Glad you enjoyed the post and found it useful to you VA Joe.
Ron,
Good suggestion for anyone who is towing in what they think is an unbalanced condition. Are most travel trailers equipped with WDH's because of the inability to just move the CG forward or back by as in a tractor buy simply adjusting the load? Is wind a factor since it pulls one way at speed and then can be rather suddenly reduced and countered with forward momentum under braking? Dont know but might be.
Your comments seem to suggest I may not believe in WD products. That is curious to me. They also seem to say it would help the motor pull a bigger. " its not just the ability to pull the load but braking bumps and uneven roads..." BTW I agree with your quote, and I like WD systems (but with a bad back I would not enjoy lifting them, and I certainly wouldnt/couldnt a longhorn rig like that attached for general purpose towing, hence the adjustable twin ball I have.
I would say the WD hitch improves all of those items you mentioned , but does almost nothing for the sheer ability to pull a load. Rather by improving the ability to control the load mostly by leveling out the tow vehicle and trailer, it enhances control, and therefore allows more load to be safely added. Wont help a weak kicker.
Again, if your butt saggs, or you feel like the rear axle is over loaded and the front axle is a bit too light, (most obvious by looking and second by driving) you might look into a WD. It definitely would be helpful.
Using one in all conditions for general improvement? I dont see the need for that personally.
Question. You mentioned what most people say about one, what do you think (aside from it being a big heavy son of a gun to install!!). Just curious. Sounds like you have expereince. What do you tow, with what and how does it behave? In other words what prompted you to buy one? That experience might be helpful to the group. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thanks for all your thoughtful offerings, and remember I support anyone who needs or wants a WD, including myself. Right now I dont have a huge need. It is easy to forget I didnt buy an extra stiff trailer so I could load it to the gills (by adding 9,000 or 11,000# of load) and trying to walk that tight rope using a HD half ton.
I bought it to: 1. I could tow my tractor - think that one is within all reasonable base limits - I'll know more when it gets here; 2. So I could haul a ton or two material, and off load it with my FEL. - I think this one is easily doable since I dont plan to drive up the ramps without using blocked kickers and having my 7000# jack standing in support of the tonge weight AND having the trailer connected to my SUV on concrete during the process; 3. So I wouldnt have to ever buy another even if my load got bigger and/or I got a new bigger machine to tow it with.
I look forward to thoughts from you and others, Ron.
P.S. Didnt even occur to me to buy aluminum wheels. Interesting but I just got the ones they offered. Not trying to go for best dressed, only functional and safe. Dont worry, didnt take it negatively. Usually TBN member interaction causes me to spend more money : /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif (I think that is a good thing for those who pay to market here /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). Thanks for offering to help me spend some more /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
Ron,
Good suggestion for anyone who is towing in what they think is an unbalanced condition. Are most travel trailers equipped with WDH's because of the inability to just move the CG forward or back by as in a tractor buy simply adjusting the load? Is wind a factor since it pulls one way at speed and then can be rather suddenly reduced and countered with forward momentum under braking? Dont know but might be.
Your comments seem to suggest I may not believe in WD products. That is curious to me. They also seem to say it would help the motor pull a bigger. " its not just the ability to pull the load but braking bumps and uneven roads..." BTW I agree with your quote, and I like WD systems (but with a bad back I would not enjoy lifting them, and I certainly wouldnt/couldnt a longhorn rig like that attached for general purpose towing, hence the adjustable twin ball I have.
I would say the WD hitch improves all of those items you mentioned , but does almost nothing for the sheer ability to pull a load. Rather by improving the ability to control the load mostly by leveling out the tow vehicle and trailer, it enhances control, and therefore allows more load to be safely added. Wont help a weak kicker.
Again, if your butt saggs, or you feel like the rear axle is over loaded and the front axle is a bit too light, (most obvious by looking and second by driving) you might look into a WD. It definitely would be helpful.
Using one in all conditions for general improvement? I dont see the need for that personally.
Question. You mentioned what most people say about one, what do you think (aside from it being a big heavy son of a gun to install!!). Just curious. Sounds like you have expereince. What do you tow, with what and how does it behave? In other words what prompted you to buy one? That experience might be helpful to the group. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thanks for all your thoughtful offerings, and remember I support anyone who needs or wants a WD, including myself. Right now I dont have a huge need. It is easy to forget I didnt buy an extra stiff trailer so I could load it to the gills (by adding 9,000 or 11,000# of load) and trying to walk that tight rope using a HD half ton.
I bought it to: 1. I could tow my tractor - think that one is within all reasonable base limits - I'll know more when it gets here; 2. So I could haul a ton or two material, and off load it with my FEL. - I think this one is easily doable since I dont plan to drive up the ramps without using blocked kickers and having my 7000# jack standing in support of the tonge weight AND having the trailer connected to my SUV on concrete during the process; 3. So I wouldnt have to ever buy another even if my load got bigger and/or I got a new bigger machine to tow it with.
I look forward to thoughts from you and others, Ron.
P.S. Didnt even occur to me to buy aluminum wheels. Interesting but I just got the ones they offered. Not trying to go for best dressed, only functional and safe. Dont worry, didnt take it negatively. Usually TBN member interaction causes me to spend more money : /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif (I think that is a good thing for those who pay to market here /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). Thanks for offering to help me spend some more /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.