Do I need a weight distribution hitch with a class 5 reciever?

[williet34]

We are getting ready to purchase a travel trailer. I have a 2000 F350 SRW Crew Cab diesel as a tow rig.

We are looking at a trailer with a gross weight of around 8,300lbs so well within my truck's limits. The trailer is 36 feet total total.

I was considering putting a curt xtra duty class 5 hitch on the truck. (https://www.amazon.com/CURT-15410-Tr...d_gw_ci_mcx_mi)

The rating on that hitch receiver is 17000lbs towing and 2,550 tongue weight without WD hitch. It seems like it would be more than capable of handling this trailer as-is, without weight distribution.

So, if I had that class 5 on the truck, would I even need a weight distribution hitch?

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what a weight distribution hitch is for.

Thanks for any help you can provide and please excuse my ignorance here. That's what I'm posting here for...

[Onyrlef]

The hitch is not determinate here, you're way over what you'd need, the wdh uses rotational force to transfer trlr tongue weight to the front axle of the two vehicle and the trailer axle(s). If your tv isn't squatting ie., front coming up and effecting steering you're ok. That however doesn't mean you may not have to deal with sway. In that case you should first make sure your weights are distributed correctly in the trlr and/or you may have to consider a wdh w/sway control.
Otherwise, with a tv like that you won't really know an 8300 lb. trlr is back there.,

[Dave Pelletier]

Most will disagree with me but IMO you're in a grey area and might still benefit from a WD hitch. The trailer isn't that heavy but it's long......it really depends on how much tongue weight it has and how stable a trailer it is.

A WD hitch's primary function is to remove weight from the TV rear axle and transfer it to the front axle so that you don't either overload the rear or have inadequate weight on the front. Sway control is a secondary by-product of most WD hitches and there are separate sway control devices out there; if you want/need sway control but not WD, then look into those devices (friction and electronic)

In my case I don't use or need a WD hitch because;

- my trailer is loaded correctly and well designed with 14% tongue weight and isn't prone to sway.

- my truck has a factory 3" hitch with a 2,200 lb deadweight rating

- my truck has a 176" wheelbase which promotes stability and minimizes the effect of tongue weight on the front axle.

- my truck is a diesel 4x4 that is heavy on the front axle and the trailers tongue weight is a small load for my DRW truck. I also have enough stuff in the bed and cab to maintain stock empty front axle weight.

- my truck outweighs my trailer

- my truck has built in factory electronic sway control


WD hitches have some disadvantages that some people don't know or tend to gloss over including introducing strain to the trailer tongue, the extra weight and expense, additional time to hook up and unhook, and they need to be removed if going up/down a steep change in grade or offroad. They also can unload the drive axle causing an increased propensity for oversteer in low traction conditions.....leading to a jack knife in the worst scenario.

Despite this, they have their use and I'd suggest that most people's TV + TT combo benefits from using one to maintain adequate steer axle weight and to avoid overloading rear tires/axles etc. The only time I'd consider not running a WD hitch is with a very small trailer or in a situation (like mine) where your significantly "over-trucked".

Anyhow, everyone else will tell you that you're crazy not to use a WD hitch but hopefully I've helped educate you on the pros and cons and what they do and do not do.


2cents,
Dave

[williet34]

Thanks for the responses so far..

I think "grey area", as Dave, put it is where I feel I'm at.

The hitch that's currently on my truck isn't rated quite high enough to use without a WDH, so I was looking at my options and also saw the class 5 hitches.

I'm sure you get used to setting up a WDH and all, but it does seem like they take a bit of extra work to install and setup - I have only watched some Youtube videos though so I admit my own ignorance.

That's part of the reason I was curious about just upgrading to the class 5 hitch - just seems like it would keep things simple since I could just hitch up and go, so to speak, and possibly get an anti-sway bar if needed.

It does seem like most anti-sway options are just built into WD hitches now, though.

Again, I appreciate hearing your thoughts about it. Safety is obviously a priority, but also wanted to explore our options since my truck is nearly as heavy as the trailer.

[BasicDude]

my $0.02

I think it's one of those items that is like this; if it provides a benefit, it's worth it. I have helped a couple of buddies with DRW tow vehicles, hook up and connect their WD hitches. You can just about put the torsion bars in place by hand after dropping the camper on their hitch. But, we're talking vehicles with 5000+ lbs payloads.

I realize these hitches offer what they call "sway control", but I think this is mostly a farse, because as you read the specifications for what degree of angle this "feature" takes effect, for a 32+ foot rig, you're looking at 3-5 feet of sway.

Loaded right, with torsion on the bars, I think there is a strong benefit to adding some stability to the overall vehicle. Particularly with campers. Because for me, with travel trailers, its less about the weight of the rig, and much more about their physical size and cross directional forces that are going to be generated. For me, with travel trailers in particular, I enjoy the added stability WDH's bring by distributing "some" weight better than without one; and in my opinion the added cost is worth a little extra peace of mind. Even on a one ton rig class V setup.

just my $0.02

[reubenray]

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

Most will disagree with me but IMO you're in a grey area and might still benefit from a WD hitch. The trailer isn't that heavy but it's long......it really depends on how much tongue weight it has and how stable a trailer it is.

A WD hitch's primary function is to remove weight from the TV rear axle and transfer it to the front axle so that you don't either overload the rear or have inadequate weight on the front. Sway control is a secondary by-product of most WD hitches and there are separate sway control devices out there; if you want/need sway control but not WD, then look into those devices (friction and electronic)

In my case I don't use or need a WD hitch because;

- my trailer is loaded correctly and well designed with 14% tongue weight and isn't prone to sway.

- my truck has a factory 3" hitch with a 2,200 lb deadweight rating

- my truck has a 176" wheelbase which promotes stability and minimizes the effect of tongue weight on the front axle.

- my truck is a diesel 4x4 that is heavy on the front axle and the trailers tongue weight is a small load for my DRW truck. I also have enough stuff in the bed and cab to maintain stock empty front axle weight.

- my truck outweighs my trailer

- my truck has built in factory electronic sway control


WD hitches have some disadvantages that some people don't know or tend to gloss over including introducing strain to the trailer tongue, the extra weight and expense, additional time to hook up and unhook, and they need to be removed if going up/down a steep change in grade or offroad. They also can unload the drive axle causing an increased propensity for oversteer in low traction conditions.....leading to a jack knife in the worst scenario.

Despite this, they have their use and I'd suggest that most people's TV + TT combo benefits from using one to maintain adequate steer axle weight and to avoid overloading rear tires/axles etc. The only time I'd consider not running a WD hitch is with a very small trailer or in a situation (like mine) where your significantly "over-trucked".

Anyhow, everyone else will tell you that you're crazy not to use a WD hitch but hopefully I've helped educate you on the pros and cons and what they do and do not do.


2cents,
Dave

How do you load a trailer correctly?

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by reubenray

How do you load a trailer correctly?

Good question;

- by maintaining adequate tongue weight (14% in my case) - by FAR the most important issue.

- by keeping the center of gravity low by loading heavy items as close to the floor as possible.

- by avoiding heavy items far aft creating a pendulum effect; I really don't like putting heavy things on a bumper hitch for this reason as well as the effect on tongue weight. My trailer is a rear dinette layout and I don't put really heavy things in the "under the dinette seat" storage. The best place for heavy items is in the front pass through storage.


I have a tongue weight scale and use it to ensure my loads are in keeping with my desired tongue weight. Also pay attention to the location of the fresh, grey and black tanks and how their levels affect your tongue weight.


Cheers,
Dave

[reubenray]

I did not know there was tongue weight scales!!

[BasicDude]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I did not know there was tongue weight scales!!

Weight Safe makes a hitch with a built-in scale. I only know of its existence; I have no experience with it.

[scrapperjohn]

Instead of listening to others opinions, I would start by looking at trucks owners manual. It should tell you at what weight a WDH is recommended or required.
If recommended, get one.
I have the Andersen WDH. Easy to dial in, sway control built in by design.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I did not know there was tongue weight scales!!

There are quite few different versions or you can make one yourself with a 4x4 and bathroom scale. Or you can weigh at a Cat Scale , Difference in TV weight with and without Trlr is tongue weight., with or w/o wdh hooked up. If you really want to get into the weeds, weigh with and without the wdh engaged, the TV weight won't really change though technically tv axle weights will, but with it engaged a percentage of tongue weight will also be rotationally forced back to the Trlr axle.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by reubenray

I did not know there was tongue weight scales!!

It's best to weigh your truck and then truck trailer combo without WD bars first....the tongue weight scale is a useful thing to use afterwards.

[4everlooking]

Originally Posted by BasicDude

Weight Safe makes a hitch with a built-in scale. I only know of its existence; I have no experience with it.

I've had the Weigh Safe for a year now. I'm "over trucked" for the trailer I currently have but may buy a heavier trailer in the future, therefore the purpose for the Weigh Safe. Love the built in scale and the ability to dial in the amount of pressure needed to keep things level. I could easily tow without it with my built in air suspension so I don't use much pressure after playing with it in towing scenario's . I do like the anti sway which it provides, especially in cross winds (think I-70 in Ks with N/S winds).

The one downside is the weight. Fully assembled it is 150#. It does break down into more manageable pieces, but still it is far from being as light weight as my older WDH.

I'm not as experienced as many others on this platform as far as towing goes, so I will differ to their expertise. But for me I'm glad I spent the money just for the peace of mind.

[Piker]

Just my personal experience:


We had a diesel Silverado about 10 years ago - 1-ton, dually, 4-door, long bed. I used to pull a 24' deck over trailer behind it (bumper pull). At the time, I needed a DOT number for hauling, so I checked with the local state police to make sure I'd be legal. I was told that I needed a weight distribution hitch. I was kind of annoyed, but reluctantly purchased one. It turned out to be a really nice adder to the towing setup if for no other reason than comfort of the ride. I was very surprised how it nearly eliminated the front to back herky-jerky push/pull feeling you get on a rough highway pulling a heavy trailer, especially with such a large truck for a tow vehicle. It really was a completely different ride than without it, so I decided not to be annoyed anymore.



The downside is that it was a little noisy going around corners sometimes. Other than that, I generally recommend these to people when I've been asked.


-cheers