Weight Distributing Hitch has anyone not used one

Years ago I towed a travel trailer around that weight, both weight dist. and non dist. and I personally didn't feel it added enough to warrant the effort. I also regularly towed my loaded car hauler without wt. dist. (aprox 800# ~ 1k ball weight) , so I may have been biased by the fact I was used to how my truck handled without the re-distribution. This was with my old 3rd gen Dodge Ram SRW CTD.

I'm looking for real world experiences regardless of truck. I know they can vary and certainly I can do a test run.

Much about the 2017 Ford Super Duty lines are still being figured out from my end and even the dealerships have a hard time with all the changes and add-ons. The order should go in next week and I have one friend who owns the 2017 F250 and tows. I left a VM to see if he uses a WDH. His trailer is only 1000 lbs. heavier then mine.

The payload was taken from a similar truck to what mine will be that I test drove 2 days ago.

Yes, but in this case the real world experience should be folks towing with a 2017 F-250/350. New to 2017, Ford designed the truck to control sway and the hitch is built to handle the weight. Not only is a WDH not required, it isn't recomended by Ford. I would love to hear real world experience towing with a 2017 Ford Super Duty.

I researched the 2017 and they have snazzy features for towing but went with a used 2012 to save money.

The title of this thread is "Weight Distributing Hitch has anyone not used one". The key word here is "anyone". It is not defined narrowly by the OP to only those driving/towing with a Ford nor did the OP even further refine his question to those only doing it with a 2017 Ford. The OP did not say anything about a Ford except that he is getting one. Had that been in the title I think you might have a point; absent the OP's narrowing it to a specific tow vehicle and specific year the question was and still is wide open for comments from anybody driving/towing with anything that has not used a WD hitch. I give the OP enough credit to know that there are Ford towing websites and operating manuals that also have information about how a Ford tows trailers. And also credit him enough to ask for what he is looking for. Had he only wanted real world experiences from those with a 2017 Ford that would have been so stated.

My son has a 2002 F-350 dually crew cab long bed diesel. Should be pretty resistant to sway, right? He hooked up a pole trailer and loaded it with scrap poles being careful to make it tongue heavy. Got out on the interstate and up to speed. Suddenly he swayed across 3 lanes of traffic. After getting back under control he suddenly swayed back across the 3 lanes of traffic. All he could find wrong was one tire a little low, which of course didn't help. It was so scary he gave the poles away to someone willing to pay the rent on the trailer. He hauls construction equipment around on trailers and this should have been no problem.

Now he uses WD and anti-sway when he pulls his 5,000 lb. camping trailer with the same truck. Safety is a great big gray line--where on the line do you want to be? Maybe you'l be lucky and never need the extra safety equipment on your hitch. OP certainly doesn't need it for rear squat.

Pretty sure:
1. Ford manual does not say "don't use WD".
2. Ford is spec'ng minimums--used to be that WD would be required to haul over a certain weight such as 12,500 on my truck--now that has gone on up to higher weight.
3. WD doesn't interfere with anything, but surge brakes will maybe mess with the anti-sway.
4. Ford built in anti-sway doesn't kick in until you are about to go out of control. You still need to set up your trailer to prevent sway. Suggest the OP use some type of anti-sway at the hitch and not wait for emergency truck reactions.

BarneyS wrote:

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
Snip... Not only is a WDH not required, it isn't recomended by Ford. I would love to hear real world experience towing with a 2017 Ford Super Duty.
Snip....

I have read their recommendations but have not seen that it is not recommended. Can you provide a link please?
Barney

OK, I'll retract the not recommended. Sorry for bad gouge.I thought I read that it conflicted with the sway control but can't find it.

Here is the final 2017 Tow Guide. Ford released a preliminary when the updated Super Duty was announced. It doesn't list F-250 and F-350 on page 15 that lists towing accessories but there is a WDH correction listed for F-250/F-350 on page 34. Page 35 shows that hitch capacity is the same with and without a WDH for Super Duty trucks.

Ford 2017 Towing Guide

Let me dig for it. I remember reading that when I was researching for my purchase last year.

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
Snip... Not only is a WDH not required, it isn't recomended by Ford. I would love to hear real world experience towing with a 2017 Ford Super Duty.
Snip....

I have read their recommendations but have not seen that it is not recommended. Can you provide a link please?
Barney

jmtandem wrote:

I believe the Ford manual would be the best authority on the subject. Not everything "heard/read on the internet" is accurate. I would think the manufacturer knows best.

No argument about what the manual says; however, the OP is asking for real world experience from users on this forum. And my experience is that I have towed approximately 8000 pounds trailer weight with WDH and without WHD and basically cannot tell the difference in towing. My ride is a 3500 Ram/Cummins.

Yes, but in this case the real world experience should be folks towing with a 2017 F-250/350. New to 2017, Ford designed the truck to control sway and the hitch is built to handle the weight. Not only is a WDH not required, it isn't recomended by Ford. I would love to hear real world experience towing with a 2017 Ford Super Duty.

I researched the 2017 and they have snazzy features for towing but went with a used 2012 to save money.

Long ago and far away I had a 19 foot tandem axle self-contained travel trailer. I have no idea what the thing weighed, but since it was a late 1980s trailer, it wasn't light.
I had three vehicles at the time that I towed it with; a 1970 Jeep V8 Wagoneer, a 1976 Ford E150 Club Wagon, and a 1975 Dodge Ram W250 (3/4 ton 4X4).
I had a WD hitch, but the only rig I used it on was the Wagoneer. I had to have the WD on it to keep the back bumper from dragging on the ground and the headlights on the road instead of in the trees.
I had no trouble at all towing that trailer without the WD hitch using the Ford or the Dodge.

Now I have a 7X14 enclosed trailer that I haul two ATVs in. No WD hitch. No problems.