When is a WDH neccessary

[pcaffrey]

Have parked the 5TH on a lot never to be towed again by me, replaced the TV with a considerable smaller truck. Looking at buying a small TT of no larger than 20ft and 4000 Lbs. max loaded. Have installed timbrens on TV. Question is when in a WDH really needed. Thanks

[blt2ski]

I found on my crew cab LB trucks, once I had removed 450-500 lbs, steering got goofy, front wheels started locking up when braking, especially on the white sidewalks paint strips. This took OVER 1500 lbs of HW on these trucks with 8500 lb springs, about 1500 with 6400 lb rear springs.
With this said.....my TT, 6-7000 on axle 750-900 HW only removed 60-120 max off the FA with these trucks. What I noticed, is more side to side rocking with no bars, less with just a WD system, even LESS with a Reese Dual Cam.
Reality, if your trailer will not pull straight etc without bars, figure out why, fix issue, then install bars.
If your high requires bars at 500 lbs, you don't want to use them, buy and install a hitch with engineer specs to your needs. That's what I do and did to rigs! Their is more than one way to skin a cat per say! 🙂
Marty

[Hannibal]

The only reason why use a WDH is to satisfy the manufacturer’s rating of the receiver. The front of my F250 raises 3/8” with the bars off. With the bars I’m at about a 1/4”. I have no sway control with our Reese HP trunnion style WDH. Tows like a champ.
With our first rig in ‘94, I fiddled with two different WDH’s before settling on a standard ball mount with no WD for our ‘94 F150 and 21’ overall length TT. It also towed well.
Opinions may vary.

[BenK]

Barney beat me to it...

The old rule of thumb...WD setup to get an even drop is no longer valid

The modern OEM changes to TV suspensions invalidated that

Why now advise those asking or wondering to setup according to their TV's manual instructions

Some still even drop, other move x percentage weight to the front axle, others get the front drop or raise to within +/- inches/fractions of per setup and a big etc


So if the OP's TV meets their TV manual instructions & reciever spec without a WD Hitch, then the OP can decide whether or not a WD Hitch is needed


Be careful of one size fits all absolutism advice...there isn't any...even in one size fits all tube socks...

Learn the HOW2's yourself...advisors on these freebie sites have no skin, nor anything to lose in YOUR game and the only one responsible is the driver...even if the driver didn't choose components or setup

[BarneyS]

Rover_Bill wrote:

BarneyS wrote:
...Given all factors being the same, then putting a weight behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle will always remove weight from the front axle. It doesn't matter how much the front of the truck weighs - the weight will still come off....
Barney

This is true if you DO NOT have a properly setup WDH. A properly setup WDH will ADD weight to the steering axle and remove weight from the drive axle. That what the WDH is designed to do. My WDH added 200# to the steering axle.

I agree with you but I was responding to the statement that I quoted from your previous post on how to tell if you need a WD hitch. You made a blanket statement that was not accurate and which I quoted in my post (the word "if"in your last sentence of that post).
Notice that I said in my last sentence "The owner then needs to decide whether the truck is still within specs or whether WD is needed."
Barney

[Rover_Bill]

BarneyS wrote:
...Given all factors being the same, then putting a weight behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle will always remove weight from the front axle. It doesn't matter how much the front of the truck weighs - the weight will still come off....
Barney

This is true if you DO NOT have a properly setup WDH. A properly setup WDH will ADD weight to the steering axle and remove weight from the drive axle. That what the WDH is designed to do. My WDH added 200# to the steering axle.

[pcaffrey]

As stated I am looking for 4000 LB max loaded and ready for the road. Also is there a rule of thumb for choosing a WDH, I have never used one so it is a learning curve. Also is there issues backing up and tight manuvuring or do they need to be removed first. Thank you for all replies.

[kellem]

If your looking for a 4000# trailer then it's a safer bet to find a trailer with a GVWR of 4000# as every trailer I've owned "3" they ended up much heavier than the proposed dry weight and very close to GVWR.

To many advantages to a WDH with antisway to not use one, safety being #1.

[BarneyS]

Rover_Bill wrote:
Snip... If attaching the TT REMOVES weight from the TV steering then you need a WDH.

Not quite. It will ALWAYS remove weight from the front axle. How much is determined by several factors but it will always happen. It may not always have the same effect though.

Given all factors being the same, then putting a weight behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle will always remove weight from the front axle. It doesn't matter how much the front of the truck weighs - the weight will still come off. The owner then needs to decide whether the truck is still within specs or whether WD is needed.
Barney

[Rover_Bill]

Simple test with YOUR TV and YOUR FULLY LOADED TT to determine the need for a WDH. Hookup your fully loaded TT to your TV and measure the front wheel well height. Raise the TT tongue off the hitch without moving the TV and remeasure the wheel well height.

If the difference between the two measurements is less than 1/4 inch the you could get by without a WDH. If the difference is between 1/4 to 1/2 inch then you should get a WDH. If it's more the 1/2 inch then you absolutely need a WDH.

The best test is to weigh your TV steering axle with the loaded TT attached and a second weighing with the TT NOT attached. If attaching the TT REMOVES weight from the TV steering then you need a WDH.

[mkirsch]

Most F150 size and smaller trucks have a receiver rated for 500lbs of tongue weight, or 1000lbs of tongue weight using a WDH.

You need to look at the specs of the truck you are considering.

A 4000lb trailer, is that the "dry" weight or the GVWR?

If the GVWR is 4000lbs, you could conceivably have a 600lb tongue weight (15%), which would necessitate the use of a WDH. Trailers in this range are generally single-axle units with high tongue weights to allow the use of a single 3500lb axle.

If the dry weight is 4000lbs, your trailer will probably end up in the 5000-6000lb range loaded and ready to camp, and will most certainly have a tongue weight exceeding 500lbs, again necessitating a WDH.

In both cases, this is assuming a typical F150 type truck or smaller with a typical receiver with a weight carrying limit of 500lbs tongue weight.

[Jebby14]

what truck? I would suspect it will be advantages regardless.

[Boomerweps]

I towed my current TT, 3877# GTWR, 23' long tip to stern, a so called 16' actually 18' rounded front to back, with my 2008 Explorer. A WDH was needed from the squat and steering control.
Not needed with my new F150 but makes for much better towing, no sway, and levels out the truck.
I think, unless you can get a great deal on the WDH with install from your TT dealer, you should try the new TT on a standard hitch first (assuming within hitch weight specs).
I lost one of my spring bars on a trip from improperly attaching it in a hurry. Found out when setting up camp. Towed home with no spring bars, 70 miles one way mostly on interstates. No probs but sidewinds could be felt at times so I kept the speed at 65mph.

[twodownzero]

A WD hitch is recommended for any trailer >5000 pounds. It may be indicated for a lesser trailer depending on your tow vehicle. I use them primarily to prevent overloading the hitch itself; they are not a substitute for a tow vehicle with proper payload and tires to handle the capacity.

[Ozlander]

The only reason I use one is to keep the headlights aimed down.
No need to blind oncoming drivers.