WDH with F350 and 8000lb trailer

[Dirtpig]

Ok so I have and use a Weight distribution hitch. Figured it's the safe thing to do and I already owned one. I have always had truck campers but first time towing large trailers (trailer in sig). My truck is setup for carrying a lot of weight, my previous truck camper weighed 4200lbs. No airbags but I have these things called stable loads which engage the overload springs after the truck squats 1". Right now truck drops the 1" with trailer hooked up before I attach the WDH bars. Once bars are attached it raises the rear of truck about a half inch. I like using these things but I'm wondering if I need to install them if I'm only driving about a 30km round trip doing max 100km/hr? Should I just put them on to be on the safe side or can I get away with not using them on short trips.

[JBarca]

Dirtpig wrote:

JBarca wrote:
We both have almost the same truck, right down to the two tone paint... You just have some more low end rev'ing torque then I do but what is a few foot pounds between camping buds:B

My F350 for sure rides a lot smoother with the WD hooked up. Granted I do not have the diesel holding down the front end, but I use the WD all the time on camper and my flat deck equipment trailer.

In my case I had to upgrade the stock F350 receiver to get more tongue weight rating. In my case the upgraded receiver can carry the TT hitch dead weight, just I really do not choose to run it that way. Again, the handling is so much better with the WD hooked up and

Do you know how heavy your loaded TW is? By a scale, not a brochure

I scaled the trailer the other day. Weight on axles was 6916lbs. Weight on tongue jack was 958lbs so total weight was 7874lbs. This was loaded up ready to camp and full of water (50gal). Both 30lb propane bottles full on tongue along with 2 Trojan 6v batts.

My hitch receiver says max hitch weight 500lbs or 1250lbs with Wd.

I'll definately just keep on using my WD hitch everything handles great.

Great!!! Now you know the real weights. I did find the Ford receiver that came with my 2005 did work well as far as transferring weight when I was at a 1,200# tongue weight. The only reason I changed was the 1,250# WD rating. My current TT, has a 1,600# tongue weight when all loaded.

Happy camping with your new camper.

John

[Dirtpig]

JBarca wrote:
We both have almost the same truck, right down to the two tone paint... You just have some more low end rev'ing torque then I do but what is a few foot pounds between camping buds:B

My F350 for sure rides a lot smoother with the WD hooked up. Granted I do not have the diesel holding down the front end, but I use the WD all the time on camper and my flat deck equipment trailer.

In my case I had to upgrade the stock F350 receiver to get more tongue weight rating. In my case the upgraded receiver can carry the TT hitch dead weight, just I really do not choose to run it that way. Again, the handling is so much better with the WD hooked up and

Do you know how heavy your loaded TW is? By a scale, not a brochure

I scaled the trailer the other day. Weight on axles was 6916lbs. Weight on tongue jack was 958lbs so total weight was 7874lbs. This was loaded up ready to camp and full of water (50gal). Both 30lb propane bottles full on tongue along with 2 Trojan 6v batts.

My hitch receiver says max hitch weight 500lbs or 1250lbs with Wd.

I'll definately just keep on using my WD hitch everything handles great.

[Highbeam]

I also have a diesel F350 and 8000# trailer. Years ago I replaced the silly OEM receiver with a new one rated to handle much more tongue weight without the need for a WDH. Yes, I could tow the RV without the WDH. I also have stableloads on the rear suspension which I really like and they engage after 500# of weight in the bed so they are engaged when the trailer is hitched for much better side to side stability.

I always tow the RV with a WDH. It just rides better. If some part of the WDH broke or was stolen then I would have no worries about driving home without the WDH. Margin of error you might say.

Newer Fords have the big 2.5" receiver and may have higher weight limits on the OEM receiver.

[JBarca]

We both have almost the same truck, right down to the two tone paint... You just have some more low end rev'ing torque then I do but what is a few foot pounds between camping buds:B

My F350 for sure rides a lot smoother with the WD hooked up. Granted I do not have the diesel holding down the front end, but I use the WD all the time on camper and my flat deck equipment trailer.

In my case I had to upgrade the stock F350 receiver to get more tongue weight rating. In my case the upgraded receiver can carry the TT hitch dead weight, just I really do not choose to run it that way. Again, the handling is so much better with the WD hooked up and adjusted properly.

Do you know how heavy your loaded TW is? By a scale, not a brochure.

In my case I found between the bed weight of camping stuff...~ 500# and the weight of the camper TW, I adjusted the WD to leave the front end approx 100# lighter then unhitched weight. This allowed the top rear overload spring to just kiss the frame hanger. I found when that action occurred, the left to right stability of the truck greatly increased. This stability action of the helper springs is almost like a rear stabilizer bar. When I ran WD to return the front end to unhitched weight, the back end of the truck was so high up in the suspension that the heavy TW trailer moved the truck a lot more than I wanted. That simple adjustment made a global shift in stability on this Ford suspension.

Hope this helps and happy camping

John

[Dirtpig]

This info about hitch rating is exactly right and I didn't even think about that aspect. I'll continue using the WDH all the time thanks all.

[Ron_Gratz]

According to Page 25 of the 2005 Towing Guide,
the OEM receiver of the F-350 SRW is rated for a maximum tongue weight of 500#
when towing without weight distribution.

Ron

[fla-gypsy]

The receiver requires WD for those kind of weights. The sticker on the receiver will list when it is required

[csamayfield55x]

Hook up the correct way every time and you won't have an issue. If you start cutting corners you are asking to forget something important.

Your hitch on the truck probably is requred to have them anyway. It will have a weight carrying limit that is usually about 5000# and a weight dist. limit that should be about double that. So that tells me that with a 8K trailer you should always use them

Chris