WDH isn't working out as planned

[springer02]

Finally decided this year to buy a WDH for our PU (2001 Coleman Cheyenne). We do some long trips and find that it tows well, but we get sag in the back end of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and also some bouncing on seamed road surfaces. Decided to take the plunge.

Found this Reese single-bar WDH online:
http://www.reese-hitches.com/weightdist_single.htm

Read one or two good reviews of it on the boards, so took the plunge. Liked the looks of it more than the Reese Mini 350, since it has the lever to tighten it down. Figured it would work better for DW if she decides to tow (and for me if I'm being lazy).

Got it mostly installed and suddenly figured out that the maximum ball drop I could configure is about 2". The regular drawbar we used to use was a 4.5" drop (which I always considered 1/2 inch too much, but still). Checked with the seller, and they claim that there's no alternate drawbar for this unit because it's a unique size. Despite being advertised for PUs, it's not going to fit mine. I imagine that given this it won't fit a lot of them either and am a little disturbed by the way it was presented. In checking the Reeseprod website, it appears that the Mini-350 does have a larger drop drawbar.

Am I missing something? Is there another option, short of returning this one and buying the Mini-350? Shipping on this one is $30+ each way, so I hate like heck to send it back and eat shipping round trip for this one and again for a Mini-350.

Ideas, suggestions welcome. Maybe I'm just venting and it's not going to work, but I'll entertain ideas before packing it back in the box.

Dave

[Done Working]

I'm not sure if you thought of this.
Did you try to unbolt and remove the head assembly, flip the shank assembly and bolt them together again. This is what I needed to do for the thing to work on my van.

[AustinBoston]

I don't have a suggestion on yours, but I will say that the Mini-350 we use has up to a 4" drop in about 1.5" increments.  It will also rise about 2", I think.  I got that stuff all squared away years ago and only went back to it once to tighten it one setting at about 1,000 miles.

It can be a bit of a pain to hook up, but it does the job on sag and expansion joint bounce (well, some of the bounce anyway...I-80 in Nebraska is hopeless).

Austin

[springer02]

As to flipping it over, yes, actually that's the only way I got to the 2" drop. Otherwise it would have been only an increase in height.

As for the mini 350, yep, I'm kicking myself and hoping I can avoid a total return of this one.

[fritz_monroe]

I sure hope this gets resolved and allows you to use the single bar.  I have this WDH as well, and just changed TVs.  I really hope I can use the single bar, I love the ease that it's connected and set.

[springer02]

Doesn't look good. Here's what the seller is saying, and I've now confirmed it with Reese manufacturer:

"In speaking with the manufacturer on the Weight Distribution set-up that
you purchased, there is currently not another shank available for that.
The hole spacing and bar width on the one you have is different from all
of the other Weight Distribution Shanks, so there are not currently any
compatible parts for it."

[Calstate361]

I would call the manufacturer and demand that they pay for the return shipping and have them replace it with the correct one that you can use and pay for that shipping also.   I would push the issue that they were the ones who misrepresented it.   I have done this before with other products and the manufacturer is usually willing to do what  you ask in order not to get a bad reputation.   Try it, what have you got to loose.

 
Joan

[tknick]

I would have to agree with the previous post.  The product was advertised as working with your setup.  You didn't do anything (or fail to do anything like checking compatabiliity) that lead to you choosing the wrong hitch.  Your decision was based on information that they provided.

As long as the WDH you return is in such a condition that they can re-sell it and you purchase another one from the same vendor, they should eat the return shipping at the very least.  A good company would eat it both ways.

[zamboni]

It is possible that the shank from a different brand may fit.

For example, Equal-I-Zer has several sizes available.  I don't know what the hole spacing is, but that could be found out easily.

How far apart are the center points of your two bolts?  What is the size of the shank (square, but how many inches/side)?

Equal-i-zer has up to a 9" drop available (have up to 3,4,6 or 9 inch on a regular hitch, and 3 & 4" on the 18" extended bar, like if you need to do a hitch-mounted bike rack):
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/productinfo/tech_specs.php

[springer02]

I've sent those folks a note, thanks.

Here are the specs I sent them:

The vertical bar (with the holes in it) needs to be 2" x 2" and the holes spaced at one-inch intervals. It also needs to accomodate a 4.5" drop. To accomplish this, the bottom hole (or the bottom one I'll use) needs to be approx. 8.5"-9" below the top of the shank that goes into the hitch. The shank that goes into the receiver should be approx 9" from the hole that the pin goes through to the back of the hitch.

Not knowing all the terms, I hope that is something they can decypher. If not, it'll be back to the seller with the Reeds hitch, as good as it looks otherwise.

[fritz_monroe]

I've sent those folks a note, thanks.

Here are the specs I sent them:

The vertical bar (with the holes in it) needs to be 2" x 2" and the holes spaced at one-inch intervals. It also needs to accomodate a 4.5" drop. To accomplish this, the bottom hole (or the bottom one I'll use) needs to be approx. 8.5"-9" below the top of the shank that goes into the hitch. The shank that goes into the receiver should be approx 9" from the hole that the pin goes through to the back of the hitch.

Not knowing all the terms, I hope that is something they can decypher. If not, it'll be back to the seller with the Reeds hitch, as good as it looks otherwise.

Please post what you find out.  I really want to make use of this WDH.  I love how easy it is to use.  It's so simple.

[zamboni]

The vertical bar (with the holes in it) needs to be 2" x 2" and the holes spaced at one-inch intervals.

I just checked my Equal-i-zer hitch, and though it is a 2x2 bar, the holes are 1.25" apart.

However, I have the 10,000-lb hitch.  They also make a 6,000 hitch.  It is possible that they have a different bar (though I'd venture not likely).

Good luck with your hunting -- it seems like a great idea, hopefully you'll get it to work.

[springer02]

Thanks, but it turns out they don't have anything with 1" spacing. I e-mailed and they referred me back to Reese. Everything they have is 1.25" spacing on the holes.

Looks like it goes back and I get to wrestle a mini350 or nothing.

[springer02]

And, by the way, since the folks who sold me this hitch online are not responding, the first job might be wrestling with hitchfinder.com, which does business as reese-hitches.com.

I hope they'll do the right thing and authorize a return without my having to dispute the credit card payment, but so far no such luck. Registered mail is next.

[SpeakEasy]

Are you trying to communicate with them via e-mail? If so, they may have an automated response system.

I made a purchase through overstock.com once and learned the hard way about automated e-mail response systems. Thinking I was dealing with human beings, I phrased my complaint in diplomatic terms. I got responses that indicated that a person had not read them. Finally, as an experiment, I shot off an e-mail loaded with key words like "complaint" and "unhappy" and "dissatisfied" and "angry." You wouldn't believe how quickly a human being got involved and resolved the problem.

Hope it works out for you.