Posting for friend who has question about weight dist hitch

[Plumber101010]

Everyone he asks and everything he reads, tells him to use a weight distribution hitch. 31 foot fiberglass travel trailer, 6300 Dry, 8000 pounds gross. Pulling with a beast for sure, 2015 Chevy 3500 with the diesel single wheel, not dully.

Problem??? He was sold and was on his way to get one, when he came across the Chevy towing website that said for that truck, and heavy duty trucks, standard weight distribution hitches are not needed. Now he is really confused. I couldn't find it, but I did find it under the Ford site, which said the same thing as Chevy. I enclose it's reading.

Ford Towing Guide

Class III – Heavy-Duty 3,501-5,000 lb. Gross Trailer Weight 500 lb. Gross Tongue Weight Used for dual-axle or large single-axle travel trailers Used on properly equipped trucks and SUVs Conventional weight-distributing hitch not required unless specified for a particular vehicle - See more at: http://support.ford.com/vehicle-features/guide-to-towing#sthash.M1SbQ1wU.dpuf

Funny thing is that it says it does for the next category, really confuses me:

Class IV – Extra-Heavy-Duty 5,001-12,000 lb. Gross Trailer Weight 1,200 lb. Gross Tongue Weight Used for the largest travel and fifth-wheel trailers made for recreation Used on trucks and SUVs; most can be equipped to handle trailers in this class Most applications require a conventional weight-distributing or fifth-wheel hitch - See more at: http://support.ford.com/vehicle-features/guide-to-towing#sthash.QHqC6KYE.dpuf

I don't understand it myself, because I use a Chevy 2500 pull trailers with backhoes on them that way more than a travel trailer, and never have I seen a weight distribution hitch on any of this heavy equipment that we tote. Yet it's need it for a lighter RV?

[Plumber101010]

It is a sticker on the actual hitch attached to the truck. The owners manual also says 1500 pounds.

[opnspaces]

In looking at BarneyS's pictures I can see it's possible that your hitch has a single rating. Typically the weight differences are a ways apart, but in the second picture Barney posted the two weights are very close together.

Just to be sure it's clear though; we're talking about a sticker stuck on the receiver hitch that is bolted to the frame of the tow vehicle. We are not referring to the part that you can pull the pin and remove from the truck. On my Suburban the sticker states weight carrying 500lbs, weight distribution 1,000 lbs. Does your or your friends truck have a sticker on the hitch that states the weights, or is there only information in the owners manual?

[Plumber101010]

"This discussion is about the rating on the receiver hitches put on trucks, SUV's, cars used to tow trailers. It is not about any ratings for a 5th wheel hitch."

Not sure i follow you? When did it turn into a discussion on 5th wheel rating? I was simply stating that there is no separate rating for my hitch with or without a WDH. That the only OTHER rating was for a 5th wheel. That hardly turns this into a 5th wheel weight discussion 🙂

[BarneyS]

Plumber101010 wrote:
I have yet to see these two diff ratings on any of my hitches. The owners manual says 1500 and 4000 for 5th wheel. But never seen one rating for with and one for without WDH.

This discussion is about the rating on the receiver hitches put on trucks, SUV's, cars used to tow trailers. It is not about any ratings for a 5th wheel hitch.

Just about every receiver made has a rating tag on it somewhere. It looks like this. These are the two I had/have on my truck.
Barney

Factory stock hitch:


or this replacement hitch:

[Plumber101010]

I have yet to see these two diff ratings on any of my hitches. The owners manual says 1500 and 4000 for 5th wheel. But never seen one rating for with and one for without WDH.

[opnspaces]

Interesting, if your receiver is rated for 1,500lb tongue weight, what is it rated for with weight distribution? Or does it only provide one number?

[Plumber101010]

Thanks, made me feel better 🙂 Common sense would say that if hitch rated at 1500 and WDH 1200, I'm better off with my hitch. Haven't drove it much, but did get bouncy bouncy, some, not major, PRE LOADED without another 1500 pounds in weight. With mind you, the WDH. So I can only assume who hooked it up did it wrong 🙂

[brulaz]

Plumber101010 wrote:
I just checked and my 2500's hitch says 1500 pound tongue weight??? Wow. Much more than I thought. 13,000 pound trailer total. That shocks me, as my WDH only says 1200 pounds. Hmmmmm. Got me wondering now WHY I am bothering with a WDH again?

Man I a confused now 🙂 And for the life of me I can't find out such a simple question, does my 2500 have a class 3,4 or 5 hitch?

IIRC, if it's 1500# without WDH, that would be a Class V. Especialy if it's a 2.5" receiver.

Doesn't sound like you need a WDH.

But what about sway control? I doubt it, but this is one of those situations where you just have to try it yourself to find out if you need it. Really depends upon the trailer, TW %, where the trailer axles are placed, how much weight in the trailer is way behind the axles and so on.

There are personal differences as well. I drove a trailer w/o sway control and wasn't bothered with the occasional nudges from passing Buses and trucks. But met a guy online with almost the exact same setup who wondered how I did it? He absolutely insisted some sort of sway control was necessary. People are different.

[TomG2]

Which would I believe? The owner's manual, which is written by GM engineers and their legal department, or the opinion of a bunch old guys who are stuck inside because of the bad weather? Nothing against the latter, because I am one. My GM owner's manual has a lot of information in it concerning towing.

[Plumber101010]

OMG. Just looked at the owners manual of my new 3500 diesel single rear wheel. Owners manual says 1500 pound tongue weight? Oh that just drives me insane now, because I don't understand how a 1200 pound weight distribution hitch should be needed at all? What am I missing. I was following this thread very clearly, under the assumption that my tongue weight was rated at no more than 1000 pounds. Now that I know it's that much higher, it's very unclear to me now 😞

Even the owners manual says WDH optional

[Plumber101010]

I just checked and my 2500's hitch says 1500 pound tongue weight??? Wow. Much more than I thought. 13,000 pound trailer total. That shocks me, as my WDH only says 1200 pounds. Hmmmmm. Got me wondering now WHY I am bothering with a WDH again?

Man I a confused now 🙂 And for the life of me I can't find out such a simple question, does my 2500 have a class 3,4 or 5 hitch?

[colliehauler]

Welcome to the forum. The receiver should have two weight ratings stamped on it, one without W/D and one with W/D. As others have said the ride is so much better with W/D hitch.

[Dog_Trainer]

OP if you are pulling a Backhoe without a WD on a hitch that is not rated to that tow capacity, you may be putting yourself at a great amount of legal, insurance and overall financial risk. It all happens in a split second.

[jerem0621]

Yep, most box trailer (TT, enclosed trailer, etc) shoot for a Tongue Weight of 12-13ish%

Quick math on an 8900 lb trailer the tongue weight can easily get upwards of 1100-1300 lbs (or more)...

Its highly likely that your friend underestimated how much tongue weight he has.

Thanks for the kind words about the forum. Its generally a pretty good place.

Thanks!

Jeremiah