[VAC] Re: Hitch set up

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I copied the following from Can-Am's site: http://www.can-am-rv.com
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Can-Am RV - Hitch Hints

Towing Problems? We can Help!
Trailer Sway

Unfortunately many people wrestle a poor handling combination all over 
the countryside when a few simple adjustments would make towing a 
pleasure. Less than 10% of the trailers on the road are properly hooked 
up. There are a lot of things to improve handling of your trailer 
resulting in reduced sway.

     * Hitch Head Adjustment - This is the one area that definitely 
needs improvement on most hitches. The pivot point of the trailer (ball 
on the vehicle) should be as close to the rear end of the vehicle as 
possible. We often see people with the ball sticking 4" or more from the 
back end to accommodate tailgates, lift handles or other things. The 
first thing you should do is to get the ball as close to the bumper. You 
may have to have the shank redrilled and loose the adjustable head. The 
next most common error on the hitch head is the angle at which it sits. 
It should sit at a 15 degree angle back from the vertical. When the bars 
are done up they should be parallel to the frame of the trailer or 
angled down a bit.

     * Setting Up the Vehicle and Trailer - Another area that really 
needs improvement in most combinations is the vehicle setup. The goal is 
to have the tow vehicle drop equally on the front and rear.  To properly 
set them up you should follow the following steps.
           * Drive combination straight on a smooth level surface. (Make 
sure the 2 are not at an angle).
           * Unhook the vehicle from the trailer.
           * Level up the Trailer. Measure from the frame to the floor 
so it is accurate.
           * Measure up into the cupler of the trailer. Measure your 
ball height on the hitch head.
           * The trailer should sit about 1/2" higher than the ball 
height on the vehicle.
           * Put Masking tape on all four corners of the vehicle.
           * Measure up from the floor to a mark the height on the tape 
(eg. 19" or 20").
           * Hook the trailer up to the car, and measure the height on 
the car to see the change.
           * If the car drops for example an inch on the back but is a 
1/2" high on the front you need to change the number of links you drop.
           * You have to go through trying different links until you 
find you are close to having the vehicle drop evenly on all 4 corners.
           * Usually you will find that one link will put to much weight 
on the front while the next link puts to much on the back. In this case 
use a bolt in between 2 links to fine tune the adjustment.
           * You now will have a fine tuned setup and it should make a 
considerable difference.

     * Vehicle Receiver (Platform) - Many factory receivers tend to flex 
alot. I have had trucks come in with a receiver bent up 1/2" on a 1000 
mile trip. If you can get the receiver reinforced to reduce flexing it 
will improve the stability of the combination. We add a 2.5" combo bar 
to the hitch and tie it across as close to the rear differential as 
possible.

     * Tires - Tires are vital to the stability of the vehicle. Many 
tire dealers unfortunately recommend oversized tires for towing. The 
problem is that the tires are usually to large for the rim width and 
they will have side to side sway of the tire wall over the rim itself. A 
much better way to add stability is to use a sport tire with a lower 
profile and narrower width. If you have a specific vehicle email me the 
tire and vehicle to us and we can recommend a proper size. There is an 
added benefit to this, it will enhance the final drive ratio of the 
vehicle, giving you more power.

     * Sway Controls -Sway controls are important. Though they are of 
minimal benefit on good days it is like a extremely cheap life 
insurance. We always install 2 on vehicles over 27' on Airstreams and 
25' on conventional units. One is a minimum.

     * The Tow Vehicle -Many tow vehicles have poor suspensions. Many of 
the rear wheel drive cars and sport utilities have sloppy suspensions 
and handling can be a problem. Suspension modifictions utilizing 
different springs, sway bars, bushings, etc. can help. In this case we 
go with a Hensley Arrow hitching system. This will eliminate virtually 
all the sway in the trailer. It is not cheap, but your safety, comfort 
and enjoyment are well worth the price.

Hopefully this will help you enjoy the open road more. If you have any 
specific questions please contact us.
Can-Am RV Home Page

E-mail Andy Thomson