Forum Discussion

mdamerell's avatar
mdamerell
Explorer
Jan 14, 2014

When do you actually need a WDH?

I normally pull my 5'r and that's what I'm set up for. Now, our friend has a Trail-Lite TT I move for her now and then in and out of storage at the campground. She does not have a TV at this time.

Trailer:
GVWR 6,100# Dry: 3,500# ? so lets guess around 4,000-4,500# (pretty empty)
Dry hitch is 470# so 675# ? (15% of 4,500#) hitch weight.
Trailer is about 25' long.

My F350 (see sig) does not even seem to notice this trailer. If I moved it further than around the campground should I be looking at a different hitch? I just use the 2" receiver that came on my truck and a Reese Tri-ball I bought.

I read the threads and some other sites about WDH's and WDH's seem to be designed to rebalance load between the axles which is not really an issue for me. Due to my diesel I'm nose heavy, not really worried if I took a 100# off the front axle. As for squat there really is none and a boost of air in the bags I can dial in ride height.

As for sway control, between the 172" WB and the DRW is sway going to be that big of an issue?

Ford's guide says 6,000# trailer and 600# tongue without WDH and 15,000# and 1,500# with WDH so I'm pushing this at the tongue weight.

So as long as I'm good on the tongue weight, what will I gain with a WDH? Trying to help a friend out but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks for your input.

10 Replies

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  • broark01's avatar
    broark01
    Explorer
    Jan 27, 2014
    An emergency stop without a WD distributing hitch can get very ugly. The tongue weight of the trailer gets multiplied during an emergency stop and without a WD hitch the TV can become uncontrollable due to loss of weight on front axle. So while towing a 5k lb trailer around town behind an F350 might be alright under normal operation, head out to an empty parking lot, get it up to 60, then slam the brakes on and see what happens.
  • Hannibal's avatar
    Hannibal
    Explorer
    Jan 25, 2014
    This is one of my points of interest during our travels. We've seen 1-ton duallies towing 20-25~ft TT's with WD hitches. We've seen 3/4 tons towing 30+ ft TT's with just a ball. The only ones I've seen wagging like a happy puppy were SUVs towing TT's even with WD hitches. The thing to keep in mind is leverage. A 156" wheelbase pickup with it's ball 60" behind the axle and 500 lbs of tongue will take 192 lbs off of the front axle. That 192 lbs gets added to the rear axle. So you've really added 700~ lbs to the rear axle. Same with 5th wheel hitch placement. Seen many mounted as far as 18" behind the axle. It depends on the truck and pin weight or tongue weight how far you can take it. Too many variables so manufacturers have to make blanket loading and hitching recommendations to cover their tails and keep their customers safe. Axle to pin or ball in inches / wheel base in inches x pin or tongue weight. Sum comes off of front axle and gets added to rear axle.
  • mdamerell's avatar
    mdamerell
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    Thanks for your input. When I can get to my truck through the snow I'll look for a "tag" on the hitch to verify the numbers. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I was not missing or overlooking something.

    Thanks
  • mowermech's avatar
    mowermech
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    My last Travel Trailer was a 19 footer. I have no idea what it weighed, nor do I know the tongue weight.
    I had three tow vehicles at that time; a Ford E150 club Wagon, a Dodge W200 Powerwagon, and a Jeep Wagoneer.
    I did not use a WD hitch on the Ford or the Dodge, there was no need for it.
    The Jeep, however, absolutely HAD to have a WD hitch to keep the back bumper off the ground! The rear springs of that thing simply could not hold the tongue weight of the trailer. With a WD hitch, though, it towed the trailer nicely.
    This was long ago, when WD hitches were specifically used to keep the tow vehicle level so the headlights didn't blind oncoming drivers, and "sway control" was unheard of, and there was no RV.net!
  • Helmsey's avatar
    Helmsey
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    The requirement for a WD hitch or not is based of the hitch on your truck. It should have a sticker on it and it will tell you what weights for load bearing and what weights the WD hitch is needed. If you have a class 5 hitch on your truck this is the info for it:
    Class V hitches used as weight carrying are rated up to 12,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1200 lbs.
    Class V hitches used for weight distributing are rated up to 17,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1700 lbs.

    I personally would not worry about it with that trailer and your TV.
    That said, for what you are doing I wouldn't fool with it.
  • BurbMan's avatar
    BurbMan
    Explorer II
    Jan 15, 2014
    mdamerell wrote:
    ...now and then in and out of storage at the campground.


    I agree with Barney, I wouldn't worry about a WD hitch for this kind of towing. If you plan to cover any distance with this trailer, than a WD hitch would probably be a good idea.
  • boogie_4wheel's avatar
    boogie_4wheel
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    I think for the combo a WDH would be a waste of time to install/hookup, and a waste of money for purchase. Ok not a total waste because it would help slightly, but I don't think the benefit would be worth the cost.

    I have the approximately the same wheelbase as you (crew cab long bed), and two less tires. My trailer is at the 6k mark, and approaches 7k with my bike in the back (and my tongue weight is all over the place), and no WDH since I bought my Dodge. I did use a WDH when I was tugging with a 1/2 ton, the bigger truck handles it better.
  • Lowsuv's avatar
    Lowsuv
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    A 9200 # GVW pickup towing a 6100# GVW trailer does not need a WDH .
    A 6100 # GVW pickup towing a 9200 # GVW trailer does need a WDH .
    I tow without my equalizing hitch all of the time .
    I load the trailer so that I have 987 # of tongue weight .
    My 7280# GVW trailer never ever never creates any sway to my diesel allison gmc .
    I have repeatedly wiggled the steering wheel while towing and the gmc hd2500 just wants to go straight .
    And the trailer just wants to follow .
    I tow a lot on 2 lane mountain roads and that is why i will not be buying the ubiquitous f 150 ecoboost .
    There is no substitute for a heavy tow vehicle .
  • pipers_family's avatar
    pipers_family
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    Agree w/ Barney, but even on light weight trailers- a WDH can save you and your trailer if you need to swerve very quickly. This happened to us coming around a hilly pass with a large truck coming at us in our lane. Because of our WDH, we were able to come up out of the very deep ditch with the truck and trailer in tact- even if our nerves were not. Safety first.
  • BarneyS's avatar
    BarneyS
    Explorer III
    Jan 15, 2014
    If moving from one side of town to the other or just a short distance I would not worry about it. If going a long way with lots of highway driving I would try to find a WD hitch to borrow or have your friend purchase one for tows like this - especially if it is going to be a regular occurance.

    As you said, you are probably right on the weight carrying limit of the receiver and I, for one, would not risk it on a long drive.
    I am sure the truck itself will do fine. It is the receiver limits that will get you on this one.

    As far as sway goes, if the trailer has adequate tongue weight compared to its' overall weight then you should not have a sway problem with that truck/trailer combo. I would make sure there is not any heavy stuff loaded in the rear of the trailer. If you find that it does have a tendency to sway, just slow down until it does not and drive at that speed or lower.
    Barney

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