4runnerguy,
Right on - we are seeing eye to eye on this.
"With all respect to Ron, when I took my engineering classes, the answer would have said "Yes" to the question. We didn't use the word distribute to mean as one distributes candy on Halloween (to give away), but rather as to apportion the load among the load bearing members. The load (tongue weight) is still where it was to begin with, but how and where it reaches the ground has changed with the WDH."
At one point in our discussion I said this:
I agree with Barney and most of what Ron is saying. Ron is the engineer - I am just trying to keep him honest . I am nitpicking with Ron and our disagreement is mostly in terminology, but his point is that you should not be concerned that a use of a WD system will make a light tongue weight more of a problem and I agree too.
Unfortunately whatever we end up with - when this thread has run its course, the manufacturer definitions will not change. Also the way forum members talk about WD systems will not change. I can bet you that most people will continue to say "tongue weight gets distributed.....". If we can manage to define tongue weight, tongue load, hitch load, and WD system and make it sticky at the top of the Towing Forum, then we will have provided a useful service to other members.
