Posted 2005-09-07 10:47 PM (#30039) Subject: First time hitched-is this normal?
Member
Posts: 9
Hi- finally got the bp trailer hitched to truck for first time. This may seem like a silly question, haven't gone anywhere but the drive yet ;),but- when we were lowing the trailer on to the hitch ball, you could feel the truck slowly going down a slight bit, and then went up slowly as hitch ball was released- the truck is not "squatting"- just slight shifting up and down, which seems normal, considering you are "loading" the truck with something-i.e. the trailer...this is normal, right? thanks
Posted 2005-09-07 11:38 PM (#30041 - in reply to #30039) Subject: RE: First time hitched-is this normal?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Ontario - east of TO
yes the truck will sit a little with the added weight
But I think what you are seeing with the down, then up a little is the ball sliding into the hitch. You are never 100% lined up - so when you lower the trailer the hitch is sitting a little off center of the ball so when you start lowering the trailer it starts pushing the truck down before the hitch it complete on to the ball. As you lower the trailer more weight is on the ball and the hitch slides home on the ball and it is that 2 inches or so that it slides all at once where you are seeing the slight lifting of the truck... totally normal.
Posted 2005-09-11 9:35 AM (#30174 - in reply to #30039) Subject: RE: Seek opinions on having trailer repainted?
Member
Posts: 22
Location: Webster, NH
This is perfectly normal and should happen. Two things are going on here. The first is the adjustment to your ball actually lining up with the hitch, as was described. The second is the fact that you've just added weight to your truck. The hitch should have 10% to 15% of the total weight of the trailer on it, i.e., if your trailer weighs 3000#, you've just added approximately 300 to 450 pounds to your truck. Depending upon your truck will be how much this squat is. When you add your horse or horses, your truck will squat some more. Add two horses and gear at 1500# apiece, and that's another 300 to 450 pounds that you've added to your truck. This is why the determination of whether the trailer is level should be done on a loaded trailer. If the trailer is level when empty, it will probably be nose heavy when loaded.
First time hitched-is this normal?
