Re: Adjusting the Weight Distributing Hitch

[fcatwo]

Question Bill. The rear of our pickup sits 1 to 1&1/2" higher than the front with no added weight behind the cab. I like to adjust the bar (we have a single bar WDH) so front and back fender wells are the same height and the truck/trailer combination is level rather than nose down when hitched. The front fender well measures the same or maybe 1/4" lower after hitching but the rear is a full 1 to 1&1/2 lower. Do you see a problem with that? Lowering the rear should also activate the rear brakes if we have the rear brake proportuning gizmo RMR described.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by fcatwo

Question Bill. The rear of our pickup sits 1 to 1&1/2" higher than the front with no added weight behind the cab. I like to adjust the bar (we have a single bar WDH) so front and back fender wells are the same height and the truck/trailer combination is level rather than nose down when hitched. The front fender well measures the same or maybe 1/4" lower after hitching but the rear is a full 1 to 1&1/2 lower. Do you see a problem with that? Lowering the rear should also activate the rear brakes if we have the rear brake proportioning gizmo RMR described.

If the front drops BELOW its unloaded height when you crank up the WDH, that means you are distributing some of the hitch weight from the rear of the truck to the front axle - which is just what you want to do. I personally would drive it even a bit lower (i.e., bring it closer to the drop of the rear end), which would theortetically even up the load a bit more. However, let's be clear that you can't really tell how much weight has been shifted unless you actually weigh the front and rear axles, before and after. If the front and rear suspensions have different spring rates, then they will sink by different amounts under the same load.

By the way, if I may ask, what hitch do you have with a single springbar? What is the springbar rating?

In my opinion, there is generally too much emphasis on levelling the tow vehicle. Levelling is not what we are trying to do. By using the WDH to transfer weight from the rear axle to the front axle, you will bring the tow vehicle back toward its initial orientation - which might have been originally nose up, nose down (as in your case), or level.

Bill

[fcatwo]

It's a Reese/Draw-Tite Model 400 and is rated 400-4,000. We havent weighed the Tundra/TM2619 but with the Odyssey minivan we were approximately 2,600 front and back and about 2,900 on the TM axle. That was with just the two of us and the 2nd and 3rd row seats removed to save weight and stay under GCWR. We ran the #2619/Odyssey set up that way for about 20,000 mi and experienced "0" sway, traction, wander, braking or other problems. I haven't checked the tongue weight of our 2619 (two small bottles & one battery) but I have to assume it's much less than the SL models.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by fcatwo

It's a Reese/Draw-Tite Model 400 and is rated 400-4,000. I haven't checked the tongue weight of our 2619 (two small bottles & one battery) but I have to assume it's much less than the SL models.

According to the TM site, the tongue weight of a 2619 is 350 pounds, so if you haven't added factory options to the base configuration, and haven't added a lot of weight in furnishings (microwave, TV, extra chairs, etc), possessions (clothes, tools, etc) and supplies (food, water, etc), you might well be within the rating of the hitch. But there isn't much margin.

Tongue weight is easy to check. Just get yourself a good stiff board, about 4' long. A piece of 2x6 is good - a piece of 4x4 is even better. Put one end on a bathroom scale, and the other end on something with about the same thickness as the scale - maybe another hunk of wood. Now lower the tongue jack onto the board at a point exactly midway between the edge of the scale and the edge of the other support. The scale will read half of the tongue weight.

If you get a chance to do this, let us know the result, along with the configuration (options) on your TM. And of course, the result is useful only if you weigh the TM when it is loaded up with food, water, clothes, etc, and ready for the road.

Bill

[fcatwo]

I'll try to borrow the stuff to weigh it but we are presently 3,000mi from home in the Texas Rio Grand Valley and won't be back until March. Now would be good because the TM is as loaded as it ever gets. Might mention that the Tundra towes as well or better than the Odyssey and gives me peace-of-mind that I never felt with the Ody. It cost us 4mpg while towing however (13 vs 17) but the Tundra uses regular while the Ody wanted premium.