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Old 05-07-2020, 10:07 AM   #41
Frank G
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Back to the 2 x 2.5 inch sleeve. When a 2" shank is used in a 2" receiver and the same with a 2.5" shank is used in a 2.5" receiver, the pin holding it in place is placed in a sheer condition due to the limited space between the opposing surfaces. The pin as supplied from a reputable supplier has the necessary metallurgical properties to perform it's job holding the receiver in place, safely.

Now, when the sleeve is used there is essentially a 1/4" gap on each side due to the sleeve being free floating. The pin is no longer in sheer creating unpredictable failure points. The pin can and will bend making removal without hammer and punches, or torches almost impossible.
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Old 05-07-2020, 10:23 AM   #42
travelin texans
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank G View Post
Back to the 2 x 2.5 inch sleeve. When a 2" shank is used in a 2" receiver and the same with a 2.5" shank is used in a 2.5" receiver, the pin holding it in place is placed in a sheer condition due to the limited space between the opposing surfaces. The pin as supplied from a reputable supplier has the necessary metallurgical properties to perform it's job holding the receiver in place, safely.

Now, when the sleeve is used there is essentially a 1/4" gap on each side due to the sleeve being free floating. The pin is no longer in sheer creating unpredictable failure points. The pin can and will bend making removal without hammer and punches, or torches almost impossible.
On my '13 GMC dually the 2.5" to 2" adapter had very little gap, no where near a 1/4", on either side plus the 2" fit the hitch perfectly with nearly no play, no issue with shearing or bent pins.
From my experience if it has that much slop it may be either missized or just the wrong adapter for that particular application.
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Old 05-07-2020, 11:03 AM   #43
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Originally Posted by travelin texans View Post
On my '13 GMC dually the 2.5" to 2" adapter had very little gap, no where near a 1/4", on either side plus the 2" fit the hitch perfectly with nearly no play, no issue with shearing or bent pins.
From my experience if it has that much slop it may be either missized or just the wrong adapter for that particular application.

I have to agree. I used the sleeve in my prior 3/4 ton going into the 7th season and never had any issue with slop or bent pins. The fit was snug; so snug the sleeve would not come out when I traded it in.
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Old 05-07-2020, 11:07 AM   #44
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OP, I have Curt 17501 think it is the same as yours. When I got my 2.5 inch shank I had to file/grind off a little on the corners to get to fit in the reciever. I got the Curt because it was in stock locally no one in town had an Equalizer. I have had no problems in the time I have had it. Keep the head greased and I use Aero Kroil (WD 40 on steroids) on the L brackets to keep the surface rust down. I have my hitch cranked up a little but it is rock solid passing 18 wheelers.
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Old 05-07-2020, 09:01 PM   #45
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Never removed or bent my "friction bar" style sway control and the only part I greased was the tightening 'bolt'. Greasing the friction part would like greasing your brakes.
I went to an Anderson hitch after a while and it had it's own sway function along with WD.
Are you still using theAnderson hitch? Is that the one with chains instead of bars?
I am in a similar situation, I have a 2019 F350 SRW, cc. And a 195RB passport. GVW of the trailer is 5500lb and 23’ from hitch to bumper.
I’m guessing around 700 lb of tongue weight I was thinking I dont really need a WDH, but sway control might help.
I like the idea of the Anderson hitch but heard mixed reviews about them
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Old 05-08-2020, 05:00 AM   #46
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Sorry, but you are mistaken. See Posts 18 and 24.
24 says the same thing I just did in different words.
Since it did, i did not even look at 18.
Thanks... we agreed.
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Old 05-09-2020, 10:47 PM   #47
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Cougar needing weight distribution

I think Cougars run heavier than what is in the specs. I have a 2019 Cougar 29BHS. It is posted to have a tongue weight of 810 pounds. My Camping World Dealer sold me a 10,000 lb Curt hitch. Figuring that it should be enough. They adjusted it at the store and when I hooked up I had a lot of sag. I readjusted it to the highest setting and it is still not level. I think they should have sold me the 12,000 lb model. No I haven't weighed it yet. But I will.
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Old 05-09-2020, 11:08 PM   #48
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I think Cougars run heavier than what is in the specs. I have a 2019 Cougar 29BHS. It is posted to have a tongue weight of 810 pounds. My Camping World Dealer sold me a 10,000 lb Curt hitch. Figuring that it should be enough. They adjusted it at the store and when I hooked up I had a lot of sag. I readjusted it to the highest setting and it is still not level. I think they should have sold me the 12,000 lb model. No I haven't weighed it yet. But I will.
So some more info would really help. Did they sell/install a weight distributing hitch? If so, what are the bars rated at? What "highest setting" are you referring to?

Also, what is the info on your truck? Make/model, door sticker info for max axel and load capacity's?
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Old 05-10-2020, 05:39 AM   #49
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Adjusting a hitch is NOT a "work around" for an inadequate tow vehicle. Sitting level is the end result of much more than just "adjusting the hitch" or "installing heavier bars to transfer more weight"...

The basics of towing start with the foundation (just like everything else) and work up from there. The "basics" start with tow vehicle ratings, trailer weights, loading configuration. If they are inadequate, then adding a bigger hitch won't suddenly "fix the problem"...

Anyone who is having issues "dialing in their hitch" or "getting the tow vehicle front height to return to "unloaded measurements" should first look at the rig weights, the equipment "foundation" before spending money on "fixes" like bigger bars or different hitches....

I'm not suggesting that anyone has an overloaded vehicle or that their trailer is too big for the tow vehicle, I'm suggesting that if someone doesn't know the condition of the "foundation of their rig" and if it's not adequate, then they're only "fooling themselves" by buying a bigger hitch to make the truck sit level....

You could "theoretically" have a 1 ton truck towing a 4,000 pound trailer and have "issues with controllability or ride height" if the hitch "head angle" or bars are too light/too heavy for the application... So, there are a lot of issues that "could contribute to front fender measurement problems".. But, if you're towing a 35' travel trailer behind a YUGO, no amount of "bigger hitch" is going to fix that issue. The foundation comes first. Then the "dialing in" comes next...
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Old 05-10-2020, 11:47 AM   #50
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Originally Posted by PaulRod View Post
I think Cougars run heavier than what is in the specs. I have a 2019 Cougar 29BHS. It is posted to have a tongue weight of 810 pounds. My Camping World Dealer sold me a 10,000 lb Curt hitch. Figuring that it should be enough. They adjusted it at the store and when I hooked up I had a lot of sag. I readjusted it to the highest setting and it is still not level. I think they should have sold me the 12,000 lb model. No I haven't weighed it yet. But I will.
What sagged, the back of the truck? If you have a weight distribution hitch system, raising the hitch setting without adjusting the weight distribution head/ball angle can actually do the opposite of what you think. If the back of the truck and front of the trailer are sagging toward each other, you need to apply more weight distribution force. The process depends on the hitch manufacturer and their specific instructions. My dealer set up my hitch and it was all wrong. I got home, followed the instructions to the letter and reset the entire hitch system to the way it was supposed to be in the first place. By doing it myself I know it’s done right and I know how to fix it if something gets out of whack. My hitch head is rated to 14,000 lbs. and you can get 600, 1,000 and 1,200 lb. rated bars.
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Old 05-10-2020, 03:41 PM   #51
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Weight Distribution Question

NH Bulldog, JRTJH, flyboy, Specs of my TV 2018 F150STX w/ 6.5 bed and max tow package. 7000 lb GVWR 1980 payload. 13200 trailer tow rating. Camping World sold me a Curt 10000 lb W/D hitch. w/ bars and L brackets. (no chains)
I took the whole thing apart and on a level surface I leveled the truck & trailer. Then upon a phone call to Curt MFG. he told me to start with the ball 2" above the coupler. (not a 1/2" per instruction sheet) I tried several W/D positions and none seemed to achieve what it is supposed to be. Oh trailer specs 2019 Cougar 29BHS 810 tongue wt, 8800 GVWR. My next step in my mind is to get a hitch scale. I really believe that I am going to find that the tongue weight is over 10,000 lbs. I believe that is why I can't get this thing level. I think the bars have given up!!!! By the numbers I should be good. Thanks for your help
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:23 PM   #52
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If the hitch head angle is too "shallow" (pointing the WD bars up rather than down) you can't adjust the WD bars to transfer enough weight. What happens is the bars do not "load" enough to cause a weight shift. If the hitch head angle is to shallow, in order to get enough "spring tension" you'd need to lift the bars higher than the L brackets.

You might need to add more washers to the hitch head to get the correct tension on the WD bars.
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:26 PM   #53
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If they sold you a "10K hitch" I assume that is the shank rating. What are the bar ratings? Many/most have a "shank" rating then a different "bar" rating. 10K is probably OK for your trailer gvw but the bars make the difference. Your tongue weight will be right around 1k. You want bars rated for that at least. What did you get? After that all the other things that have been related come into play. What are you carrying in the truck? In the bed? How much "stuff" is extra over the tongue weight?
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:30 PM   #54
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We have a similar truck set-up, but my trailer (240BH) is shorter and lighter. I am at my maximum comfort level with my trailer, and based on over 6,500 towing miles over the past year, I wouldn’t be towing your trailer with this truck. I started with 600/800lb. bars and didn’t like the feel, so I upped the bars to the 1,000/1,200 lb. bars and have been happy.

Just remember, the truck’s tow rating may be adequate (I have power to spare under all conditions) but the max tow rating is based on a flat trailer loaded with strategically placed weights under ideal test conditions. Once you add a high trailer with a large frontal area and a long side profile, you just might find that you have more trailer than your truck can handle. Unfortunately, the same dealer who screws up a simple hitch installation is often the same one who told you “of course you can tow that, you won’t even know it’s back there”.
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Old 05-10-2020, 05:11 PM   #55
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Weight Distribution Question

Yes I think my hitch is inadequate for the tongue weight. I think I have the same problem that you found NHBulldog. I am going to weigh the tongue next.
The hitch I have is much easier to set up than the ones with washers. I have had the hitch with max pitch. (Hole 6) I assembled the bars and I am back to the original squat without the bars. There are 2 40lb LP tanks and 2 batteries on the tongue. So I am guessing that I am over 1,000 lbs tongue. I don't have a bed cover so I don't leave anymore that 4 level blocks back there. My hitch is a Curt Mfg. #17500. It is good for 1000lb tongue/ 10,000lb trailer GVWR.
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Old 05-10-2020, 06:34 PM   #56
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Post #41 mentions sleeve, on my ford 2.5 to 2 inch uses 2 sleeves. Not any more movement than the 2 inch into a 2 inch when using 2 sleeves.
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Old 05-10-2020, 06:37 PM   #57
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I would say you are over 1,000 lbs. on the tongue. My factory spec says 535 lbs. But that is empty with no water, no batteries and empty propane tanks. I have two 20 lb. propane tanks, two Group 27 batteries, and a power jack. My actual tongue weight is about 940 lbs. Using similar math, I would project yours to be about 1,300 lbs. Which if true would be dangerously close to (if not over) your cargo capacity on the truck when things like people, fuel, accessories etc. are factored in.
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:17 PM   #58
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Ken/Claudia If you have 2 sleeves on your F-350 you have a 3" receiver. F-350's are standard with a 3" hitch and an option on the F-250.
NH bulldog It's all making sense now. My hitch is good for 8000 to 10000 lb trailers. My bars are good for 800 to 1000lbs tongue weight. I know the trailer isn't overweight overall but probably designed by someone who never pulled a trailer before. Like I said I have 2/ 30lb LP tanks and 2 group 27 batteries. My fresh water tank, water heater, 1 galley gray water tank, and a pass through storage with practically nothing in it. (100 lb if that) I'm going to get the tongue weight and then see what my bar options are. Curt Mfg told me to call him back if I needed more help. I thought that was pretty cool. Thanks for the help.
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Old 05-11-2020, 05:20 AM   #59
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Hi all. OP here. Learning a bunch on this thread. I ended up with the Curt TruTrack Weight Distribution System w/ Sway Control - Trunnion - 15,000 lbs GTW, 1,500 lbs TW and also ordered the Curt Drop Hitch that fits a 2 1/2 receiver so I didn't need the sleeve. I got the hitch in time for the first trip and set it up on the top adjustment for the bars and got it level. Pulled like a dream even on a cross-wind and traffic. Set the cruise at 70 and rolled on just fine all the way into the NC mountains. Now, bringing it home from the seller was a trip though. The drop hitch (no WD or SC) I use for my boat and utility trailer was about 7 inches too low and the nose down made for some hairy situations and I couldn't go over 55. Definitely see the need for a WD hitch now.
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Old 05-11-2020, 06:25 AM   #60
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Happy that you got it "straightened out" (pun intended).
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