I have the same Equalizer hitch, and from the looks of it, a similar TT tongue height. I had to go up to the top holes on my hitch to get the TT level hitched. These new TTs are really high. I ended up with four washers, then adjusted the L-brackets on the trailer to get the weight distribution correct.

    Use Equalizer’s tape measure method to get the washers and L-brackets close, but then I highly recommend a trip to a truck scale to confirm your setup. I tweaked mine more seeing the weights. Weights for truck alone, truck and trailer w/o WD bars, and then together with WD bars will tell you if you’re shifting the right amount of weight and how much payload capacity you have left.
     
    TacoWuzzaTurd and ColoradoTJ like this.

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