Drop-Hitch / Weight Distributing Hitch Question

[Bill]

This is my dilemma. We’ve got a TT on order, 28” overall length, 7,600lb GVWR, ~800lb tongue weight. We plan on taking some long trips across the country and covering a lot of miles so I expect to encounter plenty of weather and road conditions. We’re also planning to boondock as much as possible.

I’ve never towed with a WD hitch before but don’t like the idea of limited turning radius or the potential for reducing ground clearance if I don’t need the hitch. However, I’m also not a fan of the idea of horrendous and potentially catastrophic trailer sway.

I like to plan ahead, but I may just end up waiting until I take delivery and doing some trips of increasing length to test out the current setup.

I pull this with just the B&W 5” drop hitch. Pulls just fine! Better than my suburban with the WDH/anti sway setup.

 

[Legmar]

If I can get my truck and TT level with just a drop hitch, will weight distribution bars add any additional benefit?

The main benefit of weight distribution hitches is that they “distribute” weight back to the front steer axle of your tow vehicle. Even if your truck looks relatively level, your trailer tongue weight on the rear will reduce weight on the steer axle. When you add the WDH and get weight distributed back to the steer axle it will improve steering/control/safety.
Keep in mind that most WDH systems do not provide any sway control unless you add a sway control bar to it. Reese has a WDH with tension spring bars (no chains) that do provide some friction but still not as effective as adding the sway control arm to the WDH.

 

[Supercup]

I would consider adding a WDH to your set up. I have used many variants over the years, but in general you move the weight forward on the truck and with sway control you add control - both add to your safety. When the wind picks up, they are really nice to have. As noted by legmar - many WDH do not come with sway control - but most have holes on both sides to add a small ball - to hook up a sway control system - here is a an example of that. $40 +/- on amazon or at your local trailer store.

Or you can go with a higher end system like a weigh safe that has built sway control into their head unit. there are others as well like the Equal - i - zer hitchs.

link: https://www.equalizerhitch.com/?gcl...Xg1CjHnQMHL7I-erd8MV243GP-5FLbrBoC-4gQAvD_BwE
link: https://www.equalizerhitch.com/?gcl...Xg1CjHnQMHL7I-erd8MV243GP-5FLbrBoC-4gQAvD_BwE

I have had a lower end system with single or duel sway control systems as noted above in the past and they did the job. I now have weigh safe system and it is nice to have it all in one, have the scale and the engineering behind how much weight to shift and a gauge to measure if you actually get there.

With respect to reduced turning radius - a WDH will never restrict you in any normal driving, even fairly tight turn around in a cul-de-sac for example. If your are going to back up into a tight spot (a camp site for example) and/or get to a extreme angle on the trailer to the truck at low speeds to get into the spot, then you might want to unhook the bars for that maneuver, as it will free up the movement of the trailer.

Once you get up towards 8k pounds or greater - you should run a WDH and sway control for added safety. With 8k of trailer weight and a HD truck you probably don't need one - but having one is safer - so you decide if the cost - $500 - $900 - is worth the added safety - if you are buying a $70k - $90k truck and a $20k - $50k trailer - you can afford a WDH -

When things go wrong - you will be very glad you spent that money! It may be the difference between cleaning your drawers versus a major wreck and all the brain damage that will come with that!

 

[Bill]

Thanks for the response. It’s never really been about the money, I don’t mind spending money on quality products or the right tools for the job ... It’s just been about determining if I need it vs the trade offs of using one. I’ve towed plenty of heavy trailers, but never a TT/RV so just trying to get smarter on the differences.

I would consider adding a WDH to your set up. I have used many variants over the years, but in general you move the weight forward on the truck and with sway control you add control - both add to your safety. When the wind picks up, they are really nice to have. As noted by legmar - many WDH do not come with sway control - but most have holes on both sides to add a small ball - to hook up a sway control system - here is a an example of that. $40 +/- on amazon or at your local trailer store.

View attachment 27621


Or you can go with a higher end system like a weigh safe that has built sway control into their head unit. there are others as well like the Equal - i - zer hitchs.

link: https://www.equalizerhitch.com/?gcl...Xg1CjHnQMHL7I-erd8MV243GP-5FLbrBoC-4gQAvD_BwE
link: https://www.equalizerhitch.com/?gcl...Xg1CjHnQMHL7I-erd8MV243GP-5FLbrBoC-4gQAvD_BwE

I have had a lower end system with single or duel sway control systems as noted above in the past and they did the job. I now have weigh safe system and it is nice to have it all in one, have the scale and the engineering behind how much weight to shift and a gauge to measure if you actually get there.

With respect to reduced turning radius - a WDH will never restrict you in any normal driving, even fairly tight turn around in a cul-de-sac for example. If your are going to back up into a tight spot (a camp site for example) and/or get to a extreme angle on the trailer to the truck at low speeds to get into the spot, then you might want to unhook the bars for that maneuver, as it will free up the movement of the trailer.

Once you get up towards 8k pounds or greater - you should run a WDH and sway control for added safety. With 8k of trailer weight and a HD truck you probably don't need one - but having one is safer - so you decide if the cost - $500 - $900 - is worth the added safety - if you are buying a $70k - $90k truck and a $20k - $50k trailer - you can afford a WDH -

When things go wrong - you will be very glad you spent that money! It may be the difference between cleaning your drawers versus a major wreck and all the brain damage that will come with that!

 

[ccw]

The main benefit of weight distribution hitches is that they “distribute” weight back to the front steer axle of your tow vehicle. Even if your truck looks relatively level, your trailer tongue weight on the rear will reduce weight on the steer axle. When you add the WDH and get weight distributed back to the steer axle it will improve steering/control/safety.
Keep in mind that most WDH systems do not provide any sway control unless you add a sway control bar to it. Reese has a WDH with tension spring bars (no chains) that do provide some friction but still not as effective as adding the sway control arm to the WDH.

Here's a great video demonstrating this by comparing the actual weight on the tires with air bags vs WDH.

 

[JB Brisket]

So from what I have read here (and other places) it seems that using a sleeve is ok. I'm coming from an F150 with a WDH to the Tremor. Is that the experience here? Thanks

 

[RedZilla]

So from what I have read here (and other places) it seems that using a sleeve is ok. I'm coming from an F150 with a WDH to the Tremor. Is that the experience here? Thanks

An anti-rattle hitch clamp can make all the difference in the world. By nature a WD hitch will set up tension between the insert and the receiver and make them rattle free when towing, but when detached the play in the sleeve and other components can be quite sloppy and noisy when driving. An anti-rattle clamp makes the connections between the receiver and the insert rock solid. Keep in mind that your capacity will be limited by the smaller insert shank.
Here's a good hitch clamp:

Amazon.com

Weigh Safe offers this one which is real nice and fits your 2.5" receiver and can be mounted in any direction:

Anti-Rattle Hitch & Receiver Reducer | Weigh Safe

Discover Weigh Safe's all-in-one anti-rattle device and receiver reducer. Enjoy a smoother ride with our anti-rattle hitch. Click here for more information!

www.weigh-safe.com

 

[Legmar]

So from what I have read here (and other places) it seems that using a sleeve is ok. I'm coming from an F150 with a WDH to the Tremor. Is that the experience here? Thanks

I tried them with my WDH and didn’t like them. I think the play in the sleeve caused extra tension on my pin, and it bent. Perhaps the pin was weak, but I feel better using a shank that matches the size of my receiver hitch.

 

[ibeb]

So from what I have read here (and other places) it seems that using a sleeve is ok. I'm coming from an F150 with a WDH to the Tremor. Is that the experience here? Thanks

I also came from an F150. I needed to get a little more drop than what I could with the 2", so when I ordered the new drop shank, I ordered it in 2.5"

 

[Marley]

I've gotten so use to the Reese DC that this is the 3rd trailer it's been on, upgraded the trunnion bars to match tounge weight.
You can see the built in sway control in the bars as they wrap around the cams when going straight.
Never experienced sway with this hitch.

 

[HelmPilot]

Does anyone know if the Reese DC trunnion bars will fit and work on an Equalizer hitch head? I really like the formed cam profile bars and would like to incorporate that on my setup.

 

[gatorblue92]

This is what that setup will look like with a 2.5” shank drop hitch plus WDH adapter from Bulletproof. Their gear it top notch, heavy built.

View attachment 19716

Wish I had seen this last year... a single hitch with just changing the attachment would have been nice and cheaper.

I have a B&W 7" drop and a separate Equalizer for when I'm towing longer distance with the camper. The WDH isn't needed as much on my 29' 6k camper but that sway control was great this summer in 30mph crosswinds in Wyoming. Wouldn't have been able to continue towing in my old F150.