Any gain from WD on a dodge 3500

Ron Gratz wrote:

djgarcia wrote:
I didn't realize how important the WD system was until a guy in a car had a blow out while passing my truck and 34 ft. 5th wheel.---

---I was using a Reese Dual cam hitch and it saved me big time. Personally, I would never drive a trailer or 5th. wheel without a WD system for safety reasons.

How were you using a WDH with a 5th wheel???

Ron

0PPS! I was towing a 32' TT Holiday Rambler at the time. I currently have a 5th wheel. Thanks for the correction:

djgarcia wrote:
I didn't realize how important the WD system was until a guy in a car had a blow out while passing my truck and 34 ft. 5th wheel.---

---I was using a Reese Dual cam hitch and it saved me big time. Personally, I would never drive a trailer or 5th. wheel without a WD system for safety reasons.

How were you using a WDH with a 5th wheel???

Ron

I pull a 20 foot travel trailer with the same truck. 600 lb. tongue weight and yes a weight distribution hitch works and makes a difference in vehicle handling. Especially in wet weather ,high cross winds , 18 wheeler buffeting. For anybody that don't feel the difference will probably end up wheels up.
Tell me how much you love this truck when you have to replace the $600.00 fuse box to get your trailer turn signal to work

I didn't realize how important the WD system was until a guy in a car had a blow out while passing my truck and 34 ft. 5th wheel. He slammed into the side of my Dodge 3500 at the rear panel going about 60 mph while we were traveling on interstate I-10. The impact pushed my truck and 5th. wheel all the way from the right lane over to the edge of the left lane with my tires ridding on the outer edge. I really felt like I was not going to be able to control the truck and trailer and was going to flip the trailer. I turned the steering wheel hard to the right and then hard to the left. I was amazed that both the truck and trailer made a big S shaped route with no sense of being out of control. I was able to pull my truck and trailer back over to the right lane and park so I could check for any damage. Damage was only to the outside of the truck, $2000.
I was using a Reese Dual cam hitch and it saved me big time. Personally, I would never drive a trailer or 5th. wheel without a WD system for safety reasons. I would also not drive a diesel truck without an "exhaust Brake". Saves your truck brakes and makes going down steep mountains safer


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick

Weight distribution and sway control are not necessarily the same thing. A sway control feature can be very important with or without weight distribution. Some hitches incorporate both into the operation of the hitch. High end hitches like the ProPride or Hensley separate sway from weight distribution as sway can be used without WD. I am glad everything except $2000 repairs worked out for you but don't really understand how you used a WD hitch on a fifth wheel.

jmtandem wrote:
With my Ram 3500 and about 1100 pounds on the trailer tongue I absolutely do not need weight distribution. What are you trying to distribute? You have more than enough weight up front with the Cummins, plenty of payload in back to handle the tongue weight, and will be under both axle and tire ratings. Sway, perhaps! The one thing you probably need to do is upgrade the stock receiver if you choose to run without WD. I have towed with both WD and without WD and found no difference. The Cummins is so heavy that it actually enhances the truck's handling to have some weight in back.

I didn't realize how important the WD system was until a guy in a car had a blow out while passing my truck and 34 ft. 5th wheel. He slammed into the side of my Dodge 3500 at the rear panel going about 60 mph while we were traveling on interstate I-10. The impact pushed my truck and TT all the way from the right lane over to the edge of the left lane with my tires ridding on the outer edge. I really felt like I was not going to be able to control the truck and trailer and was going to flip the trailer. I turned the steering wheel hard to the right and then hard to the left. I was amazed that both the truck and trailer made a big S shaped route with no sense of being out of control. I was able to pull my truck and 32' trailer back over to the right lane and park so I could check for any damage. Damage was only to the outside of the truck, $2000.
I was using a Reese Dual cam hitch and it saved me big time. Personally, I would never drive a trailer without a WD system for safety reasons. I would also not drive a diesel truck without an "exhaust Brake". Saves your truck brakes and makes going down steep mountains safer:):)

Towed this #12500 trailer across the country last May with a 2004 CTD 3500. Used the WD because the tounge weight was HEAVY..about #2000 or so. Made the truck handle well thru the mountains even with the trailer. This picture was on the bottom side of Ike pass heading West.

It doesn't matter what the front of the truck weighs.
Your trying to transfer the weight from the bumper of the truck (where it has leverage over the truck) to someplace forward of the rear wheels (where it has almost no leverage). Doing so improves both the ride and handling of the truck.

My buddy also has a 3500 Ram and bought a TT last year. He towed it around for a while and thought it was fine. But he respected my opinion enough after 50 years that he added a Reese DC. He was amazed at the improvement it made.

My previous tv was a Ford 1/2 ton 4x4. We had to use WD for towing with that truck. I still use WD with the 1 ton for the added stability. The way I see it, it can't hurt. Our trailer is about 30ft ball to bumper.

With my Ram 3500 and about 1100 pounds on the trailer tongue I absolutely do not need weight distribution. What are you trying to distribute? You have more than enough weight up front with the Cummins, plenty of payload in back to handle the tongue weight, and will be under both axle and tire ratings. Sway, perhaps! The one thing you probably need to do is upgrade the stock receiver if you choose to run without WD. I have towed with both WD and without WD and found no difference. The Cummins is so heavy that it actually enhances the truck's handling to have some weight in back.

I also have a big truck and small trailer. (Not that your trailer is small)
I do this. I just snug up the WD on the trailer and call it good.
I have a diesel so I don't want to transfer any more weight up front so I just snug up the WD to take some of the porpoising out.