So, I configured my Equilizer for the new truck this weekend to haul my 26 foot Jayco. I had to raise the ball about three inches over my last F-250, which I assume was because my WDH wasn't configured right on the last truck. I think it now looks more level. The problem is the instructions from Equalizer stink. I had the front drop about 1/4", whle the rear was closer to 1-1/2". Granted, I have close to 700# tongue weight, but the instructions say the front of the truck and the rear should drop the same, or within an inch of each other. I am a little more. The problem is they say nothing about how to correct this. Do I drop the L-brackets on the trailer? Raise them? WTF? Then I read on RV.net to heigh the setup at a local scale, disconnect and re-weigh the tongue and different axel wights of the trailer and truck... like this is magically going to happen at a public semi-weigh station in a matter of seconds - or they'll let me tie up the scale for 30 minutes. What do you all do?

 

Your local ag co-op usually isn't very busy on the scales.

Tension on the WD bars in my opinion is more on how it feels and tows than taking weight measurements.

Only 700#'s of tongue weight.. you don't need to take a whole lot of weight into the WD bars.

The F150 will sink a lot more than an F250 when hooking up because of the lighter progressive leaf springs are designed for a softer/smoother ride.

I have never seen the front of a truck drop the same as the rear with any WD bar set-up... even in a 1-ton dually.

 

I have an Equal-i-zer WDH with my F-150 towing a Jayco Jayflight 27BH, so I may be able to help you.

I spent a lengthy period of time setting up my hitch which included several trips across the local self-weigh scale (very handy) to check the weight distribution. Measuring the fender height can be done instead of actually weighing your axles, but it obviously isn't going to be quite as accurate or informative.

To get "better" weight distribution (i.e. more weight transferred to the front axle) with the Equal-i-zer, you can do one of two things - add more washers or raise the L-brackets. The guidelines say that the L-brackets should be set at a height so that the tension bars are approximately level with the trailer A-frame, so most people usually adjust the WD by changing the washers.

To get the best weight distribution for my trailer and truck, I ended up with the maximum number of washers (8). Assuming your hitch setup, truck setup, etc. is about the same as mine and given that you have a Jayco trailer which I can only assume has basically the same hitch, I would expect you would be about the same.

 

Thank you. I am at seven washers, and the ball height is just above my bumper (ball location) if I recall correctly. It's kinda funny I had to raise the ball higher than I did on my F-250, though. My bars are fairly level with the trailer frame, but have a slight pward pitch toward the back (as recommended by Equalizer). I'll try out the rig this weekend, verify it is riding level, bars are positioned correctly, etc. When I test drove it, all seemed fine, except for the popping on turns, which is probably due to dirty friction points with dust-laden grease. I'll resolve that, too. Thanks again.

 

Don't know if you know where Jorgenson Steel is in Schaumburg or not but they have a scale that you can hit on Sundays.It is just south of the Elgin-Ohare E-way off Wright Blvd, I believe is the street name.It is on the south side of the building.

 

That's Great! Thanks for the tip.

 

If you visit a CAT scale at any of the tens of thousands of truck stops across the country, roll across, get the first weight, go in and pay, get the scale ticket, then make any changes you want in the parking lot, and get it re-weighed. IIRC, re-weighs only cost $1 for up to 5 passes.

Make sure one of the passes is with just the truck, one pass is the truck and trailer with the WD bars released, and as many as you need to get the weight distributed the way you want to.

As for the suspension squatting the same front and rear, this might work with a minivan, but I wouldn't expect that at all with a full size truck. Regardless of how much or little the suspension sags under the load, it's the LOAD you're trying to transfer to the front axle, not the suspension movement.

-Joe

 

Thank you. Great information. We have a CAT scale five minutes from the house. Seeing how the truck and trailer ride level, the front only settled 1/2 inch and the rear actually settled 1-3/4 inches, I can't think I am that bad off. The truck rear settles the 1-3/4" alone with just the tongue weight, if I recall correctly. I am sure if I loaded the truck up with a full payload, it would squat alot more than that anyway. As I see it, the front must have taken some weight to settle the 1/2 inch, so it's not like I'll be light in the steering department, or heavy in it, either. I'll see this weekend and post my findings. I'm more concerened with the tongue weight being way off from what Jayco specified (650#).

 

I have used a tape measure with good success on a couple trucks. Measure front and back without the trailer attached. Hook everything up and re-measure. You are looking for close to even amount of drop front and back. I like about 1/4" more drop in the back just to make sure the back is well planted.

The squeaking is normal. Its the bars sliding back and forth on the L brackets when you turn. This is caused by the tension which is also what reduces sway. So, you want the squeal. Its always fun pulling into a gas station and having everybody there turn to look at you when you start squealing and popping

 

Smoke,
I also run 7 washers in my setup. My truck does not squat evenly either but, it is dead level when hooked up. The rig goes down the road perfectly and I have no issues at all. The L brackets are in the 5th hole and the trailer is also level. The bars are dead level with the frame also. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

 

2006 F-150 and a Jayco 26S with 1,000/10,000 Equal-i-zer here... very similar set up to yours and some others. Here is what I went through:

At PDI we had the dealer install the Equal-i-zer (they sell and install them but I had purchased mine on-line for an excellent deal). Part of our purchase agreement was that they would install my WD hitch for me.

They install a lot of hitches so I had confidence in their techs. I was not disappointed and I am REALLY glad I had them doing the install because there were bolts that had to be cut to fit, etc.

OK, so after a 3 hour PDI they are fine tuning the hitch and we are ready to get rolling. The tech says that the hitch will work as is (seven washers) but depending on my preferences I may want to raise the L brackets one hole... and one hole only. As I said, I am really glad I had these guys doing the setup.

So we get ours home, try it out a few times and I am sensing that the load is not spread to the front tires as well as it might be. The height of the fender things was messing me up so I just went with the weight distribution front and back. I verify the weights, with TT loaded up, at the highway scales. I wanted to spread the weight to the front a bit more. I get back home, raise the L brackets one hole, weigh again the next time past the scales and that seems to have done the trick. I have the weight spread more to the front, "close" to even, and the rig seems to ride about as level as I can make it. I am a happy camper.

 

There ya go! Glad you got it worked out. No idea what scews they would have had to cut but as long as it works now that's great. Its time consuming at first to get right but it pays dividends driving down the road.

Try driving the trailer even a short distance without the equalizer some time. Its down right scary with a big trailer.

 

Pacifinw,

It sounds like your trailer and mine are about the same (mine, a Jayco 26L). Not to be a pain, but just for reference, can you tell me what holes your "L" Brackets are in, what holes your two main hitch bolts are in, and if your receiver drawbar is flipped up, or down, too? My receiver bar is flipped down with the top bolt (of the two hitch bolts) in the second from the top hole, if I recall correctly. I think the top of the ball at rest (no load) is at about 24" from the ground. I don't like the receiver drawbar hanging down 'cause it looks like it could catch something on a steeper incline. It just seems like raising the "L" brackets will make hitching up a real pain. Right now it seems I have to lift the rear end of the truck too high (much higher than the F-250) to get the bars on the "L" brackets. I may see if I can hit the scale just for fun.

 

"Not to be a pain, but just for reference, can you tell me what holes your "L" Brackets are in, what holes your two main hitch bolts are in, and if your receiver drawbar is flipped up, or down, too? My receiver bar is flipped down with the top bolt (of the two hitch bolts) in the second from the top hole, if I recall correctly. I think the top of the ball at rest (no load) is at about 24" from the ground. I don't like the receiver drawbar hanging down 'cause it looks like it could catch something on a steeper incline. It just seems like raising the "L" brackets will make hitching up a real pain. Right now it seems I have to lift the rear end of the truck too high (much higher than the F-250) to get the bars on the "L" brackets. I may see if I can hit the scale just for fun."

Well, lets see here... my L brackets are connected to the hardware on the trailer's frame using the 4th hole up from the bend in the L.

The receiver bar that came with the Equal-i-zer is in the down position and the receiver head seems to be leave one hole open at the top.

Not sure exaclty how high the receiver ball sits off the ground but 24 inches sounds about right.

I do have to raise the truck up a ways to get the bars on and off. That's why I added a power jack to the front and got rid of the crank type... what a pain to hook or unhook using the crank type... especially after driving all day and then setting up in 100 degree heat.

Good Luck.

 

Thank you! It sounds like for all of my guesswork, I am configured like you - and our trailers are very similar. Certainly, weights, distribution, heights, etc. may be different, but at leasy I'm on the same planet.

I installed a Powerfab jack two weeks ago for exactly this reason. What an arm saver. I'll check my config when I get home t be sure. Thanks again