Should I replace my hitch?

I have set my WDH to its lowest setting and my 2619 is still elevated in the nose a bit. I have tilted the ball but it seems to be the same. Do I have to replace the hitch that I just bought in August, can I make some adjustments to the hitch, or can it be towed the way it is without problems?

I have attached a picture for your viewing pleasure

-Gregg

[ShrimpBurrito]

What size bars are those (800lb, 1000lb, etc.) ? How far does the rear end of your TV rise when you attach the bars? Have you weighed your setup to make sure you have enough tongue weight?

Dave

[Barb&Tim]

In order to get mine right, I had to tilt my ball back further than your's appears to be and tilting would lower the ball a little more for you.

Tim

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

What size bars are those (800lb, 1000lb, etc.) ? How far does the rear end of your TV rise when you attach the bars? Have you weighed your setup to make sure you have enough tongue weight?

Dave

I believe they are 1000 lbs bars. the rear measures 33 3/16 inches when not connected. When I connect the bars it raises from 31 to 33. I tilted the ball back 1 notch and it did not make much of a difference I understood that the tilt was used to increase the number of available links to use. I have not weighed my setup, But I assume it is more than 450lbs because my back end sags without the bars and the capacity is 450lbs for the honda pilot 4wd. I have 2 6 v batteries that weigh about 68lbs each along with the 2 propane tanks. So I assume it comes in around 490 to 500 lbs tongue weight.

-Gregg

[scrubjaysnest]

I would try tilting the hitch head more, if that doesn't give you enough drop then you may need to order the piece the head bolts to with more drop. But check what the others suggested first. Also how high is the TM when on level ground versus the ball on the hitch head. That should be measured without the TM hooked to the TV.

IMO, the key to the WDH is to transfer tongue weight to level the tow vehicle. Other than a slight loss of rear clearance, your current setup should not affect the trailer. If someone mentions the refrigerator, leveling the fridge is important when it is sitting still so the ammonia/salts migrate properly. Normal motion in traveling will make the refrigerator work well even if slightly off-level.

So I don't see a problem, but am always willing to learn...

[Bill]

Looking at the picture, I'm not sure the coupler is all the way down on the hitch ball! The coupler lever doesn't appear to be closed, and when it is properly closed, the lip of the coupler should be very close to the flat part of the ball mount platform. Yours appears to be elevated by the better part of an inch. I may be wrong, but you should check this out.

A good confirmation is this. The coupler lever has a hole in each side. The body of the coupler has a pair of holes. When the coupler is closed, you should be able to insert a locking pin all the way through the lined-up holes, as shown in the photo. Can you do that?

By the way, you might consider routing the power cord above the swing-tongue joint, and to the right-hand side of the jack stem, just to get it a bit farther off the pavement. It is fairly common to have the cord drag on the ground, and the results are not nice.

Bill

[wbmiller3]

Kind of off topic, but in the picture it appears that your spring bars are not set to the same number of chain links (the one furthest from the camera seems much higher than the close one). I can't think of a reason not to set them both the same.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by gcubed

I have set my WDH to its lowest setting and my 2619 is still elevated in the nose a bit. I have tilted the ball but it seems to be the same. Do I have to replace the hitch that I just bought in August, can I make some adjustments to the hitch, or can it be towed the way it is without problems?

I have attached a picture for your viewing pleasure

-Gregg

The purpose of the tilt setting on the ball is so that your hitch bars and chain settings end at the right place when you're hitched. It does not change the ball height very much. The two bolts that hold the hitch head on the shank determine the ball height (we see them one above each other in your photo). Just pull them out, slide the ball mounting up or down, and put them back in (unhitched to take the load off, of course). You may be on the lowest setting already, but it's not the end of the world for the trailer to be a bit out of level. A high hitch ball just makes for a little more work when hitching and a little less rear bumper clearance, as has been pointed out by ShrimpBurrito.

The installation instructions for hitches are on the manufacturer's web sites and those of many retailers, too, if you want to go over them.

Thanks all for your suggestions. I will take a look at it this weekend. We are planning a trip to Zion National Park, but it may not happen with the Government closures.

-Gregg