Trailer weight distribution

[LHS Inc]

See the attached pitures of my equipment tilt deck with a WD setup. Now you can't say your have never seen one.

It does help when towing near 12K, even with my F350 (rated at 12.5K with a WD setup).

View attachment 274918View attachment 274919View attachment 274920

Thanks to all who replied. Its been very informative. I'm all for safety and always have been.

When I get one maybe it will catch on around here and other people will too.

If I had seen one or talked to enough guys that have one this thread would have never started.

I'll send some pics when that day comes.

Thanks again

 

[jejeosborne]

Thanks to all who replied. Its been very informative. I'm all for safety and always have been.

When I get one maybe it will catch on around here and other people will too.

If I had seen one or talked to enough guys that have one this thread would have never started.

I'll send some pics when that day comes.

Thanks again

As Rambo mentioned, they take a while to adjust the first time with each trailer. The head angle determines how many links will be in play on the types with chains. My next one will be the friction style with no chains.

 

[Todd727]

$5, run it through a scale and see what you are actually dealing with. I guess, it's going to be $10 to do it right, since you should go through loaded and empty.

 

[JPRambo]

The first one I have has chains. The second one I have has friction bars. Now, the one with chains has sway control. It makes a world of difference. Even if the weight is not an issue, the wind created by a passing vehicle is a problem. The fiction type WD hitch or the sway control added to WD with chains helps eliminate the trailer side movement behind the tow vehicle.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just looked at my Chevy 1500 truck hitch and it says 600 tongue weight and 5000 GTW without a WD hitch. I have loaded it more than that in GTW and it pulls fine. I have no problem with tongue weight when loading my tractors due to the 20 ft trailer length. My question is why would the GTW go up to 10500 with WD when it plugs directly into the same hitch mounting. It looks like the weight would still be pulling on the same bolted connections on the truck. Is it because of the tongue weight (10% of load basis) that increases the towing capacity. I figured that the gross weight of my Yanmar 4220 with FEL, loaded tires, and 6 foot Bush hog was around 6500 and it pulled fine even though I had to repositioned it after loading to take some of the tongue weight off. I just adjusted it by watching the squat of the rear bumper so not idea of actual tongue weight. I pulled it 250 miles with not a problem, no sway etc.. I am wondering if I really need a WD hitch for my B26 tow(4000 lb. tractor and 1900 on trailer wt.) . Perhaps if I have to haul my P7010, I would need something then as it would be maxing out the tow capacity of the truck.

 

[bcp]

The weak point is not the hitch mount in your case. It may be rear axle capacity.

I forget what truck it was I looked at long ago, but rear axle rating would be exceeded if you filled the seats with adults, towed a large trailer, and carried more than feathers in the bed.

Bruce

 

[s219]

My question is why would the GTW go up to 10500 with WD when it plugs directly into the same hitch mounting. It looks like the weight would still be pulling on the same bolted connections on the truck.

Read back over the last few posts -- the WD hitch distributes load back onto the front axle for more stability and more even weight distribution. That's where the benefit is. So that tells you that your truck limitation is either due to rear axle loading, or general stability/control. Not the hitch itself.

 

[jejeosborne]

I just looked at my Chevy 1500 truck hitch and it says 600 tongue weight and 5000 GTW without a WD hitch. I have loaded it more than that in GTW and it pulls fine. I have no problem with tongue weight when loading my tractors due to the 20 ft trailer length. My question is why would the GTW go up to 10500 with WD when it plugs directly into the same hitch mounting. It looks like the weight would still be pulling on the same bolted connections on the truck. Is it because of the tongue weight (10% of load basis) that increases the towing capacity. I figured that the gross weight of my Yanmar 4220 with FEL, loaded tires, and 6 foot Bush hog was around 6500 and it pulled fine even though I had to repositioned it after loading to take some of the tongue weight off. I just adjusted it by watching the squat of the rear bumper so not idea of actual tongue weight. I pulled it 250 miles with not a problem, no sway etc.. I am wondering if I really need a WD hitch for my B26 tow(4000 lb. tractor and 1900 on trailer wt.) . Perhaps if I have to haul my P7010, I would need something then as it would be maxing out the tow capacity of the truck.

Without a weight distribution hitch, all the weight is being carried by the rear mounting bolts from the receiver through the frame. The forward mounting bolts are actually doing nothing as the receiver hitch is actually being pressed up to the frame rail. The pivot point is the rear most bolts.

With a WD hitch, the spring bars are torquing the receiver in the opposite direction and putting tension on the forward bolts as well. I would think the frame is stronger in the middle of the truck vs the very end as well.

This is just my assumption but seems logical.
Jeff