Weight Distribution bar - using a pipe ... ?

Haha I took the pipe an inch from my junk one time. It surprised me and let me tell you how lucky I was that day. 20+ years using a pipe wdh

Once, my pipe rolled out of sight and I thought it was lost. I couldn't find a suitable replacement, so I used a small pipe wrench until the pipe rolled out in the open again.

With our 3/4 ton, near 1,000 lb tongue weight and Reese DC WDH, there is no flippin' way I can get the chains onto snap up brackets without using the bar. If the TT & TV aren't on the same plane (twisted relative to each other) or if there is a bit of a dip in the ground surface, it can take quite a pull to get the chain(s) on.

Don't know what brand WDH OP has, but you can get replacement handles from etrailer.com: I installed a soft rubber bicycle handlebar grip on the end of our handle.

I have always worried about losing our handle and have thought about getting a spare. I ALWAYS make a mental note to store it away when finished, just like making a note never to rub against the hitch ball...

ScottG wrote:
I cant latch our either just by using the tongue jack.
I can't tell you how many trailers I've seen with bars that have virtually no tension on them. Seems like a lot of people don't understand how they work and never get them set up so they actually do anything.

Bingo. When we had our TT and because of the 900-950lb TW I had to raise the rear of the truck 4-5" because the WDH had 6 washers in it. Then to grab the correct link in the chain and snap it I had to use the bar. When we got the EQ hitch I still had to use the bar to get the bars up on the L bracket. If there isn't tension on the bars then they're not doing there job.

I cant latch our either just by using the tongue jack.
I can't tell you how many trailers I've seen with bars that have virtually no tension on them. Seems like a lot of people don't understand how they work and never get them set up so they actually do anything.

Sorry, but I don't buy that raising the jack is the "only correct" way to do it.
If that were true, then why would the manufactures bother making a pivoting bracket with a nub for the pipe? If they intended everyone to use raise the jack and flip the lever by hand, then they would have simply installed a hook on the frame for you to slip the chain link onto.

There's nothing wrong with using the pipe.

robsouth wrote:
Why do you need a pipe to install the weight distribution bars? I just put the tongue on the ball and clip it. Use the tongue jack to lift the tongue and back of truck, slip bars in place by hand and lower the tongue jack. No lifting involved.

X2, I rarely use the bar to raise the torsion bars.

robsouth wrote:
Why do you need a pipe to install the weight distribution bars? I just put the tongue on the ball and clip it. Use the tongue jack to lift the tongue and back of truck, slip bars in place by hand and lower the tongue jack. No lifting involved.

Exactly!! Wife and I use our fingers.

I raise the tongue after latching the ball too, but still use a pipe on at least one side every time. With the Reese dual cam unless the truck/TT are straight, one side will have some pressure even after raising the tongue.

Any 3/4" ID black pipe will do. Home Depot and Lowes sell it in 18"-24" lengths.

i thought i was doing it "incorrectly" by using the tongue jack to lift the TV/TT to make linking the WD bars easier...glad to see I am not in the minority afterall.