WDH - how much does it reduce tongue weight?
We've been told that a good load distribution hitch will redistribute as much as 30% of the tongue weight. The vehicle we want can tow 7500# but is limited to a tongue weight of 600#. If what we...
Forum Discussion
After 5 pages I have not seen an estimate as to how much weight is transferred back to the TT.
When the bars are adjusted, the hitch is raised so that the TV and TT sit level, a portion of the rear axle weight is transferred to the front wheel which improves steering and braking but a portion of the weight is also transferred back to the TT. In an ideal world, if the weight was evenly distributed, about 1/3 of the tongue would be shifted back to the TT. I have no idea if this is the case or not.
We all remember the WD hitch commercial where the WD hitch was adjusted so all the weight was removed from the rear wheels, the tires taken off and only the front wheel drive was used to pull the TT.
An added bonus of the WD hitch weight transfer is an increase in the allowable tongue weight over a straight bumper hitch. In the case of my F-150, it is more than doubled. Still, the purpose of the WD hitch is to improve the handling of the TV. It does not increase the max cargo rating of the TV.
The point is, with 600 lbs. of tongue weight, shifting back 200 lbs. to a 6000 lb. TT makes very little difference. If you are within a couple of hundred pounds of your TV max towing limit you will probably go over from time to time with just the normal variations in water, supplies and the other stuff we like to haul.
When the bars are adjusted, the hitch is raised so that the TV and TT sit level, a portion of the rear axle weight is transferred to the front wheel which improves steering and braking but a portion of the weight is also transferred back to the TT. In an ideal world, if the weight was evenly distributed, about 1/3 of the tongue would be shifted back to the TT. I have no idea if this is the case or not.
We all remember the WD hitch commercial where the WD hitch was adjusted so all the weight was removed from the rear wheels, the tires taken off and only the front wheel drive was used to pull the TT.
An added bonus of the WD hitch weight transfer is an increase in the allowable tongue weight over a straight bumper hitch. In the case of my F-150, it is more than doubled. Still, the purpose of the WD hitch is to improve the handling of the TV. It does not increase the max cargo rating of the TV.
The point is, with 600 lbs. of tongue weight, shifting back 200 lbs. to a 6000 lb. TT makes very little difference. If you are within a couple of hundred pounds of your TV max towing limit you will probably go over from time to time with just the normal variations in water, supplies and the other stuff we like to haul.
