Questions on towing vehicle / TM model years

[Bill]

I don't understand these guys. OF COURSE you can install a WDH on a TM, with or without a swing tongue. Any number of us have them, including me, Rocky Mtn Ray, and many others. Have they given you any clue as to what the problem is? The only WDH component that mounts on the trailer is the snap-up brackets, and they drop onto the main rail well behind the swing-tongue mechanism. The only way there would be a problem is if the hitch you have chosen has some really short springbars, which would place the snap-up brackets too far forward.

FWIW, the overall length of the springbars on my Reese hitch is 32", and it fits perfectly. What is the length of the springbars that CW is trying to install?

Bill

Bill, I special-ordered a Reese kit that was rated 750 lbs./10,000 lbs. I have no clue what the length is -- is there a way to find out what size they use for this kit? I just did a random search on the web and found that the Draw-Tite 750 lbs. kits use 30" bars, but I can't find anything on the Reese specs. Do I definitely need 32" or greater for a swing-around tongue? Is there such a kit?

The only WDH they had in stock last week was a 1000 lbs./10,000 lbs. Reese kit. From what I read on this forum somewhere, it wasn't wise to get a WDH that was overly capable of handling that much tongue weight, so that's why I ordered instead of using what they had (I read several times here that a 750 lb. was more than capable for a 2720SL).

They didn't really say why it wouldn't work -- just that the swing-around tongue was in the way and they couldn't install. Even if I go back armed with the info JUST on this thread, I really don't trust them to do a competent job of installing, agreed?

[Bill]

What is the part number of your Reese hitch?

I can think of only one possible problem. Your hitch has TWO springbars, right? There are some lightweight hitches that have only a single bar, mounted in the center (instead of two bars, one on each side). This would be a problem - but I don't think the single-bar hitches have ratings as high as 750 pounds.

You should be able to find your hitch on the Reese web site www.reeseprod.com.

BTW, there would be nothing wrong with a hitch rated 1000/10,000 pounds. It is overkill, but it works fine.

We also need to review terminology again, as Ray laid out a few days ago. The hitch RECEIVER is what bolts onto the frame of your car. The receiver has a square opening, about 2 inches on a side.

The BALLMOUNT (and drawbar) is what slides into the square opening in the receiver. The ballmount, as the name implies, is what holds the hitch ball. Together, the receiver and the ballmount comprise a "hitch". Neither one alone is a "hitch".

The RECEIVER can work as the base of a weight-CARRYING hitch, or as the base of a weight-DISTRIBUTING hitch. It doesn't care. The ballmount determines whether you have a weight-carrying or weight-distributing hitch. If it is weight-distributing, then the ballmount accepts springbars. If it is weight-carrying, there are no springbars.

You should spend some time on the Reese site. It is a little hard to navigate, but has some good pictures of all this.

Bill

If it were me I would try to go to a place that has different brands/geometries to choose from like a truck accessory shop. Around here its called Spillar Hitches, or something like that.
You've got to be frustrated at this point, so try to find a place where they put hitches on all the time and have lots in stock to choose from. I hope there is one somewhere near you.

[Denny_A]

......our arms about WDH spring bars and other stuff associated with a WDH rig, I thought I'd link to instructions for installation of a typical WDH. It's the model I used; when I still had a trailer. It's a PDF. Go to page two and see a pretty good pictorial of setup. Length of spring bars is critical if one has to get past the hinge point of the swing away tongue, as Bill indicated.

Link: http://www.quality-s.com/PDF/wdh1002a.pdf

Also check out step #5 , re. determining position of "snap-up-brackets, at bottom of the first page.

HTH - Denny_A

Here's the Reese hitch I ordered: http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...20770&tab=desc. Looks to be part # 67509.

It's definitely a two-bar hitch, but I can't find anything anywhere as to the length of the bars. They need to be at least 32", correct? That way, the clips are installed behind the weld for the swing-around tongue?

Bill, I recall reading in a thread somewhere here that if I used a 1000 lbs-rated WDH, but the actual tongue weight was only somewhere around 500 lbs, *IF* the WDH was not adjusted properly for some reason, it could over-torque the frame and really cause damage. I'm curious -- if there's no disadvantage to using the stronger one, why do they sell them in 750 lb- and 1000 lb- ratings? If I had a big strong truck frame, I wouldn't worry ... but since I'm using the MDX, I don't want to push it.

Sincere thanks for the quick feedback, gang ... this really IS frustrating, because I want to get out and use the darn thing already!

- Mark

[fcatwo]

Our 600lb "Equal-i-zer" brand hitch has 35" bars and frame mounts that can be installed 27" to 32" from the ball. They are a little more spendy at around $400.00 with free shipping from a couple of places on the net. One is http://www.rvsupplywarehouse.com. I got ours from the other supplier but didn't find their site on my first search.

These don't have chains, as you'll see, and incorporate a sway control feature. Unfortunately they only make them in 600, 1000 and 1200lb sizes.

Others have reported problems with the horizontal propane tanks on the SL models interfering with WDH frame mount brackets. I think the problem is that there isn't room to snap the gizmos up that hold the chains without hitting the tanks. You'll want to check that as well.

Are those "Equal-i-zer" hitches the best solution for TMs with horizontal tanks?

[Bill]

Mark -

I'm going to be out of town for a week, so you won't hear from me until then. But I see nothing to prevent you from using the hitch you have in mind.

Yes, the snap-up brackets drop onto the frame rails just aft of the welds for the swing tongue - just as you said. As noted in the link Denny provided, and in the Reese instructions, the chains should end up approximately vertical, but there is nothing that needs to be measured with a micrometer here. I am under the impression that moving the brackets an inch forward or back would not cause a problem, as long as you have at least 5 chain links under tension when the trailer is hooked up and ready to travel.

Again as you said, there is nothing in the Camping World ad or the Reese instructions to indicate the length of the bars in your chosen Reese hitch, but there is no reason to think that Reese has made an oddball.

If this isn't resolved by the time I get back, I will post a picture of my Reese WDH on my TM 2720SL swing tongue, which you can print and take to Camping World. They should be able to explain to you EXACTLY what is different about your chosen hitch, and why it won't work. In the meantime, perhaps Ray or one of the other folks with this setup will post a photo of their own.

The Equalizer is a good WDH, but it will not address this issue any differently than the Reese hitch. Switching to an Equalizer will not magically make this "problem" go away. If I understand you, Camping World's objection seems to be a generic exception to ALL WDH's, right?

The fact that the 2720SL has horizontal propane tanks is irrelevant to anything having to do with the WDH, snap-up brackets, or springbars.

And finally, mea culpa. I forgot about the discussion having to do with frame twist. Your choice of a 750-pound rating is probably the best choice for your vehicle.

Keep your chin up - I am confident that this WILL be resolved to your complete satisfaction, and the world of worry-free TMing will open up to you!

Bill

Mark,

My son has the Eaual-I-Zer hitch on his toy hauler and it is a great hitch. I think the best thing about it is its simplicity in how sway control is integrated into the weight distribution system. One advantage is that rain/water doesn't reduce the anti sway like the friction tubes used by others.

That being said, you really don't need anti sway on a TM. Also, they cost $100 or so more than the chain variety.

I have no problem with the chain type.

It is real easy to install and tension. I have the friction tube sway control, but no longer use it. There has been no tendency to sway. I posted a response recently on it. The brand I have is "Husky". The dealer tried one on and the pivots that put tension on the bars hit the tanks. So he got the next-up bars and that fits just fine. They are labled "501 to 800 lbs." and I am not sure if that is each or for a pair. One just shortens the chain a link to increase pressure on the TV front tires. When you get it right, simply count the loose chain links hanging down when you do a setup. For me, 2 links hang free and I slip the 3rd over the pickup pin.

The dealer techs were in over their heads trying to set up the WDH on my Envoy which has load leveling airbags. Any change in the tension on the bars results in automatic re-leveling the truck. Normally, one measures the depression of the front and rear without and with load to determine the proper hitch settings. Not so with this. My hitch was included at no cost in negotiating the deal when I bought the TM. I didn't get any paperwork with it, so can't give you those details. When they finished experimenting with my hitch setup, I towed the new TM home -- 2000 miles from Indiana to Arizona. They had set it up to put a huge amount of weight on the front of the TV. I had tread separation on a front tire when I got home and just last weekend had separation on the second. They are Michleans and the dealer had never seen separation on one of them before.

Bob
'04 3326 KS
Bob Rederick