Do I need a weight distribution hitch?
Hey everyone. First post here. My wife and I are considering getting off the ground and trading the old tent in for a hybrid travel trailer. We are looking at the 23' Rockwood Roo. My tow vehicle is a...
Forum Discussion
This can be answered by the receiver's ratings label on your TV
It will list two ratings...one without a WD Hitch system (dead weight)
and other with a WD Hitch system
But...you will need to know that trailers ACTUAL tongue weight, not
the 'dry' tongue weight. The 'dry' tongue weight will be 450 lbs if
the tongue is a 10% of the dry weight. If your trailer weighs more
than 4,500 lbs, then it will be more using the 10%. Most trailers
will be more than 10% (best range is 12%-15%), and even using the
'dry' 4,500 a 12% tongue would be over the normal 500 lb dead weight
rating of most receivers.
Here is a quote from an old thread that has a picture of that posters
receiver rating label
Do I Need to use a WDH with an F350 SRW Powerstroke?
receiverratinglabel receiverlabel
It will list two ratings...one without a WD Hitch system (dead weight)
and other with a WD Hitch system
But...you will need to know that trailers ACTUAL tongue weight, not
the 'dry' tongue weight. The 'dry' tongue weight will be 450 lbs if
the tongue is a 10% of the dry weight. If your trailer weighs more
than 4,500 lbs, then it will be more using the 10%. Most trailers
will be more than 10% (best range is 12%-15%), and even using the
'dry' 4,500 a 12% tongue would be over the normal 500 lb dead weight
rating of most receivers.
Here is a quote from an old thread that has a picture of that posters
receiver rating label
Do I Need to use a WDH with an F350 SRW Powerstroke?
receiverratinglabel receiverlabel
Bedlam wrote:
Look on your receiver tag for your maximums when weight carrying and using weight distribution. I know Ford upgraded the receiver since 2005 - Using mine as an example, it was rated for 500 lbs tongue weight and 5000 lbs trailer weight when weight carrying and 1250 lbs tongue weight and 12,500 lbs trailer weight when using weight distribution.
According to the 2015 towing guide, yours is rated 850 lbs tongue with 8500 lbs trailer without WDH and 1400 lbs tongue with 14,000 lbs trailer with WDH.
http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/15RV&TT_Ford_SuperDtyPU_r1_Jan12.pdf
