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Old 06-02-2011, 01:04 PM   #1
hartrob
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WD Hitch

Planning on purchasing Passport 195rb. We are downsizing from a 34 ft fifth wheel and have a question about hitches. We have a Silverado 2500HD with Duramax engine. The dealer we are working with says that we only need a ball and not a weight distributing hitch to handle this trailer. Any comment from anyone?

Rob
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Old 06-02-2011, 01:40 PM   #2
jq1031
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hartrob View Post
Planning on purchasing Passport 195rb. We are downsizing from a 34 ft fifth wheel and have a question about hitches. We have a Silverado 2500HD with Duramax engine. The dealer we are working with says that we only need a ball and not a weight distributing hitch to handle this trailer. Any comment from anyone?

Rob
I'm not framiliar with that TT, however, a WD hitch not only distributes the weight but it will improve the stability of your pull, say nothing about the sway. Your truck will handle that trailer with ease but just using the ball will cause you grief!
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Old 06-03-2011, 04:52 AM   #3
OntarioRay
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WD Hitch

I would agree with jq1031. If I read the specs of your trailer correctly, it weighs 3,814 lbs dry with a carrying capacity of about 2,100lbs. We've pulled trailers of similar length and weight, admittedly with an F150, and have used a WD hitch and a friction anti-sway bar with great success. I wouldn't leave home without it.
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Old 06-03-2011, 01:51 PM   #4
THedges
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I drive the same truck and I can't imagine you would need a WD hitch unless you are having sway issues.
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Old 06-06-2011, 09:41 AM   #5
KanTC
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Welcome to the forum Rob, and congrats on your new Passport.

For reference: our 2006 Duramax is rated to tow up to 1000 lbs of tongue weight, and 7500 lbs trailer "without" a weight distribution hitch... yours is probably the same/similar.

The dealer may have those figures in mind, and in that respect, he is correct -- your trailer (in combination with your truck) wouldn't require a WD system based only on tongue weight & overall weight. But... that said, it seems unusual that a dealer wouldn't (at the very least) recommend some type of hitch and/or anti-sway system for a 24+ ft long travel trailer.

If you plan to travel any distance [highway speeds, traffic, wind/weather, & mountain grades, etc] odds are, at some point, sway will be issue - which could also become a safety issue. I'll agree with Joe's comment, "just using the ball will cause you grief!".

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Old 11-25-2011, 11:00 AM   #6
Wyotraveler
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hartrob View Post
Planning on purchasing Passport 195rb. We are downsizing from a 34 ft fifth wheel and have a question about hitches. We have a Silverado 2500HD with Duramax engine. The dealer we are working with says that we only need a ball and not a weight distributing hitch to handle this trailer. Any comment from anyone?

Rob
I was told not use a WD hitch. After checking the different forums I was advised to check the factory installed tow package on my 2008 3/4 ton F250 Super Duty pickup. To my surprise, the label indicates, the maximum tongue weight for my hitch is 500 pounds. The hitch is called a V-5 hitch. No class rating. So I then checked my 2002 3/4 ton pickup. Same thing. The hitch rating of both of my trucks will not allow me to tow the Springdale 179QB-WE that has a tongue weight of 540 pounds dry weight. Needless to say for sake of safety I just ordered a standard class V trailer hitch to replace my factory installed hitch. You may want to make the same check with the label on your pickup hitch.
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Old 11-25-2011, 01:09 PM   #7
Bob Landry
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WD has very little to do with sway. The purpose of the WD is to return the weight to the front axel that is removed by the leverage of a conventional tow trailer. You don't have that issue with a fifth wheel because all of your hitch/pin weight is directly above the rear axle and not trying to lift the front end. Not returning the front end to the original weight/height can cause handling issues. With a trailer the size you are looking at, you still need some kind of anti-sway setup, but a friction bar would work OK.
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Old 11-25-2011, 01:11 PM   #8
SteveC7010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THedges View Post
I drive the same truck and I can't imagine you would need a WD hitch unless you are having sway issues.
WD and sway control are separate things although they are usually bundled together in a single hitch system.

Weight distribution moves weight from the tongue and ball forward to the front wheels of the tow vehicle and backward to the wheels of the trailer. Too much tongue weight on the ball can actually create a condition where the front wheels of the TV will unload to the point of loss of steering control.

Sway control deals with the side to side movement of the trailer in relation to the tow vehicle.
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Old 11-25-2011, 01:28 PM   #9
Wyotraveler
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I am certainly not an expert on WD hitches. However, some of the things I have read is that without WD a heavy tongue weight can pull weight off the front wheels. That could cause loss of steering and more sway because steering loss and more ability for wind gusts to push the rear of the towing vehicle sideways because it is connected behind the axle. Also adjusting the WD hitch too tightly can force too much weight onto the front wheels allowing the towed trailer to push the rear of the towed vehicle sideways with strong wind gusts because of lack of proper weight on the rear wheels of the towing vehicle. If that is the case then it seems to me that a WD hitch does have quite an effect on sway from wind gusts.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
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Old 11-25-2011, 01:39 PM   #10
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For short hops on calm wind days, you will probably not need wd or sway control. You have more than enough truck to safely pull a 24 foot trailer. If however you plan on taking longer trips or pull in less than ideal conditions, purchasing an inexpensive wd hitch with some form of sway control would probably be a good idea.

Getting caught towing in a 25 mph cross wind without sway control...even with a 2500 = white knuckle driving.
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Old 11-25-2011, 01:41 PM   #11
Wyotraveler
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Originally Posted by Bob Landry View Post
WD has very little to do with sway. The purpose of the WD is to return the weight to the front axel that is removed by the leverage of a conventional tow trailer. You don't have that issue with a fifth wheel because all of your hitch/pin weight is directly above the rear axle and not trying to lift the front end. Not returning the front end to the original weight/height can cause handling issues. With a trailer the size you are looking at, you still need some kind of anti-sway setup, but a friction bar would work OK.
A 5th wheel does eliminate many of the problems of towing in wind. I pulled a 32 ft 5th wheel for several years in quite heavy winds and they do pull very well with no sway. However, all the tongue weight is on the back axle and not very much distributed to the front axle. I had a left rear tire on my truck blow out while towing at about 40 mph. I can say it was quite an experience.

Reason for the blow out of the tire. Brand new tires installed by a tire dealer who didn't understand the difference between a high pressure valve stem and a automobile valve stem. They had replaced all of my high pressure valve stems with auto valve stems. They did this for free without my knowledge. 3 thousand miles later I almost became a victim of their stupidity.
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Old 11-25-2011, 01:47 PM   #12
jq1031
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X2 on that. If the WD is not set correctly you could reverse the problem causing the rear axle of the truck to sway. Measure from the top of your front fender well to the ground, do the same with the rear. If they are both the same distance you are distributing correctly. Sometimes I just eyeball mine but measuring is a sure bet!
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Old 11-25-2011, 02:30 PM   #13
SteveC7010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyotraveler View Post
I am certainly not an expert on WD hitches. However, some of the things I have read is that without WD a heavy tongue weight can pull weight off the front wheels. That could cause loss of steering and more sway because steering loss and more ability for wind gusts to push the rear of the towing vehicle sideways because it is connected behind the axle. Also adjusting the WD hitch too tightly can force too much weight onto the front wheels allowing the towed trailer to push the rear of the towed vehicle sideways with strong wind gusts because of lack of proper weight on the rear wheels of the towing vehicle. If that is the case then it seems to me that a WD hitch does have quite an effect on sway from wind gusts.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
On the extreme ends of adjustment (way too much or way too little) of a WD hitch, there could be the effects you mention. However, the poster that I replied to stated that, "I can't imagine you would need a WD hitch unless you are having sway issues."
  • WD by itself is not a substitute for sway control. (Although it is fair to state that it may be part of sway control in some circumstances.)
  • Sway control is not a substitute for WD.
  • Not having sway issues does not negate the need for WD with heavier trailers.
  • The presence of sway problems does not automatically indicate the need for WD.
With the larger trailers, WD is required due to limitations of the receivers on most trucks for weight bearing towing.

Very light weight trailers (under 2,000#) can sway and there is no need for WD to control that sway with most tow vehicles. Usually a single friction control bar is enough.

Trailers with GVWR's between 2K# and 5,500# may or may not need WD depending on the capabilities of the TV and the rating of the entire hitch system. Trailers with GVWR's above 5,500# pretty much require WD and if if sway control is needed, the DC or Hensley or Pull-Rite are more appropriate. Some folks will use friction controllers, but they are really not designed to work with these heavier weights.
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Old 01-23-2012, 04:08 PM   #14
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This response may be too late however, we downsided from a Springdale 226rls to a Passport 195rb (its one yr old) currently looking at up-sizing as the 195rb is too small.
I didn't want to tow a larger trailer anymore thus the 195rb, should have went bigger.
I did put a Blue Ox systems to distribute the weight and control sway. Found it much better (in my opinion) to the Reese we had on the 266rls. With either system you will get pushed by trucks and busses passing, with the systems you will get nudged.
I would tow with out a system...don't want the tail to wag the dog. Good luck
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Old 01-29-2012, 09:51 PM   #15
B_Harten
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WD Hitch

I have towed large trailers (27-footers) with all of my GMC 2500'and 3500 Duramax trucks. All with airbags in the rear. Single and dual rear wheels.

Short trips, no worries with just the ball.

Long trips, with hills, frost heaves and wind; the WD hitch is nice to have and adds piece of mind.

Just my $0.02.
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