Any Reason To Get A WDH?

[hohenwald48]

We just purchased a small 2014 Jayco 22FB TT with tandem 3,500lb axles, an empty weight of 4503lb, tongue weight of 510lbs (according to the specs). I'm towing with a 2013 Nissan Armada with a 9100lb towing capacity, 910lb tongue weight rating, 15100lb GCVWR and auto leveling rear air bags. I have a friction sway bar also. We will just use it for short trips so it shouldn't be loaded up with a lot of junk. However, it does carry 90 gallons of water directly over the axles. I will probably limit the water load to about half full or around 400 pounds but since it's directly over the axles it should not impact tongue weight.

Is there any reason I should consider adding a WDH to the mix?

I have only towed it for about 20 miles home from the dealer so I don't really know how it will tow in the long run. Didn't hardly know it was back there on the way from the dealer.

[hohenwald48]

OK. I got everything installed and set up as best I could on the unlevel campsite we had. The airbags made it a little difficult since every time I had to reposition the TV they would bring things back up to level. At any rate, I got it as good as I could and we left on a 400 mile trip from TN to FL. Got on the interstate and everything felt just like it did before I installed the WDH.

I stopped at the first rest area and cranked another link in the chains and it was like a whole new world. No fighting the wheel. No movement when the trucks passed no more bouncy/bouncy. It really made a difference. I still need to tweek things a little as I could use another link or two between the brackets and bars. I'll put a little more tilt in the hitch head when I get a chance.

Thanks for all the input and for anybody wondering if a WDH is worth it I can tell you for sure that it is.

[Hog86r]

My first post here EVER. I am not an authority on RVs and such, but have pulled trailers of similar size thousands upon thousands of miles.
without question, DO get a weight distributing hitch. The difference in the way your truck will ride alone is more than worth the few bucks and few minutes of time it takes to hook it up.
do it.

[gijoecam]

rbpru wrote:
I am curious; if you add tongue weight to the back of a vehicle, you increase the weight on the rear axle and reduce the weight on the front axle.

If you add air bags you raise the rear, the vehicle will sit level but do you still have the same amount of weight on the rear axle? We know a WD hitch transfers weight to the front axle and back to the trailer.

So the question is do air assists act like a WD hitch or do they just mask the rear axle overload?

I'd say neither. The air suspension levels out the tow vehicle based on the load. Period. That's all it does. It is incapable of transferring any weight anywhere.

The WDH transfers soem portion of the tongue weight from the rear axle to the front and trailer axles. (The exact proportion varies slightly based on the TV wheelbase, rear overhang, and trailer tongue leigth.) That changes the load on all three (or four) axles and, with a conventional suspension, how much each axle squats.

So the air suspension doesn't really 'mask' anything, it simply adjusts independent of the axle weights. That's where your friendly local CAT scale comes in to help you dial in the setup. 🙂

[djsamuel]

handye9 wrote:

An Andersen WDH, would be an excellnt candidate for your set up. It's lite weight, has built in sway control, works well with trailers in your weight range, and it's clean enough to throw it in the back end of your SUV, without getting grease on anything. It doesn't use any type of lubrication.

I use the Andersen hitch since I don't need much in the way of weight distribution. It is easy to set up, and really results in a nice towing experience. The sway and bounce control work well, and the setup is quick and easy. It doesn't way too much either.

Edit: Should have read the rest of the thread! Just saw the OP already made a purchase. Best of luck. 🙂

[APT]

rbpru, do you understand how the physics of a teeter totter/see saw work?

[Huntindog]

rbpru wrote:
I am curious; if you add tongue weight to the back of a vehicle, you increase the weight on the rear axle and reduce the weight on the front axle.

If you add air bags you raise the rear, the vehicle will sit level but do you still have the same amount of weight on the rear axle? We know a WD hitch transfers weight to the front axle and back to the trailer.

So the question is do air assists act like a WD hitch or do they just mask the rear axle overload?

You answered your own question.

[rbpru]

I am curious; if you add tongue weight to the back of a vehicle, you increase the weight on the rear axle and reduce the weight on the front axle.

If you add air bags you raise the rear, the vehicle will sit level but do you still have the same amount of weight on the rear axle? We know a WD hitch transfers weight to the front axle and back to the trailer.

So the question is do air assists act like a WD hitch or do they just mask the rear axle overload?

[JESTER7406]

I definitely would run the WD. I have a trailer that is barely over 5k with a Chevy2500. It really helps especially on bumpy roads.

[RandACampin]

hohenwald48 wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:
We just purchased a small 2014 Jayco 22FB TT with tandem 3,500lb axles, an empty weight of 4503lb, tongue weight of 510lbs (according to the specs). I'm towing with a 2013 Nissan Armada with a 9100lb towing capacity, 910lb tongue weight rating, 15100lb GCVWR and auto leveling rear air bags. I have a friction sway bar also. We will just use it for short trips so it shouldn't be loaded up with a lot of junk. However, it does carry 90 gallons of water directly over the axles. I will probably limit the water load to about half full or around 400 pounds but since it's directly over the axles it should not impact tongue weight.

Is there any reason I should consider adding a WDH to the mix?

I have only towed it for about 20 miles home from the dealer so I don't really know how it will tow in the long run. Didn't hardly know it was back there on the way from the dealer.

OK folks you convinced me. I picked up a Eaz-Lift round bar 1,000/10,000 WDH at Camping World and intend to use my existing friction sway control. I know there are probably better systems out there. However, since I'm towing at about half of what my TV ratings are I didn't think I would need the very best top of the line hitch/sway system. Thanks for all the information and input and I'll post back after I've had a chance to see how things work.

Good choice

[colliehauler]

If you want a good test, tow down a concrete interstate with expansion joints and where bridge meets the road. Without I had a porpoise effect.

[hohenwald48]

hohenwald48 wrote:
We just purchased a small 2014 Jayco 22FB TT with tandem 3,500lb axles, an empty weight of 4503lb, tongue weight of 510lbs (according to the specs). I'm towing with a 2013 Nissan Armada with a 9100lb towing capacity, 910lb tongue weight rating, 15100lb GCVWR and auto leveling rear air bags. I have a friction sway bar also. We will just use it for short trips so it shouldn't be loaded up with a lot of junk. However, it does carry 90 gallons of water directly over the axles. I will probably limit the water load to about half full or around 400 pounds but since it's directly over the axles it should not impact tongue weight.

Is there any reason I should consider adding a WDH to the mix?

I have only towed it for about 20 miles home from the dealer so I don't really know how it will tow in the long run. Didn't hardly know it was back there on the way from the dealer.

OK folks you convinced me. I picked up a Eaz-Lift round bar 1,000/10,000 WDH at Camping World and intend to use my existing friction sway control. I know there are probably better systems out there. However, since I'm towing at about half of what my TV ratings are I didn't think I would need the very best top of the line hitch/sway system. Thanks for all the information and input and I'll post back after I've had a chance to see how things work.

[hohenwald48]

GaryWT wrote:
I was always taught once you go over a popup you should use a wdh. If you have sway control, what are you connecting it to if you don't have a wdh?

The drawbar has an arm out to one side with a ball (about 1" ball) and then there is another ball mounted on the side of the trailer A frame. An adjustable friction device is connected between the two balls. I've been using that kind for years on my covered utility trailer and it's been working just fine. They sell them at Camping World. I think just about every hitch manufacturer makes one.

[coolbreeze01]

The Blue Ox is really easy to set up. Clean, quiet, simple, and effective.

[Huntindog]

hohenwald48 wrote:
OK. I read the primer that APT referenced and things make a lot more sense now. I always thought a WDH took tongue weight and put it on the TV front axle and TT axles. I see now that it is actually taking load off the TV rear axle and placing that load on the TV front axle and on the TT axles. Tongue weight doesn't change but rear axle load does. The airbags do nothing to transfer weight but simply raise the body higher off the rear axle but do not vary the rear axle loading.

Having said all that, the GCVWR of the Armada is 15,100. However, the GVWR of the Armada is 7150 and the GVWR of the TT is 6500 for a total combined weight of 13,650 to be distributed over the total of all four axles. The load carrying capacity of the Armada is 1488 and on and on with various weights and capacities.

At any rate, I think the light bulb (small as it may be) has clicked in my head and I'm sure I can do the math to make sure I don't overload a vehicle/axle/tire/combo. I believe a WDH is in my future.

How do I go about picking one? Do they come in different sizes/ratings? Are some easier to manage than others? As far as setting it up I guess I will probably simply pull the fuse (there has to be one somewhere) to the rear airbags until I get the bars adjusted. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Maybe I'll just go back to my Monaco DP motorhome. I'm getting a headache from all this thinking.

I am late to the party, but glad you got it sorted out.
I have a 1 ton dually, and if my WD isn't adjusted perfect, I can tell. But I am admittadly picky about my setup.

My point here is to be sure you get it adjusted right. There are stickys on this that are very good. Many of the factory air leveling systems have a way to temporairily turn them off. Or as you said a fuse can be pulled for the setup process.

Happy camping