Forum Discussion

poppin_fresh's avatar
poppin_fresh
Explorer
Jun 04, 2016

Another would you tow it without WDH post

I know this has been asked before, but I want opinions around my specific set up.

Picking up a our new TT next week and dealer has offered to install a WDH (brand I've never heard of) for almost double the street price, from what I can tell.

I'm thinking I should just tow it off the lot bare back the 10 miles to our campsite and install the brand I want at my leisure? And yes, the sites at this CG are all pretty level, but if not I'm sure I can find a nearby parking lot that is.

Here are the details:
Truck- 15' Silverado with towing package, 1700# payload, 800# non WDH hitch rating.

trailer- 5200# dry with 585# hitch according to manufacturer (assuming that's without battery and prop tanks?). Other than that, trailer completely empty.

Thoughts?
  • noteven's avatar
    noteven
    Explorer III
    Jun 04, 2016
    If your unladen new trailer wants to sway on the first trip home hitched up without WD, take it back. There is something wrong with the design weight distribution.
  • poppin_fresh's avatar
    poppin_fresh
    Explorer
    Jun 05, 2016
    Grit dog wrote:
    Tow it. You may find you don't even need it. WD hitches and sway controls seem to be almost exclusive with towing TTs, as MANY other similar size and weight trailers are towed daily without a wdh.
    You don't say if your 1700lb payload truck is a 1500 or 2500. If it's a 1500 then you'll likely want one. If it's a 2500 and payload limited by the truck's dry weight then it will handle that trailer even better.


    Thanks everyone. To be clear, it's a 1500.

    Once we load up, I'm sure we will want WDH as I will probably be close or over the 800lb hitch rating. Plus I would love to help minimize the lovely bounce that the 1/2 tons on their P rated tires seem have.
  • Golfcart's avatar
    Golfcart
    Explorer
    Jun 06, 2016
    Speaking from experience with a Silverado with the exact same capacities(Extended cab, 5.3liter, 3.08 rear end, 1700lbs payload) I'd say go for it. You are well within the capacities of the truck.

    I went almost a year without a WDH on my truck/trailer. The bouncy rear end was manageable, but it gets old after a couple hours of driving lol. Finally after planning my first cross country trip I decided to buy a cheap setup(curt) on amazon and installed it myself.
  • Adam_H's avatar
    Adam_H
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2016
    SouthpawHD wrote:
    kwlincoln wrote:
    SouthpawHD wrote:
    As long as the roads to the CG are more rural roads, you should be fine. I peronsally wouldn't tow at speeds above 55 w/o the proper hitch set up.


    This makes no sense. He's WELL WITHIN any ratings or standards of requiring a WDH. Regardless of the roads he will travel. A standard run-of-the-mill hitch is the proper hitch set up.


    I was referring to sway control. Hence my comment about speed and proper set up.


    You don't need sway control to tow safely, if you do there is something wrong. IMHO waste of $$$$$

    Adam
  • APT's avatar
    APT
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2016
    800 pounds loaded TW will add about 1100 pounds to the rear axle and take off about 300 from front axle. I don't think you'll like how it looks or tows without WDH.
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    Jun 08, 2016
    kwlincoln wrote:
    SouthpawHD wrote:
    As long as the roads to the CG are more rural roads, you should be fine. I peronsally wouldn't tow at speeds above 55 w/o the proper hitch set up.


    This makes no sense. He's WELL WITHIN any ratings or standards of requiring a WDH. Regardless of the roads he will travel. A standard run-of-the-mill hitch is the proper hitch set up.


    Makes perfect sense when these trailers tend to be light on the front when new and empty, and a sway control is not only a good idea but a must for that initial tow home, and a popular choice these days is a WD hitch with integrated sway control.
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    Jun 08, 2016
    Adam H wrote:
    SouthpawHD wrote:
    kwlincoln wrote:
    SouthpawHD wrote:
    As long as the roads to the CG are more rural roads, you should be fine. I peronsally wouldn't tow at speeds above 55 w/o the proper hitch set up.


    This makes no sense. He's WELL WITHIN any ratings or standards of requiring a WDH. Regardless of the roads he will travel. A standard run-of-the-mill hitch is the proper hitch set up.


    I was referring to sway control. Hence my comment about speed and proper set up.


    You don't need sway control to tow safely, if you do there is something wrong. IMHO waste of $$$$$

    Adam


    You don't know there's something wrong until you hook up and tow, and when you find out it's usually too late to do anything about it. Either the trailer tries to pass you going backwards and yanks you into oncoming traffic, or you end up stranded hundreds of miles from home on a Sunday afternoon.

    For 10 miles, though, I wouldn't even give it a second thought.
  • Vintage465's avatar
    Vintage465
    Nomad
    Jun 12, 2016
    Everything will always tow better with a weight distributing hitch if it is hooked up right. That is a fact. You can tow without if the weights are within the tow vehicles limits but it WILL tow better with a weight distributing hitch
  • poppin_fresh's avatar
    poppin_fresh
    Explorer
    Jun 15, 2016
    Just a quick update from Friday.

    I towed the trailer the 10 miles, half of which was interstate at 55MPH with some 10MPH cross winds, and the remainder at secondary road speeds. Both were completely fine, although I could tell there was some weight missing from the front end. Not scary, just different.

    Loaded with the kids and all the typical camping ****, I'm sure a WDH will make the experience even better.
  • IDoMyOwnStunts's avatar
    IDoMyOwnStunts
    Explorer
    Jun 15, 2016
    Good to hear. Now you can get the WDH system you want rather than the overpriced one the dealer was trying to push on you. I went with the one the dealer put on because I didn't know better. Turns out the dealer undersized my bars big time and I had to spend more money on new bars to get it right. Good luck!

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