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fastwaytrailer.com
Cargo carriers, bike racks, and second trailers attached to the rear bumper of a
trailer add weight to the rear of the trailer that automatically subtracts tongue
weight. We recommend you do not add weight of any form to the rear bumper of
your trailer. We also recommend that you do not tow a 2nd trailer.
Trailer coupled attitude
: Attitude or pitch refers to the angle the trailer is tipped
up or down. It is generally accepted that a trailer should be towed sitting parallel to
the ground, or with the front (coupler) tipped slightly down. The front tipped too far
up or down may be an indication of improper trailer loading, or a need to adjust the
ball height or weight distribution settings.
Vehicle weight ratings
: Each trailer and tow vehicle has a maximum Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The tow vehicle and towing equipment, including receiver,
shank, hitch, and hitch ball all have maximum weight ratings for tongue weight
and trailer weight. Tow vehicle and trailer also have maximum axle weight ratings.
Never exceed any of these ratings.
Appendix C - Installing With Auto-Level/Air Bags
Always refer to and follow your tow vehicle owner’s manual or air bag instructions
for their requirements for use while towing.
Step 1 - Ready the Tow Vehicle and Trailer
The tow vehicle auto-level or suspension air bags should be set to normal ride height
and/or air pressure before setting up the hitch and while towing. Turn off or disable
these systems during the hitch setup process. Allow the suspension to adjust to
normal position before turning it off. To turn the auto-level off, the system may have
an off switch, a jack mode setting, or you may need to turn off the vehicle. The auto-
level feature, or making adjustments to air bag pressure after setting up the hitch can
greatly affect the weight distribution provided by the hitch, most likely decreasing it.
Refer to your tow vehicle and/or air bag owner’s manuals for additional information.
Steps 6 and 7 - Weight Distribution Setup and Adjustments
If the tow vehicle is equipped with auto-level that cannot be disabled while driving,
weight distribution should be set to be slightly over adjusted before turning on the
system. This means returning the front axle height to be between slightly more than
one-half (50%+) to all the way (100%+) back to the baseline front axle measurement
(weight). See
line A
on p. 15. After setting up the hitch, turn on the system, allowing
it to auto-level. Measure the front as you did for the
line C
measurement, and write
this measurement next to the first for later reference.
If the system has leveling only on the rear axle, the new measurement and