Weight distribution/sway control with 1300 lb tongue weight

[drt-rdr]

Any reccomendations on a weight distribution and sway control setup for a travel trailer with a 1300 lb tongue weight.
It's a 34 foot travel trailer towed by a 2500 dodge quad cab, 4wd.

I measured the tongue weight with a scale. That weight is full propane tanks and camper loaded with the exception of food and clothes. Empty holding tanks. Camper is a front bedroom and pass through bathroom before the axles.
Fresh water tank is above axles. Bathroom grey and black water tanks are in front of axle, kitchen grey is behind axle.
The tongue weight does not surprise me. I'd have to go look for the owners brochure but I believe it was advertised at 1150 from the factory.

So any suggestions on what weight distribution and sway control to use. I like the hensley/propride but they look to max out at 1400 and I'm pretty close to that already. The only other I see is reese dual cam and going to 1700 pound bars and a class v hitch.

[drt-rdr]

My truck is a 2004 ram with the diesel.
This stock hitch is rated at 1200/12000 so I'm a touch over right now.
I know unhitched with full diesel, an empty bed, my wife and myself, my truck weighs 7300 pounds.
I have not weighed the camper itself loaded. I just know the mfgr advertised unloaded weight is 7600 and gross weight is 9220. The only thing I've done to the camper was to put in one inch lift blocks and went to larger wheels and light truck tires instead of trailer tires.

I often carry 700 or so pounds in the bed(a couple of dirtbikes and gear.
Yeah, hindsight, I probably would have been better with a 3500 srw also.

My plan was to go to a class v, new wd/sway system. I saw curt makes a class V with a 2 inch opening rated for 2500/17000, but I haven't researched any others.

I"m also thinking of adding air bags to the back of the truck. I can see possibly going over the 1400 if I have to run anywhere with with the front holding tanks full. My plan this week or next is to start loading the trailer as if going on a trip and also filling some tanks and see what happens to the tongue weight, how much it goes up and down. My first trip out this year isn't until July so I have some time to figure it all out.

[canoe_on_top]

You don't say what year your Ram is. My '06 CTD has a hitch capacity of 1200 lbs some class IV's are only rated at 1000 lbs. My tongue weight is a hair over 1200 and, I'm not too worried about the hitch. I use a 1400/14,000 Equal-i-zer and am very happy with the way it preforms.

I have a fiberglass shell on my truck that might weigh 2-300 lbs. With that, a tool box, me and a couple of dogs, my truck, hitched up weighs 9100 lbs. 100 lbs over the GVWR. I am well under my GAWR front and rear but the GVWR is maxed out. My TT weighs between 9-10,000.

You may want to seriously consider going to a class V hitch and weigh your TV with the TT attached and see where you are for GVW.

I bought my truck new in '06. If I were to do it over I would have bought a SRW 1 ton. Hindsight is always 20/20. It is my understanding that the only difference between the 2500 and the SRW 3500 is an extra spring pack on the rear but, I don't have the facts to back that up.

I have no doubt your truck will handle it and a 1400/14,000 Equal-i-zer should work well for you. I don't believe you mentioned whether you have the diesel. You may want to check your total weights just so you know.

[31_tundra]

Reese makes 1500# trunnions bars for WD.

[usmc616]

I use a Reese Dual Cam toxing my Jayco 32BHDS. The Reese did take a little time to finally get adjusted properly in order to tow great.

[BurbMan]

With that weight and length I would urge you to look at a Hensley or Pro Pride. Either will support up to 1400 lbs, but more importantly you will want premium sway control with that rig.

[handye9]

coolbreeze01 wrote:
The Blue Ox Sway Pro has up to 2,000# bars. Easy, clean, quiet, and effective.

http://blueox.com/p-1181-swaypro.aspx

X2 on the Sway Pro. Upgrade or downgrade, depending on trailer tongue weight, is easy as changing the bars. 1500 lb bars should do the job.

[drt-rdr]

Huntindog wrote:
Sounds like you mostly loaded. The little bit you have left probably won't add more than 100 pounds.
So a 1400 will work nicely. More capacity is not better in this area. The WD bars are working springs, the MUST bend when going thru dips , driveways etc.

The right size is one that comes closest to what the TW is. Not one that is way over it.

The only permenant thing not on the tongue right now is the battery. I'm planning on fully loading it as if we were going away for a trip and taking another reading of the tongue weight.

[jerem0621]

Reese sells a 1700 lb tongue weight dual cam set up.

[rode2nowhere]

x2 equalizer

[Ron3rd]

Blue Ox, or Equilizer offers 1400 lb bars.

[Obewan]

I'm going to follow this as well. Have a Hensley on old camper, but new camper will be about 1300lb tongue weight as well. Hensley company says no problem......

[Huntindog]

Sounds like you mostly loaded. The little bit you have left probably won't add more than 100 pounds.
So a 1400 will work nicely. More capacity is not better in this area. The WD bars are working springs, the MUST bend when going thru dips , driveways etc.

The right size is one that comes closest to what the TW is. Not one that is way over it.

[coolbreeze01]

The Blue Ox Sway Pro has up to 2,000# bars. Easy, clean, quiet, and effective.

http://blueox.com/p-1181-swaypro.aspx