weight distribution hitchs?

[RayH]

Thanks Alan,
I do have a tow package on my 4.0 with auto but its all aftermarket pieces, classIII Drawtite, tranny cooler, and a DrawTite controller. I will be putting a 3" lift on it in the near future as soon as I get parts together. Ive got a D44 rear for it in the garage and will probably do a disc brake conversion on the rear and regear to 4.10s as well. Im also adding a winch and assorted skid plates which should add a few hundred pounds, down low, to the light weight. This should make for a decent tow platform (not a full sized pickup by any stretch but not bad for a midsized vehicle). I havent got a trailer yet but I do have one in mind as soon as I sell the 10000lbs trailer I used to pull my 3130 on. Ive still got all the chains and binders from hauling my 3130 around.

You wouldnt happen to have any photos of the Cherokee hooked up to the trailer would you? Id love to see what it looks like.

[gobbler]

SWB mentioned the Equalizer brand hitch and I'll second that. The key difference in the Equalizer hitch is that is has built-in sway control in addition to weight distribution. Sway control is just as important as weight distribution. With other manufacturers such as Reese, sway control is an optional feature, requiring an additional purchase.

Check out the Equalizer

[escavader]

Iam trying to figure out with my wife how to get the pictures out of the KODAK EASY SHARE and into my other my pictures in my computer,so i can share with you.I tryed to e-mail them but that aint working.cant seem to transfer them.Boy it makes me mad that they are right in front of me,and i cant move them but only look at them.Going to take another photo of the computer screen pretty quick [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]sorry im trying to get a photo for you.
ALAN

[flwiii]

The equilizer hitches are a must if you want to tow large loads safely. There is a major difference between towing with and without one. I had a 30 foot recreational trailer that had about 1,000 pound tongue weight that I towed with a F250 4X4. Without the equilizer hitch hooked up the rear of the truck would drop about 4 inches, but only 2 inches once the EQ hitch was in place.

Way way back when this hitch was first created, the maker would sinch up the EQ hitch on a front wheel drive truck; take off the rear wheels and tow a trailer around.

Like it has been said earlier in this forum. Once you use one, you won't want to tow without one.

[Jay4200]

My understanding is that a WDH operates by eliminating the vertical flex at the ball, which basically makes the truck and trailer a single piece in the vertical dimention. So, given that, what happens when you drive over a surface with an abrupt slope change, like at the bottom of a steep driveway? Do you end up balanced on front and trailer wheels with your truck rear wheels hanging off the ground? ;0

Jay

[Highbeam]

Not quite, the WD hitch distributes the tongue weight from the rear axle to the front axle of the truck. Not all of it but some. When adjusted right both axles should settle the same amount when the tongue weight is applied from the trailer on level ground. Minor terrain changes that cause the vertical angle between truck and trailer are resisted by the WD hitch but it can only do so much and I have found that the hitch will yield to allow the truck's wheels to stay firmly planted.

[flwiii]

It doesn't eliminate the flex entirely, but it does make the two units act more as one than two separate entities. This comes in handy under emergency conditions.

I am glad I had an equilizer hitch when I lost my trailer brakes coming down Salt River Canyon (6% grade). It made the ride manageable though a little scary.

[George2615]

I use the Kodak program too. I have the same problem. I found that if I'm in the Kodak program, I minimize the screen then click and drag the photo from the album to the desktop. Once on the desktop I right click and resize the pic for this forum. (Picresizer) Once on the desktop I know where they are for easy access. When I'm done I move them to a minimized photo directory usually named tractor pics.

George

[George2615]

Since your towing with a Cherokee it may not have enough suspension in back and sag when your hooked to your trailer depending on tongue weight. A weight distribution hitch will definetly help if one is available for your vehicle. It may be of unibody constuction and not have a frame. If it does have a frame I'd put one on. I believe HF, TSC and Northern Tool all sell weight distribution hitches with load bars for around the $300 mark. Do you already have a Reese type receiver or just a class 1 or 2 hitch? You'll need a frame mount type receiver. They sell for about $100 or so at most auto parts and even Wally world has them to bolt right up to your vehicle. Once installed and your hitch is slid in and hooked to the trailer, spring tension is then adjusted with the bars to evenly transfer the tongue weight between the front and rear of your vehicle preventing rear sag thus allowing a safer towing ability. Without one, too much tongue weight will push down on the back of the vehicle which in turn takes weight off the front of it. Not a safe way to tow. Hope this info helps.
George

[DennyI]

Have you given any thought to Air Springs. I haul a JD4310 on a 18' Zieman equip. trailer. The air springs are fully adjustable from 10psi to 100psi and enable me to adjust the ride from the cab of my truck. I installed the dual lift kits with compressor on a Dodge 3/4 Ram but believe that company makes the same unit for your vehicle. I like mine because I can raise/lower hitch height to accommodate the height of the trailer tongue loaded vs. unloaded thus eliminating a lot of cranking on the trailer jack. Plus I get good ride control with correct positioning of the load.<font color="black"> </font>