Wdh

[chay1950]

I have a 2002 2720SL being towed by a 2001 Lexus RX300. When TM is hooked up and everything is installed, the TV is level, but the TM is still high in the front and low in the back. The front measures 21.75" to the ground and the back is 17" to the ground. Both are measured at the clamps from the bottom of the TM wall edge.

Is the TM supposed to ride like that or is it supposed to be level? I'm thinking that the ball is too high on the shank. Anyone have an idea?

[Shane826]

Yeah the ball is definitely too high... Trailer should be level or SLIGHTLY lower at the tongue. And even if everything looks level, I'd really look into a weight distribution hitch. I use the Andersen No-Sway WDH and like it a lot.

[Padgett]

Need a drop hitch. Mine tows well at 19" (top of ball to ground). Not as critical with a single axle as a tandem.

[chay1950]

I didn't want to get too wordy in my original post. I do use the EAZ-Lift WDH. It's rated at 10klbs and the bars are 1k. The TM pulls like it was part of the bumper. Very smooth and no sway with the sway bar attached. I'll drop the ball height and see how that effects the pulling.

[Larryjb]

Originally Posted by Bill

The real problem happens when you drive across a swale or depression. Halfway through the crossing, the tow vehicle has crossed the swale and is headed up the other side, but the trailer is still headed down into the swale. In other words, there is an angle between the tow vehicle and the trailer. This is where the "spring" in springbar is important. The springbar needs to bend in order to accommodate this angle. If it doesn't bend, it puts a tremendous stress on the both the A-frame of the trailer and the tow vehicle. The tow vehicle is trying to drive the trailer's A-frame into the ground, while the trailer is trying to lift the tow vehicle's rear end off the ground. This will be especially problematic on unibody vehicles. Fortunately, the suspension of the tow vehicle allows the rear end to be lifted somewhat.

A sketch can be helpful, and I'll post one if I can find it. Meanwhile, though, the owner's manual for many weight distribution hitches warns (this one is from Equalizer)

Do not tow your trailer through profound ditches, dips, or swales. Excessive strain on the spring arms and hitch head may cause hitch fatigue or failure.

As with many things in the world of hitches, it is easy to go all Chicken-Little about this. I think that as long as you drive on mostly level roads, you will be OK. Guys who go off-road a lot in steep country, and encounter a lot of up and down, may not think so.

The easy solution is just to buy some lighter springbars. Unfortunately, they seem to be incredibly expensive.

Bill

I apologize if I'm bringing up an old thread, but I think this information is especially important when deciding on a weight rating for a WDH. I had been considering buying "more than I'd ever need" just to be safe and sure. I now can see that I could actually make something unsafe if I go too high. It looks as if a WDH for a 2720 should be chosen to accommodate a tongue weight close to 600-800 lbs, depending on how much you put in the back of your TV. And don't forget the effects of having a loaded bike rack on the back of the trailer on the tongue weight.

I wonder if a summary of Bill's information would be good to tack onto Ray's post in "Choosing a Weight Distributing Hitch" http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=2922

I had been considering the 800 lb WDH from Reese, but maybe it's better to consider the 600 lb given Bill's post.

Also, I remember reading something that Bill had said that the Reese WDH are much cheaper than some other brands. However, Reese makes you buy the hitch ball and shank separately. Sway control is on top, unless you're getting the "Straight line" version which seems to include everything.

There's so much to consider. I can see why it's hard to summarize all the important information in an article like Ray's.

[chay1950]

I subscribed to this thread not knowing if anyone would comment further since it was so old. I'm glad you did Larryjb.

I've had my 2002 TM 2720SL for 1 year now. The dealer I bought the trailer from sold me the EAZ-Lift Elite round bar 48053 1,000 lbs WDH. I have been very pleased with it. I only go on paved road travel unless the RV park has dirt or gravel roads. I go very slow so as to not bend or stress anything too much due to the 1000lb bars.

Like you, I'm still confused on the weight rating for the bar. I've never weighed the tongue of my trailer, but since I haven't added much additional weight, I assume that it still has close to the original tongue weight. But this changes as I add items to carry, water, clothes, food, my wife and me, etc. Still I cannot go over 3500lbs total. According to EAZ-Lift, I should be using the 600lb bar for a max tongue weight of 800lbs with a max gross trailer weight of 8000lbs. This is far heavier than I'll ever tow, so I'm probably using the wrong spring bars and should be using the 600lb bars. That being said, I've not had any issues with what I'm currently using. Read the question and answer section on Amazon for ASIN B00JF2CLJ2, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF2CLJ2...ding=UTF8&me=&. It helps a lot. I may change to 600lb bars.

Hopefully, someone else will read this and correct me if I'm wrong.

[Larryjb]

There's a lot of good information on this site. Some of it fact, some opinion, and a whole wack of it depends on the TT/TV/cargo.

Our 2720 will have a tongue weight of somewhere around 400 lbs. I figure luggage for 2 adults and 2 kids in the back of the Tahoe would add somewhere up to about 200 lbs. Filling the water tank in the TT along with storing other items will add to that as well. A full tank of gasoline will add to that number as well.

But then when you're done camping, the water tank is empty, your gasoline tank may be empty, your food is gone (so all the weight is on the front now?), so the weight that the WDH has to deal with is reduced. I'm guessing that 1000 lb WDH is going to be overkill for me. But, for others and their cargo, 1000 lb may be about right. I think this is where it gets hard for others to advise us on what level of WDH we should get.

After all my reading on this site, I'm settling on the Reese WDH, but without sway control at the moment. If I ever do need antisway, Reese has a unique antisway device that seems better than the "friction" method. However, I'm still open to others. Does your 2720 have the swing hitch? One of the issues with some WDH is clearance. Many have installed the Reese without any trouble.

[chay1950]

Yes I use the sway bar. My trailer tows like it's part of the back bumper. I wouldn't drive without it. Don't forget to add the weight of the people in the TV. Everything has to be figured in for the final weight.

The friction sway bar works fine. I've been in some heavy winds and I feel the car being pushed, but not the trailer.

Good luck in your search. I think you're looking at it the right way.