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Equalizer Hitch

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Old Nov 16, 2017 | 05:57 PM
  #1  
ksteve06's Avatar
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Equalizer Hitch

Do you think I need to transfer more weight to the front axle? Truck and trailer near perfectly level.

Equalizer hitch with 5 washers.
Truck only
Steer axle 5000
Drive axle 3680

WDH not engaged bars in bed of truck
Steer axle 4560
Drive axle 5120
Trailer axle 7900

WDH engaged
Steer axle 4720
Drive axle 4920
Trailer axle 7960
 
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Old Nov 16, 2017 | 07:04 PM
  #2  
Chuck's First Ford's Avatar
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I like the front axle to be the same .. with and without trailer....

try for 5,000 on the front axle.. even 5,050...

others will have a different opinion.
I feel the steering is the most important part...
 
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Old Nov 16, 2017 | 07:30 PM
  #3  
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I have never weighed my setups. I just use equalizer or fords guide for setup by measuring the front wheel wells, unladen,laden no wdh, laden w/wdh. Shoot for at least half way back to unladen or back to unladen. Never more. But maybe I would add another washer to get ya a little more.
 
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 10:42 AM
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I set mine up as ncl has outlined. That's how the instructions that came with the hitch say to do it.
 
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 01:47 PM
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I would not have expected that trailer to have 1440 lbs of tongue weight. That's as much as my 11k GVWR toy hauler has when the ATV isn't in the garage (no water in the tanks).

I agree with Chuck, you probably need more weight pushed back to the front axle. How does it drive? When I was still tuning my setup it all _looked_ good but every time someone passed me (going the same way) the truck felt squirrely. When I added weight back to the front that feeling went away.
 
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by HRTKD
I would not have expected that trailer to have 1440 lbs of tongue weight. That's as much as my 11k GVWR toy hauler has when the ATV isn't in the garage (no water in the tanks).

I agree with Chuck, you probably need more weight pushed back to the front axle. How does it drive? When I was still tuning my setup it all _looked_ good but every time someone passed me (going the same way) the truck felt squirrely. When I added weight back to the front that feeling went away.
I thought it would be 1000lbs tongue weight as 440 came off the front axle?
 
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 02:40 PM
  #7  
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Chuck also gets my vote on this.

Steve
 
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by brandon_oma#692
I thought it would be 1000lbs tongue weight as 440 came off the front axle?
I went strictly off of the rear axle weights of 3680 (no trailer) and 5120 (trailer, but before WDH).
 
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Old Nov 19, 2017 | 07:07 AM
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What front springs do you have ?
 
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Old Nov 19, 2017 | 07:52 AM
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Originally Posted by 18F350P
What front springs do you have ?
I have the snow plow prep with 5990lb front axle rating.
 
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Old Nov 19, 2017 | 04:24 PM
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You have reclaimed about 36%. What does Ford recommend 25% or 50% for FALR? Any problems with sway or light steering? They are now recommending to use as little WD as possible to maintain a understeer condition on the vehicle.
 
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Old Nov 19, 2017 | 07:14 PM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by HRTKD
I would not have expected that trailer to have 1440 lbs of tongue weight. That's as much as my 11k GVWR toy hauler has when the ATV isn't in the garage (no water in the tanks).

I agree with Chuck, you probably need more weight pushed back to the front axle. How does it drive? When I was still tuning my setup it all _looked_ good but every time someone passed me (going the same way) the truck felt squirrely. When I added weight back to the front that feeling went away.
Originally Posted by brandon_oma#692
I thought it would be 1000lbs tongue weight as 440 came off the front axle?
Originally Posted by HRTKD
I went strictly off of the rear axle weights of 3680 (no trailer) and 5120 (trailer, but before WDH).


Yes, that nice Airstream has 1000lbs of tongue weight, you have to subtract the weight lost from the front axle as that weight in being carried on the rear axle but isn't from the trailers tongue weight.


Here's another example where even more weight is being moved around.


Truck solo
Steer: 4000
Drive: 4080


Truck/TT w/o WD (Dead weight)
Steer: 3020
Drive: 6920
TT: 9500


Truck/TT W/WD
Steer: 3560
Drive: 6220
TT: 9640


The TT TW isn't simply the solo drive weight subtracted from the dead weight drive weight, which would be 2840lbs. You have to subtract the steer weight lost in the dead weight to get the actual TT TW, so 2840 - 980 = 1860lbs TW. As you can see getting into these bigger heavier ranges that subtraction of lost steer weight (that is transferred onto the drive axle) really makes a big difference, 1860lbs is a lot of TW for sure, but at least it's not the full 2840lbs extra the drive axle sees on the dead weight ticket!
 
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