Trailer Hitch Adjustments


The ideal situation is to have both the TV and the TT level when towing. Another important factor is having enough tongue weight, about 11%-15% of the total trailer weight fully loaded. I'm sure there a formula some where to figure this all out but it's been my experience that trial and error seems to work the best.

  • Step by step hitch adjustment procedure:
    • First, determine the ideal tongue weight for your trailer then weigh the tongue of your TT to see if you're in the 11% to 15% range, (see diagram below). If not you need to make adjustments inside your TT to get into this range.


    • Second, measure how much you raise the trailer when you fully engage your hitch to a nominal setting. You don't want to stress the leveling mechanism on your hitch by using it's the full adjustment, (a little over half way is a good starting place).

    • Third, adjust the height of the ball on your hitch so that when the trailer is just set on the ball, the trailer depresses the same distance that was measured in the preceding step.

    • Fourth, now engage the leveling mechanism on your hitch and check to see if the TT is level, by measuring from the frame to the ground at the front and back.

    • Fifth, now measure the TV the same way to see if it's level also. Make sure that this step is performed with your TV loaded the way it will be loaded when you're towing your TT on a trip, including most the people! If the TV is not level, slight adjustments in the ball height will correct this problem. To raise the back of the TV, lower the ball on the hitch slightly and add a little more tension on the leveling mechanism It's unlikely the back of the TV will be too high, but raising the ball slightly and back off a little on the tension on the leveling mechanism will lower the back of the TV.

    • Sixth, the rake of the hitch, the top tilted to the rear, on the TV should start at about 5 degrees after all adjustments. This setting controls the height of the far end of the leveling mechanism and may have to be adjusted to create enough ground clearance for this device.


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