How to adjust ball on WD sway bar hitch?

[snook]

I have a husky WD with friction sway bar hitch and have figured out how to use it but with my suburban, I moved the ball all the way to the top holes to adjust it to the correct height for my TT and it still isn't quite high enough. Is there an adapter or something that will allow me to get another 3" or so higher? ???

 

[Jim Dick]

Snook,

The drop should be reversible. Turn it over in the receiver. If you already have done that then you will need a deep drop.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

Hello:

More info is needed to be more helpful.....
And if you have a Digital camera, a picture of "set up" would help a lot.
In general, one can purchase (add/change) parts to do the task.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I would be leery about using a drop receiver with a WD hitch. It changes the leverage of the WD action, plus the raise/drop extension is usually derated in load carrying capacity.  That's why heavy duty ball mounts are made adjustable rather than relying on drop receiver extensions for height adjustment.  If the ball mount has more adjustment in the down direction than upward, you may be able to turn it over in the receiver and then remove the ball and turn it over and thus get use of the greater amount of adjustment.

I guess I'm somewhat amazed that your trailer is that much higher than the receiver on the Suburban. A Suburban is fairly tall. How high does the tongue have to be off the ground to get the trailer level?

 

[kymedic]

Some trailes are pretty high. With my tv i have to use a 6 inch drop with my pontoon boat. But when i got my tt i had to buy a 2 inch drop and flip it over to get a 2 inch rise to level the trailer. My tv sits fairly high with 35 inch tires.

 

[Joezeppy]

Each of the hitch manufacturers seem to sell their WD hitches as a package with a "standard" (i.e "average") drop/rise shank but larger drop/rise options are available.

 

[Jim Dick]

Gary,

Perhaps you misunderstood my comment. The drop, to which I was referring, is part of the adjustable ball mount to allow for differences in vehicle height compared to trailer height. I may not have correctly stated the difference between a fixed drop and the adjustable drop. My mistake!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Sorry, Jim. I DID misunderstand what you said.

 

[snook]

well, fellas.......I shoula thought about turning that thing over (lots on my mind with other stuff lately and am not as sharp as I should be) to answer you, gary....the TT tongue is about 25.5" to the middle and with the ball (not turned over, of course, which I will do now) adjusted all the way up on the suburban it hits (did hit) at about 24". I'll go turn that thing over and get it up a little more........thanks guys, and tell me that I'm right when I plan to get it as close to 26.5" as I can. Isn't that right? 1 inch higher than the tongue when level?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's ok for the trailer to come in a tiny bit low after leveling, but it should never end up high (upward angle). An up-angle trailer tongue can lift the tow vehicle's rear wheels right off the road in a hard stop. Level is best, of course.

I'm not sure it is all that important where the tongue and ball start out (within reason, of course), as long as it ends up right when the spring bars are tensioned properly. Ideally, the trailer ends up level and the tow vehicle ends up level and the ball height makes up any difference between the two.

Here is one article on the procedure:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2094696_setup-weight-distributing-hitch.html

Didn't the Husky come with a manual that gives detailed instructions?

 

[Jim Dick]

If you can't hit the exact height on the ball make it just a little less. Gives more tongue weight which will help with control. Putting it higher will adversely affect the control.