level prior to hookup

[ugottalovett]

With travel trailer and truck ready to hook-up, should the TT tongue be level with hitch ball. My hitch is adjustable and is set up for my old, smaller TT. My new TT is taller and it appears the hitch ball should be raised to the highest slot so it will be more level with the TT when I connect the two vehicles. If I don't do this, the TT will be noticeably nose down. Feedback?

 

['Lil Guy']

If you are using a WDH, google it up and they will show setups on youtube. mI think you want the top of ball just a bit higher than the inside top of the receiver.

 

[justafordguy]

You want it level after it's hitched up and the spring bars are latched up. The user manual for your hitch will show you how to adjust it.

 

[pegmikef]

Generally the rule is that the ball should be 1/8th inch above the tongue ball cup for each hundred pounds of tongue weight. . . e.g., if the tongue weight is 700 pounds then the ball would be 7/8th of an inch above the ball cup. This is to account for the TV "squat" factor when the tongue is lowered onto the ball.

 

['Lil Guy']

Ideally, the truck will keep it's same stance front to rear and the TT will be level when hooked up properly. Reason for the level TT is to keep the weight even on both axles and tires. Nose down, the front tires are taking the load and visa vera. These TT tires don't need much reason to explode on you. Good luck with your setup.

 

[JohnD]

If you don't know what you are doing . . . take your truck and trailer to your dealer or a hitch shop and have them set it up the right way!

And once they have it set up right, have them show you the proper way to hitch it up right!

 

[JanAndBill]

If you don't know what you are doing . . . take your truck and trailer to your dealer or a hitch shop and have them set it up the right way!And once they have it set up right, have them show you the proper way to hitch it up right!

What he says x2

 

[Silverado23]

If you don't know what you are doing . . . take your truck and trailer to your dealer or a hitch shop and have them set it up the right way!

And once they have it set up right, have them show you the proper way to hitch it up right!

I would even be leery with using a dealer unless you watch them and have a good idea of what is right too. First RV, Dealer setup WD hitch. They did not do it right, They used a battery operated impact wrench. I drove 5 miles and nearly lost the trailer with the ball loose on the last threads before coming apart.

Bought a new RV this spring. They moved the WD hitch from the old to the new and said they were done. I took one look and saw the trailer was nose really high and the WD bars did not even engage, Had them lower the ball to level and then adjust the L-brackets for the bars and they "eye balled" the level and said everything was good. But in reality, the WD setup is still not setup properly. I temporarily raised the L-brackets to engage the WD-bars and that helped but I will still need to have the hitch readjusted to be properly loaded.

 

[JohnD]

I would even be leery with using a dealer unless you watch them and have a good idea of what is right too. First RV, Dealer setup WD hitch. They did not do it right, They used a battery operated impact wrench. I drove 5 miles and nearly lost the trailer with the ball loose on the last threads before coming apart.

Bought a new RV this spring. They moved the WD hitch from the old to the new and said they were done. I took one look and saw the trailer was nose really high and the WD bars did not even engage, Had them lower the ball to level and then adjust the L-brackets for the bars and they "eye balled" the level and said everything was good. But in reality, the WD setup is still not setup properly. I temporarily raised the L-brackets to engage the WD-bars and that helped but I will still need to have the hitch readjusted to be properly loaded.

Which is why I also suggested a hitch shop.

Perhaps I should have said "Someone that knows what they are doing!" to get it all setup right.

I see trailers almost every day going down the highway with WD setups . . . that are not set up right!

I'm willing to bet that most WD setups are by do-it-yourselfers that don't have a clue how to get this stuff right!