W D Hitch ! - Diesel Forum

RobertJohn · 06-11-2005, 10:13 AM

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I've never used a W D Hitch but recently surcumed to the logic !
I've located one and just waiting to go get it ! ( Thank you Joe ).
My question is this... if you reduce the weight on the rear of the truck will this effect towing and cause sway,( such as loading a trailer with too much weight on the rear )???? And how do you know how much to use on the W D hitch ?? ( ie which link to hook )...
Thanks and I'm sorry if this is elementary to some but not to me Watson..
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OMCUSNR · 06-11-2005, 01:16 PM

If your tongue weight is properly set up already, a weight distrubtor is going to HELP control sway. It helps keep the front (steering) wheels on the pavement & reduce squat.

WannabePSD · 06-11-2005, 05:29 PM

On my WD hitch it clearly states that the bars need to be parallel with the ground and to NOT use less than 6 links. So, if your set up and using 4 links, something else needs adjusting...probably the ball height.

Alin

FYRMAN · 06-12-2005, 12:20 AM

Your instructions, that come with the kit you purchased, will tell you exactly how to hook everything up.

SteveHeywood · 06-12-2005, 10:22 AM

Most (probably over 75%) of the WD hitches I check out are improperly adjusted! I'm convinced that most dealers don't know/care and most consumers trust their dealers (BIG MISTAKE!).

Check out this link: http://www.rvlifemag.com/file313/hitchhints.html

Between the above and the instructions that came with your WD hitch ANYONE who can handle the tools needed should be able to properly set up their hitch.

j_apetersen · 06-12-2005, 12:12 PM

you have the wrong idea of wd hitch if you think that it takes weight off the rear of the truck.a 500 lbs trailer tounge will still weigh 500 lbs with the wd hitch.when using wd hitch the srings keep the truck and trailer running level. taking away the pivot of the ball.they make sway bars to keep from swaying.try loading the trailer and pulling it across a scale axle weigh and then install the hitch the axles will still weigh the same but the truck will run with no bend in the middle Up,Down.
You got a bar with the hitch and if you put too much pressure on the springs they will break.No cheater pipe.

ljthawk · 06-12-2005, 01:22 PM

It does transfer weight off the rear of the truck (rear axles) and distribute some of that weight to the front of the truck (front axles) and trailer axles. For an analysis and graphical description of the force in the hitch system, take a look at

http://www.imdl.gatech.edu/ljthawk/m...itch_calcs.xls (select cancel if it asks for a login / password)

and

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/14265335.cfm

WD systems actually increase the downward force on the ball, but said downward force is countered by the upward force of the WD bars on the hitch, so net downward force on the truck (hitch) is less by an amount equal to the increased load on the trailer axle's. Moment (torque) applied to the hitch by the leverage of the WD bars causes transfer of some of the weight normally on the rear axle to the truck's front axles. Result is less truck GVW and less rear axle load.

As for sway, not sure, but you can get WD systems with built in sway control based on sliding friction or cam action that rely on kinematics of the WD linkage or external dampers.

L.J.

julyer · 06-12-2005, 01:44 PM

right on..Steve! picked up our 1st trailer and brought my w/d system to dealer to install. all they were concerned with was that the tension bars were parallel to the trailer tongue...of course this hookup was being done on uneven ground. after the truck and trailer were hooked up the trailer and the back of the truck were even, but the front end was up in the air. i thought to myself i'm out of here i'll make the adjustment when i get home. lucky i made home as i found the hitch ball was held by 2 threads of the nut on the ball shank.

j_apetersen · 06-12-2005, 09:01 PM

Note - When the WD system is engaged the actual tongue weight does not change. Recommended tongue weight is from 10% to 15%.
and this is from your post.

ljthawk · 06-12-2005, 10:22 PM

Geometric tongue weight of the trailer does not change (relative location of the trailers center of gravity with respect to tongue and axles), but applied vertical load supported by the hitch which is applied to the rear of the truck does. Said change is equal to the amount of weight transferred to the trailer's axles when the WD system is engaged.

L.J.

FYRMAN · 06-13-2005, 03:51 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Most (probably over 75%) of the WD hitches I check out are improperly adjusted! I'm convinced that most dealers don't know/care and most consumers trust their dealers (BIG MISTAKE!).

[/ QUOTE ]

It's funny that you say that. All WD hitches set up at the dealer are done to an empty trailer. When you get done loading the trailer with hundreds or thousands of pounds, of course it's gonna be off.

The MISTAKE! is that the customer does not read the literature that comes with the hitch to know that the bars will need adjusted. All of the WD systems I set up, I set up high in the nose, so that when you do load the trailer, it will sit where it needs to be. The tech that installs it doesn't know how much weight you are putting in the trailer, so anything they do will be close at best.

j_apetersen · 06-13-2005, 07:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most (probably over 75%) of the WD hitches I check out are improperly adjusted! I'm convinced that most dealers don't know/care and most consumers trust their dealers (BIG MISTAKE!).

[/ QUOTE ]

The MISTAKE! is that the customer does not read the literature that comes with the hitch to know that the bars will need adjusted. All of the WD systems I set up, I set up high in the nose, so that when you do load the trailer, it will sit where it needs to be. The tech that installs it doesn't know how much weight you are putting in the trailer, so anything they do will be close at best.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fyrman you are probly in the 25%, but most of the time installer forgets to give the instructions to the counter person and then when the customer paid for it it dont get to him or her and then you know were it is filed. coustomer sees how it is when it is empty so they guess and wala ait right and you know who is to blame.

FYRMAN · 06-14-2005, 05:51 AM

[quote
Fyrman you are probly in the 25%, but most of the time installer forgets to give the instructions to the counter person and then when the customer paid for it it dont get to him or her and then you know were it is filed. coustomer sees how it is when it is empty so they guess and wala ait right and you know who is to blame.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are probably right. That's why all of the paperwork for anything I do gets stuck on the dash of the truck.

SteveHeywood · 06-14-2005, 07:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]

It's funny that you say that. All WD hitches set up at the dealer are done to an empty trailer. When you get done loading the trailer with hundreds or thousands of pounds, of course it's gonna be off.

The MISTAKE! is that the customer does not read the literature that comes with the hitch to know that the bars will need adjusted. All of the WD systems I set up, I set up high in the nose, so that when you do load the trailer, it will sit where it needs to be. The tech that installs it doesn't know how much weight you are putting in the trailer, so anything they do will be close at best.

[/ QUOTE ]

When I see a pair of W D bars almost touching the tongue an empty trailer had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with it. It's simple lazyness on the part of the installer. It took me 3 tries to get my present hitch set up correctly. I just bought a new set of spring bars and I automaticily assume I'll have to do some more adjustment. The nice part is I already know what my correct ball height is, how much it should drop, and how much the front (YES, THE FRONT!) of my truck should drop when I've got it right.