WDH setup question

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   OK all you towing guru's, need your advice.
Recently purchased 2026 Tacoma, tow package, hybrid motor with the extra torque and all that. Pulls great, but as a lighter truck definitely going with WDH.

Installed and tuning up my E2 Trunnion bar hitch. 

Front with nothing on the hitch sits at 36 5/8"
Front with the RPod on the ball with no WDH sits at 37 1/8". 
So, front raises up 1/2" with load and no WDH.
That puts my target with WDH installed at 36 5/8"  -  36 7/8"

After mucking around with the washers and placement of the hitch, what I'm getting is actually 37".
So, 1/8" under-adjusted. Ideally I guess I'm about 1/4" under-adjusted if I'm shooting for bit less than midway.

What I'm asking is, how accurate do I have to be? Should I take the thing apart and re-install the L-brackets one notch higher to try to get that 1/8" to 1/4"? Will probably have to take the third washer out as well, which means getting that ball off the shank again (ugh, those bushing nuts do NOT like to come off).

I guess I was expecting the front to come up more than 1/2" without WD. 

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Snolan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 03 May 2026 Location: colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote Snolan Report Post Quote Reply Topic: WDH setup question Posted: 04 May 2026 at 6:15pm
	OK all you towing guru's, need your advice. Recently purchased 2026 Tacoma, tow package, hybrid motor with the extra torque and all that. Pulls great, but as a lighter truck definitely going with WDH. Installed and tuning up my E2 Trunnion bar hitch. Front with nothing on the hitch sits at 36 5/8" Front with the RPod on the ball with no WDH sits at 37 1/8". So, front raises up 1/2" with load and no WDH. That puts my target with WDH installed at 36 5/8" - 36 7/8" After mucking around with the washers and placement of the hitch, what I'm getting is actually 37". So, 1/8" under-adjusted. Ideally I guess I'm about 1/4" under-adjusted if I'm shooting for bit less than midway. What I'm asking is, how accurate do I have to be? Should I take the thing apart and re-install the L-brackets one notch higher to try to get that 1/8" to 1/4"? Will probably have to take the third washer out as well, which means getting that ball off the shank again (ugh, those bushing nuts do NOT like to come off). I guess I was expecting the front to come up more than 1/2" without WD.

gpokluda Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: East Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 492	Post Options Post Reply Quote gpokluda Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2026 at 7:13am
	Assuming you did all of the prep work of loading up the trailer and the truck with gear just as you would if going camping, I believe you should be okay. The proof will be when you take it out on the road and see how it handles. When I towed my 179 with a Nissan Frontier with Sumo Springs, I would see 1/4" variation from time to time. I say give it a go.
	Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Honda SCL500

Snolan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 03 May 2026 Location: colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote Snolan Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2026 at 10:26am
	Thanks for validating my thoughts. I would expect 1/4" variation as pretty normal, so hate to agonize over trying to be that precise. Sometimes I carry water, sometimes not, and I bet that makes at least 1/8" difference. I do wish current setup brought the front down a bit more but not sure it's worth disassembling to get there. I think I'll take it out a couple short trips and re-measure everything. The truck is still new (< 1,000 miles) so might even see some settling of the suspension (?)

Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Online Posts: 1097	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pod People Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2026 at 11:21am
	with any hitch installation, the most important outcome is to get the trailer as level as possible. It may take changing a shank or having and adjustable shank. Travel often and safe Vann
	Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

GlueGuy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2780	Post Options Post Reply Quote GlueGuy Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2026 at 11:52am
	The lack of change may be partly due to the loading (or lack of loading) the trailer. The whole point of a WDH is to transfer enough of the trailer load to the front wheels so as to balance the load of the front & rear of the tow vehicle. So I would try to get an accurate measure of the trailer weight & tongue weight, and go from there. Our F150 pretty much doesn't care what the Rpod weighs, but it does care about the aim of the headlights. We've towed the Rpod exactly one time without the WDH, and it towed just fine, but the headlights were up in the trees. Not a big deal if you're towing in daylight, but a disaster if you're towing at night.
	bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost