weight distribution hitch opinion

I prefer to get my spring bars as close to the actual loaded tongue weight of the camper as possible. The reason is shock loading (not sure what the proper term is here) but as you go over bumps and dips in the road the spring bar tends to load and unload depending on the circumstance.

Remember we set our hitches up on a level ground but when we drive it's hardly ever level. A closely matched spring bar will give a better ride than a bar that is too stiff for the loaded tongue weight.

I also prefer round bar WD hitches...I like how they ride compared to my trunnion hitches.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Jebby14 wrote:
Thanks guys, It is the setup in my sig im looking to improve on. loaded weight is around 520 lbs on the tongue (no idea what manufacturer listed weights were, never cared they aren't usually right anyway) The jeep handles her fine but does squat a bit and id like to get some weight forward on the jeep. also interested in this Anderson system as I currently just use a friction sway bar that leaves something to be desired in heavy truck traffic at highway speeds. good deal from etrailer also, if only your fancy all green money wasn't worth twice what mine is.

The Anderson hitch is relatively expensive (green money or not). Any WDH and 800 lb bars will work. I bought a used Equal-i-zer off Craigslist with 600 lb bars for quite a discount.

braindead0 wrote:
?? How to you figure? That round bar sticks down from the hitch head much more than a trunion.. I just switched from a Pro-Series round bar to a Reese SC trunion and gained over 2" of clearance (that I didn't need).

I meant tongue clearance. Usually round bars work better for top mounted couplers. This is especially true when using a Reese Dual Cam because you have to account for the lower heights of the cam arms.

Thanks guys, It is the setup in my sig im looking to improve on. loaded weight is around 520 lbs on the tongue (no idea what manufacturer listed weights were, never cared they aren't usually right anyway) The jeep handles her fine but does squat a bit and id like to get some weight forward on the jeep. also interested in this Anderson system as I currently just use a friction sway bar that leaves something to be desired in heavy truck traffic at highway speeds. good deal from etrailer also, if only your fancy all green money wasn't worth twice what mine is.

Get the right sized bars and learn how to install/adjust it. That is worth far more than $100 than any sale. BTW, there are always sales somewhere. I also recommend one that has integrated sway control.

Put 500 pounds of water softener salt in the back of that vehicle and see how much the rear squats. If it squats, your camper will also make the rear squat. You need the WD bars. Try it. See what happens, then you'll know.

Sounds like with your set up, the Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch would be a great match! Click here. I have an Equal-i-zer system and it works great for my needs. But, I've read enough about other WD systems to know that the Andersen is ideal for lighter weight trailers and smaller tow vehicles.

Check out the link above.

I have the husky round bar hitch that I got when I towed a New yorker horse trailer with a 97 Ford Exploder. Plenty of ground clearance, especially considering how low a horse trailer sits. That would be the perfect WDH for your setup. mine has the up to 800# bars, my trailer is ~760# loaded TW, and with a sway control on it, tows perfectly. Well worth the low cost.

LIKE2BUILD wrote:
Etrailer.com has an 800lbs TW hitch for $200.

Is the trailer and Jeep Grand Cherokee setup in your signature the one you're talking about? If so, I would suggest you get a round bar WD hitch system. The reason is this will give you better ground clearance than would a trunion style hitch.

?? How to you figure? That round bar sticks down from the hitch head much more than a trunion.. I just switched from a Pro-Series round bar to a Reese SC trunion and gained over 2" of clearance (that I didn't need).

I'd think one with 800# bars would be the better than just barely enough, if you get a 550# for example you may find that it's insufficient as the numbers quoted by manufacturers are usually off.

My actual TW is 550# (manufacture claimed 230#), I just moved from 550# bars to 800# because the 550's were at their limit.. (and I wanted integrated sway control).

Jebby14 wrote:
my camper comes in with a tongue weight around 500 lbs. I notices 800-1200 being the common weight range for the smaller weight distribution hitches. In particular I notices http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/adjustable-weight-distributing-hitch/A-p8371593e is a great deal rate now. What would happen if I used it with less than 800 lbs tongue weight?

Etrailer.com has an 800lbs TW hitch for $200.

Is the trailer and Jeep Grand Cherokee setup in your signature the one you're talking about? If so, I would suggest you get a round bar WD hitch system. The reason is this will give you better ground clearance than would a trunion style hitch.

KJ

All will be fine assuming you're not use 1200 pound bars. If you have a 500 pound tongue weight, that is likely dry weight. Add propane, a battery and water and it will come up a bit. I you have 750-800 pound bars or even 1000 pound bars start by dropping 3 links(meaning it's hooked on the fourth link and three are dangling), if it's a little bouncy(not squishy or spongy)then drop two links.