Re-Adjust your tongue weight... I think you will find your tongue weight might be a bit excessive due to the reduced length (14.00") If you used the hinge, shown in the above posts you could have kept the original tongue length without shortening. IMHO, you quite possibly have left yourself wide open to litigation should there be an accident.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYuQeWO0-FA
too much tongue weight does the same thing....
Woodsy