I was thinking about how a WDH works and had a thought. When you tighten up the spring bars you are actually lifting the rear of the TV and transferring weight from the TV rear wheels to the TV front axle and to the TT axles.Could you misadjust the spring bars to the point where you remove so much weight from the rear axle as to actually cause sway? I mean if you really, really misadjusted the bars and they were strong enough I guess you could actually lift the TV rear wheels off the ground.Just thinking. Probably won't try it. :)

Some of the pictures of rollovers I see makes me believe it's possible.

I would think under normal circumstances you'd bend the heck out of the bars or snap off the hinge pins on the A frame brackets if you tried to do that. Unless you had specifically designed stuff as you say. Interesting thought though

Probably not. Having the hitch pivot point behind the rear axle centerline is the root cause of all sway. So all TT's are at risk. The WDH does nothing either way to help or hurt sway (except for a few that rely on friction to mute sway). To eliminate it you need to transfer that pivot point forward. This is what a Hensley does.

When WDH first came out (in the 50's or 60's I think) there use to be an ad that showed a Olds Tornado (one of the first front wheel drive cars) connected to a travel trailer with a WDH and the car doesn't have any rear tires.So yes, it can be done.Ron

sch911 wrote:Probably not. Having the hitch pivot point behind the rear axle centerline is the root cause of all sway. So all TT's are at risk. The WDH does nothing either way to help or hurt sway (except for a few that rely on friction to mute sway). To eliminate it you need to transfer that pivot point forward. This is what a Hensley does.The video in this thread seems to indicate that weight distribution has a significant impact on the propensity of a TT/TV combo to sway.http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29023240.cfm

WDH - Just Wonderin' | Good Sam Community

myredracer
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2016
Hmmm, in states where triple towing is allowed, I wonder what it'd be like with the rear wheels of the TV off the ground??? :)
TomG2
Explorer
Sep 05, 2016
The WDH can reduce sway in the case of an overloaded rear suspension, like we used to have when we towed with sedans and station wagons, by shifting some of the weight forward and back. A modern capable pickup truck is a different story. GM and Ford have revamped their thinking entirely when it comes to the need for and the setting up of weight distributing hitches.

I think it was an Olds Toronado in the Reese advertisement.
bobndot
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2016
Yes it has an affect on sway. If you make the bars too tight you lift the rear TV wheels off the ground. You loose traction , you inherit sway.
That's why , when you start out with a hitch installation, the TT gets measured at level by measuring the TT frame to the ground...front and rear.
Do not use a level on the trailer, as you would to level a fridge.
The TT must be level with the ground in order to correctly measure the inside ball height for hitching purposes.
hohenwald48
Explorer
Sep 05, 2016
lanerd wrote:
When WDH first came out (in the 50's or 60's I think) there use to be an ad that showed a Buick Rivera (one of the first front wheel drive cars) connected to a travel trailer with a WDH and the car doesn't have any rear tires.

So yes, it can be done.

Ron

I wonder if it had a sway problem?

Now that you mention it I kind of remember seeing that ad. Heading off to Google.

And here it is.

Who needs rear wheels?
hohenwald48
Explorer
Sep 05, 2016
sch911 wrote:
Probably not. Having the hitch pivot point behind the rear axle centerline is the root cause of all sway. So all TT's are at risk. The WDH does nothing either way to help or hurt sway (except for a few that rely on friction to mute sway). To eliminate it you need to transfer that pivot point forward. This is what a Hensley does.

The video in this thread seems to indicate that weight distribution has a significant impact on the propensity of a TT/TV combo to sway.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29023240.cfm
lanerd
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2016
When WDH first came out (in the 50's or 60's I think) there use to be an ad that showed a Olds Tornado (one of the first front wheel drive cars) connected to a travel trailer with a WDH and the car doesn't have any rear tires.

So yes, it can be done.

Ron
sch911
Explorer
Sep 05, 2016
Probably not. Having the hitch pivot point behind the rear axle centerline is the root cause of all sway. So all TT's are at risk. The WDH does nothing either way to help or hurt sway (except for a few that rely on friction to mute sway). To eliminate it you need to transfer that pivot point forward. This is what a Hensley does.
Camper_G
Explorer
Sep 05, 2016
I would think under normal circumstances you'd bend the heck out of the bars or snap off the hinge pins on the A frame brackets if you tried to do that. Unless you had specifically designed stuff as you say. Interesting thought though
bguy
Explorer
Sep 05, 2016
Some of the pictures of rollovers I see makes me believe it's possible.

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