Weight Distribution Hitch ? - Diesel Forum

buckturd · 03-17-2006, 09:27 AM

I have a 22 ft' Nash TT, fully loaded with water I'am just over 6k.My brother keeps telling me i need to get one but i have towed the trailer up too 1200 miles with no problems whats so ever.What do you guy's think? What are the advantages and disadvantages to using one.I have towed equipment trailers with all sorts of diffrent rigs of various sizes through my old job and never had problems either.Thanks for any input.

SteveHeywood · 03-17-2006, 11:01 AM

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I have a 22 ft' Nash TT, fully loaded with water I'am just over 6k.My brother keeps telling me i need to get one but i have towed the trailer up too 1200 miles with no problems whats so ever.What do you guy's think? What are the advantages and disadvantages to using one.I have towed equipment trailers with all sorts of diffrent rigs of various sizes through my old job and never had problems either.Thanks for any input.

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Read the weight rating tag on your receiver, YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT for the receiver if you are not using a weight distribution hitch.

You rig will handle better with a properly adjusted weight distribution hitch. It's amazing what transfering some of the tongue weight to the front axle of the truck compared to REMOVING weight from the front axle with a dead-weight hitch will do.

444turbodiesel · 03-17-2006, 07:25 PM

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[ QUOTE ]
I have a 22 ft' Nash TT, fully loaded with water I'am just over 6k.My brother keeps telling me i need to get one but i have towed the trailer up too 1200 miles with no problems whats so ever.What do you guy's think? What are the advantages and disadvantages to using one.I have towed equipment trailers with all sorts of diffrent rigs of various sizes through my old job and never had problems either.Thanks for any input.

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the weight rating tag on your receiver, YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT for the receiver if you are not using a weight distribution hitch.

You rig will handle better with a properly adjusted weight distribution hitch. It's amazing what transfering some of the tongue weight to the front axle of the truck compared to REMOVING weight from the front axle with a dead-weight hitch will do.

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How do you know what receiver hitch he's currently using? I frequently haul trailers up to 8,000# without bars. With heavy diesels over the front axle you're going to need a lot more than the hitch weight of a 6-8000# trailer to cause the front axle to lift.

Larry M · 03-17-2006, 07:30 PM

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a 22 ft' Nash TT, fully loaded with water I'am just over 6k.My brother keeps telling me i need to get one but i have towed the trailer up too 1200 miles with no problems whats so ever.What do you guy's think? What are the advantages and disadvantages to using one.I have towed equipment trailers with all sorts of diffrent rigs of various sizes through my old job and never had problems either.Thanks for any input.

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the weight rating tag on your receiver, YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT for the receiver if you are not using a weight distribution hitch.

You rig will handle better with a properly adjusted weight distribution hitch. It's amazing what transfering some of the tongue weight to the front axle of the truck compared to REMOVING weight from the front axle with a dead-weight hitch will do.

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you know what receiver hitch he's currently using? I frequently haul trailers up to 8,000# without bars. With heavy diesels over the front axle you're going to need a lot more than the hitch weight of a 6-8000# trailer to cause the front axle to lift.

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I disagree I know of now non WD that will handle a #8000 trailer w/o a WD hitch ... if you do please post a link to it so we can all learn ... but I doubt you can do that [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Larry

444turbodiesel · 03-17-2006, 07:50 PM

That wasn't the point I was making, but since you asked, a 2.5" Titan is rated to 12,000lb/1200 weight carrying and 14,000/1400 with a distribution hitch...well in excess of 6-8000# mentioned above.
HERE is the link you requested.

Pullrite also makes an extremely strong hitch which is the best IMPO (rated up to 20,000WD) HERE is their link.

Lastly, SuperHitch offers a 15,000/1500 dead weight rating on their unit (17,000/1700WD) HERE is a link to their site (BTW, this one is a 2" receiver)

Happy reading (and learning) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

444turbodiesel · 03-17-2006, 07:58 PM

Something of note with all these hitches, the WD rating only accounts for a 10-15% increase in capacity. Conversely, the stock hitch on most SD are rated at 5000/500 or 12500/1250 an increase of more than double! I have a feeling the lower dead weight rating is for short WB 2WD non-diesel powered trucks and the actual capacity is much higher (else the receiver would not be able to withstand a 12,500 loaded trailer with only the addition of the WD hitch) I have tested this theory to levels I'm not going to discuss here, but I will say the stock SD hitch is grossly under-rated for liability purposes. More evidence of this was the Ford "hitch sticker mod" that took affect around 2000 where the exact same hitch was used, only the ratings mysteriously increased. I've seen some with the factory 12500/1250 sticker actually covering the superseded 10000/1000 sticker on the factory installed hitch.

I'm not suggesting you go out and intentionally load your hitch to the limits, just that a 6000# trailer does not neccessarily require a WD hitch even with the stock receiver. If you've used it that way without issue and are comfortable with it (as it sounds like you have), you probably don't need the extra hardware. The receiver itself is more than capable of carrying the load without it. Make sure you're using a high grade ball and hitch (with 1" thread) and check it for tightness frequently (or have it welded)

bersa45 · 03-17-2006, 09:32 PM

i towed my toyhauler w/o the wd hitch many times. wieght 10500lbs. talked to a few folks and finally bought one.WILL not tow w/o one know, wow, what a difference, more control, better ride, no sway, go straight down the road with little effort. highly recommended. i bought a reese with sway control with 8000lb bars.NICE. Plus the wife doesn't grab the oh #### handles anymore [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

444turbodiesel · 03-17-2006, 09:41 PM

Good idea with a 10500# toyhauler, they are inherently unstable due to excessive hitch weight (an issue if you don't have aux springs) and high CG. They can be a handfull empty with strong side winds (usually how I end up with them [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/phoney.gif[/img])

bersa45 · 03-17-2006, 09:58 PM

after i got the wd hitch we went to the pocono race and that was the first time i pulled it empty to the race track. well, coming home i blew both left side tires. to make a very very long story short(broken shackle-6 dollar part)anyhow, i'm very glad i had that hitch when that part decided to fail because 65mph and BANG both tires at once, that baby stayed right behind me where it should. wd hitches are worth every dollar!

SteveHeywood · 03-18-2006, 01:21 PM

I knew about the Reese 2 1/2" Titan receiver (and the other lesser know high capacity receivers) when I posted my other reply, I simply went under the assumption that he was probably running the stock Ford receiver.

If you have ever observed the up & down motion a dead weight hitch has to deal with you'd understand why receivers are rated for less weight without a weight distribution hitch. I would NEVER tow my Airstream without my W/D hitch.

As for Ford "rebadging" their 10,000 lb receivers, I disagree. I've previously owned both a 2001 F350 with a 10,000 lb receiver and a 2002 F350 with a 12,500 lb receiver. There was a difference between the 2 different receivers, subtle, but different. The receiver on my 05 is completely different than on my 2 previous trucks and I suspect much stronger despite no difference in tow rating.

444turbodiesel · 03-19-2006, 10:33 PM

I doubt Ford did any rebadging, but I'm sure the vendors of their hitches wouldn't hesitate to rid themselves of old stock.

Overload · 03-21-2006, 02:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I have a 22 ft' Nash TT, fully loaded with water I'am just over 6k.My brother keeps telling me i need to get one but i have towed the trailer up too 1200 miles with no problems whats so ever.What do you guy's think? What are the advantages and disadvantages to using one.I have towed equipment trailers with all sorts of diffrent rigs of various sizes through my old job and never had problems either.Thanks for any input.

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I think your fine without it. That said, I towed for years without one, and now that I have a wd hitch, I use it all the time.