WD Hitch effect on TW ratio
Lets run an example using easy #'s. My trailer weights 1000lbs My hitch weight is 100 lbs, or 10% of the overall trailer weight. I put my trailer on a weight carrying hitch, 100lbs is carried by ...
Forum Discussion
Concur with BarneyS.
Maybe this will help clear it up.
Put 1000 lb tongue weight on hitch without WD, it adds that 1000 lbs, plus the leverage on the tow vehicle (like a see-saw) removes a couple hundred pounds from the tow vehicles front axles, that weight is also added to the rear axle. End result, the center of gravity changes and the 1000 lb tongue weight is placing 13 - 1400 additional pounds on the rear axle of the tow vehicle.
Now apply WD. It reverses some of the leverage, moving weight both forward and back, restoring lost axle weight and center of gravity, increasing weight on trailer axles, and removing weight from tow vehicles rear axle.
Not all WD hitches will restore the same amount (percentage) to the front axles and different truck manufacturers recommend different amounts of front axle weight restoration. Some call for 100 percent, some call for 50 percent.
On my truck, the manual calls for fifty percent restoration of lost front axle weight. At 1000 lbs tongue weight, I could see scale weights showing something like this:
Note: These are ballpark numbers for demonstration purposes
without WD applied (tongue weight 1000 lbs)
front axle drops 300 lbs (compared to unhitched weight)
rear axle gains 1300 lbs (compared to unhitched weight)
with WD
150 lbs are restored to front axle
Rear axle weight gain is reduced to 1100 lbs
trailer axle gains 50 lbs
Weight gain on rear axle, even with WD applied, is actually more than the tongue weight. The added weight on the trailer axles, because it is directly on the axles, would have little to no effect on tongue weight.
As mentioned above, some hitches distribute more weight than others, the see-saw effect varies with different suspensions, vehicle center of gravity, wheel base lengths, and the WD effect on the trailer axles varies with tongue length, distance between tongue and axle, and trailer loading.
Another thing to note: Tongue weight is not a constant number. Depending on loading and usage of water, groceries, and holding tanks, it fluctuates during every trip. My tongue weight can fluctuate as much as 250 lbs.
Maybe this will help clear it up.
Put 1000 lb tongue weight on hitch without WD, it adds that 1000 lbs, plus the leverage on the tow vehicle (like a see-saw) removes a couple hundred pounds from the tow vehicles front axles, that weight is also added to the rear axle. End result, the center of gravity changes and the 1000 lb tongue weight is placing 13 - 1400 additional pounds on the rear axle of the tow vehicle.
Now apply WD. It reverses some of the leverage, moving weight both forward and back, restoring lost axle weight and center of gravity, increasing weight on trailer axles, and removing weight from tow vehicles rear axle.
Not all WD hitches will restore the same amount (percentage) to the front axles and different truck manufacturers recommend different amounts of front axle weight restoration. Some call for 100 percent, some call for 50 percent.
On my truck, the manual calls for fifty percent restoration of lost front axle weight. At 1000 lbs tongue weight, I could see scale weights showing something like this:
Note: These are ballpark numbers for demonstration purposes
without WD applied (tongue weight 1000 lbs)
front axle drops 300 lbs (compared to unhitched weight)
rear axle gains 1300 lbs (compared to unhitched weight)
with WD
150 lbs are restored to front axle
Rear axle weight gain is reduced to 1100 lbs
trailer axle gains 50 lbs
Weight gain on rear axle, even with WD applied, is actually more than the tongue weight. The added weight on the trailer axles, because it is directly on the axles, would have little to no effect on tongue weight.
As mentioned above, some hitches distribute more weight than others, the see-saw effect varies with different suspensions, vehicle center of gravity, wheel base lengths, and the WD effect on the trailer axles varies with tongue length, distance between tongue and axle, and trailer loading.
Another thing to note: Tongue weight is not a constant number. Depending on loading and usage of water, groceries, and holding tanks, it fluctuates during every trip. My tongue weight can fluctuate as much as 250 lbs.
