OK I have a question for all of you that pull enclosed trailers behind your TCers.Let me describe what I've got. I have a Road Force 7X14 ramp 7000# enclosed trailer. Originally I was only going to haul either my ATV of my Harley in it. Well after a bunch of measuring I found that our Mazda MX5 well fit in it also. So with just the ATV or the Harley I was not going to worry about WDH setup as the most it would weigh would be in the range of 3000 to 3500#. Now with the MX-5 I'm looking at around 5000# weight.My rig is a 2013 Ram dually with a 14,000# GVWR and a RAWR 9750#. I have Torklift Stableloads on my truck but that is the only suspension enhancements I have. Before I put my Stableloads on with my camper loaded and ready to go I was not even setting fully on my overloads. My camper is a NL 10 2 CDSE which is 3000# dry. I have weighed it on the truck ready to go camping and I have a total weight of 12,200# The rear axle is just over 7,000#. So I'm under my GVWR by right at 1800# and under my rear axle rating by 2750#. I have a Super Hitch with a 36" Super Truss extension. Now according to Torklift I can have 650# tongue and 6500# trailer without a WDH.Now after all the background do you folks that tow trailer feel I need a WDH for my setup and also a sway control?I have never towed a trailer that needed a WDH hitch. The have always been lighter trailers and boat trailers with a max weight of around 3000#. Didn't have a need for the WDH or sway control with it.Thanks for the help.

Hi,The supertruss is the right hitch to use in that situation! I am happy to see that those hitches have become more popular, with well educated truck owners who are concerned about safety and are willing to spend the money to buy something really strong.The weight distribution hitch equipment will help by moving some of the trailer hitch weight from the truck to the trailer axles, with the bars pulling upward on the hitch head and downward on the front of the trailer A-frame where the spring bars attach. At the same time, it will twist the hitch head at the truck end forward, applying some weight to the front axle of the truck. In your case, you really don't "Need" weight transferred from the rear axle to the front one. However it has been discovered that a WD hitch can help with ride stability and in windy conditions. Also some hitches are only rated at 5,000 pounds without WD hitch, while are rated at 10,000 pounds trailer weight while using a WD hitch set up. Your supertruss is rated much higher than a typical hitch, due to it's heavy construction. Still I would guess it has a higher rating while using WD bars?I would suggest using WD bars while you carry the car. It probably will tow smoother while you carry the heavy bike with the bars on too. Have fun camping!Fred.

Hi Butch50 - we tow an enclosed tandem axle trailer at up to 6500lbs behind our SRW 3500 on a SuperTruss, while hauling the camper. We use an AirSafe suspension hitch, and a weight distributing coupler with about 200lbs of weight distribution to the steer axle. Goofy as it sounds, our truck with camper and trailer rig rides better towing the trailer on this setup than it does without the trailer - there is less fore and aft "jiggle" across sharp expansion joints etc. The best sway control is correct weight distribution between the trailer axles and the hitch but you have towed lots and know those "rules" min 10% of trailer GVW on the hitch blah blah blah. This will be easy to achieve trailering your car - park the trailer on a scale, uncouple, get trailer GVW, then hook up, pull ahead till trailer axles are on the scale alone, then move the car until the trailer axles weigh max 90% of what the whole trailer GVW is. Wa la - that is where you tie down the car every time. The wheelbase and weight of your tow rig will overcome any sway the trailer tries to put on it if the trailer weight distribution is correct. The AirSafe is our best "bumper towing" equipment addition ever.

Thanks for the suggestions. Like stated I haven't pulled any heavier bumper pulls but I have pulled big 5ers, up to 22,000#. So this WDH is new territory for me and I'm learning.

I tow 5000-8000 lbs behind me. Although I can carry the hitch weight when loaded lightly, I find the weight distribution hitch does give a better ride (less porpoising) and reduces sway even though I never attached my friction sway device up. I have to agree that all the weight of the TC plus truck makes it hard for trailer to push you around.If the trailer does not sway and does not cause your rear suspension to oscillate, I see no reason to add a WDH at this point.

Yes, get a WD hitch. I used one even with my 6x12 tandem axle Road Force (Wells Cargo mid-line) trailer, even though at most I only ever had 1500lbs in it, and that was a rare occasion.

Question about WDH hitches for your TCers | Good Sam Community

bjbear
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
I would recommend that you use a WDH even though your rig is borderline. You will find that it makes your rig much more stable. It only takes a few minutes to set up. I bought a used one so the cost was minimal as well.
deltabravo
Nomad
Jun 23, 2014
Yes, get a WD hitch. I used one even with my 6x12 tandem axle Road Force (Wells Cargo mid-line) trailer, even though at most I only ever had 1500lbs in it, and that was a rare occasion.
Bedlam
Moderator
Jun 21, 2014
I tow 5000-8000 lbs behind me. Although I can carry the hitch weight when loaded lightly, I find the weight distribution hitch does give a better ride (less porpoising) and reduces sway even though I never attached my friction sway device up. I have to agree that all the weight of the TC plus truck makes it hard for trailer to push you around.

If the trailer does not sway and does not cause your rear suspension to oscillate, I see no reason to add a WDH at this point.
Butch50
Explorer
Jun 21, 2014
Thanks for the suggestions. Like stated I haven't pulled any heavier bumper pulls but I have pulled big 5ers, up to 22,000#. So this WDH is new territory for me and I'm learning.
noteven
Explorer III
Jun 21, 2014
Hi Butch50 - we tow an enclosed tandem axle trailer at up to 6500lbs behind our SRW 3500 on a SuperTruss, while hauling the camper. We use an AirSafe suspension hitch, and a weight distributing coupler with about 200lbs of weight distribution to the steer axle.

Goofy as it sounds, our truck with camper and trailer rig rides better towing the trailer on this setup than it does without the trailer - there is less fore and aft "jiggle" across sharp expansion joints etc.

The best sway control is correct weight distribution between the trailer axles and the hitch but you have towed lots and know those "rules" min 10% of trailer GVW on the hitch blah blah blah. This will be easy to achieve trailering your car - park the trailer on a scale, uncouple, get trailer GVW, then hook up, pull ahead till trailer axles are on the scale alone, then move the car until the trailer axles weigh max 90% of what the whole trailer GVW is.

Wa la - that is where you tie down the car every time.

The wheelbase and weight of your tow rig will overcome any sway the trailer tries to put on it if the trailer weight distribution is correct.

The AirSafe is our best "bumper towing" equipment addition ever.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Jun 21, 2014
Hi,

The supertruss is the right hitch to use in that situation! I am happy to see that those hitches have become more popular, with well educated truck owners who are concerned about safety and are willing to spend the money to buy something really strong.

The weight distribution hitch equipment will help by moving some of the trailer hitch weight from the truck to the trailer axles, with the bars pulling upward on the hitch head and downward on the front of the trailer A-frame where the spring bars attach. At the same time, it will twist the hitch head at the truck end forward, applying some weight to the front axle of the truck. In your case, you really don't "Need" weight transferred from the rear axle to the front one. However it has been discovered that a WD hitch can help with ride stability and in windy conditions. Also some hitches are only rated at 5,000 pounds without WD hitch, while are rated at 10,000 pounds trailer weight while using a WD hitch set up. Your supertruss is rated much higher than a typical hitch, due to it's heavy construction. Still I would guess it has a higher rating while using WD bars?

I would suggest using WD bars while you carry the car. It probably will tow smoother while you carry the heavy bike with the bars on too.

Have fun camping!

Fred.

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