Choosing a WDH and weight my trailer, please help.

[JoshuaH]

I need to buy a WDH, this will be for a Trail Lite Bantam 17ft. hybrid, dry weight of 2100 lbs. The tow vehicle is going to be a 2006 Jeep Liberty with a V6, in a few years probably will be replaced with a larger tow vehicle.

Everything I've read so far says that to choose the proper WDH you need to know the total weight of the trailer loaded and empty and know your tongue weight. My father in law lives next to a quarry and said he can use their scale so I have that going for me. My question is, how critical is it to know the weight of it loaded. For one my loads will often vary depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing. Is there a way if I know the weight of the trailer and I know the weight of the items I will possibly be bringing can I figure that up somehow? I can do it but it would be quite a project to load the camper and tow vehicle just to go weight it. Would filling the water tanks and propane tanks then weigh it be enough?

Thanks for the advice.

[JoshuaH]

Thanks everyone. The 4Runner still has a somewhat short wheelbase, at least compared to a full size truck or SUV so I do want sway control.

I was looking over the owners manual today, using a WDH increases the tow capacity from 5000 to 7000lbs. tongue weight 500 to 700lbs. and total vehicle load from 9750 to 12000 lbs. so I think it is worthwhile. Not that I ever plan on maxing things out, but it seems like it will make it safer to tow.

[BarneyS]

I agree with SoundGuy that the Fastway E2 would be a good match for your situation. The Reese Dual Cam would work also but would be much harder to install and setup than the E2 and may be a bit much for your trailer.
Barney

[SoundGuy]

You certainly don't need a Strait-Line for a trailer the size you have. I use a simple Reese trunnion bar WD hitch for towing my 19' Coachmen, no sway control. If you're convinced you do want sway control then a Fastway E2, whether round bar or trunnion style, will work just fine and include sway control as a function of it's design, no separate friction sway bar needed.

[bikendan]

Heck YES, get a WDH with integrated sway control.

Does the 4-Runner have the factory tow package?

[JoshuaH]

Forgot to mention that I've also been working with etrailer.com on a hitch, they have given me 3 suggestions. They have always been good to work with in the past but I didn't know if they were perhaps just trying to make a sale.

They first suggested this unit, which has a TW rating of 400-800 Lbs, but I was really hoping to keep this under $500,

https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66083.html

So they also offered these 2 units,

https://www.etrailer.com/partlist.aspx?pc=FA94-00-0800,HT32216&csrid=879

Any thoughts on these 3 units? Or other suggestions?

Thanks!

[JoshuaH]

OK things have changed a little bit. I did a test run with the camper dry with our Jeep and it really struggled to pull it. We have been thinking about getting a larger SUV anyway, and I just found a good deal on a 2007 Toyota 4Runner with the 4.7 V8, so this is going to be our Tow Vehicle.

According to the sticker in the camper the dry weight is 2593 Lbs, however we weighed it at a quarry scale and it weighed 3050 Lbs with nothing in it and the 2 propane tanks removed.

My question is, with this tow vehicle and weight of camper would you suggest I still get a WDH? I at least want sway control even if I don't get a WDH, but I'm certainly not opposed to buying one if it will make things safer, but if I don't need it then I won't do it.

Our loads are going to vary depending on what we are doing, but I can see some trips with a decent amount of weight in the vehicle, for instance on some trips I will have my telescope in the back of the vehicle which weighs about 150 Lbs by itself, along with other luggage and gear.

Thanks!

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1785/29048582248_51fc618655_k.jpg

[JoshuaH]

KD4UPL wrote:
The WDH will be used to tow your trailer loaded. It will need to carry the loaded tongue weight. I don't think you can get these numbers unless you load it and weigh it.
Of course, you can estimate it and buy a hitch with sufficient margin to cover what you think the weight is. That will probably work. With a tiny trailer like that I would think any WDH would almost be overkill.

Thanks. Everything I've seem to read seems to suggest with a smaller tow vehicle like ours, the safe way to go is a WDH. I just want to go the safe way with my family in the vehicle.

[KD4UPL]

The WDH will be used to tow your trailer loaded. It will need to carry the loaded tongue weight. I don't think you can get these numbers unless you load it and weigh it.
Of course, you can estimate it and buy a hitch with sufficient margin to cover what you think the weight is. That will probably work. With a tiny trailer like that I would think any WDH would almost be overkill.

[bikendan]

Go by the trailer's GVWR, especially on smaller trailers.