I just took my airbags off of my truck
When I purchased my new F150 I was afraid that I would not be happy with its load carrying capacity after driving an F250 for over 20 years so I immediately put on a set of airbags. The ride was so b...
Forum Discussion
Groover wrote:
That is what a load distributing hitch is for. Also, the trailer is for business and their is rarely any other significant load in the truck while the trailer is hitched up. Just me, my lunch and a couple of hand tools. So I am within the operating parameters as stated by the factory. In this case your assumed "facts" are incorrect.
A load distributing hitch puts a fair amount of the tongue weight back on the trailer so 1500lbs of tongue weight may only result in 1000lbs on the truck and 500lbs back on the trailer, leaving me 700lbs in the GVWR to cover me and my lunch. That should be adequate. I do make sure that the the bottom leaf of the rear springs is slightly engaged for the extra traction and to reduce axle wrap up. I don't let it go much farther so that steering is not overly affected.
No, that is NOT "what a load distributing hitch is for."
The tongue weight rating WITH weight distribution for your truck's receiver is still the "dead" weight of the tongue. It does not take weight distribution into account because you can't count on a specific amount of weight to be distributed off of the tongue, AND all the force of that weight still has to be transmitted through the receiver's framework and the bolts holding it to the truck. The weight does not magically disappear.
In other words, if your trailer tongue is 1500lbs on a scale, and your receiver's tongue weight rating is 1200lbs WITH weight distribution, you are exceeding your receiver's ratings by 300lbs or 25 percent.
