I have 31' TT that weighs in at 7340 dry. It says the tongue weight is 750, but I measure it at 1000. I have been playing with the distibution hitch and it's set up, and have had no luck. Someone suggested airbags, but I'm not sure that will solve the problem. If anyone has had this problem and has been able to solve it, please share.

 

Is the trailer level. 10-15% tongue weight is needed. Check the WD bars for the lb rating you might need stronger ones.

 

Also, check the hieght of the ball. Everything needs to be straight and level when you tighten the WD'er.

 

The way it is set up, when everything is hooked up, the trailer is level. The WD bars are level with the trailer tongue as well. The truck is like 2" lower than stock though. The instructions with the WD system say the truck should remain 1/2" within stock. I can get the truck to be within that spec two different ways. #1. I went two more links down on the chains - absolutely will not go another link, almost killed myself getting it on the third one - and the truck acted pretty much the same. The camper does not sit level at this point either, and the WD bars are at a big angle #2. I also raised the ball up and back to the top link on the chains. The bars were closer to level with the trailer, but the trailer was high in the front and it still bucked.
It doesn't do it on EVERY road, but it does it enough to drive me crazy, and we are going on a 2000mile round trip shortly. I don't want to spend the $ for air bags to find it is still the same.
Any other thoughts?

 

I believe bucking means your W/D bars are too tight.

 

I agree. My 6 year old could run the cheater to set the bars on my setup. How level are your hangars on the axles? My TT doesn't buck at all and that's with two atv's loaded in the rear.

 

You will always get some bucking with a TT. My trailer has a 1100 lb tongue weight and weighs 10500 lbs. My previous TV was a Excursion it bucked a lot more than my current TV 3500 quad cab long bed.

I also have 1200 lb WD bars on the Hensley Arrow Hitch. The tighter the bars the less bucking I get. Also my 3500 has the overload springs that stiffen up the ride some.

 

That's not it. I don't even use the cheater bar. I can do it without.
I'm lost with your question about the hangers on the axles. The WD bars are level with the trailer tongue, if that's what you're asking.

 

Just pick one of these up... http://www.hensleymfg.com/

 

Loosen the W/D bars, and try it again. By over tightening them, you essentially are putting all too much weight on the rear of the trailer and front of the truck.

 

Back between the axles on your trailer is a locator between the spring hangars. That bar needs to be level when you are all hooked up regardless of how you think the trailer sits.

This statement below caused a few of us to believe you perhaps have your WD too tight and/or your loading the rear axle a little too heavy. I'll try to get a pic later in the day for reference on the leveling I'm talking about.


"I went two more links down on the chains - absolutely will not go another link, almost killed myself getting it on the third one - and the truck acted pretty much the same. The camper does not sit level at this point either, and the WD bars are at a big angle #2. I also raised the ball up and back to the top link on the chains. The bars were closer to level with the trailer, but the trailer was high in the front and it still bucked."

 

Whoa! $3K for the 14K GVWR unit!

That right there would more than influence the decision to get a 5th wheel for me. Totally cost prohibitive for a tag trailer, but I suppose there is a sucker born everyday.

 

I transport RVs and my company requires W/D bars be used, regardless of the weight of the TT. Since you state that it doesn't buck on all roads I'm pretty sure the ones that do are concrete with expansion joints. Get used to it, there is no cure other than varying your speed, usually slower works for me but sometimes 70 gets the harmonic bounce to go away. A set of adjustable shocks (Ranchos) might help, but I wouldn't count on it. If you are old enough you would remember the demo of a front wheel drive car, I think it was an Caddy, that they hooked a trailer with W/D bars to and removed the rear wheels, then drove it. The W/D makes your truck and trailer essentially one unit so the bumps from the trailer wheels are transmitted to the truck. Very quickly the bumps from the truck wheels and the trailer wheels form a very unpleasant ride. Some combos are worse than others, it is a matter of wheelbase and length of trailer.

 

I will check that out on the camper. As far as the statements you refered to, that was just me playing around thinking I had too much tongue weight, but that is not how it is normaly set up.
I called the service manager where I bought the camper and he pretty much told me what GAmes said. It is the roads I am traveling part of the time. He said that even the 5ers and little 18' TT do the same thing on those stretches of roads.

 

I own a Hensley and it is worth every cent I paid for it!!!!!!