FastWay e2 600/6000 Trunnion Hitch - R-pod Owners Forum

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michaeln

Groupie

Joined: 08 Dec 2018
Location: Avery, CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 40

Topic: FastWay e2 600/6000 Trunnion Hitch
Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 8:41am

The trailer is winterized right now so there is no water in it, just some RV antifreeze. I will do the measurements again with a full camping load. However, my camping load is light. Just me and just 1-2 day trips, so if I carry water, it would not be anywhere near a full tank since I won't be showering and the carried water would be mostly for washing dishes, flushing the toilet and hand washing.

My main reason for doing the e2 was for the safety aspects of sway control more than the WD capabilities, but I figured having a WD hitch couldn't hurt and might help some. But I do realize that too much WD is a bad and dangerous situation.

No, I have not weighed anything and I know I should. I will look into where I can find a public scale where I can weigh it.

The only scales I know of right now are operated by the California Highway Patrol and I am under the impression they are for commercial trucks only. I will stop and talk to them at the one that is nearest to me (I live in Avery California and the nearest scale I know of is in Murphys California on Highway 4, about 8 miles down the mountain from me).

---
Avery, CA

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 8:22am

Oh and water weight generally is the single largest loading variable in a TT (300 lbs in a rPod) so I would fill my tank and water heater if you plan on travelling that way before taking any measurements or making adjustments.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 8:18am

It seems like perhaps you really don't need a whd for your setup based on your original 1/8 inch front axle lift measurement. By trying to add one and still stay within the guidelines you're winding up with no tension on the bars because you don't need to redistribute any weight in the first place. If that's the case, changing the number of washers won't change anything.

As a cross check, have you measured your actual loaded tongue weight? If you don't want to use the bathroom scale process you can go through a public scale twice, once with the just your TV and once with the trailer attached and the WD hitch not tensioned. The difference will be your tongue weight. You can get your actual axle weights at the same time by adding one axle at a time to the scale.

Here is a calculator you can use to do a cross check with what you're getting against your trailer and TV specs.

https://www.ajdesigner.com/apptrailertow/weightdistributionhitch.php

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

michaeln

Groupie

Joined: 08 Dec 2018
Location: Avery, CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 40

Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 7:56am

I installed my FastWay e2 trunnion hitch Monday. It is the 600/6000 model, and it appears to be a bit too much hitch for my setup. It's not going well.

My setup is a 2018 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 V6 Access Cab, upgraded with OME heavy duty springs and shocks all around. Nothing in the truck bed. My trailer is a 2016 RP-171 with one FULL 20lb propane tank, Lippert electric tongue jack and two 235aH 6v batteries, boxes and associated wiring. Water tank and waste tanks were empty.

I installed the hitch per the instructions. I put the L brackets in the middle set of holes, and I used 5 washers (the manual says no fewer than 5 washers and no more than 9 washers). Fewer washers gives less WD effect.

I put a piece of blue painter's tape on the body about an inch above the front wheel well to give a distinct measurement point to measure between there and the ground, going through the center of the wheel.

With the trailer uncoupled from the truck the distance from the ground to the tape was 38 1/4”.

Then I hooked up the trailer with the full tongue weight on the hitch but without the WD bars in place. That measurement was 38 3/8”. Only 1/8” higher than without the trailer weight. That was a surprise, but I do have upgraded suspension in the truck.

With the 5 washers and the L-brackets on the middle set of holes (per the instructions) and the WD trunnion bars in place providing weight distribution (WD), the measurement at the tape was 37 3/4”, which is an indication there is too much WD happening. The goal is to get that distance back to ½ way between the unloaded and loaded heights. That target distance would be (38 ¼ + 38 3/8 / 2), or 38 5/16”.

Since I was already at the minimum number of washers, the next alternative is to lower the L-brackets. I moved them down one set of holes which reduces the WD effect. Now the measurement was 38” even... still too much WD.

Moved it to the next set of holes down (which is as low as you can go), and the measurement was 38 1/8”... still a hair too much WD. But that was the minimum I could set it up for according to the instructions.

Strangely though, with it still having slightly too much WD, the trunnion bars have very little tension on them. With maybe 10-20lbs of effort I can lift the bars off the L-brackets. That can't be right. Not enough friction there to give any sway control.

I called e2 support and told him the story with all the measurements. He said I can actually go as low as 3 washers (it would have been nice if the manual said that instead of the minimum being 5). So he wants me to move the L-brackets back up (he didn't know if I should go up one set of holes or two sets of holes) hoping to get the trunnion bars as parallel to the trailer frame rails as possible. If there is too much angle between the bars and the L-brackets it reduces the contact patch and there is not enough friction for sway control. Further he wants me to try either 4 or 3 washers instead of the current 5 washers.

I will follow his instructions, but my feeling is that this is too much hitch for this setup. Perhaps the light duty 450/4000 version would have been better, but since I have installed it I can't return it.

Things will change a little for the better when I have stuff in the TV bed and some water in the tank though.

---
Avery, CA

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michaeln Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Dec 2018 Location: Avery, CA Online Status: Offline Posts: 40	Topic: FastWay e2 600/6000 Trunnion Hitch Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 8:41am
	The trailer is winterized right now so there is no water in it, just some RV antifreeze. I will do the measurements again with a full camping load. However, my camping load is light. Just me and just 1-2 day trips, so if I carry water, it would not be anywhere near a full tank since I won't be showering and the carried water would be mostly for washing dishes, flushing the toilet and hand washing. My main reason for doing the e2 was for the safety aspects of sway control more than the WD capabilities, but I figured having a WD hitch couldn't hurt and might help some. But I do realize that too much WD is a bad and dangerous situation. No, I have not weighed anything and I know I should. I will look into where I can find a public scale where I can weigh it. The only scales I know of right now are operated by the California Highway Patrol and I am under the impression they are for commercial trucks only. I will stop and talk to them at the one that is nearest to me (I live in Avery California and the nearest scale I know of is in Murphys California on Highway 4, about 8 miles down the mountain from me).
	--- Avery, CA

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 8:22am
	Oh and water weight generally is the single largest loading variable in a TT (300 lbs in a rPod) so I would fill my tank and water heater if you plan on travelling that way before taking any measurements or making adjustments.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 8:18am
	It seems like perhaps you really don't need a whd for your setup based on your original 1/8 inch front axle lift measurement. By trying to add one and still stay within the guidelines you're winding up with no tension on the bars because you don't need to redistribute any weight in the first place. If that's the case, changing the number of washers won't change anything. As a cross check, have you measured your actual loaded tongue weight? If you don't want to use the bathroom scale process you can go through a public scale twice, once with the just your TV and once with the trailer attached and the WD hitch not tensioned. The difference will be your tongue weight. You can get your actual axle weights at the same time by adding one axle at a time to the scale. Here is a calculator you can use to do a cross check with what you're getting against your trailer and TV specs. https://www.ajdesigner.com/apptrailertow/weightdistributionhitch.php
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

michaeln Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 08 Dec 2018 Location: Avery, CA Online Status: Offline Posts: 40	Posted: 16 Jan 2019 at 7:56am
	I installed my FastWay e2 trunnion hitch Monday. It is the 600/6000 model, and it appears to be a bit too much hitch for my setup. It's not going well. My setup is a 2018 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 V6 Access Cab, upgraded with OME heavy duty springs and shocks all around. Nothing in the truck bed. My trailer is a 2016 RP-171 with one FULL 20lb propane tank, Lippert electric tongue jack and two 235aH 6v batteries, boxes and associated wiring. Water tank and waste tanks were empty. I installed the hitch per the instructions. I put the L brackets in the middle set of holes, and I used 5 washers (the manual says no fewer than 5 washers and no more than 9 washers). Fewer washers gives less WD effect. I put a piece of blue painter's tape on the body about an inch above the front wheel well to give a distinct measurement point to measure between there and the ground, going through the center of the wheel. With the trailer uncoupled from the truck the distance from the ground to the tape was 38 1/4”. Then I hooked up the trailer with the full tongue weight on the hitch but without the WD bars in place. That measurement was 38 3/8”. Only 1/8” higher than without the trailer weight. That was a surprise, but I do have upgraded suspension in the truck. With the 5 washers and the L-brackets on the middle set of holes (per the instructions) and the WD trunnion bars in place providing weight distribution (WD), the measurement at the tape was 37 3/4”, which is an indication there is too much WD happening. The goal is to get that distance back to ½ way between the unloaded and loaded heights. That target distance would be (38 ¼ + 38 3/8 / 2), or 38 5/16”. Since I was already at the minimum number of washers, the next alternative is to lower the L-brackets. I moved them down one set of holes which reduces the WD effect. Now the measurement was 38” even... still too much WD. Moved it to the next set of holes down (which is as low as you can go), and the measurement was 38 1/8”... still a hair too much WD. But that was the minimum I could set it up for according to the instructions. Strangely though, with it still having slightly too much WD, the trunnion bars have very little tension on them. With maybe 10-20lbs of effort I can lift the bars off the L-brackets. That can't be right. Not enough friction there to give any sway control. I called e2 support and told him the story with all the measurements. He said I can actually go as low as 3 washers (it would have been nice if the manual said that instead of the minimum being 5). So he wants me to move the L-brackets back up (he didn't know if I should go up one set of holes or two sets of holes) hoping to get the trunnion bars as parallel to the trailer frame rails as possible. If there is too much angle between the bars and the L-brackets it reduces the contact patch and there is not enough friction for sway control. Further he wants me to try either 4 or 3 washers instead of the current 5 washers. I will follow his instructions, but my feeling is that this is too much hitch for this setup. Perhaps the light duty 450/4000 version would have been better, but since I have installed it I can't return it. Things will change a little for the better when I have stuff in the TV bed and some water in the tank though.
	--- Avery, CA