WD hitch TW rating as close to actual TW as possible?

The trailer in my sig has a listed dry tongue weight of 722 lb. Loaded for camping, it's probably 850-900. I use a Husky Centerline TS, which is the same design as the Equal-I-zer, with bars rated 800-1200lb.

It pulls great, with no sway. Passing trucks have no effect. Doesn't seem bouncy at all despite being on the light end for tongue weight vs. spring bar rating. Much quieter than the old school trunnion bars w/friction sway control, too.

If you're purchasing this trailer from a dealer.....they should have a tongue weight scale to tell you precisely what that tongue weight will be before you tow it off the lot
Guestimate how much more weight you might load up in the front of that trailer and go from there.

An investment in a tongue weight scale might make sense also.

https://www.propridehitch.com/sherline-trailer-tongue-weight-scale/

My last TT had a "dry toungue weight" of 675# but was actually more like 900#.
I would add at leat 30% to anything they claim.

I just went through this myself. Last year I got my first TT, a Coleman 274BH. TW scaled out at 720#. I have a Husky Round Bar hitch with 800# bars that was used for my horse trailer. I had a 2014 F150 and it pulled the trailer perfectly, no bounce, no sway, no abnormal handling.

Last January my F150 got totaled due to another driver losing control and sliding into my lane in an icy road. I replaced it with a 2016 F150. Since I had snow tires on the previous truck I still have the wheels and tires from it and use those on the 16. So with that said, everything is the same except the truck, and no matter what I tried, I could not get the truck to handle the same as the last one.

Turns out the trailer gained a few hundred pounds, and TW grew to 820#, exceeding the 800# bars. I am replacing the WDH with a Blue Ox 1500. You also have to factor in the weight of the hitch itself, and any cargo behind the rear axle when determining the hitch. Since I am already at 820#, and if the hitch weighs in at 100, I am now at 920#. I plan to mount the genny to the A frame next year, which will put me over 1000 pounds, exceeding the BO 1000 WDH.

So a suggested WDH for my application would be?

When I look at THIS WD HITCH (as an example only) it says 600-1200 lbs.

I can obviously handle the TW.
However, it would go well 'over'.
Is that acceptable?
Too much?
...or would it just be a good cushion for varying TWs the TT may have on different occations.

With a listed TW of 630 lbs, it will be more like 700 lbs before it leaves the dealers lot. Then, you're going to add more weight when you load it for camping.

Average camp load (pots and pans, dishes, bedding, camp chairs, BBQ, water, groceries, etc) weighs 800 to 1000 lbs. Ten to fifteen percent of that weight will be added to TW. More, if your trailer has a front kitchen.

Your loaded TW could easily hit 800.

Keep in mind, TW is not a constant number. It goes up and down during every trip. Holding tanks, depending on their location (in relation to TT axles) can have a significant impact on TW. Different things get loaded in different places. Groceries and water get loaded and used up.

My TT for example, had a listed TW of 880 lbs. During any trip, my actual TW can be anywhere between 975 and 1200 lbs. My WDH is rated for 1400.

Lynnmor wrote:

brianosaur wrote:


Is it best to shoot for a trailer with TW on the lower end or higher end of the WDH weight range? ...or does it not matter.

I think that you meant hitch instead of trailer.

Yes, sorry, reverse what I wrote.

Is it best to shoot for (purchase) a WDH with TW on the lower end or higher end of the trailer TW?

Lynnmor wrote:

You match the rating of the spring bars included with the WDH as closely as possible. Weigh the hitch first, the sales flyer doesn't give you accurate weights ready to tow. The WDH manufacturer usually has a chart to direct you to the proper spring bars. And no, heavier is not better, correct is better.

Okay, I was getting thrown off because etrailer lists WDH as having a weight *range* and then, after reading your post, I saw other sites have an exact weight (not a range) on hitches.


If I am ready to purchase a TT with a listed TW of 630 lbs, but have to purchase a WDH before I take ownership and drive it home, I am wondering what hitch to buy? I wont be able to load the TT with all my stuff and weigh it first prior to getting the TT.

A 600lb WDH would be too low.
So then 700 or 750lb WDH would be ideal?

It's like "The Price Is Right" game. Get as close as possible without going over. So if your tongue weight is 1,287 lbs, go with the 1,400 lb WDH not the 1,200 lb one.

brianosaur wrote:


Is it best to shoot for a trailer with TW on the lower end or higher end of the WDH weight range? ...or does it not matter.

I think that you meant hitch instead of trailer.

You match the rating of the spring bars included with the WDH as closely as possible. Weigh the hitch first, the sales flyer doesn't give you accurate weights ready to tow. The WDH manufacturer usually has a chart to direct you to the proper spring bars. And no, heavier is not better, correct is better.