Quote:
Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner
I'm clueless about all this stuff, so please bear with me. Is this something that will change between different loads in the towing vehicle?
Example - I've loaded up the truck with stuff for a bazaar I want to vend at. It's lots heavier than normal - by how much I don't know as I've never weighed my FJ loaded for a show vs unloaded. (Heck, I've never weighed it in either situation!) Will the hitch be adjusted differently in each situation?
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Yes, it will change if the load in the truck changes dramatically. Most people tow their travel trailer with a reasonably consistent load in the truck, but if you are changing the load by half a ton, it will make a difference which might matter to the WDH setup.
The WDH doesn't "know" anything about the weight of anything. The only factor which changes the force applied by the system's springs is the angle between the tug and trailer, as seen from the side. With a lot of extra load in the truck the rear end will sit lower, so with the same settings the WDH will apply more force; that might be appropriate, but it might be excessive... or even not enough depending on your truck's loading condition.
I think a reasonable approach would be to get the WDH set for a typical load, which should include taking it over a weigh scale to confirm results at the end, then take it to a scale again when using it when heavily loaded to make sure it is still resulting in appropriate axle loads.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner
And does it depend on how much stuff you have in your trailer as well? I imagine when it's set up at ETI your trailer hasn't been loaded up with your food, bedding, clothes and other stuff.
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Only the trailer's tongue weight matters significantly to the WDH setup.
I think a lot of people bring their camping stuff with them when they pick up the trailer, so it might be reasonably loaded for its first trip at setup time.