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Civil_War_Buff
08-07-2002, 08:20 AM
Hi,

We bought a 2002 2720 this past weekend at an RV show near our home, we have not taken possession yet as I need to sell my tent trailer first, but I was wondering about the need for a WDH?  I have a 1998 Chevy S-10 Blazer and used an anti-sway bar with my TT, but I read that TM does not recommend the use of a sway bar.  Is a WDH necessary?  What are others' thoughts?

Thanks.
Larry

oilspot
08-07-2002, 08:54 AM
You can try it without a WD hitch if you think your truck can handle the tongue weight; but unless your blazer has upgraded springs it will probably sag a good bit...

I would plan on getting one.  They make a tremendous difference in towing and get your front wheels to help share the load.  You'll be amazed how much of a difference it will make.

Denny_A
08-07-2002, 01:14 PM
Hi,

We bought a 2002 2720 this past weekend at an RV show near our home, we have not taken possession yet as I need to sell my tent trailer first, but I was wondering about the need for a WDH? I have a 1998 Chevy S-10 Blazer and used an anti-sway bar with my TT, but I read that TM does not recommend the use of a sway bar. Is a WDH necessary? What are others' thoughts?

Thanks.
Larry


If you have most of the options on your 2720 that everyone seems to get, the tongue weight will run 480-500 lbs. The trailer will be 3000 lbs with propane tanks full. Then you load it for travel.

Yes, a WD Hitch is necessary. Here are 3 links which I thought were useful discussions regarding the specifics of a WDH.

http://www.rumseytruck.com/product/putnamwt.htm

http://www.signonsandiego.com/marketplace/rvcenter/991123trailer.html

http://www.rverscorner.com/info/equalizer.html


Denny_A

Happytrails
08-07-2002, 03:25 PM
You're towing capacity as is will be 5,000lbs, not sure if that's with or without towing package from the factory, (Got an S-10) might get a tranny cooler if ya don't have one. and I'm NOT experienced with towing mine yet, but from what I've read, tow it a few miles first carefully and see if it's needed, from other users of this board, it can mask problems instead of fix em, just make sure ya load everything to specs first tho. Don't lighten the tounge weight of your TM, or weigh it down.......fair enough guys?

Happytrails........

Bill
08-08-2002, 04:53 AM
I am a big fan of weight-distributing hitches. Unfortunately, most of the discussions ignore (or gloss over) one of the most important points. When you load weight onto the hitch ball, you UNload the front end of the tow vehicle.

On most TT setups, the hitch ball is located considerably behind the rear axle. If you put weight on the hitch ball, the whole vehicle acts like a see-saw on a playground - when one end goes down, the other end goes up, pivoting around the rear axle. And when you unload the front end, the vehicle doesn't steer right.

At risk of oversimplifying, see the attached sketch. It's easy to see that if you put enough weight on the hitch, the front wheels would come right off the ground. And then the steering gets really poor! Fortunately, we don't load them that heavy. But if you put 1000 pounds on the hitch, you may very well take 300 pounds off the front wheels, and the car was not designed to steer correctly with 300 pounds (the weight of the engine, in some cases!) removed from the front. Yup, it gets really squirrelly.

Beyond that, the car was designed to handle properly when a certain proportion of the total weight is carried on the front wheels, and the remainder on the rear wheels. If you add 1000 pounds to the rear end, and subtract 300 pounds from the front end, this proportion gets way out of whack. Again, handling suffers.

A weight-distributing hitch puts the weight back where it belongs, dividing it roughly half-and-half between the front and rear wheels. (Actually, a certain amount of it is passed back to the trailer wheels, too.) In operation, a WD hitch is usually described as being like a wheelbarrow. I found a good description of this at
http://www.marinemechanic.com/site/page92.html

So close your eyes, and imagine driving at high speed as somebody gradually lifts the weight off the front wheels of your car. I don't know about you, but it scares me.

Incidentally, part of the reason that 5th wheels don't sway much is that they put the hitch weight directly on (or a bit forward of) the rear axle, eliminating the playground see-saw effect.

Bill

KB7OUR
08-08-2002, 11:56 AM
Bill,

I recently purchased the Eual-i-zer brand hitch for our 2720SL and GMC Yukon XL combo. I asked for and got a lot of different opinions on EQ hitches, most saying save your money. Even with a long tow vehicle like ours, I had some minor sway problems when fully loaded for travel mode. Perhaps 500 lbs in the Yukon and not all of it can be loaded in front of the rear axle since we need room for our 2 girls in the center seats. Couple this with a fully loaded TM and you still have some potential for sway - I hit the "sway" wall just about 65 mph and sooner with strong winds or big trucks passing by. We installed the EQ hitch just prior to a 10-day trip from AZ to Yellowstone a few weeks ago and I was simply AMAZED at how well the Yukon handled. It was truly like "floating" through turns and higher speeds were no longer an issue. I never exceeded 70 for safety even though posted speeds were 75 in some areas. Winds, rain, trucks, etc all were so much easier to deal with. I am sold on the EQ hitch and drove with so much less stress it was amazing.

Wade

oilspot
08-09-2002, 06:16 AM
The discussion here has been on WD hitch vs. non-WD hitch.  Don't confuse sway control with weight distribution.

Weight distribution is very important for safety and vehicle control.  Most small and mid-size vehicles drive and handle much better with WD hitch installed.  Full size vehicles can usually accomondate the ~500 lb tongue weight of a TM, but may still benefit from WD hitch set ups.

Sway control is an secondary device (in most cases) which resists sway by some type of friction or dampening.

Most TMs tow very well and sway control is used for "piece of mind."  It is dangerous to use sway controlers on trailers with a true sway problem.

drolfs
08-11-2002, 05:16 AM
I just bought a 3023 mid-July in Liberty MO, about 250 miles away. The dealer had a Hensley Arrow hitch available, which I was actively looking for. (Unfortunately, it was a 2 5/16" ball for my 2" Trailmanor...found this out when I got home). But since it was Saturday, he didn't have a mechanic to install it. He loaned me an Equilizer with sway bar until I could install the Hensley myself. I took the Trailmanor on a 2500 mile trip to Rushmore, Devil'e Tower and Yellowstone with the Equilizer in place. It handled fairly well, but big trucks and cross winds still could be felt. I didn't like unhooking the weight distributing bars and sway device every time we disconnected the Durango (2002, 4.7l w/ tow package). I also bent the sway bar connector, even though I didn't back up with sway bar attached (as instructed by the dealer).

When I returned home,  the Hensley people had switched out the 2 5/16" main unit for a 2" one. I installed the Hensley and took a test drive to Liberty, MO to have some service done on the new Trailmanor (Suburban stove had screws missing....only took an hour to disassemble and fix....wheh....., hold down latch was broken....bad weld, L-shaped bed guides didn't have enough staples, kids broke the antenna rotator shaft.....).

Anyway, the Hensley DROVE GREAT. I'd pay twice what the Hensley cost ($2700) to prevent sway. I HATE SWAY !!! The Durango (110 inch wheelbase) felt like driving a big rig. The Durango feels more stable with the trailer attached than without.

Sorry about the long-winded post, but I thought someone would like to know about these alternative hitches. I thought it might be overkill on a light trailer (3023 is 3700# dry), but I LIKE IT....

08-11-2002, 06:27 AM
Am I mistaken, or did you mean to say $270.00 for the Hitch?

Dave

Bill
08-12-2002, 01:04 AM
Unfortunately, no. The Hensley web site
http://www.nosway.com/pricing.htm
shows the current price at $2795. But shipping is free!

I admit I don't know anything about the Hensley. The mechanical operation looks interesting and ingenious. However, it seems to me that the various dual-cam setups do pretty much the same thing for a lot less money. For a good example, see the Reese web site http://www.reeseprod.com. Click "Products", then "Weight Distribution", then "Dual Cam Sway Control". The Reese website does not include prices, but I have this exact Reese WD hitch and springbars (without the dual cam kit) and love it. I expect that if I wanted to add the dual cam kit, the cost would be no more than a couple hundred bucks. Total cost of WD hitch and dual-cam would be about $500-600. In the face of this, you would have to really LOVE the Hensley.

Bill

Civil_War_Buff
08-12-2002, 08:42 AM
Wow, what a wealth of information. I spoke to a friend and he suggested that I heed the info here, so I have ordered  a WDH from Reese, I ordered a Single Spring Bar Weight Distributing Kit
(Reese products number 66069),
which had a tounge weight limit of 400 lbs. and a trailer weight of 4000 lbs.

I am upgrading from a Coleman Niagara, and I have not felt the need for a WDH, but I did use sway control. The Coleman weighs in at about 3300 lbs, so I figured that going to a lighter trailer I would not need it. But based on what I have read here I don't want to risk the alternative.

Thanks so much!

Happytrails
08-12-2002, 10:10 AM
CW Buff, did you check in on the toungue weight of the TM? 400lbs doesn't sound like enough as most of them are 400lbs and up *unloaded*. I'm not sure what the 2720's is, but don't forget to include the "loaded" weight as that will be what you're towing! Correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but I'd sure hate to see someone run into a problem their first time out. I can fully appreciate what Bill had to say about "unloading" the front of a tow vehicle. Last year on a trip to the outter banks, we were coming back from a camping trip (Note, no trailer at all). I had the whole back of my s-10 blazer loaded, to include a "hitchauler". I could NOT drive 65 back over that long bridge as my front end started bouncing so bad, it felt like had I gone 70, my front end was going to come completely off the ground! Yup, I started bouncing continuously across the bridge, and had to slow to 55 just to even feel comfortable driving!

Happytrails.......

Denny_A
08-12-2002, 01:59 PM
====snip======

ordered  a WDH from Reese, I ordered a Single Spring Bar Weight Distributing Kit
(Reese products number 66069),
which had a tounge weight limit of 400 lbs. and a trailer weight of 4000 lbs.  




I concur with HappyT. 400# tongue wt limit won't get it for a 2720SL. My tongue weight (unloaded) is around 480#. By loading properly I can keep it at about 500 #'s plus a little. My weight distrbution system is rated at 750#. It works very well for me. I'm sure a 550# setup would also work - the 750# was a pesonal "cushion" choice.

I would strongly suggest  determing your tongue weight before getting stuck with a hitch that won't handle the load properly. Go to a "truck stop" which features a calibrated scale.

Position the tow vehicle such that the rear wheels are just off the scale. Determine the weight on the trailer wheels with the tongue on the hitch, w/out weight distribution hook up. Disconnect the trailer and crank the tongue up high enough so all the tongue weight is on the scale. Weigh the trailer again. The 2nd minus the 1st reading is the tongue weight.

Alternatively use the method shown at the bottom of the page in this link :

   http://www.rumseytruck.com/product/putnamwt.htm


Denny_A

Civil_War_Buff
08-14-2002, 08:56 AM
Ok, Ok, I see that I am in over my head here.  I have cancelled my order on the Mini-400, and I am looking at the Draw-Tite 3201, does that one fit the bill?  All that I know about the TM that I am getting is that it has 2 - 20lb. LP tanks and 2 - 6V GCart batteries on the tongue.  I thought that going from the Coleman to the TM was gonna be easier on towing, not more difficult, but I will do the things that are necessary to be safe.  I will have a trans cooler put on as well, as this is something that I have been wanting all along anyhow.  Thanks everyone for the help and patience. ::)

Happytrails
08-14-2002, 10:33 AM
No problem CW Buff, is what we're here for.  :) BTW, it's not easier on towing, it's easier to tow. One of the reasons is because of it's overly heavy tounge weight....designed that way. With the proper setup, it should feel as easy to tow as your coleman was.

Happytrails........

08-20-2002, 02:10 PM
I pull a 2619 with a Suburban with a 130 inch wheelbase and have neither a WDH nor Sway Control and have no problems.

However, I do feel semi's when they pass me at 70 or 80 when I am doing 60 mph but that would happen whether or not I am towing; even with a Suburban. I think it would be worse with a Blazer, towing or not.

If someone wants to buy a WDH or Sway Control I guess that's OK but I think I would try towing without either for a short trip before spending the money. If it works for a short trip it should work all the time.

Dick_B

oilspot
08-20-2002, 02:13 PM
Full size trucks like the Suburban can usually handle the high tongue weights.  My Pathfinder (and most mid-sized SUVs) cannot.  It really depends on the vehicle and suspension setup.

Civil_War_Buff
08-21-2002, 05:46 AM
oilspot-

What WDH do you use?  Is the towing capacity on your Pathy 5K?

I agree with the statement that "No amount of sway is OK".

oilspot
08-22-2002, 01:07 AM
I have a Reese brank WDH.  I think it is the second from the lightest model, with a rating of 800lb tongue and 10,000 lb trailer.  Needless to say the TM doesn't come close, to these weights and I could get by with a smaller unit.  However this is what the dealer "gave" me with the trailer and I didn't complain.

My Pathfinder is rated for 5,000 lb max trailer weight, and 300lb max tongue weight (w/o wdh) or 500lb tongue weight w/ wdh.

I am amazed what a WDH can do!!!  My old little pop-up made the soft PF springs sag so much I was going to get an air-lift kit.  With the TM and wdh, the PF rides smooth and level.  The ride improvement was amazing.

08-27-2002, 01:06 AM
I have a question about the sway control. I have the Reese friction sway control and used it for the first time this past weekend. Is it normal or correct to hear noise when pulling during turns. On the way to camp, I did not hear anything. On the return trip, I tried turning the adjustment bar a few turns tighter. It sounded like a binding noise when I started out. It was very loud and I am not sure if this is normal. I backed off on the adjustment until I did not hear any noise. At this point the sway bar seems loose and is easy to move around even though it is secured with the pins.
Thanks in advance for any helpful info. :)

08-27-2002, 04:17 PM
Summary of my recent (within the last year) towing combinations, all behind the "Burly Girl" -- a Ford Excursion 4x4 Diesel.

1)  Towing TM2720 with EA-Z-Lift (I think that's how it is spelled) equalizing hitch.   The previous owners of the TM2720 included this in the deal.  The EA-Z-Lift setup is a bit strange at first, there's a bolt in the hitch used to angle the unit to take up or remove tension in the bars, in addition to the traditional "pick your link in the chain" approach.   I didn't really like the lift mechanism as the hooks used to catch the chain links are flat, and some times the chain would fly off the hook while I was attaching the bars.

I found this was less a problem if I left the trailer on the tongue jack when attaching.  Then you hook up the bar chains and raise the tongue jack.

Most of my miles towing the TM were with this setup, and I never had any problems with sway.   I sometimes felt the bars were a bit springy, though, as I'd notice some bounce.  I don't know the bar ratings.

2)  Towing the 2720 (short distances) without the bars attached.  NOT RECOMENDED.   Too much bounce on the front axle.

3)  Tried my old Reese equalizer setup.   I really like this, but my drop bar dragged as it is too long for the Burly Girl -- my old pickup was a little higher.   No sway control, and I like the setup better than the EA-Z-Lift.

4)  I also have a small Wells Cargo enclosed 5x8 trailer.  Doesn't really count, but I never used equalizers or sway control.  Again, no problems.

5)  The Reese setup also went into service picking up my new full-sized travel trailer (about 8,000 pounds).   THAT WAS HAIRY.  The load bars are under-rated for that much tongue weight.   And for the first time I decided I'd need sway control.

6)  Finally broke down and bought insurance in the form of the $2,700 Hensley Arrow.   Lots of bucks.  But with this much trailer I absolutely *would not* go without this hitch.  I'm convinced it's the best hitch available for towing.  May be better than fifth wheels, even.  The down sides (beside cost) are: when I leave the trailer for service - it has to come off.  Hitching up is different and takes some practice.

I happen to think the Hensley is not needed for the TM if your tow vehicle has a long enough wheelbase.  Shorter vehicles might use some sway control, but I'd try a friction bar first, before spending almost $3k for a Hensley.

Jon

Civil_War_Buff
09-02-2002, 03:42 PM
When I picked my 2720 up on Thursday, the dealer said that my Blazer would need a WDH, he put the trailer down on my ball first to let me decide...when I heard the springs start to groan on the Blazer I was sold immediately. The dealer did install a Eaz-a-lift which has a trailer rating of 10K lbs, and a tongue weight of 1000 lbs. It sounds like a bit of overkill, but I find it very easy to set up, and I experience absolutely NO SWAY at all while towing.

I am now a firm believer in WDH and will always recommend that when in doubt, check it out.

Happy Campin' <><

Happytrails
09-03-2002, 12:11 PM
C_W_B, is your blazer an s-10 model? Just wondering as that's what I have and am in the process of getting a WDH. They have a used one with the 1000 lb toungue weight, but they said that might be too much.......If not, it'd save me about 100.00!

Happytrails........

Civil_War_Buff
09-04-2002, 01:35 AM
Happytrails,

Yes, I have a 1998 S-10 Blazer.  I don't find that the heavy duty one is too much, I find that it is just fine.  I have the EAZ-lift model 1009 and it seems to be doing the job nicely.

CWB

Happytrails
09-04-2002, 10:07 AM
C_W_B, Thanks, I'll be picking up the used one tomorrow for 179.00 when I get my tow package installed. (Instead of spending $279.00 on a new one). After my last trip to the outter banks, my front end was coming up almost off the ground bouncing while going over the long bridge down there just from the load I had in the back of the blazer, I *know* I anyway, would be needing the WD hitch after adding another 450lbs to the back. But yes, it's an EZ-Lift, but not sure what model it is.......

Oilspot, I received my Prodigy brake control today and will have it put on tomorrow. A friend of mine heads the service department for an RV dealership. (Tho not a TM dealership). He said it was probably the best one out there, once it's set, you can forget about it and probably not have to touch it again! The RV shop I got it from matched campers choice's price of 130.00, tho the dealership where my friend works charges 170.00 for the same controller!

Happytrails.......

oilspot
09-04-2002, 02:10 PM
Happytrails,

Sounds like youre getting a pretty good system set up.  

I really like the Prodigy controller.  Works at almost any angle and seems bullet proof so far.

The only time I have trouble with the controller is during stop-and-go traffic.  The controller thinks I'm rolling to a stop; so just about the time the car in front of me starts to move, the controller is easing on the brakes to hold me where I am.

I think this feature is programmable, but I keep forgetting to deciper the instructions.

Let me know how it works out for you.

Happytrails
09-05-2002, 12:24 PM
Will do Oilspot, and ended up getting the WD hitch for 150.00, but it didn't include the 2 brackets that clamp to the trailer frame, but she let me have them at her cost $33 a piece......all in all, not a bad deal. It's the EZ Lift 1000, with a short drop bar which is what I need for my setup. Unfortunately, the shop poked along installing my whole tow package, so it won't be ready till tomorrow sometime, but that's ok, as long as I get it back by this weekend! It's funny, I ran into someone that owns another M25 almost just like mine, he sent me copies of everything that came with his to include several of their first brochures, and a video, get what the people in the video and in the brochures were towing it with? A Chevy Celebrity!!!! And it was the exact same model as mine, the 1986 equivelent of a 3023! Pretty odd huh?

Happytrails.......

Chris_Bauer
09-11-2002, 09:25 AM
Need some help here.  I will buy an EAZ-LIFT WDH rated at 10,000 lbs. This is the model #1009.  It is the only one I can find here in Mexico.  I went to the shop today and they showed me how to hook it up to the Pathfinder.  I have some doubts apart from the fact that it seems a bit complicated to me.

The brackets (?) that attach to the TM have a long bolt, does this bolt stick out considerably when attached?

When attaching the chains, there is a stem which sticks out off of the bracket (looks like a stirrup) and comes with a bar to "pry" or lift, or something.  What do I do here?

In the instructions (greek to me) it says to measure the distance from the ground to the front bumper as well as the back.  Is this to eliminate the sag?

What is the general setup time for this WDH?

Your help is appreciated as we are going to Texas to take the TM out of storage. We are headed to the Shrimporee in Port Aranasas.

Thanks

Chris  P.S. This hitch weighs a ton :-/

oilspot
09-11-2002, 09:37 AM
Chris,

The measurements are for setting up the hitch and generally only done once.  Ideally you measure the truck before hook-up and then after.  By adjusting which link you hook onto, you can adjust the height of your truck.  You want the truck level or slightly lower in the back.

The bolts do stick out; but it isn't as noticable as you would think.  They are on the inside of the A-frame out of the way of passing knees or shins.

The stirrup shaped piece hook onto a link in the chain.  Then you use the handle to snap the stirrup up into place and secure it with the pin.  By counting the number of links down from the end of the chain, you can adjust how much torsion load is on the tongue of the trailer.  On my pathfinder, I hook onto the fifth link (but I have a different hitch).

The weight of the hitch is indicative of the strength required to bear the torsion load.  Unless they are titanium, the hitch will be quite heavy.  I guess it is a trade-off for the better weight distribution...

Hope this helps

09-11-2002, 09:50 AM
Oilspot,
After everything is hooked up, including the sway control, should there be any noise from the setup when turning. I put on a Reese Sway Control and if I don't leave it what seems to be very loose, I hear a noise that sounds like it is binding or bumping. I have not used a full hitch setup before so I am not sure what is normal. Any help would be appreciated. :)

oilspot
09-11-2002, 12:11 PM
Try your set-up without the sway control for a while.  If the sound goes away than the sway controller was probably the culprit.

You might be surprised how well it tows without sway control....

If you end up adding the sway control back, here is a tip.
Most sway controllers are friction type, which means it is just two plates pushing against each other.  The adjustment is quite sensitive and shouldn't be "cranked down" very hard.  Loosen the adjusting screw and then tighten it with just one finger.  That's usually all it takes to control the sway...

REMEMBER:  Trailer sway is very dangerous and should not be taken lightly.  A sway controller may improve handling, but contrary to its name, should not be used in cases of bonafide sway..

Okay I'm off the soap box now

arknoah
09-12-2002, 01:13 AM
Videoguy,

During our shakedown trip in April of last year, we were heading for a store then heading home, and when we turned into the store parking lot, there was this incredible grinding sound that seemed as though the front frame of our tow vehicle was bending or creaking.  Turned out it was the sway control sound, which you tend not to hear when you're heading down the highway.  Once we realized that, we were less concerned.  We routinely take the sway control off as soon as we enter a campground to make it easier to back up, but don't worry about the creaking sound when we're heading out on the road.

09-12-2002, 01:48 AM
F. J. and Ellen

[quote]
During our shakedown trip in April of last year, we were heading for a store then heading home, and when we turned into the store parking lot, there was this incredible grinding sound that seemed as though the front frame of our tow vehicle was bending or creaking. [quote]

That is exactly what I was hearing also. I just did not know if that was because it was set too tight. When I backed off on the setting, it was not very noisy. It just seems like that the sway bar is very loose when I did this, but I guess that it is ok since the pins lock it in place.
Thanks for the reply.
We are preparing to leave for a trip to New England in 10 days so I am trying to soak up all the info and advice that I can find.

Civil_War_Buff
09-12-2002, 03:17 AM
Need some help here. I will buy an EAZ-LIFT WDH rated at 10,000 lbs. This is the model #1009. It is the only one I can find here in Mexico. I went to the shop today and they showed me how to hook it up to the Pathfinder. I have some doubts apart from the fact that it seems a bit complicated to me.

The brackets (?) that attach to the TM have a long bolt, does this bolt stick out considerably when attached?

When attaching the chains, there is a stem which sticks out off of the bracket (looks like a stirrup) and comes with a bar to "pry" or lift, or something. What do I do here?

In the instructions (greek to me) it says to measure the distance from the ground to the front bumper as well as the back. Is this to eliminate the sag?

What is the general setup time for this WDH?

Your help is appreciated as we are going to Texas to take the TM out of storage. We are headed to the Shrimporee in Port Aranasas.

Thanks

Chris P.S. This hitch weighs a ton :-/

Chris,

Yes the WDH does weigh a ton, but you will get used to it! As for the measurement, they mean to measure the tow vehicle from bumper to ground before the trailer is hooked up, this is so that once you hook up the chains, you can measure to see which link to use. I just hooked it up with 2 links hanging down loose, stood back and looked, then took one more link up (3 hanging loose) and all looks fine, but better yet works fine. Also, with the amount of "lift " is adjustable, you can add more weight in the back of your tow and compensate with the WDH chain (as long as you don't exceed the vehicle GVWR). Oilspot did a great job of explaining, and he is correct about the bolts and stirrups, (I have the same WDH you do though), so here is the one trick that will make life really easy for you...when you are hooking up the WDH, put the trailer on the hitch ball, latch it, and then lift the trailer and rear of the TV a little to about where you want it to be, THEN hook up the torsion bar chains, then lower the trailer back down. It should only settle a little bit, and if that looks right, go ahead and raise the tongue wheel the rest of the way and remove the wheel. Now when you take it off do the EXACT opposite, raise the tongue all hitched up with the wheel, unhook the torsion bars, then LOWER the trailer to release the latch. It is very important that you do NOT release the hitch latch while the connection is being lifted by the wheel.

If you want to see what mine looks like all hitched up, look at the pictures (pichurs) link from my website.

I hope that this helps, and I have found that it only takes me about a minute extra to hook up with the WDH.

Happy Campin' <><

Chris_Bauer
09-12-2002, 08:22 AM
Hey guys,

Thanks for all the great advice.  I will drive to McAllen tomorrow night and take the trailer about 5 miles with the regular hitch to the rv park for the night. Then on Saturday I will have time in the morning (light) to set up the WDH before heading to Corpus.  After reading your posts I went back and read the instructions and it seems to make a lot more sense now.  

Thanks again and will update everyone when I return next Tuesday.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Chris

Happytrails
09-14-2002, 08:17 AM
This was one of those things ya happen along sometimes, I thought I'd share with you guys..... I was driving down near the city dump, (transfer station), going somewhere when I noticed the truck/trailer combo in front of me.......the truck was like a ford ranger, towing a small trailer full of stuff headed for the dump. The trailer was only about 5 feet long, maybe 3.5" wide, just a tiny thing! What struck me as odd at 25mph, it was like following a dog wagging his tail! I'm guessing most of the weight in the trailer was distributed to the absolute rear of it, tho the contents of it weren't really discernable.......bunch of scraps of different things.......But I guess it doesn't matter what you tow, you have to be careful about loading......I couldn't possibly imagine the combo going down the interstate....Just an interesting observation.....

Happytrails........

09-15-2002, 11:16 PM
CWB,
I just want to be sure I have this right. When weight is added to the tongue and in the rear of the tow vehicle, then you must take up links in the chain to compensate and level the trailer and TV. To be exact, when I picked up my 3023 from the dealer, they hooked up on the 4th link and left 3 links hanging. So, now when I load up for a trip and I have more weight in the TV and trailer, I should probably end up with 4 or 5 links hanging. Is this correct? :)

HappyTrails,
I also saw a van pulling a enclosed trailer not long ago and the trailer was all over the road behind it. That is a scary thing to be around.

Civil_War_Buff
09-16-2002, 02:04 AM
[quote]CWB,
I just want to be sure I have this right. When weight is added to the tongue and in the rear of the tow vehicle, then you must take up links in the chain to compensate and level the trailer and TV. To be exact, when I picked up my 3023 from the dealer, they hooked up on the 4th link and left 3 links hanging. So, now when I load up for a trip and I have more weight in the TV and trailer, I should probably end up with 4 or 5 links hanging. Is this correct? :)

quote]


Possibly, that is why they say to measure the bumper to ground distance before hooking up.  You are on the right track though, and that is if you add more weight to the tongue or the rear of the TV you may need to adjust the WDH to compensate.  When all hooked up the TV should be level to slightly down in the rear, but this is where that measurement is important.  As with mine, when I brought the TM home from the dealer they had it with 2 links hanging free, and after I loaded up, I took up one more (so I had 3 hanging loose), and the Blazer rides as it does without a trailer.  What is important is that the TM tows as close to level as possible without too much sag on the rear of the TV.  Hopefully the TM and TV will look like -- and not like ^ or a v when all hooked up.


Happy Campin' <><

Chris_Bauer
09-18-2002, 05:48 AM
Just came back from Corpus and wanted to give my two cents on the WDH Eaz-Lift #1009.  Works great with the Pathfinder.  I did sent the TM down on the hitch first without the WDH and you could hear the springs groan a bit as the back end sagged down. With the WDH the trip was great and I drove 65 all the way without a problem from passing trucks, sway, or any other type of problem. Thanks again for the great advice.

Chris

Civil_War_Buff
09-19-2002, 05:25 AM
I knew it would work just fine for you!!  I find that towing is now a joy and not a nerve racking experience for me anymore.

Happy Campin' <><

10-14-2002, 11:36 AM
Hi everyone,

Ok we got our TM a month ago and just went on a long interstate trip.  We do not have WDH or sway (by instruction of the dealer).  We have the 2720 and drive a grand cherokee with a v8.  The trailer producted heavy sway any speed over 70.  I had a coleman nigara and did not have a sway but it drove at 80 if needed.  I meet another TM person at the camp ground and they did have a WDH or sway and said that they drove over 86.  So what is the best for sway.  The controller or WDH?  I need something and my dealer said I don't need anything (stopped by on my way home).  

Help please

Tripdreamer

Bill
10-14-2002, 12:42 PM
As someone pointed out in an earlier post, the function of sway control is really to mask a problem. That's not to say it isn't good, but you should correct the problem. What is the problem? Sounds to me like you are improperly loaded.
There are three components to proper loading.

1. How is the TM loaded? The hitch weight of the TM should be about 12%-15% of the total weight of the TM. That means the hitch weight should be somewhere around 400-500 pounds, and that's quite a bit. If you have loaded too much weight in the rear of the TM in an attempt (purposeful or not) to lighten the weight on the hitch, the trailer will sway. No doubt about it. So confirming that your tongue weight is right is your first move.

2. Beyond that, I don't think a Cherokee can handle 400-500 pounds on the bumper (or equivalent location) very well. This much weight on the bumper appreciably UNloads the front wheels, which also causes loss of control. So I think a WDH is your second move.

3. How is the Cherokee itself loaded? There should be relatively little cargo weight aft of the rear axle. I have been through the experience of loading several hundred pounds of stuff in the way-back of our Explorer, behind the rear axle. Major sway! To the maximum extent possible, load all of the Cherokee's cargo forward of the rear axle.

A Coleman Niagara is lighter than a TM, and has a much smaller tongue weight. What worked for the Niagara will not necessarily work here. But with proper loading, and a WDH, I think nearly everyone on this board will agree that you should NOT experience sway, and you should NOT require a sway control device.

Hope this helps.

Bill

BOB_STRONG
10-14-2002, 12:47 PM
:)Tripdreamer;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          We have a 2002 3326King pulled by a Dodge Durango which was ordered with a trailer towing package and the 5.9 V8. On our 1994 3326 King and this new trailer, I use a WDH and a sway control bar. My hitch is a draw tite which I bought at a good price a U Haul. Without the sway control, I would get a little nervous when I was passing a truck or a big truck flew by me. Now I can relax when I see an 18 wheeler in my side view mirror. Play it safe and spend the $135.00 for your own piece of mind and the safety of your loved ones!!! :o If you have any questions, let me know. A happy TM owner.                                                                                                                                                                                           Bob Strong :)