Weight distributing hitch math?

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Ron Gratz wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:
Can the stress on the trailer's tongue at the "red arrow" point be expressed/predicted in terms of pounds?

Yes, depending on TV/TT dimensions --
if you want to restore all of the load which was removed from the front axle,
the force applied to the A-frame by a single WD bar will be approximately equal to the tongue weight.

Then, if you know how to do beam bending and shear stress calculations, you can calculate how much stress will be induced in the A-frame.

Ron

In the above example, does the second bar also exert force equal to tongue weight, for a total of twice the tongue weight at the a-frame?

Also, per calculations: is the W/D a first, second, or third class lever? The "cheater page" I found thinks I already know that so I'm not gettin' anywhere until I find out...

The second bar also will exert the same force on its A-frame. Total downward force on the "tongue" will be approximately twice the tongue weight.

The TT and tongue act as a Class 2 lever. Either the TT's axles or the ball coupler can act as the fulcrum, and the load (downward force from the chains) is applied in between.