Leveling Issue

[jola1925]

Hello, any idea about how to improve the level of this set-up?
Please & Thank you

 

[Bill]

Sure. The "ball mount" portion of your hitch is adjustable up and down. You can see the adjustment holes in your first picture, at the bottom of the hitch and just to the left of center, just forward of the bend in the spring bars. With your TM unhitched, of course, remove the two big silver headed bolts that you can see in the picture. This will release the ball mount. Raise it up to the next hole, re-insert the bolts, tighten them up, and try it out.

Bill

 

[commodor47]

A closer look at the first photo shows the hitch ball tilted toward the TV. Isn't it supposed to tilt slightly back towards the TM? It also looks like the front of the TV is higher than the rear end. Perhaps the WD hitch is not set up properly?
Dick

 

[Bill]

Dick -

Thumbs up on both of your responses. My thought should be considered only when the other issues have been addressed.

Bill

 

[mickmanor]

Looks like an open ball park for suggestions,

so I'll suggest:

1. Put new shocks on the rear of the tv. Edited to exclude brand and make of shock.
The pictures inspire many guesses about conditions of existing shocks and tires.

2. Examine the tires of the tv and TM, as air pressure and maybe
new, and bigger tires(especially on the TM) could improve everything.

Suggestions only, as sometimes many things will somehow work, somehow.

Happy Camping!

 

[Bill]

Put new load adjusting shocks on the rear of the tv.

Mick, I'm sorry to disagree, but any sort of booster for leveling the tow vehicle is a bad idea. Before going that way, an owner should take a look at this post. The author, RockyMtnRay, was the Forum's original highly-experienced towing guru, now sadly not part of the Forum.

https://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?p=17294

As Ray explains, a much better answer is a weight-distributing hitch (WDH). You don't need an expensive one with sway control, though there is nothing wrong with that. But in TM's design, the axle is mounted further back on the trailer, very sway resistant. The price to be paid is higher tongue weight, and a WDH takes care of that.

Bill

 

[rickst29]

As Bill described, there are 2 possible issues.

jola1925,

Your failure to obtain "level" frames after pulling up the WDH bars has two possible causes,. Your photo might be showing one problem, or the other, or maybe both.

#1: The ball mount might be too low. You appear to have a "Gen-4" 4Runner (models years between 2003 and 2009). When those SUV models are on level ground without a trailer, the TOP of the 2" square "hitch receiver" box is about 16" above the ground.

Your WDH hitch ball ball assembly, with the two adjustment bolts in the middle positions, holds the BOTTOM of the ball at about the same height as the TOP of the 4Runner receiver box. But when you level the trailer's frame also on level ground using the jack (not attached to the TM), the bottom of the hitch ball receiver (within the end of the TM A-frame) might be quite a bit higher up. Measure those 2 heights and compare -that's the amount by which the ball needs to be raised, even before using the bars at all.

Bill's first comment (moving thse EZ-Hitch ball assembly bolts to the lowest pair, causing the ball position to be about 1" higher when clamped into the 4Runner) might be enough. But, if you need to add even more ball height, these L-bars can be flipped over to provide either a "drop" or a "rise" in the hitch position by flipping the WDH ball mount. Your picture has the vertical portion in the "drop" position, that bar can create up to " more height (at the ball) by flipping it over, to create a "rise" instead of a "drop".
- - - -

THEN:

You should only hitch up and adjust the WDH bars only after you have assured that the un-attached ball height of the level "SUV or Truck" has been decently matched to the A-frame ball receiver of the level trailer, that trailer being supported by the front lift.

Once you have determined the amount of bar strength to use in order to restore that same hitch height (from level ground) on level pavement, you use that same strength setting when hooking up from non-level camp sites.

You might want to make small changes in bar strength according to the loaded versus unloaded weight of your trailer, but you'll still be fairly close to optimal if you just use use the 'determined on level ground' bar strength all the time.

 

[Wavery]

Bill is correct about the ball mount height but you need to take it apart and flip the draw bar over to get the increased selections.

 

[LoveToCamp-TMO]

I will flesh-out rickst29's instructions, as they may be unclear to someone not too familiar with WDH setup.
With the trailer unattached, look to see if there are adjustment bolts between the drawbar portion of the WDH and the ball-mount portion. If there is, the top bolt should be extended enough to keep the ball-mount from leaning forward. It should, at least, be "square" to the drawbar.
Then, still unattached, as rickst29 said, use the tongue jack to level the trailer. Measure from the ground to the top of the ball socket. That is the height you want your ball to be on your tow vehicle.
Adjust the ball-mount height to it matches what the ground-to-ball socket is, minus 1/4" (to allow for the metal in the ball socket). If this means moving the ball-mount up on the drawbar, or flipping the ball-mount so you can achieve that height, then that is your first adjustment.
When ball and socket are the same height (ball 1/4" lower than top of socket), engage your WDH bars. Is everything level? If not, disconnect the bars, then adjust the brackets that are mounted to the tongue, up one hole. Re-mount the WDH bars. Level now?
If not, move the mounting brackets on the tongue up one more hole, IF THERE IS ROOM. You have another bracket on the tongue, which may not allow you to move the L-bracket up two holes. If that is the case...
Disconnect trailer. Loosen the big bolts on the ball-mount. Allow the TOP of the ball-mount to roll towards the trailer. Loosen the bolt that is inside the bracket on your ball-mount. This will push the ball and the WDH bar mounts backwards/down, which in turn will put more pressure on the bars, which will lift the ball/tongue when bars are back on. Tighten the big bolts. Re-mount WDH bars to see if the ball is now at the correct height.
Not mentioned is measuring your fender heights from the ground, before and after connecting the WDH. Front and back measurements should go down the same amount (1/2" front fender well, 1/2" back fender well, for instance). You don't want the back to drop more than the front, as that will remove weight from the front axle, making steering less-stable. Don't want the front to go down more than the back, as that will un-weight the back axle.
Hope this helps clarify the process.

 

[jola1925]

Thanks to all who have or will respond. I've been out of WiFi range. I will read the suggestions & try to correct this on the road or when I get home.
II'll post an update.

Thanks again, this forum is really helpful

 

[jola1925]

Clarification: I'm using a Fastway e2 round bar wdh 8k

 

[rickst29]

Thanks to all who have or will respond. I've been out of WiFi range. I will read the suggestions & try to correct this on the road or when I get home.
II'll post an update.

Thanks again, this forum is really helpful

You will probably be unable to adjust the hitch ball height on the road, because most hitch manufacturers want at least 300 ft-lbs of torque applied to those hitch shank bolts. (my own '1000 lb maximum' model, for a trailer up to about 9000 lbs, demanded 320 ft-lbs.)

When I bought my own TM and needed top adjust my shank bolt positions, I needed to use a pair of open-ended wrenches, each set into a long segments of iron pipe, in order to create enough torque at the bolt and nut.

 

[Rolling Thunder-TMO]

Leveling issue

Jola, welcome aboard. This forum has helped me tremendously all along the way. You were wise to recognize the rig needed a little adjustment. Towing 3,000 pounds down the road at speed and distance requires a lot information and oversight we can find on this forum.
(Emphasis, a lot of information and oversight)
I’ve towed my TM west coast to east coast and back three times (60 day roll alongs) along with many shorter trips over the past 10 years. These rigs are fabulous!!
2009 2720SD
2017 V-8 Silverado 4X4

 

[jola1925]

Just returned from the road. I will be taking the TV & TM to have the ball & hitch readjusted.
Rickst29, you're correct the 300lb torque required for the bolts did not allow me to adjust this on the road.

Thanks to all for replying,
Jola

 

[Bill]

I will be taking the TV & TM to have the ball & hitch readjusted.

When you take it in for adjustment, try to make sure that both the TM and TV are loaded with approximately the "ready to camp" weights. Food, clothes, tools, furniture, water, etc. Doesn't have to be the same items, but similar weights, similarly distributed. Don't forget the people in the TV, as well as the cargo you expect to pack in the TV - they all count.

Bill

 

[jola1925]

Thank you, will do.