W/D on 3/4 ton

[TommyC83]

Just curious if anyone uses or recommends w/d hitch for a 3/4 ton. My tonhgue weights is just around 900lbs give or take (havent weighed fully loaded just yet) Im coming from a tundra and used w/d on my previous trailer and loved it. I got a bigger trailer so stepped up to a 2500hd. I need to order hitch parts either way I just dont want to spend the money on a standard hitch setup if im going to want w/d after the first tow. But also dont want to spend $500 if its not needed. Truck has classv reciever rated for 1500lb tongue weight.

appreciate any input

[AH64ID]

I never saw it before, but just found where the OEM hitch for ram has a 350lb non-WDH limit... Low!

[goducks10]

I had a TT with a 900-9500lb TW. Used a 12 Ram 2500 CC LB CTD. When hitched up w/o WD the front of the truck only rose 1/4". The rear sank 1-1/2". I used a WD with 1000lb bars and They did little to return the front back to original. I figure it was the Cummins up there. Anyway I used a WD simply because my receiver wasn't rated for 900-950lbs w/o WD. IIRC it's 600lbs w/o WD. Ram doesn't put stickers on their receivers, at least mine doesn't have one.

[AH64ID]

On my TV/TT combo 1250lbs of TW with an 18" shank pulls about 800lbs off the front axle, to me that's enough to warrant WDH, even thou I still have well over 4000lbs of FAW.

[myredracer]

Why not measure the front fender height after hooking up to see if the change is within the TV manufacturer's spec? Even if the receiver can handle the weight fine, 800 lbs is a lot of downward force out past the bumper which has to lighten the front end somewhat.

[AH64ID]

Ivylog wrote:


Guess you have not weighed your diesel PU as they are heavy on the front. Any PU will handle better with some weight in the rear. The OP's 900 lbs will come close to balancing out the axle weights which will result in better handling than a empty PU so he does not need WD.

As I said, diesels have different springs and still are effected by weight transfer even if there is a lot of weight up there.

Removing a bunch of weight from the front has the same effect on diesel or gas, it effects suspension and steering geometry.

Guess you haven't actually thought about the real effects...

As many have stated, it's not needed but it sure does make a big difference and very worth it.

[Ivylog]

ah64id wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
If your 2500hd has a gas engine, then maybe. If it's a diesel you do not need more weight on the front axle. I would try it without and if you have a lot of porpoising then WD will help but you will have to adjust with more WD than you need to help the porpoising.

How does that matter? Spring rates are different and geometry still changes. The point is to get the weight back to where it was for suspension and steering, a diesel has the same issues as a gas engine.

Guess you have not weighed your diesel PU as they are heavy on the front. Any PU will handle better with some weight in the rear. The OP's 900 lbs will come close to balancing out the axle weights which will result in better handling than a empty PU so he does not need WD.

[AH64ID]

Ivylog wrote:
If your 2500hd has a gas engine, then maybe. If it's a diesel you do not need more weight on the front axle. I would try it without and if you have a lot of porpoising then WD will help but you will have to adjust with more WD than you need to help the porpoising.

How does that matter? Spring rates are different and geometry still changes. The point is to get the weight back to where it was for suspension and steering, a diesel has the same issues as a gas engine.

[Ivylog]

If your 2500hd has a gas engine, then maybe. If it's a diesel you do not need more weight on the front axle. I would try it without and if you have a lot of porpoising then WD will help but you will have to adjust with more WD than you need to help the porpoising.

[KD4UPL]

bid_time wrote:

MM49 wrote:

bid_time wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
You don't need one. Your tongue weight is below the hitch's rating. Save your money.
I tow up to 14,000 pounds without a WDH with my dually and the ride and handling are great. My hitch is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight without a WDH.

Bad advice, just because you don't need one doesn't mean he doesn't need one. My 3/4 ton reciever is clearly labeled, 500 lbs max w/o WDH. The best advice he got was for him to read the label on his receiver. Much better than the "I don't need one so neither do you" advice.

Sorry KD4UPL is correct on this discussion. The weights he is describing would balance a DW truck about perfectly. WDH is very hard on a RV frame and suspension. I wouldn't run it unless it is needed, ie 1500 truck.
MM49

So your telling me even though my 3/4 ton truck's receiver is clearly labeled for max 500 lbs tongue weight w/o WDH I should NOT run a WDH anyways? You don't mind if I laugh and move on do you?

Bid Time.
I wasn't telling you anything about your receiver or how it's labeled. I was responding to the OP's questions and he gave the information on his receiver and how it was labeled. His is labeled for more weight than yours without WD; thus my advice is correct.
For you, according to the weights you're giving, with the same tongue weight, you would need a WDH. It's pretty simple.

[Second_Chance]

My trailer has about the same tongue weight as yours and I also have a 2500HD (D/A). I use a WD hitch with built-in sway control because I had it from pulling the same trailer with an '05 Tahoe. I have had some semis doing 80+ MPH pass me without even a hint of sway. I will continue to use the WD hitch if for nothing but the sway control. It also required no drilling.

[bid_time]

MM49 wrote:

bid_time wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
You don't need one. Your tongue weight is below the hitch's rating. Save your money.
I tow up to 14,000 pounds without a WDH with my dually and the ride and handling are great. My hitch is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight without a WDH.

Bad advice, just because you don't need one doesn't mean he doesn't need one. My 3/4 ton reciever is clearly labeled, 500 lbs max w/o WDH. The best advice he got was for him to read the label on his receiver. Much better than the "I don't need one so neither do you" advice.

Sorry KD4UPL is correct on this discussion. The weights he is describing would balance a DW truck about perfectly. WDH is very hard on a RV frame and suspension. I wouldn't run it unless it is needed, ie 1500 truck.
MM49

So your telling me even though my 3/4 ton truck's receiver is clearly labeled for max 500 lbs tongue weight w/o WDH I should NOT run a WDH anyways? You don't mind if I laugh and move on do you?

[MM49]

bid_time wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
You don't need one. Your tongue weight is below the hitch's rating. Save your money.
I tow up to 14,000 pounds without a WDH with my dually and the ride and handling are great. My hitch is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight without a WDH.

Bad advice, just because you don't need one doesn't mean he doesn't need one. My 3/4 ton reciever is clearly labeled, 500 lbs max w/o WDH. The best advice he got was for him to read the label on his receiver. Much better than the "I don't need one so neither do you" advice.

Sorry KD4UPL is correct on this discussion. The weights he is describing would balance a DW truck about perfectly. WDH is very hard on a RV frame and suspension. I wouldn't run it unless it is needed, ie 1500 truck.
MM49

[bid_time]

KD4UPL wrote:
You don't need one. Your tongue weight is below the hitch's rating. Save your money.
I tow up to 14,000 pounds without a WDH with my dually and the ride and handling are great. My hitch is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight without a WDH.

Bad advice, just because you don't need one doesn't mean he doesn't need one. My 3/4 ton reciever is clearly labeled, 500 lbs max w/o WDH. The best advice he got was for him to read the label on his receiver. Much better than the "I don't need one so neither do you" advice.

[AH64ID]

Have you looked at the Equal-i-zer setups? They offer a 2.5" shank if you want a standard length shank.

I welded a reducing sleeve into my 2.5" receiver, so no rattle with reducers and I can run the extended length shank.