Help with selecting WD hitch capacity for a travel trailer

[Drew_K]

Hi all,

My wife and I just put a deposit down on our first RV, a new 2014 Roamer 316RLS travel trailer. We're pretty excited after tent camping & borrowing my parents' Class C RV for many years. I was hoping that someone could help me with figuring out the tongue weight when loaded up, so that I could figure out what capacity of weight distribution hitch to buy. I realize this will vary based on how & what an individual loads, but I wanted to get some real life experiences.

The Open Range web site lists the unloaded hitch weight as 1,290 pounds (pretty heavy) with an empty weight of 7,760 pounds (16.6% weight on tongue). The WD hitches I've seen come in 1,500 or 1,700 pound capacities. I'm leaning towards buying the 1,700 pound model because I imagine I'll add more than 200 pounds of tongue weight once the TT is loaded up with propane, batteries, and other stuff. Plus, I'd rather not push the 1,500 pound model to its limits.

I'd really appreciate any input on this - thanks in advance.

Also, in case anyone is concerned about my tow vehicle, it's a 2013 F-250 diesel with a class V hitch, so I should be good on that end. Although this will be our first RV, I've been pulling an 8,500 lb enclosed race car trailer for many miles so I'm not a newb on the towing end. I use a 1K Equalizer on the car trailer (900+ lb tongue weight) but it won't handle the 316RLS, and the top Equalizer only goes to 1,400 pounds.

[Drew_K]

I'm the OP on this thread. I ended up buying a Reese Strait Line 1,700 pound WDH for our new Open Range travel trailer. I didn't want to mess with installing the full hitch at the RV dealer so I towed it home with my F250 using just the ball. I only live 15 miles from the dealer and it's easy roads so I felt okay with it.

I could definitely feel the 1,300 pounds of tongue weight without a WDH. The front end felt really light and it was a windy day, 20 mph. It wasn't scary but I only drove 50-55 mph. I would not want to drive any length of time at 60+ mph without a WDH.

I installed the Reese WDH the day I got the RV home and then took it for a test drive on the freeway, cruising at 65 mph with a short stint at 70 just to feel it out. MUCH better and very comfortable. Thanks all for the advice on this thread. I think the 1,700 pound model was the right call. We're taking the TT out for its first trip this week at a nearby state park - this is our first RV so we're really looking forward to it.

[bmet2000]

Equal-i-zer makes a 17k? I thought 14k was their biggest.

[2500_Grunt]

BarneyS wrote:
If you are talking about a genuine Equal-i-zer hitch, the bars are specific to the weight class and are not interchangable with heavier or lighter weight class hitch heads. If you have 1000lb bars and want a heavier or lighter one, you need to purchase a whole new hitch.

This is generally not the case with most other brands of hitches.
Barney

Yes! The shank flange material on my new 17k Equal-I-zer is about 1/8" thicker than my old 10k one even though the bars appear to be the same?

[BarneyS]

If you are talking about a genuine Equal-i-zer hitch, the bars are specific to the weight class and are not interchangable with heavier or lighter weight class hitch heads. If you have 1000lb bars and want a heavier or lighter one, you need to purchase a whole new hitch.

This is generally not the case with most other brands of hitches.
Barney

[Seattle_Lion]

I have 1000# bars for my Equalizer. Our TW is around 950 lbs. I wondered about getting heavier bars, but so far I can't find any bars for sale without buying a new hitch. Do they sell them?

[gmw_photos]

Just an FYI, if you do decide you want bars of up to 2000 pounds, BlueOx swaypro has bars in 6 different weights, with 2000 being the heaviest.

[Jayco23FB]

If you go to etrailers.com they have tons of information on WD hitches. They have videos as well as top notch customer service. I got my recommendation from them online.

[Drew_K]

Ron: I understand exactly what you're saying and you raise an interesting point. I'm going to call Equalizer and ask them what the "1K" really means and if I can use my existing hitch. I'll report back.

[Ron_Gratz]

Drew_K wrote:
The Open Range web site lists the unloaded hitch weight as 1,290 pounds (pretty heavy) with an empty weight of 7,760 pounds (16.6% weight on tongue). The WD hitches I've seen come in 1,500 or 1,700 pound capacities. I'm leaning towards buying the 1,700 pound model because I imagine I'll add more than 200 pounds of tongue weight once the TT is loaded up with propane, batteries, and other stuff. Plus, I'd rather not push the 1,500 pound model to its limits.

Even if the tongue weight does reach 1500#, you need to consider how much load you will be restoring to the front axle via the WDH.

For your TV, Ford specifies that only about 50% of the load removed from the front axle via tongue weight should be restored via application of WD.

If you follow Ford's specification, you will load the WD bars to only about 50% of the load required for 100% load restoration.
Since WD bars are rated assuming at least 100% restoration (and probably considerably more), you would not come anywhere near reaching the capacity of the 1500# bars.

Equal-I-zer considers 50% front axle load restoration to be an acceptable amount of load transfer.
If you do plan to use only 50% front axle load restoration, I think it would be very interesting for you to ask Equal-I-zer if your 1000# bars could be used with a 1500# tongue weigh and 50% FALR.

Ron

[hmknightnc]

I vote for getting the 1700# bars. If you plan just using the TT for short trips and not add additional equipment such as extra batteries then the 1500# would work but might limit you in upgrades later. If you are planning on such things as dual six volt batteries and your storage compartment is all the way forward then 1700# is needed.

[Mvander]

I have always heard to get the closest bars to the actual weight without being under. Looks like maybe 1500# in your case.

[TNRIVERSIDE]

I'm surprised that Equalizer does not make a WD hitch that meets your needs. I checked their site and your correct.

[Drew_K]

Sorry for any confusion. It's an Open Range Roamer, model RT316RLS. It's a travel trailer.

[K_Charles]

I don't think a "Roamer 316RLS" is a TT and I don't think it uses a WD hitch.

I see they make an RT316RLS and a RF316RLS so I will keep still.