Use WD hitch or not?

[Paulx]

I have an 18' TT with dry weight of 3700 lbs and tongue weight of 500 lbs, and a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 to tow it with (120" wheelbase). I did get an e2 WD hitch with the trailer but wonder if I really need it. Also it is a heavy, greasy beast and annoying to hitch up. The stinger is long, thus increasing the lever arm and making sway happen more readily.

So I bought a simple aluminum stinger and ball and hooked up with that, and also put my 250cc motorcycle in the bed of the truck (weight about 270 lbs), which is how I intend to run it.

The truck unloaded has the back end higher than the front (using the wheel well arch tops to measure), presumably because pickups are designed to carry a load in the bed. With the weight carrying (WC) hitch on and the TT hooked up and the motorcycle in the bed, the truck is exactly level (and the TT is almost level, just a tad lower up front). In hooking it up, the truck front wheel wells have come up just a quarter of an inch. I figure the load reduction on the front is around 225 lbs, with nobody seated in the truck.

BTW I have removed the 65 lb tailgate as it gets in the way, which of course removes maybe 100 lb from the rear axle. I could also remove the spare from behind the rear axle and stash it in the trailer if I were going overboard.

My question is, do I really need WD? I have a hitch weight scale so I can easily set the tongue at 12% (actually I think it is 13% right now). What does WD buy me? I know the e2 has a form of integrated sway control, but with the 6" longer stinger it also induces more sway in the first place. I'm also looking at that Tuson electronic sway control (if it ever comes available) so with that I wonder if the WC hitch is good enough.

I have looked around on the internet and found these statements:

1) Use WD hitch for any trailer over 2300 lb (ebay hitch FAQ).

2) WD is needed when GTW (say 4000) is over 50% of GVWR (about 6000) (etrailer.com)

3) WC... for hitch weights typically under 300 lbs (curtis trailers)

4) If your trailer weights more than 3500 lbs, you should invest in a WD hitch (curtis trailers)

I note that all the above are in the business of selling expensive WD hitches. My Dodge Ram towing capacity chart says this:

5) A weight distributing system is recommended for trailers over 5000 lbs. (my particular truck actually has a max trailer weight of 4650 lbs).

If you've read this far, what do you think?

[BarneyS]

When using a Sherline scale it is often necessary to take several readings. The stiction between the scale parts often gives varying results, especially if the pressure is not exactly straight up and down on the scale. Even being off by a fraction can make a difference.
I suspect that would account for some of the different readings you got.
Barney

[Paulx]

BTW, I just used my Sherline scale to check the tongue weight. It was something like 505, now it is 420 at the jack which is about 395 at the ball. All I can think is different is that I now have about 10 gallons in the fresh water tank, which isn't enough to matter. I'm scratching my head on this one...

[Francesca_Knowl]

jerem0621 wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:

WTH is a stinger?
Is that some hillbilly term for a drawbar / ball mount / shank?

No- we hillbillies call the above "that thar thang that hangs off'n the hind end of y'all's hoghauler".

I think "stinger" is more of a city slicker term...

:B

We Hillbillies 'round' here call 'em knee knockers.. cause we ain't taken them darn things out to just run down to the store… plus it keeps them City Slickers from walking to close to the tailgate…

LOL

Stinger is the proper term for the "draw bar" on a Hensley Hitch. I am sure it has crossed over to towing vernacular as we have seen.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

:B

"Knee knockers"???

You'd best be lookin' at yer diets...y'all are growin' right puny hillbillies down there. Best they dingle-dangle thangs can do up here is bang us folks 'round the ankle bones! 😉

[jerem0621]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:

WTH is a stinger?
Is that some hillbilly term for a drawbar / ball mount / shank?

No- we hillbillies call the above "that thar thang that hangs off'n the hind end of y'all's hoghauler".

I think "stinger" is more of a city slicker term...

:B

We Hillbillies 'round' here call 'em knee knockers.. cause we ain't taken them darn things out to just run down to the store… plus it keeps them City Slickers from walking to close to the tailgate…

LOL

Stinger is the proper term for the "draw bar" on a Hensley Hitch. I am sure it has crossed over to towing vernacular as we have seen.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Paulx]

Is that some hillbilly term for a drawbar / ball mount / shank?

Just what I always called it. Apparently the nomenclature is not standardized...

According to the 2014 Ram specs, the unloaded weight on the front is 2493. Adding about half the driver weight (because the seat is about half way between the axles), 2570.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Hybridhunter wrote:

WTH is a stinger?
Is that some hillbilly term for a drawbar / ball mount / shank?

No- we hillbillies call the above "that thar thang that hangs off'n the hind end of y'all's hoghauler".

I think "stinger" is more of a city slicker term...

:B

[Hybridhunter]

Paulx wrote:


1) Get the shortest possible stinger
2) Get a light aluminum stinger
...
I realize some of these come with drawbacks too. Thanks for listening to my rant. 🙂

WTH is a stinger?
Is that some hillbilly term for a drawbar / ball mount / shank?

[gmw_photos]

Paulx wrote:
I finally managed to get access to the roadside scales. These give weights in multiples of 50 lbs. I used the WD hitch (no motorcycle in the back). First I took the bars off and got these weights:

2400 lbs front truck axle
2850 lbs rear truck axle
3950 lbs both trailer axles

Then I put the bars back on and got these weights:

2550 lbs front truck axle
2600 lbs rear truck axle
4000 lbs both trailer axles

I drove to the coast and back with the WD hitch. I'm still not happy with it. Even a minor swoop in the road, that would not be noticeable in a car, would cause a porpoising motion down the road. And it seems very sensitive to crosswinds. On the other hand, I noticed no swerving at all when 18-wheelers passed.

I also got less than 12mpg in a truck rated for 25mpg on the highway. The transmission stayed mostly in 5th gear on level ground, in an 8-speed transmission. I was being gentle with the gas pedal too.

What we don't know is what the unloaded weight of the steer axle is. That is first step in set up, so that you know what the "target weight" is for that axle when all hitched up with WD.
Three passes over the cat scale.

[Paulx]

I finally managed to get access to the roadside scales. These give weights in multiples of 50 lbs. I used the WD hitch (no motorcycle in the back). First I took the bars off and got these weights:

2400 lbs front truck axle
2850 lbs rear truck axle
3950 lbs both trailer axles

Then I put the bars back on and got these weights:

2550 lbs front truck axle
2600 lbs rear truck axle
4000 lbs both trailer axles

I drove to the coast and back with the WD hitch. I'm still not happy with it. Even a minor swoop in the road, that would not be noticeable in a car, would cause a porpoising motion down the road. And it seems very sensitive to crosswinds. On the other hand, I noticed no swerving at all when 18-wheelers passed.

I also got less than 12mpg in a truck rated for 25mpg on the highway. The transmission stayed mostly in 5th gear on level ground, in an 8-speed transmission. I was being gentle with the gas pedal too.

[Jetta03]

Our old tt was 3800lb gvwr and there was a noticeable difference in steering feel when towing without weight distribution with a 1/2 ton. Safety wise I would definitely use it.

[Paulx]

By the way, thanks all, for your help. Shoulda said that earlier.

[gmw_photos]

fx2tom wrote:
Wyoming law only says that you must be able to stop from 20 MPH in under 40 feet.

My rule of thumb = if a brake controller is required to stop the trailer it should have a WDH

Tom,
That's a pretty good rule of thumb I would say, from a safety standpoint.
Good rigging between a tow vehicle and trailer is what makes these setups safe and pleasant to tow, and that certainly includes good trailer brakes, a well functioning brake controller, and anyone who has towed with a properly setup WD hitch will attest to it's effectiveness.

Good post. Safety first.

[Francesca_Knowl]

fx2tom wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:

fx2tom wrote:


My rule of thumb = if a brake controller is required to stop the trailer it should have a WDH

The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Many vehicles require trailer brakes if towing over a certain weight, usually a thousand pounds. NONE require the use of W/D systems at the same time and in fact many advise against W/D use on certain vehicles.

W/D is for the distribution of tongue weight. Period.

Yes but we are not talking about a boat or cargo trailer. Talking about a Travel Trailer. BIG difference.

The same rule/truth applies regardless of bumper-pull trailer type.

[fx2tom]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

fx2tom wrote:


My rule of thumb = if a brake controller is required to stop the trailer it should have a WDH

The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Many vehicles require trailer brakes if towing over a certain weight, usually a thousand pounds. NONE require the use of W/D systems at the same time and in fact many advise against W/D use on certain vehicles.

W/D is for the distribution of tongue weight. Period.

Yes but we are not talking about a boat or cargo trailer. Talking about a Travel Trailer. BIG difference.