Weight Distribution Hitch Bars

[Calicajun]

We have a 31 foot TT that has a tongue weight of 645 pounds with the propane tanks full. As of now we have a standard (cheap) WDH with 1,000 pounds. Everything seems to work/pull fine so far but have notice there is no bend in the bars at all.

We are looking into getting a WDH that has sway control build in so not to have to use the two add on anti-sway units. Question we have is should we get the new hitch with 1,000 pounds bars or 750 pounds bars?

Thanks,
Craig

[Calicajun]

Thanks for all the comments on WDHs with built in sway control. I was really wondering if they worked as well as advertized and it seems they do. 🙂
When I pick up my next WDH it will have the 1,000 pounds bars.

Thanks for the help,
Craig

[81SHOVELHEAD]

I use the equalizer 4 point to tow my 31 ft. cougar empty weight 6480 with a 650 lb. empty tongue weigh .
I figure fully loaded with all my fishing gear & camping stuff I am probably towing 7500 to 8000 lbs. with my 2500 hemi ram 4x4 .
I use the 1000 lbs. bars with 0 issues

[Cannondale61]

I have wilderness 2875 BH and I just went with the Equalizer previous hitch had 1000# bars and new one has 1200# bars. I really like the change from friction sway bar to the equalizer (similar to Blue Ox).

[Calicajun]

bgum wrote:
Why two sway controls now? Do you have sway now? Your tw seems light which will cause sway.

No sway now but also have a longer wheel base full size truck as to the Tahoe we used to have to pull the trailer. I just found two work better than one but is also twice as much trouble. Two controllers to put on and take off and twice as much grease to deal with too.

[coolbreeze01]

Calicajun wrote:
"If you are using so much grease on your current sway contro hitch that you are getting it all over your hands , you are using way to much grease."

Not really, I'm just messy, I'm one of those guys that get grease on himself just by walking by something. 😞

The Blu Ox is the one I was looking at but just wasn't sure as to what size bars to get with that WDH.

I have the Blue Ox and 1K bars. Very good hitch.

[bgum]

Why two sway controls now? Do you have sway now? Your tw seems light which will cause sway.

[hbillsmith]

Check out the Andersen WDH. View their YouTube's for the easiest overview.

[Calicajun]

"If you are using so much grease on your current sway contro hitch that you are getting it all over your hands , you are using way to much grease."

Not really, I'm just messy, I'm one of those guys that get grease on himself just by walking by something. 😞

The Blu Ox is the one I was looking at but just wasn't sure as to what size bars to get with that WDH.

[old_guy]

I have always used the round bar WDH's but this last time I got the square bar and they double as sway control and wd and I think they are great. I pull a 35 ft'er and absolutely no sway what so ever.

[Reedga]

Blue Ox make WDH with a built in sway control.
You need to go with the higher capacity hitch for your trailer and if you ever decide to trade up to a larger or heavier trailer.
I use a Reese sway control hitch with the cam locks.
If you are using so much grease on your current sway contro hitch that you are getting it all over your hands , you are using way to much grease.
Friction sway controls need to be release before you can back up and are a reactive sway control, not a pro action sway control. The Blue Ox built in sway control hitch uses no grease other than at the tension bar connection point on the hitch. This is a pro active hitch.

[Calicajun]

The 645 pounds of weight was what I was told at the scales. Though I'm starting to think maybe he was wrong, then again the weight book of the tongue is listed as 575 pounds. The 7,500 pounds I stated before was a guess, listed trailer weight at 6,185 pounds and what I thought everything less should weight going into the trailer. If the scale weight was correct (6,540 total) when I was pretty close in my guess.

The trailer is a Heartland Wilderness 2775RB with two slides.

Thanks,
Craig

[Ron_Gratz]

Calicajun wrote:
--- Question we have is should we get the new hitch with 1,000 pounds bars or 750 pounds bars?

In a different thread, you referred to a 7,500 pound loaded travel trailer.

If your 31' trailer is around 7500# loaded, the loaded tongue weight should be around 1000#.

If you have a 1000# TW, and if you want to use the WDH to restore the front-axle load to its unhitched value, I would recommend you use the 1000#-rated WD bars.

Ron

[CampingN_C_]

That tongue weight seems awful light for a 31ft TT. Is that the posted weight from the manufacture or an actual scale weight?
Does it have any slides?
My 32 footer is has more than twice that on the tongue.

[Calicajun]

bgum, I understand the friction sway control are add on units. I'm using two of them now but want to change to a WDH that has sway control built into the unit. Have heard that the WDHs with sway control built in work better and less grease to deal with too. I do get tired of grease all over my hands.

As of now the truck drops 1/2 when the TT is hooked up. Once the truck is started there is no drop as the truck built in 4 point air suspension (no springs on this truck at all)and brings the truck back to level. Just wasn't sure if a bend in the bars was required to get the best performance from the WDH system.