thomas malenich wrote:
...
Perhaps the note should read: When the WD bars are engaged the actual tongue weight does not change, however the hitch load changes because some of the downward force exerted by the tensioners on the TT's A-frame is transferred to the TT's axles. The hitch load is reduced by the same amount.
...
A definition shouldn't have to serve as an introductory course in physics. If we want to extrapolate the note out, we could address the additional stresses on the receiver, the tongue of the trailer, the change of torsional forces on the tow vehicle hitch frame and chassis, right on down to the additional flexing of the front tire sidewalls, etc. Any one of those changes could be of interest to the user of a weight distribution system. Besides, if you used the note above, you'd have to define what you mean by "hitch load".
Backtracking a bit, you said,
thomas malenich wrote:
... Even though tongue weight remains unchanged, Ron has proved that the tension forces DO change the weight at the receiver. In Ron's drawing he notes that the WD removes 300#s from the receiver. As we all know this point really confused me because I thought that very same 300#s was removed(distributed off) the tongue as well. It seems this is not the case. Ron has shown that whether the tongue weight is 0#s or 1000#s, ONLY 300#s (in his particular example) is removed and is done so by bar tension. ...
Thomas, I think you're getting confused by the concept of
weight as opposed to
force. What Ron has tried to point out - and I think he's been real consistent in this - is that the
weight (probably better described as
gravitational mass) doesn't get moved at all (unless you have shifting cargo). Instead, the WD system changes the
reactionary forces that work together to support it all.
For example, one of the things I think you're concerned with is the force on the hitch ball. Without a WD system, this force is the same as the "weight" on the coupler, or "tongue weight". Once you introduce a WD system, that force is no longer a "weight", but a compressive force between the ball and the coupler. What Ron has explained is that the trailer axle(s) and the ball will share the
reaction required to support the vertical downward force exerted by the spring bar. I know you already understand the concept, but I'm re-stating things in hopes that it will make you more comfortable with the difference between a "weight" and a "force".
Cheers,
