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Old 05-31-2020, 06:07 AM   #1
chunker
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B&W hitch adjustments and pin weights

Here's the equipment and situation. Truck is 2017 Ram 3500 Laramie CC, LB, 4wd SRW. Trailer is a 2020 Keystone Raptor 356 toy hauler. Hitch is B&W 3600 (puck mounted Companion). Trailer is new and no trips yet just back to dealer for a couple minor warranty issues. Truck has an auxiliary fuel transfer tank, RDS 51g with tool compartment. Truck was weighed full all fuels, no gear except me at 180#. When I picked the trailer up a couple months ago I immediately went to same CAT scales. I weighed with same fuel loading, with full truck and trailer on the 3 platforms and then half weighed the rear truck axle and trailer on 2 platforms (wanted side weights as best as possible).

Trailer UVW around 13600#+-, GVWR 17,000#. When the trailer was weighed it was empty with an unknown amount of water, guessing around 3-400#, 2 batteries, full propane, added slide toppers. I was over the truck rear axle weights around 50#. Front axle actually lightened about 20#.

NOTE; I don't have the actual weights in front of me now but hope I'll get this later today to answer any specific weight questions. Pin weight empty was around 3200 as I recall. Loaded I expect to be around 16,000#. Garage will have 1 Harley Davidson touring, compressor, tool sets, miscellaneous "camping gear" such as grill, chairs, things. To those that don't know toy haulers, loading garage lightens pin weights

NOTE I'm not going to get into a discussion about whether I should be DRW, MDT or HDT. I'm SRW and it will be fine, I know how I travel and load.

Here's my question. The B&W has 4 positions that the pivot mounts can be installed which can change the pin location from 4" behind to 2" in front of the rear axle. I quickly looked at the hitch recently and the pivot arm are angled back which is either 4" back or over the axle depending on which set of holes in the base are used. I'll check that later today. Based on weighing and unloading the front a bit, I suspect I have the most rearward settings, hitch was assembled when I got it. I am also thinking that if I move the pivot arms to the most forward setting I can shift some pin weight off the rear axle and some to the front axle which had plenty of reserve capacity. Has anyone experimented with trying that, moving pivot arms fore or aft to change pin weights and what kind of results did you achieve? By shifting weight that will give me more fuel loading and fluid loading flexibility. With the long bed, real 8' long bed, and the contoured front cap, I don't have a cap to cab clearance issue.
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Old 05-31-2020, 06:21 AM   #2
chuckster57
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The “normal” position for the king pin is about 2” forward of the rear axle. Sliders put it behind the axle for maneuvering (backing) but usually have instructions to keep it in the forward position for towing. Moving your pin forward should put some weight on the front axle.
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Old 05-31-2020, 06:33 AM   #3
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You may find that moving the kingpin position forward creates a clearance issue with the truck rear bumper/trailer front. On my truck/trailer, there's only about 8" clearance when maneuvering. The corner of the truck bumper is "very close" to the trailer when at angles greater than about 45 degrees. If on a hill or a rise (like a fuel station approach) that clearance could be reduced enough for the truck/trailer to contact each other.

It may not be a factor with your "movement of the kingpin position forward in the bed" but I'd keep an eye on how it impacts the truck bumper/trailer clearance.

Also, if you move it forward, you may find that you can't lower the tailgate with the trailer hitched and in travel position. It's possible to slide the hitch back to access the tailgate, but it will add a step to hitching (requiring that you hitch with the trailer hitch in the "rear, maneuver position" and get out to close the tail gate before moving the hitch to "travel position". That puts you in a "must remember or damage can occur" situation.
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Old 05-31-2020, 06:55 AM   #4
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The B&W 3600 is not a slider, it's fixed.

Before I make any pivot arm changes I'll confirm the bolt position they are in. Heading out there soon and will look at the mounting of them. When hooking up I have plenty of room with the tail gate down but never measured. Gotta be straight though.
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Old 05-31-2020, 07:11 AM   #5
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OOPS... My mistake. That makes it even more important that the tail gate clear the trailer in the down position. Moving the hitch forward would reduce that "already uncomfortably close" measurement. I've got about 8" clearance with the tail gate down, try hitching at any angle greater than a few degrees off "dead straight" and bumping the front storage compartment door becomes a dreaded reality.
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Old 05-31-2020, 07:12 AM   #6
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Mine is in forward position and have never had a problem with clearance.
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Old 05-31-2020, 02:14 PM   #7
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I picked up my weight tickets and also checked the hitch. The pivot arms are mounted in the forward most holes aimed aft. That puts the pin over the axle. I'll turn the pivot arms around and get the pin 2" forward of the axle which will give me weight shift more on the forward axle. My biggest weight shift will be by loading the garage for travel which should lighten the pin an additional 5-700# based on other posters on other threads. Since the fresh water tank is just forward of the trailer axles and I'm not going to travel full, around 1/4 tank, the water issue is probably close to a "wash" based on water in tanks from the delivery inspection (PDI).

If anyone is interested in Raptor 356 weights on a custom order rather than as typically found on a lot, let me know and I'll start another thread with those figures.
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Old 07-19-2020, 09:41 AM   #8
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I purchased my B&W hitch from Etrailer and installed with my son in law who is a mechanic. Etrailer suggested using the middle spot (move the hitch toward the front of the bed of the truck or towards the rear). Afterwards I took it back to etrailer and had them check it out and got an approval from an experienced person.
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