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  1. #1
    Left The Driveway
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    Leveling, Sway and Dealership Incompetence

    Forgive me but this might be long...

    UGH! Last Thursday, I picked up my new 2021 Transcend Xplor 247bh from the dealership in Sacramento. I came here and verified all of my numbers for the truck and yall were super helpful with making sure everything was dialed in as far as TV capacities go, which i greatly appreciate. Now I have a different issue.

    I purchased my WDH from the dealership as this was my first trailer and I wanted to have it dialed in professionally. They only install one WDH, the Fastway E2 (which some members suggested wasn't ideal) but I figured that I would have peace of mind from having it installed correctly and professionally vs doing it myself and possibly failing. I did purchase a heavy duty torque wrench so that I could make my own adjustments at home once the trailer was loaded. Trusting the dealership was a mistake.

    Red flags started going off when I arrived at the dealer and they started installing the hitch. I asked if they were going to take measurements for the hitch height and wheel wells and they insisted that they had been doing this for 30 years and don't have to take measurements as they can just look and tell if its level. I trusted them and their knowledge right about until I got on the freeway and saw my rear ladder in my mirrors wagging back and forth anytime I got over 50mph. It looks like there is about 2 inches of sway anytime I am at freeway speeds. I can't feel it pulling me around but reading others experiences on this forum make me think that any sway is too much.

    I spent the weekend messing with things. I believe (but could be wrong) that the main issue is that they set the hitch ball way too high. When I went through the hitch manual to do my measurement, I noticed only a 1/2" difference in the wheel well height between hitched without weight distribution and unhitched. If the trailer is sitting around 6k lbs and only lifts the front of the truck 1/2", I feel like there must be way too much weight on the back of the trailer. Set up as they had it, it was actually lower than unhitched height on the front wheel wells with weight distribution engaged. I dropped the hitch one notch (about 1") and tightened everything back up and it was closer to what the manual suggested (returned the trailer 1/4" so 50% of the unhitched height with weight distribution engaged). I went about 10 miles from my house to an empty mall to practice backing up and again had sway on the freeway. I feel like I just don't have enough tongue weight and wonder if the ball height is still off enough to be causing my issues.

    My issue is... how the heck do I find front to back level? Nothing on this trailer seems to be flat. I have small stick on levels and a 2 foot bubble level but I don't know where to measure it to make sure the trailer is actually level so I can set my ball height. Can I just set the bubble level on the tongue? I tried using the floor of the trailer in front of the refrigerator but I have no idea if the floor is flat (they didn't bother to install any of the appliances even close to level inside...)? The frame seems to not be perfectly straight so measuring the front and back distances doesn't seem accurate either but I could be wrong? I know I need to get it on the scales but at this point, I don't feel comfortable towing the 30 miles from my house to a scale to verify my concerns. I feel like any dealer nearby is going to do the same eyeball BS to dial in a new hitch so I want to see if I can get this one right before I go spending another $1000 on a hitch, especially after I paid $250 over retail for this one thinking I was going to get professional calibration. Sorry for the long read and any help is appreciated.

  2. #2
    Site Team traveldawg's Avatar
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    If I wanted to find a good level point on my trailer I would put a 4' level on the floor inside the RV. A longer level would be nice, but at least a 4 foot level.

    Then I'd check that against a cheap bubble level on the floor next to the trailer and then put some levels like this on my rig (I have these in my basement for reference when leveling even tho I have an auto-level system).

    That should give you a good point for measuring your tongue hight.

    For sure, you don't want to put a level on the tongue.

    Hopefully others, more experienced than I about WDHs will chime in soon.
    Larry KE4DMG
    2022 F-350 KRU SRW LB - Airlift 5000+, ForScan, 37 RDS Aux Tank,
    2019 310GK-R - Sailuns; MorRyde IS; Disc Brakes; 20K Reese Goosebox
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  3. #3
    Rolling Along OurNewEra's Avatar
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    I would first suggest you load up the trailer for camping. When I brought my TT home the first 20 minutes on the freeway was white knuckle. I had taken a bunch of stuff with us to pick up the TT because we stayed overnight in the dealer lot. So I had stuff with me such as tools. I stopped at the first rest area and loaded the 'stuff' from the back of my TV to the passthrough. MUCH BETTER! If you don't have enough gear to load up the pass through you could try adding some water to the freshwater tank.

    As for level, as @traveldawg said I would put the level on the floor just inside the door. If you are on level ground you could measure from bottom of frame to ground front and back.

    Fastway has some really good videos on how to setup their hitch equipment. But it sounds like you've got that part figured out.
    Mike & Lisa
    Central Florida
    2021 Imagine 2970RL
    1996 Chevy K3500 Crew SRW 7.4L Gas

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper Chewwi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dillpunk View Post
    ... how the heck do I find front to back level? Nothing on this trailer seems to be flat.
    If the surface the RV is setting on is reasonably flat, measure from that surface to the bottom of RV’s frame at the front and the rear of the RV. If measurements are the same, the RV should be very close to level. The frame is going to be the straightest thing on an RV.


    2020 2600RB,
    2017 Silverado Crew Cab 1500, 6.2L

  5. #5
    Rolling Along jleonard's Avatar
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    I found that the floor of the front storage bay (aka basement) is level with the frame. I use a torpedo level there to set up.

    Also the tongue of the trailer is NOT level. It is nose high.
    Jay Leonard
    New Port Richey, Fl
    2022 Imagine 2600 RB, 2021 Ram 2500 CC Bighorn 6.7L Cummins

  6. #6
    Left The Driveway
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    Thank you for all of the advice. If the inside floor is level, then it looks like the hitch ball is still 2.5" higher than the receiver. Is this a likely cause of the unsteady ride? Does 2.5" out of level make that big of a difference? If i drop the ball that much, I am going to need to completely do the WDH dial in from scratch.

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    You can't really use a level to set the tongue height unless the truck and trailer are on level ground like in a warehouse, finding outdoor large level area is almost impossible. The best you can generally do is find the flattest ground you can and measure from the ground to the frame in the front and in the back and adjust to make the numbers the same.
    2021 Imagine 2800BH
    2017 Flagstaff 831CLBSS - Sold 5/2021.
    2017 F150 Super crew, 3.5EB, long bed, max tow, 1800lbs payload. Pro Pride, prior WDH Blue Ox SwayPro

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor JCR GD's Avatar
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    As mentioned above "level" is difficult to find. What you want is "flat." Measure frame to flat ground. Much easier than trying to find a perfectly level spot of ground, or on the trailer.
    Jim (& Sharon)
    2015 GD Momentum 385TH - SOLD
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  9. #9
    Rolling Along
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    Not exactly sure where you are located @dillpunk, but if near Sacramento, give these guys a call: https://rv-time.com/rv-service/
    They may be able to help you directly or point you in the right direction. Friends of mine in Davis CA have used them for some aftermarket hitch installs and highly recommend them.

    When I lived in Davis, I had Davis Muffler and Hitch do some work on my then F150. I don't know if they are still around, but they were also very helpful with advice and choosing the right equipment.
    2022 Solitude 378MBS-R
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  10. #10
    Commercial Member huntr70's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dillpunk View Post
    I can't feel it pulling me around
    What kind of truck do you have?

    If you have a 1/2 ton, look at the tires and see if you P metric or LT tires.

    You really need the stiffer sidewalls of LT tires to tow.
    Steve- Inventory Manager at Tom Schaeffer's RV, Shoemakersville, PA www.tomschaeffers.com
    [email protected]
    2011 RAM 3500 SRW Outdoorsman Edition 4X4, 6.7 Cummins--TWEAKED!
    2021 Reflection 310RLS

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