Weight Distribution bar - using a pipe ... ?

[RoadXYZ]

We have lost the pipe to lift up the weight distribution bar ... what do you use ?

[dodge_guy]

If there is a safer way to do something then I will do it that way! just because someone feels "my way" is the right way does not make it safer!

Use the tongue jack and be safe!

[Bumpyroad]

Old technology, tried and true. people have been hurt lowering their stabilizer jacks down on their foot too.
bumpy

[Huntindog]

kend40 wrote:

rdhetrick wrote:
Sorry, but I don't buy that raising the jack is the "only correct" way to do it.
If that were true, then why would the manufactures bother making a pivoting bracket with a nub for the pipe? If they intended everyone to use raise the jack and flip the lever by hand, then they would have simply installed a hook on the frame for you to slip the chain link onto.

There's nothing wrong with using the pipe.

My WD hitch came with a pipe for the purpose of lifting the shackles.......so how is it not the right way???

I don't see it as right or wrong. But which way is safer.
I have a over the bed rail quad rack for the bed of my truck. It comes with 10.5' ramps. You can drive the quads up there. Or winch them up there.
I used to drive them up. I now winch them up, as it is much safer.

As I said before, we humans used to do lots of things that were unsafe by todays standards.

The hitch design in this discussion is probably the oldest one still being made today. Many people have been hurt when hooking it up. Many of us have learned from those incidents about safer ways to do it.
Before I had a power jack, I used the pipe. But I wouldn't let my wife do it. She now hitches up all the time, using the power jack method. I am comfortable with her doing it this way.
The advantage that the internet, and this forum gives us, is the free flow of information. Good and bad. You gotta decide for yourself which is good, and which is bad. But at least you are now informed.
If you are comfortable with the risk... Then continue doing it the old way. I or nobody else will change your mind, and it is YOUR risk and YOUR right.

[kend40]

rdhetrick wrote:
Sorry, but I don't buy that raising the jack is the "only correct" way to do it.
If that were true, then why would the manufactures bother making a pivoting bracket with a nub for the pipe? If they intended everyone to use raise the jack and flip the lever by hand, then they would have simply installed a hook on the frame for you to slip the chain link onto.

There's nothing wrong with using the pipe.

My WD hitch came with a pipe for the purpose of lifting the shackles.......so how is it not the right way???

[martipr]

Bumpyroad wrote:

martipr wrote:
You say tomato, I say tomato. Do what works for you. Although I can't imagine getting the pipe out, going back and forth from side to side, then putting the pipe away instead of just flipping a switch. I guess in 75 years I have learned to use the least labor intensive method possible.

well my jack is manual, no button pushing. and one second per side tightens up the bars. I have learned to use the least labor intensive method possible. don't know why you have to go back and forth? I don't.
bumpy

I don't go back and forth. I was referring to this by fairfaxjim on page 10: "I start with one more link on one side, then do same on other side, then go back to first side and set at normal, then do same on opposite. The lighter setting helps support the load enough to get the other side on at first."

[Bumpyroad]

martipr wrote:
You say tomato, I say tomato. Do what works for you. Although I can't imagine getting the pipe out, going back and forth from side to side, then putting the pipe away instead of just flipping a switch. I guess in 75 years I have learned to use the least labor intensive method possible.

well my jack is manual, no button pushing. and one second per side tightens up the bars. I have learned to use the least labor intensive method possible. don't know why you have to go back and forth? I don't.
bumpy

[martipr]

You say tomato, I say tomato. Do what works for you. Although I can't imagine getting the pipe out, going back and forth from side to side, then putting the pipe away instead of just flipping a switch. I guess in 75 years I have learned to use the least labor intensive method possible.

[dspencer]

robsouth wrote:
Why do you need a pipe to install the weight distribution bars? I just put the tongue on the ball and clip it. Use the tongue jack to lift the tongue and back of truck, slip bars in place by hand and lower the tongue jack. No lifting involved.

That's the way I have always done it as well.

[fairfaxjim]

Wishin wrote:
Wow, who knew the a pipe discussion could last this long. ...

Who knew a 12" piece of pipe would become the adult equivalent of the empty box at Christmas?

I remove & install my bars routinely when going off/on road. No time to mess with jacking, sometimes sitting in the middle of the road. I simply snap them off and make sure the TV and trailer are in a straight line when putting them back on. If for some reason the terrain makes them too tight at the regular setting, I start with one more link on one side, then do same on other side, then go back to first side and set at normal, then do same on opposite. The lighter setting helps support the load enough to get the other side on at first.

As for using/not using the pipe, I see no reason to not use it if you have one. Can't see putting fingers into chains and clips, for any reason. I lost my pipe on one trip and used the hole in the handle end of a 12" Crescent wrench on the tab.

[Bumpyroad]

coolbreeze01 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:


I was shown how to use the pipe to raise mine. takes about 1 second. don't know why I would mess around with tongue jack,etc. I was warned to stand off to the side in case the pipe comes shooting out. 🙂
bumpy

Some get it and some don't :h Funny........

that is very true, hilarious :s
bumpy

[hawkeye-08]

You guys make it too hard... I just let my wife know when it is time for her to remove or install the bars... I am a great supervisor so we have never had any problems.

[Wishin]

Wow, who knew the a pipe discussion could last this long. I might as well add to it.

My first trailer had a fairly light duty frame with a jack that was rated to just barely hold the tongue weight. The TW was fairly high for this size trailer, between 850-950 lbs depending on load. I was always afraid to jack it up and have it hold too much of the tow vehicle since I was over the capacity of the mounting of the jack. I still jacked it enough to hook up my Dual Cam chain and latches with minimal force. Enough force to need the pipe, but not enough to make it dangerous.

My current trailer has a much higher TW (1200 lbs?) and came with an electric jack. It is fairly slow and I get impatient so I still do it the same. If I'm on level ground sometimes I don't need the pipe, but I'm not going to jack my rear axle off the ground to not need the pipe if I'm on severely unlevel ground (which is very common for the places I camp). I hold the jack switch until the bars are starting to get loose when unhooking or I just guess that it is high enough to hook up with minimal force. I can't imagine not using the jack to some extent. With the full weight on them, it would be dangerous and I wouldn't even try it.

[Huntindog]

Some here are pointing out that the "stub" was made there for a reason.
You gotta realize that hitch design is the oldest one still being made today.. It may even be the first design ever.. IDK.

Being as how it is so old, in some ways it is a relic of the past, when we did a lot of things that were unsafe by todays standards. Powersaws had no guards. There were no safety belts in cars. Just about everyone smoked... and the list can go on forever.

Just because those stubs are there, doesn't mean that it is the safest way to do it. A moments distraction, can have really bad consequences, as there is a lot of tension in those parts.

And even when all of the tension is removed, some won't have enough strength to lift the bars into place... For them, the cheater bar is a safe solution.

But one should really remove as much tension as possible with the TJ.
Power jacks are not all that much money, and the safety/ convenience benefit is very high.

[CampingN_C_]

I just lift up the camper with one hand and snap the bracket with the other, followed by a loud grunt and a few chest smacks !