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Is anyone else unhappy with load leveling

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
I have a new 2018 R/T and am very unhappy with the sagging with the load leveling. I did much homework before we bought the DD and it seemed like it would tow a camper just fine. My camper weights 5100 pounds and I never haul it with water or anything in the tanks. Two dogs and a baby in the vehicle while towing, the DD never really levels out.

Wondering if these shocks really are capable of load leveling what the tow rating is, or if they are up to like half of the rating??

Maybe my Reese WDH isn't correctly set up? I am not positive on how tight the chains need to be, but they are tight for sure.
 
#2 ·
It sounds like the hitch needs adjusting. I would go through the Reese WDH setup from beg to end and double check everything, including your front fender measurement and coupler height on trailer. If the dealer set it up when you bought your trailer (like ours did with our E2 hitch last fall), he was setting the hitch up for an empty trailer. With your trailer loaded, you may have only added 500# to the trailer weight, but in my case it added almost 250# to the tongue weight - so i had to adjust the hitch to get everything to level back out.
 
#4 ·
If the WDH isn't set up right, the nose will be high and it'll look like the vehicle is sagging.

Usually you have to do a preliminary WDH setup, drive around for a few miles to let the rear shocks adjust, then do the final WDH adjustments.
 
#5 · (Edited)
These things tow 5100 without a problem.

Your sagging has to be due to one of these two issues:
1. Too much tongue weight (did you have yours weighed?)
2. Your WDH isn't set up right

My guess is its number 2- You tried hooking up a 5100 lb camper with a normal, non weight-distributing hitch which would be your problem, or your WD hitch isn't set properly. On page 427 in your manual it even shows what happens when the WD hitch is set incorrectly!

My durango pulls over 6000 lbs without an issue with the WD hitch, and pulls about 3000 without an issue without a WD hitch. Perfectly flat and smooth in both cases. You should be having no issues with 5100 lbs and a proper, quality Weight Distributing Hitch.

What I did find is that I need to crank the chains down HARD. I get them as tight as I can before cranking up the leverage bar, and then I crank them as far as I can, and it levels right out.

So thats what my guess is :) Good luck!
 
#6 ·
Don’t forget you have to drive it for the load leveling shocks to “pump” themselves back up.

I once put 1100lbs of pea gravel in the back of mine and it squatted pretty bad just sitting in Home Depot’s parking lot. Got it home and it was nice and level again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#7 ·
I would say 99% sure it your hitch setup, it takes a little trail and error. I found the best way for myself i to hook up trailer drive for a few miles and then go to a flat parking lot leave DD running and measure from ground to rear fender flare so the dame for the front fender flare I am always with in 3/4 of an inch then I make sure the TT is level. I my set up I am at 3 chain links. But every set-up will be different but as long as your TT is level when hooked up and your front and rear fender wheels are with in an inch of each other you will be good. But you may have to adjust your WDH sounds like to me. Feel free to message me and we can talk if you need any help. Hank
 
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vrodguy12
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