Do I really need my WDH?

[davidjsimons]

I am towing a Cougar 28RBS. The tongue weight of the trailer is listed at just over 900 lbs. My truck is a 2012 Ram 3500 with dual rear wheels and also equipped with air bags. The hitch on the truck is a DMI Quic n' Easy, with a tongue weight rating of 1400 lbs. I really feel that the WDH is unnecessary and I am really just asking for some experienced opinions. I regularly tow loads grossing over 30,000 lbs with this truck with no use of any type of WDH. Any thoughts? This is my old dually with the regular load that I tow.


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[KenBob]

Weigh the RV's tongue weight fully loaded, ready to go. Consider cargo in the bed of the truck that would be behind the rear axle as added to tongue weight. Then figure your actual tongue weight. WD hitch may not be "needed" but distrubuting some of the RV weight to the front of the TV wouldn't hurt either.

You can't compare an RV to the 30k trailer as they are designed for different purposes. The 30k trailer is designed to have the majority of the load over the axles and those massive tires. Tonque weight is likely not changing much.

[Badboy]

I would not think of pulling a TT without a W/D hitch i would not core how big my truck was.

[2011 keystone]

I cant answer your question about the wdh. But WOW that trailer is awsome. What is it used for?

[JRTJH]

According to the Dodge Towing Guide, the requirement for towing a Class IV trailer does include a weight distribution hitch. So, Dodge is saying yes, you need to use a WD hitch

12,000-pound maximum
Largest travel trailers made for recreation
Weight-distributing hitch is required; as indicated by each weight classification, there are three types of hitches that are required


You can find the actual page here: http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/basics...ght_class.html

Additionally, I checked the online owners manual for the hitch and it states to use weight distribution when appropriate for the load. Since the trailer and truck manufacturers call for it, then even though the truck supports the weight without a WD hitch, even the hitch manufacturer states to use WD.

And.... a couple other comments:
how else are you going to mechanically connect any sway control devices?
Have you found a ball carrier rated for 1400 lbs hitch weight/14000 lbs trailer weight rated for use without WD? I can only find a carrier rated to 10K.

[davidjsimons]

The hitch on my truck is not the factory class IV hitch. It is a 14,000 lb. DMI with a tongue rating of 1400 lbs. I just went up the road without it to see the difference and I will say that my truck rode 100% better without it.


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[davidjsimons]

Originally Posted by 2011 keystone

I cant answer your question about the wdh. But WOW that trailer is awsome. What is it used for?

That trailer is a manure spreader. It will hold 30 tons per load. The machine is very well balanced but it is still WAY heavier on the tongue than my TT. It is the reason for the airbags on the dually.


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[davidjsimons]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

According to the Dodge Towing Guide, the requirement for towing a Class IV trailer does include a weight distribution hitch. So, Dodge is saying yes, you need to use a WD hitch

12,000-pound maximum
Largest travel trailers made for recreation
Weight-distributing hitch is required; as indicated by each weight classification, there are three types of hitches that are required


You can find the actual page here: http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/basics...ght_class.html

Additionally, I checked the online owners manual for the hitch and it states to use weight distribution when appropriate for the load. Since the trailer and truck manufacturers call for it, then even though the truck supports the weight without a WD hitch, even the hitch manufacturer states to use WD.

And.... a couple other comments:
how else are you going to mechanically connect any sway control devices?
Have you found a ball carrier rated for 1400 lbs hitch weight/14000 lbs trailer weight rated for use without WD? I can only find a carrier rated to 10K.

When pulling those types of heavy loads, I use a solid drawbar and a straight pin, not a ball carrier. With that particular piece of equipment, there is so much rubber on the ground, you can not make it sway, in fact it is hard to actually turn it around on concrete or asphalt.
I went to the hitch site but I didn't see anything that would give me any indications that the 1400 lb tongue rating was for a WDH.
I am going to go ahead and make that all time crazy statement though, in reference to the manure spreader, I've towed it countless times over the past ten years with that same set up and have never had an issue. And to top it off, it has no brakes! Everything is on the truck and the driver.
But back to my original question, we are only talking about 900 lbs of tongue weight and only 6500 lbs of trailer, of course, I understand that those are empty numbers. I guess it comes down to a point of with what you are comfortable.
I appreciate the input. I may just go ahead and use them, I already have them.


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[a1albert]

Towing on the farm and towing at 65mph down the road are two differant stories. You may not need a WDH but you may need some kind of sway control unless your familey is not with you.

Albert

[Javi]

Class IV

1. Class IV hitches are weight carrying (WC) and weight distributing (WD) hitches depending on the vehicle and hitch specifications.
2. Not all Class IV hitches are rated to be both. See the specific hitch for that information.
3. Class IV hitches used as weight carrying are rated up to 10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1000 lbs.
4. Class IV hitches used for weight distributing are rated up to 14,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1400 lbs.
5. A Class IV hitch usually has a 2" square receiver opening.
6. A higher class drawbar does not increase the towing capacity of the hitch. To use this class of hitch for weight distribution requires a weight distribution system.
7. Class IV hitches attach to the vehicle frame only.

[davidjsimons]

I'm not talking about towing on a farm. I pull that rig 45-50 mph on the highway. My reference to the drawbar was to illustrate the fact that a ball coupler was not in use. I would be petrified of that load on a ball mount. I guess in the end, as I stated, I may go ahead and use the WDH for the TT just for the sake of already having it. I'm new to the TT but I've got a pretty firm handle on how to move the heavy equipment.


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[Bob Landry]

If the front end of the truck does not stay at the unhitched height when you hitch the trailer, then you need W/D. You are likely going to need sway control and it's going to be hard to hook that up without a WD hitch. If you don't need W/D you can adjust it for zero weight transfer, but I think even on a 1 ton truck, you're likely to see some rise in the front end. If you use any kind of suspension support, that will transfer some weight back to the front axle, but it doesn't change any of the ratings on the truck.

[davidjsimons]

The answer to that question is no, my front end does not rise at all. The wheelbase is 169", so there is a lot of leverage. The rear only drops about an inch or an inch and a half.


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[f6bits]

I couldn’t find a spec on the DMI site, either, for WDH, but Javi’s description sure leans toward needing one.

And I agree with a1albert that you’ll *still* need sway control, which you get with many WDH setups.

I’d get one because 1) it does give you better load balancing, even if you’re well within your GAWRs, and 2) for the sway control.

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by davidjsimons

The answer to that question is no, my front end does not rise at all. The wheelbase is 169", so there is a lot of leverage. The rear only drops about an inch or an inch and a half.


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Then you are good as far as weight transfer, as the squat in the rear is a non-issue. A lot of people sweat the amount of drop in the back, but the current thought is to get the front right and let the back take care of itself. The only question now is, are you within the receiver ratings by not using WD. if not then you may need it anyway.

[davidjsimons]

Can the sway control be used while backing? I have one with my WDH but was told that it had to be removed before making any sharp turns or while backing. I've never used it.


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[rrohrer]

i usually remove my sway control to back up.

[Javi]

According to the DMI web site the hitch is a class IV which give a max of 1K weight bearing for tongue weight..

They do offer a class V hitch but it is not the Quick & easy hitch.. It also has a 2 1/2" reciever... while the Q&E has a 2"...

For what it's worth I would never even consider pulling a tongue pull travel trailer weighing over 5K without a W/D and a sway control of some sort, even with the Class V hitch I have on my truck...

[f6bits]

My Equalizer WDH doesn't require removal for backing up or sharp turns.

Originally Posted by davidjsimons

Can the sway control be used while backing? I have one with my WDH but was told that it had to be removed before making any sharp turns or while backing. I've never used it.


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[Georgia Rambler]

I had an Equalizer Hitch on my previous TT and it worked really well. I never had to remove it to back up or turn.