Bigger hitch capacity or weight distributing hitch?

[dstig1]

So after reading the recent thread on hitch capacity, I decided to look into mine more closely. I have the stock OEM receiver on my 2005 F250, and the sticker says 5000 lbs/500 tongue load carrying or 10,000lbs/1000 tongue weight distributing. Right now I am running a plain old ball in the reciver, so that is weight carrying, as I understand it. The 2 5/16" ball is rated for 10k and the stinger is rated for 7500 lbs.

So the dilemma.... I start adding up weights of my trailer and tractor, and I am surely over 5k....
Tractor Kubota 3130 HST: 3005 lbs
Loader LA723: 1058 lbs
Light material bucket: 300 lbs
Farmi Skidding winch on 3pt: ~350 lbs
Rimguard in 14.9/24 rear tires: 500 lbs, ea, if I read it correctly

Add that all up and we have 5713 lbs in the tractor. Call it 5800 with fluids. Obviously this is already over 5k, and we haven't talked about the trailer.

So the trailer is a bit of a question mark. I bought it used and haven't had much luck getting a response from the builder as the nameplate/sticker is totally faded. It's in the attached pic and is 16'L x 7'w, dual axle with brakes on both axles:

Wheels are 15" tires and 6 bolt pattern. Not sure the bolt circle size right now. I'm guessing it has an 8-10k GVWR and probably weighs 2000-2200 alone. so 5800+2200 = 8k. Ayep, I'm over the hitch rating, and really didn't realize it.

So I have 2 options it seems: 1- buy a higher rated receiver, 2- add a weight distributing hitch to the trailer.

#1 is "easier" in that I would be able to just keep doing everything else "as is" and just using a normal ball.

#2 is the one I have more questions about. Since the cost is pretty close to the same either way, are the advantages to the WD hitch significant? I could keep my existing receiver and pretty much everything else. Are these things particularly difficult to connect up to the receiver? I've never dealt with one so I'm not sure how they work. If I have to line up and slide in the tongue on the trailer into the receiver, that sounds like a major exercise in frustration. So how are these things to connect up to the truck? And if I use the trailer for something substantially lighter (which I have already done) does that mess the system up and require adjustments or something?

Thanks for any help and advice you all have. This really is a great bunch of people here that are always helpful. :thumbsup:

-Dave

 

[Diamondpilot]

Since you have a 5.4 powered truck I would spend the money on a W D setup. Reason is without the bigger engine you will run out of truck before hitch. If you were to spend $400 on a hitch you cab only once, not if you get a new truck.

Chris

 

[brokenot]

Are these things particularly difficult to connect up to the receiver? I've never dealt with one so I'm not sure how they work.

Everything is on YouTube.

YouTube - Draw-Tite Weight Distribution Installation - etrailer.com

 

[Runner]

dstig1,

I've recently gone through the same exercise. The WD hitch is comprised of three basic parts, the platform (ball mount) that mounts to your drawbar, the spring bars, and the clamps that secure the spring bar chains to the trailer tongue.

Once you have the WD drawbar, you can just use it without the spring bars as you would any normal drawbar for those times you don't need the WD capability.

When you do need WD, you simply hook up the trailer normally, then, attach the springbars to the drawbar platform. Then, you jack up the nose of the trailer (while it's attached to the truck, so you're jacking up the rear of the truck too). Then, attach the springbar chains to the trailer tongue brackets.

Then, you just jack it back down so it's supported by the hitch. And that's it.

If you do a search, you'll find several threads on this subject and lots of good pics of the setup.

Best of luck to you.

 

[whistlepig]

So after reading the recent thread on hitch capacity, I decided to look into mine more closely. I have the stock OEM receiver on my 2005 F250, and the sticker says 5000 lbs/500 tongue load carrying or 10,000lbs/1000 tongue weight distributing. Right now I am running a plain old ball in the reciver, so that is weight carrying, as I understand it. The 2 5/16" ball is rated for 10k and the stinger is rated for 7500 lbs.

So the dilemma.... I start adding up weights of my trailer and tractor, and I am surely over 5k....
Tractor Kubota 3130 HST: 3005 lbs
Loader LA723: 1058 lbs
Light material bucket: 300 lbs
Farmi Skidding winch on 3pt: ~350 lbs
Rimguard in 14.9/24 rear tires: 500 lbs, ea, if I read it correctly

Add that all up and we have 5713 lbs in the tractor. Call it 5800 with fluids. Obviously this is already over 5k, and we haven't talked about the trailer.

So the trailer is a bit of a question mark. I bought it used and haven't had much luck getting a response from the builder as the nameplate/sticker is totally faded. It's in the attached pic and is 16'L x 7'w, dual axle with brakes on both axles:

Wheels are 15" tires and 6 bolt pattern. Not sure the bolt circle size right now. I'm guessing it has an 8-10k GVWR and probably weighs 2000-2200 alone. so 5800+2200 = 8k. Ayep, I'm over the hitch rating, and really didn't realize it.

So I have 2 options it seems: 1- buy a higher rated receiver, 2- add a weight distributing hitch to the trailer.

#1 is "easier" in that I would be able to just keep doing everything else "as is" and just using a normal ball.

#2 is the one I have more questions about. Since the cost is pretty close to the same either way, are the advantages to the WD hitch significant? I could keep my existing receiver and pretty much everything else. Are these things particularly difficult to connect up to the receiver? I've never dealt with one so I'm not sure how they work. If I have to line up and slide in the tongue on the trailer into the receiver, that sounds like a major exercise in frustration. So how are these things to connect up to the truck? And if I use the trailer for something substantially lighter (which I have already done) does that mess the system up and require adjustments or something?

Thanks for any help and advice you all have. This really is a great bunch of people here that are always helpful. :thumbsup:

-Dave

I doubt this trailer would weigh 2000-2200 pounds. More like 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. Count the number of F250 trucks or any other 3/4 ton trucks you see on the highway with weight distribution hitches hauling heavier than you are talking about.

 

[dstig1]

Chris - I'll probably have this truck the rest of my life if it holds up. Either solution seems about a push cost-wise. I have no plans to tow anything bigger than this, but then I wasn't really planning to have to tow even this until the opportunity came up.... So no Powerstrokes in my future...

dstig1,

I've recently gone through the same exercise. The WD hitch is comprised of three basic parts, ...

...

If you do a search, you'll find several threads on this subject and lots of good pics of the setup.

Best of luck to you.

Cool. That was the kind of info I was looking for. I've seen videos on installing them, but haven't looked enough for any that show the hitching process. Thanks!:thumbsup:

I doubt this trailer would weigh 2000-2200 pounds. More like 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. Count the number of F250 trucks or any other 3/4 ton trucks you see on the highway with weight distribution hitches hauling heavier than you are talking about.

I can guarantee it is over that weight. My best guess is the link below. This is the original manufacturer. If it is the one I think, it is 1650 lbs, but things could have changed as it is 13 yrs old or so. The frame is channel steel. Plus add in another 100 lbs of chains and binders. But that weight capacity (7k) seems low based on what I can find on this trailer and how it was registered (was registered at 10k by the PO) so the original buyer may have added options for higher capacity.

Yeah I know there are many 3/4 ton and 1 tons pulling a lot more on a standard hitch....but many of them shouldn't be. And the issue only shows up when there is an emergency or accident. And then it's too late. I've been pulling this for a few months now with no problems, for example. Or read DiamondPilot's post on the hitch coming apart as it was overloaded...

http://www.dressentrailers.com/files/Download a brochure on Channel frame Car Trailers.pdf

Thanks for the help guys!

Dave

 

[Dmace]

How does the truck sit when the load is attached and supported only by the hitch? Does it squat more than level? When you go down a bumpy road does the front end get light as the weight pushes harder on the rear?

All these problems would be solved with a weight distribution hitch and it would be much easier to install vs. a whole new receiver. It's no more difficult to hook up vs. a standard hitch except the one extra step of hooking up the bars which is even easier than it sounds. Just line up the truck hitch to the trailer coupler and before lowering the trailer coupler onto the truck hitch, you take the chain on the stabilizer bar and slide over a little hook on a hinged mount, rotate the mount upwards and slide a pin in to hold it. Once both bars are on (1 min tops) then you finish lowering the trailer onto the truck and secure it. It seems like so many steps to explain in text but it really is all done in just a couple of mins.

I also like the fact that the stabilizer mounts that I got which mount to the trailer with a single pinch bolt and can be moved to any trailer and the whole weight distribution hitch can be moved to any truck with a 2" receiver without any changes assuming the truck and trailer are pretty close in height from the ground.

Here's a decent video of hooking up a weight distribution hitch to a travel trailer but again it seems like it takes a long time only because he's explaining every step as he goes and the trailer chain mounts were not installed yet.
YouTube - Travel Trailer Hitch Hook Up

 

[Egon]

Go for the weight distributing hitch. Hooking up is no different than the hitch you now have.

I've done it alone many a time so it ain't difficult.

For information the 20 foot 10K rated trailer in the picture comes in at 2500 pounds.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Distig1, I just went through exactly the same dilemma that you're going through right now, except I am pulling with a Chevy C2500 diesel. I think you F250 will have a good deal more power than my old Chevy, but I don't see that as the main problem.

Knowing that I was overweight bothered me as well as being a little short on trailer length. I also see that you're having to load your equipment by backing on, and I suspect you aren't able to distribute the weight evenly. And isn't that a 7K trailer? So, regardless of whether you decide to upgrade your hitch or go with a WD hitch (cost isn't much different), I'm thinking you really need to think about a bigger, heavier trailer.
I upped mine to a 10K (20') trailer and the upped the hitch to 12K throughout. I've got too much money invested to chance seeing my tractor and equipment laying out in the middle of a highway after the trailer breaking and perhaps tossing my equipment out into an oncoming car, causing no telling how much injury. And, don't forget the insurance side of it all, if your trailer is 'over weight' for the rated capacity, your insurance guy will simply walk away from any problem.
... just my 2 cents. Jim

 

[roamerr]

The real issue you have is probably tongue weight. I would bet you have 1500+ lbs of tongue weight. Only way to fix that is a longer trailer so you can better move the weight or a WD hitch. The WD hitch takes 5 minutes longer to hookup since you have to connect the trailer (requires lowering and connecting to ball), take weight off ball by jacking trailer back up while hooked to truck, connect the WD arms, and then lowering the trailer back down (winding tiongue jack up). Note that you will need to remove the WD arms if driving the truck/trailer without the tractor since it will lighten your truck rear. Also when unloading the trailer the WD hitch will make your truck rear lift more when the tractor drives off the trailer -- definitely block the rear of the trailer so it does not lift the truck.