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Old 08-22-2019, 12:49 PM   #1
ScottM
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bought a 239ML

After several years without an RV. The wife and I got the itch again. I wanted something that would be very easy on my silverado 1500 and the Wife insisted on bunks for Grandbabies. This seems like a perfect fit. The dealer was 3 hours away. The local salesman wouldnt even counter my offer. So after he spent all morning showing us around He loses to a salesman who didnt have to do a thing but answer the phone and say yes.

The Silverado towed it with ease. 2/3 full of fresh water and full of propane the truck hitch barely went down. 30 psi in the airbags leveled it perfect and away we went. I dont see the need for a WDH as of yet.

Stayed at a local campground that night compliments of the dealer to shake it out. It even rained for us to do a leak check. All was good ( for an RV that is) We have showed this industry we will still buy them even with quality issues so I keep the bar kind of low.
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Old 08-22-2019, 02:13 PM   #2
travelin texans
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There are 3 things absolutely required for owning a RV,
#1 a good hitch, whether it be a 5th wheel hitch or a WDH for TT.
#2 a surge protector/EMS connected EVERY TIME the RV connected to shore power.
#3 an adjustable water pressure regulator used every time.
My point is, YES you NEED the WDH with sway control before towing a TT.
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Old 08-22-2019, 03:07 PM   #3
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If the weight on the hitch is so litlle that is doesnt effect the truck or trailer why must I distribute some of it to the front ? Im happy to buy one. Im just not sure its needed. Sway control is a different issue. I can buy that as a stand alone feature. I drove this setup for 3 hours up and down and around the mountains of Pa. passing and being passed by trucks. It was easy as could be. Genuinely interested in peoples opinions on this one.

as for items 1 and 2. I will pass. had a pressure regulator. all it did was lower the pressure to a trickle and I never had a surge protector in my house and ive had brown outs and power failures over the years and my TV's and computers cope with it fine and nothing is going to help you with a lightning strike.
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Old 08-22-2019, 03:13 PM   #4
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side view with truck
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Old 08-22-2019, 04:09 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottM View Post
If the weight on the hitch is so litlle that is doesnt effect the truck or trailer why must I distribute some of it to the front ? Im happy to buy one. Im just not sure its needed. Sway control is a different issue. I can buy that as a stand alone feature. I drove this setup for 3 hours up and down and around the mountains of Pa. passing and being passed by trucks. It was easy as could be. Genuinely interested in peoples opinions on this one.

as for items 1 and 2. I will pass. had a pressure regulator. all it did was lower the pressure to a trickle and I never had a surge protector in my house and ive had brown outs and power failures over the years and my TV's and computers cope with it fine and nothing is going to help you with a lightning strike.
Passing on #1 is totally your choice!
Passing on #2 for the reason you stated is comparing apples to bananas. Mine has saved my rv twice that I'm aware of!
As for #3 you were most likely using one of the crappy "restrictors" & I'll agree that that's all they're good for. A true "regulator" won't restrict the flow but does reduce the pressure. Been to parks with over 100 psi & wouldn't trust the restrictor to handle that much, but sure want something to prevent damage to RV plumbing.
Good luck!
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Old 08-22-2019, 05:57 PM   #6
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I had a 238ML towed by a 1500. Towed great and find the need airbags because I used a good WDH. You shouldn’t have needed the bags either. A good hitch like the Equalizer 4 point also reduces sway.
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Old 08-22-2019, 06:46 PM   #7
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airbags are there for the wood pellets in the winter. I just put some air in the bags to smooth out the bumps and to level it an inch or so. The truck has a GVWR of 7260 the Trailer has a max gross of 5280. The truck weighs a ton more than the trailer. If there is only about 450 to 480 lbs on the hitch and thats 10 percent of the load and your truck and trailer are level. Why do you need to distribute weight to the front ? I would understand if the hitch had 1000 lbs on it. Genuinley interested in learning about it. Happy to be wrong. Happy to buy a WDH. Just like to know why I need it. The salesman even said it was not needed and He gets paid to sell them. the guy in the shop who set the hitch up said I didnt need it and he does it for a living.
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Old 08-22-2019, 07:12 PM   #8
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Congrads on the new PassPort. You may not need a good wdh with built in sway control until is to late. Mine toad very well until I got into a perfect storm like situation and when the sway control on the truck kicked in it will make your butt pucker the first time you experience it and that was with a cheap wdh with sway control. You can bet that the very next day I got the one I wanted to start with and never have had another issue. Glad all is working well for you and wish you the best and hope it never happens to you.
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Old 08-23-2019, 04:07 PM   #9
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Not sure what you are trying show in your picture. Just a picture of the truck and trailer to show what you have or to show it is not squatting the truck? I have a 2017 239ml but tow it with a Dodge Ram. Once I have the front storage area loaded up and the propane tanks full and especially if I have water in the holding tank it definitely squats the truck. I run a blue ox weight distribution hitch along with air lift 1000 bags to level the truck out. Probably don’t have to run the bags but makes the bumps much more tolerable. I have towed it without the weight distribution hitch from storage to home but definitely wouldn’t tow it far with out.
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Old 08-23-2019, 05:06 PM   #10
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You're pulling a 5400 lb. trailer with a 1500. All well and good. Truck weighs a "ton" more than the trailer? I highly doubt it. Maybe equal but I doubt that as well.

You have a 26' x 11' sail behind that 1500 - it has to have stabilization for it to be safe - distribution and weight wise. Air bags have their place but they don't replace a wdh. I have not had a sway control not associated with a wdh nor have I ever seen one. IMO you don't skimp on wdh and sway controls.

You seemingly have your mind made up that you've got it all worked out; the prior posts, and those that follow, will tell you otherwise I'm sure. And, for my own edification, if you are talking about taking grandbabies, why in the world are you trying to find a way to cheap out instead of going over the top to be safe? JMO/YMMV
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Old 08-24-2019, 02:17 AM   #11
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My goodness there is so much wrong with your post I hardly know where to begin. Did you even read anything I wrote ? The gross weight numbers I wrote down are accurate. Do you need me to subtract them for you ?

The sail you refer to has nothing to do with a WDH. It is a function dealt with by the sway control system which is incorporated in most WDH systems. No one doubts the benifit of sway control on a travel trailer. Sway control can be purchased seperatly if The tounge weight is ideal without the WDH.

If you read my post you would have read that my mind is not made up at all. I am trying to assertain the ideal tounge weight of my specifc configuration and then determine if a WDH is needed. I asked some specific questions but all I got in reply was a bunch of toungelashing from the weight police full of opinion and no data whatsoever.

If you read my post you would have read where I said I would be happy to be shown where I am wrong and happy to buy a hitch but you dont seem to be able to do that either. I paid cash for the truck, I paid cash for the trailer and can darn sure pay cash for the hitch but I will do it after I have gotten an education on the subject. using data. Not because a bunch of people on a forum say you need one without supporting facts or because I was sold one by an RV salesman
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Old 08-24-2019, 03:01 AM   #12
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Wasnt getting much usefull info here so I looked elsewhere. I will use this as a guide to make an educated decision.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/blog/...ribution-hitch
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Old 08-24-2019, 06:26 AM   #13
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EMS: best protection you can get for all the components in your RV. Lightning isn’t the only danger. Over/under voltage will take out an appliance before you can react. A quality EMS will shut the power off before it makes it to your trailer.

Water regulator: I have been in parks with 110 PSI at the spigot, if it doesn’t split the per lines it will loosen the end clamps. There are quality regulators and I wouldn’t connect without one.

WD/sway: just because the salesman said you’ll be ok doesn’t mean he/she knows. We had a customer swear he didn’t need it. I hooked him up after his walk and away he went, 1/2 hr later he was back and we were installing it. WD/sway isn’t something you get after an “event” assuming that event allows you to continue using your rig. It’s good insurance against that “event”. You can’t control what the other drivers do and one time in a panic situation will make you rethink a whole lot of things.

Look at my signature, I have seen firsthand the effects of “I don’t need, don’t want...”. Everyone here is just trying to help you avoid the mistakes we have made. I wish you luck in your adventures and hope you never have any life altering events in your travels.

BTW the equalizer 4 pt is the Best Buy for the money IMO, but I don’t have any experience using it as I have towed fifth wheels since 1989.
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Old 08-24-2019, 07:44 AM   #14
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Ya what sourdough said! At the very least sway control.
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Old 08-24-2019, 08:45 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottM View Post
Wasnt getting much usefull info here so I looked elsewhere. I will use this as a guide to make an educated decision.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/blog/...ribution-hitch
Looking at your link, there's a statement: "If you're towing a cargo trailer, camper or anything tall, then a weight distribution hitch like the E2 should be considered" The "logic" behind that statement is that any trailer that's "tall" (to use their verbage) will subject the tow vehicle to the "sail effect" and induce sway to the combination package that isn't a consideration with "utility trailers and boats".... In other words, Travel Trailers don't tow the same as "statistical trailers listed in the maximum towing capacity that's advertised in brochures from vehicle manufacturers"....

What the vast majority of posters in this thread are saying is, "You need a WD hitch for a trailer that size if you're going to be safe"

They speak from experience and using the link you provided, the author of that link also feels "at least" a weight distribution hitch like the E2 should be used. From my experience, the E2 is not really an "anti-sway hitch" and uses a "bolt on flat bracket (brake pad) type anti-sway device"... If it were me and I intended to keep the truck and trailer for any length of time, I'd opt to just go ahead and buy an E4 "anti-sway WD hitch" and be done with it, knowing that I'm getting "more than I might need" which is not really "overkill" as much as it is "conservative towing safety"....

As usual, if you've got your mind made up, the above is "wasted time" on my part, but, if you're really open to listening to experience and "been there/done that" events, then you really need to consider what the author of the link you provided suggests and get a WD hitch for the "not a regular utility trailer load" that you've strapped behind your "almost at the towing limit for a utility trailer weight" truck.

Yes, I'm in the "you need a WD hitch with sway control crowd too......
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Old 08-24-2019, 10:57 AM   #16
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Don't think there's any pyhsics majors here, but from my experience you've added weight to the hitch therefore taken weight off the front. I don't know how to compute the ratio of on the rear off the front, but can tell you it does affect the overall handling of the tv. On flat roads in near perfect weather all is good, lots of trucks passing or hefty cross winds the difference will definitely be felt increasing the pucker factor 10 fold.
My suggestion is absolutely get a sway control, then take a few long trips with both loaded up for an extended trip & then decide on the WDH, I think you'll change your mind on the need for one. You'll then be like the rest of us that can't really explain the numbers or the geometry of the need, but will agree it's needed.
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Old 08-24-2019, 11:47 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by travelin texans View Post
There are 3 things absolutely required for owning a RV,
#1 a good hitch, whether it be a 5th wheel hitch or a WDH for TT.
#2 a surge protector/EMS connected EVERY TIME the RV connected to shore power.
#3 an adjustable water pressure regulator used every time.
My point is, YES you NEED the WDH with sway control before towing a TT.
Not to pile on Scott but what Danny ^ said should be like buying insurance. You don't need it until you do. Please understand that most of us have "been there done that."
By the way welcome to the forum from Radium Hot Springs BC.
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Old 08-25-2019, 04:03 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Looking at your link, there's a statement: "If you're towing a cargo trailer, camper or anything tall, then a weight distribution hitch like the E2 should be considered" The "logic" behind that statement is that any trailer that's "tall" (to use their verbage) will subject the tow vehicle to the "sail effect" and induce sway to the combination package that isn't a consideration with "utility trailers and boats".... In other words, Travel Trailers don't tow the same as "statistical trailers listed in the maximum towing capacity that's advertised in brochures from vehicle manufacturers"....

What the vast majority of posters in this thread are saying is, "You need a WD hitch for a trailer that size if you're going to be safe"

They speak from experience and using the link you provided, the author of that link also feels "at least" a weight distribution hitch like the E2 should be used. From my experience, the E2 is not really an "anti-sway hitch" and uses a "bolt on flat bracket (brake pad) type anti-sway device"... If it were me and I intended to keep the truck and trailer for any length of time, I'd opt to just go ahead and buy an E4 "anti-sway WD hitch" and be done with it, knowing that I'm getting "more than I might need" which is not really "overkill" as much as it is "conservative towing safety"....

As usual, if you've got your mind made up, the above is "wasted time" on my part, but, if you're really open to listening to experience and "been there/done that" events, then you really need to consider what the author of the link you provided suggests and get a WD hitch for the "not a regular utility trailer load" that you've strapped behind your "almost at the towing limit for a utility trailer weight" truck.

Yes, I'm in the "you need a WD hitch with sway control crowd too......

finally. an intelligent reply. Thank you.
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Old 08-25-2019, 06:39 AM   #19
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finally. an intelligent reply. Thank you.
Reading through this thread, there are lots of "intelligent replies".....

People may not say "what you want to hear/the way you want to hear it" but I read the same concept as I stated in my response from the majority of people who have posted a response to you. They ALL say that you need to consider a weight distribution hitch. Most say that the "sail effect" or "the large sidewall area" or "the load on the rear of your tow vehicle/reduction of front axle weight" make a WD hitch essential, not optional in the towing environment you're going to experience..........

Whatever you might choose to do is entirely up to you, but the "intelligent answer" from evey poster so far is: You need a weight distribution hitch to maximize your towing performance.....
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Old 08-25-2019, 07:48 AM   #20
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My water pressure regulator
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