plasticmaster
Home
Senior Member
Joined: 10/27/2008
View Profile
 Offline
|
Just got a new truck and noticed that when I hitched my travel trailer to it, the rear end squats a little as compared to the front of the truck. I have the Blue Ox hitch and typically I would adjust the chain length to give it more tension. However, doing so would cause the bar to hit the battery tray on the tongue of the camper in turns. Could I use stiffer load bars to provide the correct leveling which would allow the chains to be longer?
|
eHoefler
ozark mountains
Senior Member
Joined: 10/22/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
You need to have the head adjusted for the new truck, either up or down, and the tilt. The hitch is set up for the truck, not so much the trailer.
2021 Ram Limited, 3500, Crew Cab, 1075FTPD of Torque!, Max Tow, Long bed, 4 x 4, Dually,
2006 40' Landmark Mt. Rushmore
|
plasticmaster
Home
Senior Member
Joined: 10/27/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
eHoefler wrote:You need to have the head adjusted for the new truck, either up or down, and the tilt. The hitch is set up for the truck, not so much the trailer. The receiver of the new truck sits 1 inch lower than the old truck. Therefore, I raised the ball portion of the blue ox hitch 1 inch (the part that's made for raising and lowering held with the 2 large bolts). I did this before ever hitching camper to the new truck.
|
BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
Moderator
Joined: 10/16/2000
View Profile
|
Tilt the hitch hear rearward back towards the trailer a bit more before you hook up. This will give you more tension on the WD bars with the same chain link as before and allow the bar to clear the battery tray.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine
|
cliffy49
Blue Grass
Full Member
Joined: 01/27/2017
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Just an fyi. The head on the Blue Ox is not adjustable like the Equalizer hitch. Tension and weight transfer is determined by the chain.
cliffy49
2016 F150 Ecoboost & max tow (Gone)
2021 Silverado Custom 2500HD
2018 Catalina TH26 Toy hauler
|
|
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
So are you trying to correct a visual perception issue, or is there an actual issue?
Your old truck was a 2015 Half ton Chevy iirc and you now have a new or newer F150? (Based solely on your recent threads)
Apples to apples I don’t see any new F150 being softer than your old Chevy.
So are you trying to improve a condition that was present with your old setup as well or are we missing part of the puzzle pieces? Because “my truck squats a little” is about as vague of a statement as one could muster, I think.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
|
opnspaces
San Diego Ca
Senior Member
Joined: 12/22/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
As Barney said, you need to adjust the hitch head so it has more rearward tilt.
2001 Suburban 4x4. 6.0L, 4.10 3/4 ton
2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH
1986 Coleman Columbia Popup.
|
cliffy49
Blue Grass
Full Member
Joined: 01/27/2017
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
plasticmaster wrote:Just got a new truck and noticed that when I hitched my travel trailer to it, the rear end squats a little as compared to the front of the truck. I have the Blue Ox hitch and typically I would adjust the chain length to give it more tension. However, doing so would cause the bar to hit the battery tray on the tongue of the camper in turns. Could I use stiffer load bars to provide the correct leveling which would allow the chains to be longer?
Not real sure I am understanding this. How is it possible for the bars to hit the battery box. The bars are usually under the A-frame and the battery box is usually on top of and between the a-frame. Please post a picture of what you are referring to so that others may possibly answer your questions and get a better understanding of the issue.
|
shastagary
minnesota
Senior Member
Joined: 07/16/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
do either of these help? depends on which blue ox hitch he has
blue ox hitch instructions 1
blue ox instructions 2
|
Gdetrailer
PA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/05/2007
View Profile
|
plasticmaster wrote:Just got a new truck and noticed that when I hitched my travel trailer to it, the rear end squats a little as compared to the front of the truck. I have the Blue Ox hitch and typically I would adjust the chain length to give it more tension. However, doing so would cause the bar to hit the battery tray on the tongue of the camper in turns. Could I use stiffer load bars to provide the correct leveling which would allow the chains to be longer?
Eyeballing it?
Measure you unloaded height front and rear.
Measure you trailer hitched but no WD connected.
Subtract the loaded distance from the unloaded distance for front and rear.
Make your measurements in the exact same spot each time, you want some accuracy.
Now you have numbers to give you something to work from instead of eyeballs which sometimes gets fooled.
Shoot for half of the front difference for weight restoration..
That should bring the rear up slightly while dropping the front some as it pushes weight forward towards the front axle.
Manufacturers used to tell folks to fully restore the front height, I believe they now recommend 1/2 restoration as 100% restoration may not be obtainable or desirable..
Something else to consider, trucks are naturally biased high on the rear, depending on spring rates and how much over level the rear may start with, some sag is normal, acceptable and expected.
May not need as much as your eyeballs are telling you.
|
|
|
