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Tony I

New Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2021
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3
Hello My Grand RV forum. Just found this forum while doing a google search. My wife and I recently purchased an Imagine XLS 22 MLE TT after tent camping for many years. We looked at many trailers for several years before deciding on the GD trailer. We love the floor plan and feel the 22 MLE is a great couples trailer. I'm hoping to connect with other owners and learn from all of you. Thanks for having me!

I do have an issue that I hope I can get some help with from other owners here:

I've been trying to dial in the WDH on our truck/trailer setup. Here is what I have so far:

2018 F150 SC 4x4 short bed w/regular tow package, 7000 lb GVWR and 1680 lb payload
2021 GD Imagine XLS 22MLE trailer GVWR: 6995
Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch, dealer installed with 750 lb spring bars set at 8th link from end of chain

I've done some research online and read as much as I can about the Sway Pro hitch setup. On our first camping trip, loaded for camping with full propane tanks and full tank of fuel in truck we stopped at our local CAT Scale to weigh the rig. The weights were all within the GVWR, GAWR of front and rear axles and GCWR. After gaining some experience towing the camper, it looked like the trailer was towing further nose down than it should be. I confirmed that by measuring from the ground that the front of the trailer was 3.5 to 4" lower than than the back. I contacted the dealer and returned to have them take a look at the setup. I also felt that maybe this setup should have 1000 lb bars. They felt the 750 lb bars are ok, but raised the ball two holes on the shank, so that the ball is now 2.5" higher than before. I did some of my own measurements on a flat, level parking lot surface to see what this adjustment had done to the truck/trailer setup. Now, with the trailer connected to the ball, it is sitting slightly nose down. The top of the trailer coupler measures 24.75" from the ground and top of ball is 24.5" from the ground. Every thing I've seen about these heights is that the top of the ball should be 1-2" higher than the top of the trailer coupler. After this adjustment the trailer seems to feel more planted and the steering feels less squirrelly than it was. I decided to return to the CAT Scale to confirm weights with the adjustment to the hitch height. I thought that raising the ball height would transfer more weight to the front end of the truck and to the trailer axles. To my surprise it didn't - here's what happened: the front axle weight dropped by 300 lbs, the rear axle weight increased by 250 lbs (almost up to rear axle GAWR) and weight on trailer axle was about the same. I have also weighed the truck without the trailer but loaded for camping, with the hitch head installed in the receiver.

I'm really not comfortable being that close to the rear axle GAWR, so trying to figure out how to transfer more weight to front axle and get weight off of the rear axle. Any ideas on how to remedy the situation? Raise the ball to get closer to that 1-2" higher than the trailer coupler height? Lower the ball to where it was before, even though the trailer was way nose down, weights were better? Insist that dealer swap out the 750 lb bars for 1000 lb? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Apologies for the long post but trying to provide as much info as possible. Thanks.
 
First off, congrats and welcome to the group and the 22MLE gang. :)
running the TT slightly noise down is better the slightly noise high or even level IMO. I run with a Husky Center Line and my bars are the 800-1200. My average tongue weight is 760 loaded for a trip. The Blue Ox is a really good wdh. You haven't posted you scale numbers or how the tv looks like when hitches. Has the front of your tv gone up (distance between the top of the tire to the wheel well)? You tv has to be level also. Sounds to me like you need to transfer more weight to the front of your tv. By doing this, it should remove some weight off of your rear axle. Do your 750 bars look real bent when hook up?
 
Welcome!

You picked a very popular model! If I recall, the unit has a gross of 7K, so 750# bars might be sufficient depending how you load up. Nonetheless, use of measurements is only ok for rough setup. Dialing a WDH really needs scale work to adjust, especially on modern trucks. You're on the right path, and just need to study your hitch and dial it in yourself. First thing first, you really want the end result to be towing as nearly level as possible. Touch nose down generally works out better than a touch nose high.
 
You're getting good advice, so I'll just add welcome to the forum! Now you can create a signature block with your RV and tow vehicle information (see mine below). That way you won't have to repeat that information whenever you post or ask a question. You can create a signature by going to:

Forum Actions (on menu bar) -> Edit Profile -> Edit Signature (under My Settings on the left)

Happy camping!

Rob
 
Thanks for your welcome to the 22 MLE group! I look forward to learning more on this forum. Here is some additional information about our setup based on your questions: The front of the TV goes up about a half inch when I hook up the trailer to the TV. Once I connect the spring bars on the Blue Ox the front of the TV returns to same height as before trailer hooked up. I don't have a picture of truck and trailer connected and loaded for camping. Next time we go camping I will remedy that. With the current setup the trailer is running slightly nose down. The 750 bars are bent quite a bit and feel very tight when I try to push on them with my foot. Here are the most recent scale numbers I have:

Truck only loaded for camping with the hitch head installed in the receiver:
Front axle: 3380 lb Door sticker Front GAWR: 3525 lb
Rear axle: 2820 lb Rear GAWR: 3800 lb
TOTAL: 6200 lb GVWR: 7000 lb

Truck and trailer loaded for camping:
Front axle: 3060 lb
Rear axle: 3780 lb
TOTAL: 12040 lb
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the info - I updated my signature! That's a cool feature.
 
Thanks for your welcome to the 22 MLE group! I look forward to learning more on this forum. Here is some additional information about our setup based on your questions: The front of the TV goes up about a half inch when I hook up the trailer to the TV. Once I connect the spring bars on the Blue Ox the front of the TV returns to same height as before trailer hooked up. I don't have a picture of truck and trailer connected and loaded for camping. Next time we go camping I will remedy that. With the current setup the trailer is running slightly nose down. The 750 bars are bent quite a bit and feel very tight when I try to push on them with my foot. Here are the most recent scale numbers I have:

Truck only loaded for camping with the hitch head installed in the receiver:
Front axle: 3380 lb Door sticker Front GAWR: 3525 lb
Rear axle: 2820 lb Rear GAWR: 3800 lb
TOTAL: 6200 lb GVWR: 7000 lb

Truck and trailer loaded for camping:
Front axle: 3060 lb
Rear axle: 3780 lb
TOTAL: 12040 lb
It looks like you pretty close to having it dailed in. Maybe a little more from the back axle toward the front axle. You might not need new bars. Does the Blue Ox have adjustment washers on the head? I'm not to familiar with it. If so, I'd bet your just a washer away.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk
 
But if it rides, feels and handles ok I'd probably leave it as is.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk
 

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