Please help me picking a weight distribution hitch for our new(soon)29 ft 8k dry trailer.We have a Husky round bar set up on our (soon to be sold) trailer and it works great and we are very comfortable operating it.Think were going for the same but need the correct set up .should we be getting the 1400# set up or is that overkill?thank you:)

What is the GVWR of the new trailer?Dry weight really doesn't mean much.

8k dry will be ~9k-9.5k loaded. 1400 bars are a bit more than you need but not excessive overkill.

Why can't you take your existing WDH and bars? or is that part of the deal to sell your old camper, the WDH goes with the camper?

Andersen, world of difference for us and we are about the same wt. older and shorter but same wt.

weight distribution hitch/sway | Good Sam Community

gcloss
Explorer
Nov 29, 2015
proxim2020 wrote:
Need-A-Vacation wrote:

I have also looked at the Blue Ox, but still haven't figured out exactly how the sway control works. I know BO states it is in the bars, due to how they are flexed under load.

Good luck deciding.

When the trailer wants to sway, one bar will get loaded more than the other. That bar with the extra load provides more pressure and resistance to the offending side. That pressure and resistance returns that side of the the trailer back to the center line. If the trailer goes past the center line again, then the other bar "engages" and returns that side. That's how a Blue Ox engineer explained it to me.

I have one and have nothing but good things to say about it. It does a very good job of catching and correcting the little "wiggles". The sway just never comes about. I'm around 8k loaded with 1500 lbs bars.

I have the Blue Ox and l have no issues with my Jayco Eagle weighing in about 8200#.

Blue Ox products are Made in the USA which helped me make my decision.
Community Alumni
Nov 23, 2015
Need-A-Vacation wrote:

I have also looked at the Blue Ox, but still haven't figured out exactly how the sway control works. I know BO states it is in the bars, due to how they are flexed under load.

Good luck deciding.

When the trailer wants to sway, one bar will get loaded more than the other. That bar with the extra load provides more pressure and resistance to the offending side. That pressure and resistance returns that side of the the trailer back to the center line. If the trailer goes past the center line again, then the other bar "engages" and returns that side. That's how a Blue Ox engineer explained it to me.

I have one and have nothing but good things to say about it. It does a very good job of catching and correcting the little "wiggles". The sway just never comes about. I'm around 8k loaded with 1500 lbs bars.
campigloo
Explorer
Nov 22, 2015
Joe, as far as your question about disconnecting torsion bars before backing up, not true. Some people recommend removing the friction sway bars before backing up. After roughly 30 years of towing I have done neither. So far no damage to anything. If it was detrimental to the rig, I think I would have broken something by now. I don't remove them when making tight turns when going forward either. The rig doesn't seem to notice the difference. Relax, just drive the thing.
SilverRocks
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015
Talk to factory rep of hitch manufacturer. They should know what you need. My Equalizer that I used with 24' trailer couldn't handle my new 31' trailer (8k# vs. 5k#) and their rep was right on the mark with suggested 10,000# hitch. Couldn't be happier with performance of the upgraded hitch. I don't think you want to go too big, either. Best to hit it right close to the mark.
JoeTampa
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015
LarryJM wrote:
JoeTampa wrote:
I have a Blue Ox too and like it. Not having to do anything special to back up is a key feature for me.

Nor do you have to do anything special when backing up with any of the other major WDH integrated sway systems so that is not a special feature of the Blue Ox as you mistakenly think.

Larry

At least one of our camping friends (thinks he) has to remove his bars to back up into a spot at a CG. I've heard of it in other corners as well, and (not from hitch salespeople!). I had also heard it mentioned that Blue Ox was unique in this regard. Thought I'd gotten lucky by having it provided by my dealer. (Shrug)
tshirtman
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015
Oh and yes, the new rig is 29 ft (33.6)w/ hitch
tshirtman
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015
we have a Ram 3/4 ton Diesel short bed TV.
Really do not want something that is time consuming to get on and off
at the campground. That is why we like what we have. 2 min on and 2 min off.
:)
tshirtman
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015
we have a Ram 3/4 ton Diesel short bed TV.
Really do not want something that is time consuming to get on and off
at the campground. That is why we like what we have. 2 min on and 2 min off.
:)
LarryJM
Explorer II
Nov 21, 2015
JoeTampa wrote:
I have a Blue Ox too and like it. Not having to do anything special to back up is a key feature for me.

Nor do you have to do anything special when backing up with any of the other major WDH integrated sway systems so that is not a special feature of the Blue Ox as you mistakenly think.

Larry
jmtandem
Explorer II
Nov 21, 2015
IMO, the 1400# bars would be overkill.

Even if you load the TT to 100% of its GVWR (and most people do not), an adequate tongue weight percentage of 13% would put you just under 1200# TW.
Also, I believe the maximum allowable TW for your 2011 Ram 2500 diesel is 1200# (unless you've installed a Class V receiver).

And, unless you're planning to use the WDH to restore more than 100% of the load which was removed from the TV's front axle,
you likely will be using the WDH at considerably less than 100% of its load distributing capacity.
IMO, especially with the diesel, 50% front axle load restoration should be sufficient.

IMO, there is no need to subject your TV and TT to the harsher ride which is likely to result from using unnecessarily stiff WD bars.

Ron

"Right on, solid advice".