Checking Weight Distribution Hitch Setup

[classicrockguy]

Directly from the Equalizer manual page …

 

[Hit Factor]

Directly from the Equalizer manual page …



View attachment 2472468

Where does it ask user to user calculate, estimate, or even measure tongue weight?

 

[classicrockguy]

Equalizer manual doesn't have the user calculate, estimate, or even measure tongue weight.

Tongue weight is the weight on the tow vehicle. Any weight transferred to the trailer axle by the WDH is not tongue weight.

And no, you cannot “deduct” the weight transferred by the WD hitch to the TV front axle or the trailer axles from the actual tongue weight. The tongue weight is a single, non-negotiable number no matter what you do with any hitch once the trailer is fully loaded. It is what a scale would read if you could place it under the tongue “unhitched”. This is covered in multiple places including many forums, eTrailer FAQ, and so many others. A quick call to Equalizer tech support will also confirm this. I know this first hand because I have talked to them several times. (They are great BTW.)

 

[classicrockguy]

Where does it ask user to user calculate, estimate, or even measure tongue weight?

I never said the manual asks you to calculate or measure. I simply noted that max tongue weight is specified for every hitch, including Equalizer. If you prefer to guess rather than measure that’s your choice. But correct measure is dead weight … no credit for distributed weight.

 

[Hit Factor]

I never said the manual asks you to calculate or measure. I simply noted that max tongue weight is specified for every hitch, including Equalizer. If you prefer to guess rather than measure that’s your choice. But correct measure is dead weight … no credit for distributed weight.

There is no guessing. I provided my weigh slips earlier in the thread.

And no, you cannot “deduct” the weight transferred by the WD hitch to the TV front axle or the trailer axles from the actual tongue weight....

If the weight isn't on the TV it's not tongue weight.

... It is what a scale would read if you could place it under the tongue “unhitched”...

How is this different from the weight the trailer exerts on the tow vehicle?

 

[robmcqueen]

Measure tongue weight without the weight distribution (WD) bars engaged or tension applied. The WD hitch only redistributes that weight across the axles; the actual downward force of the trailer remains the same. Measuring without it gives you the true, unmitigated coupler weight for accurate safety calculations. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Why Without Weight Distribution?

• True Trailer Weight: Tongue weight is defined as the downward force applied to the ball by the trailer itself. The WD hitch alters how the tow vehicle handles that weight, not what the trailer weighs. [1]
• Safety & Payload Limits: You need the true coupler weight to ensure your trailer falls within the optimal 10% to 15% ratio of your total trailer weight, and to know exactly how much payload you are placing on your tow vehicle's rear axle. [1, 2]

How to Measure Accurately

• Dedicated Scales: The easiest method is to use a direct-reading scale. You can place a specialized gauge like a Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale directly under the coupler. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Weigh Safe Hitches: If you use an adjustable ball mount like a Weigh Safe Drop Hitch, it features a built-in scale that will register the weight when the coupler is lowered onto it. [1, 2]
• At-Home Lever Method: You can use a standard bathroom scale, a piece of pipe, and a 2x4 to create a lever, placing the scale under the trailer's tongue jack. [1]
• CAT Scales: Weigh your tow vehicle alone. Then, hitch the trailer without the WD bars attached and weigh again. Subtract the truck's weight from the combined weight to find your true tongue weight. [1, 2]

 

[Hit Factor]

The OP doesn't need to know his non-WDH tongue weight.

Campers are generally well enough engineered that folks don't need to worry much about tongue weight. Load the camper as suggested in the manual, and everything is very likely to be within acceptable limits.

When he said how does it look? Later on said he was thinking about lowering the ball to loosen the arms. He may have been showing a lack of confidence or understanding in the setup.

The two weigh ins I suggested will give him the data he needs to determine if the WDH is setup correctly.

He needs to get on a scale to see if the gross weight exceeds his TV capability. I think it may.

 

[robmcqueen]

It will not. He needs to know how much weight he is putting back to the front wheels and how much of the tongue weight he is putting on the trailer wheels. you can only get that from 3 weigh ins

 

[TomPanning]

For anyone reading this and wondering how much of a difference the weight-distribution hitch makes, here are my real CAT scale numbers from when we were towing a small (3,400 lb) camper with our minivan:

	Steer axle	Drive axle	Trailer axle
Tow vehicle only	2860	2600	0
Trailer without WDH	2700	3120	3080
Trailer with WDH	2880	2800	3200

So my tow vehicle weighed 5,460 lbs. With the WDH disengaged, it weighed 5,820 lbs for a calculated tongue weight of 360 lbs. With the WDH engaged, the tow vehicle weighed 5,680 lbs for a calculated "tongue weight" of 220 lbs. That's a 40% difference!

Which number is right? Well, when I used a 2x4 to measure the hitch weight with a bathroom scale under the hitch, I got 350 lbs. That is the true tongue weight of the trailer, which is what should be used if you need to know whether it's within spec for your hitch, receiver, etc. (Notice how it aligns with the CAT scale when the WDH was disengaged.)

Back to the original question: If you just want to know whether the hitch is at the right height, measure the height of the front and rear of the trailer frame (when the truck and trailer are on a level surface), and they should be close. If you want to know whether the WDH is tightened appropriately, go to a CAT scale. If there isn't a CAT scale nearby, you can measure the height of the truck's front wheel well as a rough guide, but I would still visit a CAT scale when you get a chance.

 

[robmcqueen]

It will not. He needs to know how much weight he is putting back to the front wheels and how much of the tongue weight he is putting on the trailer wheels. you can only get that from 3 weigh ins

Everyone please respond 2 or 3 weighs. Please vote

 

[classicrockguy]

The OP doesn't need to know his non-WDH tongue weight.

Campers are generally well enough engineered that folks don't need to worry much about tongue weight. Load the camper as suggested in the manual, and everything is very likely to be within acceptable limits.

When he said how does it look? Later on said he was thinking about lowering the ball to loosen the arms. He may have been showing a lack of confidence or understanding in the setup.

The two weigh ins I suggested will give him the data he needs to determine if the WDH is setup correctly.

He needs to get on a scale to see if the gross weight exceeds his TV capability. I think it may.

“How does it look?” is actually only a relevant question if what he is asking is “Does something look really wrong?”. There is no way to simply look at a TV and trailer combo and determine that everything is “good”. One could only say “Something looks really wrong” if the issues are obvious. I’ve seen more than a few rigs that are “really wrong”.

The only way to know if everything is “right” is to go through all the various elements vs specs, instructions, etc. Some of us pay close attention to all of that. Some not so much.

To your comment about tongue weight not usually being an issue, it is a common issue for the capacity of both the TV (gvw) and the hitch. In my case, my TV has plenty of head room in both the rear axle and overall gvw for my particular trailer. That is often not the case, but I bought the truck with full knowledge of its capacities and that headroom in mind. On the other hand, I was sold a 12000/1200 Equalizer hitch by the idiot dealer, and the tongue weight of my trailer was over that unloaded. I missed this becaude I did not check his “work”. I now have the 16000/1600 Equalizer hitch and am right at the 1600lb tongue weight limit carefully loaded for a trip. So yes, tongue weight matters relative to many components of the setup.

Plenty of folks load and go without checking much of anything. Most are probably ok. Some have really bad days.

 

[robmcqueen]

For anyone reading this and wondering how much of a difference the weight-distribution hitch makes, here are my real CAT scale numbers from when we were towing a small (3,400 lb) camper with our minivan:

	Steer axle	Drive axle	Trailer axle
Tow vehicle only	2860	2600	0
Trailer without WDH	2700	3120	3080
Trailer with WDH	2880	2800	3200

So my tow vehicle weighed 5,460 lbs. With the WDH disengaged, it weighed 5,820 lbs for a calculated tongue weight of 360 lbs. With the WDH engaged, the tow vehicle weighed 5,680 lbs for a calculated "tongue weight" of 220 lbs. That's a 40% difference!

Which number is right? Well, when I used a 2x4 to measure the hitch weight with a bathroom scale under the hitch, I got 350 lbs. That is the true tongue weight of the trailer, which is what should be used if you need to know whether it's within spec for your hitch, receiver, etc. (Notice how it aligns with the CAT scale when the WDH was disengaged.)

Back to the original question: If you just want to know whether the hitch is at the right height, measure the height of the front and rear of the trailer frame (when the truck and trailer are on a level surface), and they should be close. If you want to know whether the WDH is tightened appropriately, go to a CAT scale. If there isn't a CAT scale nearby, you can measure the height of the truck's front wheel well as a rough guide, but I would still visit a CAT scale when you get a chance.

Great write up You needed 3 weighs to get that info.

 

[classicrockguy]

Great write up You needed 3 weighs to get that info.

Also, the WD distributes load to the trailer axles. On my large rig, I end up with about 200lbs pushed back on to the trailer axles. This matters to me because I am very close to the trailer axles gvw on the kitchen side.

 

[Hit Factor]

Everyone please respond 2 or 3 weighs. Please vote

You seem to have no interest in working with the info the OP has provided.

2 weighs to determine what he needs to verify WDH setup.

3 weighs if you want to measure disengaged WDH tongue weight, very likely to be useless info.

We all saw the pic. It's a tiny truck with a smallish two axle trailer. The trailer is 6400 pounds, the axles are in no danger of being overloaded. Very likely the axles support 8000 pounds. Comparisons to 8 ton behemoths, while interesting, are not relevant to the OPs questions.

 

[robmcqueen]

You seem to have no interest in working with the info the OP has provided.

2 weighs to determine what he needs to verify WDH setup.

3 weighs if you want to measure disengaged WDH tongue weight, very likely to be useless info.

We all saw the pic. It's a tiny truck with a smallish two axle trailer. The trailer is 6400 pounds, the axles are in no danger of being overloaded. Very likely the axles support 8000 pounds. Comparisons to 8 ton behemoths, while interesting, are not relevant to the OPs questions.

He did not give enough info to give him the right answer.

 

[classicrockguy]

You seem to have no interest in working with the info the OP has provided.

2 weighs to determine what he needs to verify WDH setup.

3 weighs if you want to measure disengaged WDH tongue weight, very likely to be useless info.

We all saw the pic. It's a tiny truck with a smallish two axle trailer. The trailer is 6400 pounds, the axles are in no danger of being overloaded. Very likely the axles support 8000 pounds. Comparisons to 8 ton behemoths, while interesting, are not relevant to the OPs questions.

You simply cannot properly setup a WDH with just 2 weights or 2 measurements.

The first weight or wheel well measurement tells you the truck “normal” front suspension state.

The second weight or wheel well measurement (no WD bars) tells you the effect of the trailer tongue weight on the front suspension (eg how much it is unloaded by the see-saw effect).

The third weight or wheel well measurement tells you how much the WD bars have offset the effect of the trailer tongue weight (eg distributed weight back on to the front suspension).

The Ford manuals generally specify you offset at least 50% of the front suspension “lift” from the trailer tongue weight. Either by weight or by wheel well measurement. I believe the Equalizer manual specifies using the wheel well measurement procedure.

From the Equalizer manual …

 

[classicrockguy]

He did not give enough info to give him the right answer.

Agree. Tongue weight on that trailer will easily be 700lbs if he loads it to 6400 lb gvw. Even though 10% is a widely published minimum, I’ve yet to see that in real life. Maybe others have. Max recommended is 15%. That would be 960lbs. Max on the truck is 750lbs per Ford, so this could be a concern. Hitch specs were not specified, so don’t know if that’s “ok”.

 

[RV2600RB2]

I have no dog in this but after reading the responses, I have to agree with everyone, EXCEPT Hit Factor. He’s just way off base.

 

[robmcqueen]

I have no dog in this but after reading the responses, I have to agree with everyone, EXCEPT Hit Factor. He’s just way off base.

Funny how some people can't admit when there wrong.

 

[GaryMGg]

Three weighs is not necessary. The WDH puts some weight on the front axle. With the WDH engaged, the sum of the difference in weight of both axles on the tow vehicle is the tongue weight.

In any case, follow the directions that came with your WDH.

FWIW, I spoke with the techs at Weigh Safe and they recommended 3 weights:
1. Truck
2. Truck and Trailer w/o the WDH set
3. Truck and Trailer with the WDH set for travel.

There are formulas which use 1 & 3 to determine that you’re generally good based on ratios.
However, Weigh Safe recommends the 3 weights to, in fact, verify the accuracy of your calculations and measurements.
This is particularly useful as their WDH can be tweaked to very fine measurements.