WDH for Kodiak 160 Hybrid trailer

[AdirondackerSou]

Hello everyone -
I am not exactly a newbie with camping. I used to work for a campground for many years but never had to haul camping trailers on the road. Now the situation has altered and I am now pulling and have some questions about anti-sway hitches, recommendations and suggestions on what the best approach would be to deal with wind gusts and general highway driving. My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to the Northeast on July.

[bikendan]

AdirondackerSouth wrote:

bikendan wrote:

AdirondackerSouth wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
What's your tongue weight? Near 13-15%? Correcting that could stop sway.

Thanks for the idea. If I use your formula if using the GVWR at 3850 that would be around 400 lb.
If I use the dry hitch weight plus 100 lbs 2700 that comes to 350 lb

How do I figure out how much is on the tongue?

Take the combo to the scales, buy a Sherline tongue scale or use 13% of the trailer's GVWR for a ballpark loaded tongue weight.

Great idea.
Let me ask you, if the rear of the 4Runner is factory equipped with springs and struts, wouldn't the weight on the tongue be too much with a WDH? I am unsure.
:C

What do you mean by struts. McPherson struts?
Is your 4runner ladder framed or unibody?

[AdirondackerSou]

bikendan wrote:

AdirondackerSouth wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
What's your tongue weight? Near 13-15%? Correcting that could stop sway.

Thanks for the idea. If I use your formula if using the GVWR at 3850 that would be around 400 lb.
If I use the dry hitch weight plus 100 lbs 2700 that comes to 350 lb

How do I figure out how much is on the tongue?

Take the combo to the scales, buy a Sherline tongue scale or use 13% of the trailer's GVWR for a ballpark loaded tongue weight.

Great idea.
Let me ask you, if the rear of the 4Runner is factory equipped with springs and struts, wouldn't the weight on the tongue be too much with a WDH? I am unsure.
:C

[bikendan]

AdirondackerSouth wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
What's your tongue weight? Near 13-15%? Correcting that could stop sway.

Thanks for the idea. If I use your formula if using the GVWR at 3850 that would be around 400 lb.
If I use the dry hitch weight plus 100 lbs 2700 that comes to 350 lb

How do I figure out how much is on the tongue?

Take the combo to the scales, buy a Sherline tongue scale or use 13% of the trailer's GVWR for a ballpark loaded tongue weight.

[AdirondackerSou]

Lwiddis wrote:
What's your tongue weight? Near 13-15%? Correcting that could stop sway.

Thanks for the idea. If I use your formula if using the GVWR at 3850 that would be around 400 lb.
If I use the dry hitch weight plus 100 lbs 2700 that comes to 350 lb

How do I figure out how much is on the tongue?

[AdirondackerSou]

penguin149 wrote:
Your hitch weight seems low for a 2700# HTT; I'd expect it to be 350+ pounds. I had a Jayco X17C HTT and used an E2 hitch from Fastway - very pleased with it. Offers WD as well as some amount of sway control. An E4 is better but more $$$. Never have cared for add-on friction sway bars.

Right wheel base is key.

[AdirondackerSou]

penguin149 wrote:
Your hitch weight seems low for a 2700# HTT; I'd expect it to be 350+ pounds. I had a Jayco X17C HTT and used an E2 hitch from Fastway - very pleased with it. Offers WD as well as some amount of sway control. An E4 is better but more $$$. Never have cared for add-on friction sway bars.

Thank you for your advice. E2 is where I am headed. I wonder how I can figure out how much weight I have on the hitch with the E2. Any ideas?

[penguin149]

Your hitch weight seems low for a 2700# HTT; I'd expect it to be 350+ pounds. I had a Jayco X17C HTT and used an E2 hitch from Fastway - very pleased with it. Offers WD as well as some amount of sway control. An E4 is better but more $$$. Never have cared for add-on friction sway bars.

[Lwiddis]

Another factor is TV wheelbase. For instance the difference between towing with my 2015 Tahoe with a wheelbase of 120.9 inches vs. the Silverado's 147.4. is great.

[Lwiddis]

What's your tongue weight? Near 13-15%? Correcting that could stop sway.

[schlep1967]

AdirondackerSouth wrote:

babamartha wrote:
I have a Kodiak 160 with a WDH. I tried pulling the camper without it and was bouncing all over the place. With it, I forget my camper's back there.

Don't ask me why. I don't understand the physics. I just know it's true.

I have no trouble with sway. I never travel faster than 55 mph because of my tires.

Wow I am glad you shared your story with me. My girlfriend was nauseated by all the commotion and motion during our two towing days.

Thank you

Based on your comment here, a weight distribution hitch will likely help alleviate the porpoising ride.

[schlep1967]

AdirondackerSouth wrote:

schlep1967 wrote:
First we need to clear some things up. Your title says WDH and your question is about anti-sway.
Depending on what the trailer weighs and what you are pulling it with, you may not need a WDH. I'm pretty sure that is a fairly light trailer. If you are pulling it with a 1500 series truck, you probably don't need the WDH.
As for the anti-sway, there are friction bars you can add that would do the job for that trailer.

The terminology is confusing to me. Friction bars are ones that attach to the trailers tongue with bolts and a small socket and are connected to the hitch with a small ball that is offset from the main towing ball.

Is that correct?

Yes that is correct.

[AdirondackerSou]

schlep1967 wrote:
First we need to clear some things up. Your title says WDH and your question is about anti-sway.
Depending on what the trailer weighs and what you are pulling it with, you may not need a WDH. I'm pretty sure that is a fairly light trailer. If you are pulling it with a 1500 series truck, you probably don't need the WDH.
As for the anti-sway, there are friction bars you can add that would do the job for that trailer.

2006 4Runner

[AdirondackerSou]

bikendan wrote:

AdirondackerSouth wrote:
Hello everyone -
I am not exactly a newbie with camping. I used to work for a campground for many years but never had to haul camping trailers on the road. Now the situation has altered and I am now pulling and have some questions about anti-sway hitches, recommendations and suggestions on what the best approach would be to deal with wind gusts and general highway driving. My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to the Northeast on July.

Yep, you need to tell us what your tow vehicle is and its specs.

Axle weight 2541 lb
Dry hitch weight 221 lb
Unloaded vehicle weight 2672 lb
GVWR 3850 lb

[AdirondackerSou]

babamartha wrote:
I have a Kodiak 160 with a WDH. I tried pulling the camper without it and was bouncing all over the place. With it, I forget my camper's back there.

Don't ask me why. I don't understand the physics. I just know it's true.

I have no trouble with sway. I never travel faster than 55 mph because of my tires.

Wow I am glad you shared your story with me. My girlfriend was nauseated by all the commotion and motion during our two towing days.

Thank you