Matching a trailer to my load/truck, current setup isn't cutting it????

[joshuabardwell]

Based on my towing experience, I have to say that I've never felt like I really need one, even now knowing a little more about them. I suppose I should have one however, and would probably notice a big difference. It's probably one of those things that you never knew you needed until you used it, sort of like a grapple. (just not to THAT extent)

Jejeosborne's point about transferring the weight from the rear bolts only to the other bolts holding the receiver on is key. If you don't fully understand that, stop and think it through until you do (it took me a time or two until it clicked, but maybe you are quicker on the uptake than me). Yes, a WD system makes your truck ride better. Yes, it takes weight off your rear axle and transfers it to the front axle, thereby helping keep your rear axle below its GAWR. Yes, it helps prevent the trailer from diving under braking. All of that is wonderful. But the single most important thing it does is it keeps ALL of your trailer's weight from being borne by just a few bolts. In other words, it keeps your receiver from (maybe) falling off because those bolts have been running at 2x or 4x or more of their rated load for thousands of miles and they finally gave up the ghost. This is key because you won't notice or feel anything wrong until the moment those bolts let go, which leads people to a false sense of security. The truck drives okay, sure it sags a little, but it's fine. And away they go. And some people do it their entire life with no problem, but others, their hitch falls off the back of the truck going down the highway. Whoops.

 

[Xfaxman]

The key to understanding how they work is the spring bars are raising the back of the Tow Vehicle by twisting the receiver hitch, raising the rear of the truck, which adds weight to the rear axles of the trailer and the front axle of truck.


Types of hitches:

 

[Piston]

The key to understanding how they work is the spring bars are raising the back of the Tow Vehicle by twisting the receiver hitch, raising the rear of the truck, which adds weight to the rear axles of the trailer and the front axle of truck.
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Types of hitches: <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=327578"/>

Thank you, I do understand it now and appreciate your efforts to explain it. I can see how a WD hitch would do nothing but help in my situation.

Okay so I'll need a heavier hitch setup, a WD hitch, and a 26'-28' 16k deck over flat deck trailer with 8' slide in ramps. Sounds easy enough! Just need the money now!

 

[joshuabardwell]

For perspective, here is a link to receiver hitches for your truck (1999 F350), with gross weight rating of 17k. Note that they have a 2" opening, so you will be able to use the more common size of ball mounts and accessories. They run about $280 plus shipping. One doesn't even require drilling!

Rating: Class V
Maximum gross trailer weight: 17,000 lbs
Maximum GTW when used with weight distribution: 17,000 lbs
Maximum tongue weight: 2,550 lbs
Maximum TW when used with weight distribution: 2,550 lbs

The specs appear to indicate that the max tow rating is achievable without a WD system--note that the specs are the same with or without WD. As tempting as it might be to forego the cost and complexity of a WD system, when towing as heavy as this from your bumper, IMO, WD is highly desirable. Also, bear in mind that other components of your truck, like the GCWR or the GAWR, may limit your overall capacity, even after upgrading the hitch. With an F350, this probably isn't an issue, but it pays to be sure. Your brakes and transmission won't suddenly get more powerful just because you put a bigger hitch on the truck.

Since you are leaning towards a deckover, this may not be an issue, but with low-running trailers, you can get a situation where the torsion bars or the WD "head" actually scrape on the ground in certain circumstances, because they stick out so much further below the ball than regular ball mounts. I had to do a spring-over-axle conversion on my utility trailer to get the WD "head" and spring bars high enough that they don't scrape any more. Even still, I have a shank with something like 8" of drop to level out the trailer with the truck, which rides pretty high.

EDIT: Another nice thing about that hitch is that its tongue weight rating is 15% of the tow rating, whereas 10% is much more common. Gives you a little latitude to load the trailer a smidge tongue-heavy when towing near max weight.

 

[powerstroke444e]

Couple of things I have noticed,
1. Pulling the loads you are looking at I would us a pintle hitch much easier to hook up and stronger. Also it would allow more movement offroad.
2. No way in would I pull a triple single equipment trailer. The may work fine on open road but in town or on farm just to hard on tires and rims. Yes I had one and yes I broke rims and rolled tires off.
3. Find a buddy with a gooseneck trailer and go for a ride with it loaded it will change your mind on goosenecks.
Just my thoughts everyone has likes and dislikes thus the reason for so many different trailers being made.
Fyi you said you may go to a topper on next truck? If your doing this for a second job get a service truck to work out of.

 

[Ken45101]

Does anyone have experience with a weight distributing hitch off road on farm land?

My use was on a RV pulling a horse trailer.

Where we used to live, the hay field had terraces big enough that the trailer would drag the ground.

A WD hitch will not affect dragging the ground IF the trailer and truck are already level. It will raise the front of the trailer and lower the rear end to make it level, however.

I agree a longer tri axel is the way to go. With the long loads hes hauling it makes keeping the axel weights much more manageable.

Your comment about the CDL may be a little off the mark, anytime the trailer by itself is 10,001 or greater the 26,000 gvw is no longer valid.

That totally depends on individual state law. Our horse camper is 13K GVW but I have no restrictions towing it. My equipment trailer is 14K but I don't need a CDL in Ohio. Of course, since the OP is hauling commercially (getting paid), he might require a CDL already.

I don't know exactly what truck and hitch you have (year, make, model, configuration, etc...) but I would bet if you look in the fine print, you will find that the 10k rating of your current hitch assumes that you are using a WD system, and there is a lower number that comes into play if you are not using a WD system. I'm not sure how manufacturers can get away with not putting this critical information front and center, but I've seen this happen more than once. The owner's manual says that the vehicle comes with a 10k tow rating, and then somewhere else in small print, it mentions that, oh, by the way, if you're not using a WD system, it's only 5k.

It's right on my hitch on my Chevy, and in the owner's manual too.

Is the WD hitch more for a better ride, and safer towing, or is it more so the weight of the trailer doesn't physically damage the hitch itself? As mentioned earlier, I've never been driving the truck and towing and felt any sort of ill effects such as too much tongue weight, too little, or anything like that. The rear end has never sagged any more than level. I have even stiffer springs in the rear than it came with stock, and had an airbag setup but removed it because I never once needed it. I've loaded the back up with just over 3k lbs of concrete and it didn't even sag....


If the WD hitch is for the hitch integrity, then i may be slightly worried about it, but if it's for a better ride, I can't say I've ever felt that I don't have a good ride already. Although, I have certainly noticed differences, and heavy loads of course, but I have never felt unsafe towing, like I have in lesser trucks/setups.

If I go with a larger bumper pull, I do plan on upgrading my hitch and going with a WD hitch, but only because I've read that I "should" on this website, I don't actually understand how they work and why I "need" one?

A WD hitch allows you to put the recommended 15% on the hitch without overloading the truck rear axle and without the truck front end getting light (poor steering.) Yes, you can balance the trailer to minimize the load on the truck without a WD hitch, but then things can get weird when the trailer suddenly starts wagging the truck.

However, you still need to watch your axle weights. I know my C3500 diesel is very close to the front axle limit even when it's empty. Those big diesels are heavy!

It has been mentioned to check the hitch for rust. Also check the frame that the hitch is attached to. A friend had his rusted frame fail, dropping the hitch to the ground! Fortunately he was going slowly, downhill, on a back road and was able to immediately stop safely. Another mile and he would have been going up a steep grade on a main highway..... (I don't really like attaching the safety chains to the hitch for this reason!)

Ken

 

[Duffster]

Your comment about the CDL may be a little off the mark, anytime the trailer by itself is 10,001 or greater the 26,000 gvw is no longer valid.

Not true. The only place a 10k trailer needs a CDL by itself is CA. Otherwise if the combined GVWR is under 26k it doesn't matter if the GVWR of the trailer is over or under 10k.

 

[paulharvey]

Not true. The only place a 10k trailer needs a CDL by itself is CA. Otherwise if the combined GVWR is under 26k it doesn't matter if the GVWR of the trailer is over or under 10k.

My understand is that in Florida, any trailer of 10,001 lbs requires a CDL-A, any straight truck over 26,001 lbs requires a CDL-B. Don't get me wrong, they don't actually check every body pulling a bobcat with a pick up by any means.

 

[Duffster]

My understand is that in Florida, any trailer of 10,001 lbs requires a CDL-A

Your understanding is incorrect.

 

[Piston]

For perspective, here is a link to receiver hitches for your truck (1999 F350), with gross weight rating of 17k. Note that they have a 2" opening, so you will be able to use the more common size of ball mounts and accessories. They run about $280 plus shipping. One doesn't even require drilling!

Thanks for the link and info, that seems cheap and easy enough! Any recommendations on a WD hitch?