To use my weight distribution hitch or not?

[jejeosborne]

i *doubt* i ever said that, because i have never owned an f250. the only ford i have ever owned is an f-super duty (old f450)

i believe that a heavy enough, properly proportioned truck does not need a wd hitch. half tons with huge campers do. thats all im saying. if someone feels good putting one on, then by all means, have at it.

i am quite informed on proper towing procedures. as a truck driver, i have over 700kmi under me, towing a lowboy with some big stuff on it; cranes, 988s, d8s and d9s, 100ft long beams, 18ft wide blacktop silos, etc. i suggest you not jump to conclusions on who knows what about towing

I apologize. I misquoted you. You were quoting what someone else had mentioned.

Point being, I feel that they are necessary even with 3/4 and some one ton trucks. You if anybody should want to keep the streets and highways safe.

To be clear, what size truck would you consider "properly proportioned" to tow a flat bed 8000 lb trailer?

 

[timswi]

i *doubt* i ever said that, because i have never owned an f250. the only ford i have ever owned is an f-super duty (old f450)

i believe that a heavy enough, properly proportioned truck does not need a wd hitch. half tons with huge campers do. thats all im saying. if someone feels good putting one on, then by all means, have at it.

i am quite informed on proper towing procedures. as a truck driver, i have over 700kmi under me, towing a lowboy with some big stuff on it; cranes, 988s, d8s and d9s, 100ft long beams, 18ft wide blacktop silos, etc. i suggest you not jump to conclusions on who knows what about towing

You are comparing apples and turnips. Tractor trailer is effectively a 5th wheel with the weight properly positioned over the chassis. A Kenworth is not a multi purpose vehicle. I have never seen a 52' trailer hauled from between the tail lights on a semi...Ergo, not the same thing at all.

A WD hitch is decades old engineering that allows a bumper bull where a 5th wheel/GN doesn't cut it. I need the bed of my truck and my WD covers that nicely.

Call it Band-Aid if you want...I call it engineering.

If you knew as much as you state you would know that a WD hitch has NOTHING to do with sway, hence the name. I have a sway control on mine but's nothing more than an adjustable brake pad between the trailer and the hitch..Nothing more...in fact, my truck has computer fire power built in that applies the trailer brakes when needed to correct sway....More engineering or band-aids I guess.

 

[PhilY]

I've always thought of WD hitches like someone who is lifting up on the arms of a wheel barrel. The WD hitch helps pull the rear end of the vehicle that it's mounted to up. There's no need for a WD hitch unless your back end is squatting too much.

 

[jejeosborne]

There's no need for a WD hitch unless your back end is squatting too much.

False

 

[timswi]

False

Agreed..Prevents bounce in my experience..I don't want a 30 pack in my rear springs unloaded given that my truck isn't purposed based like a tri-axle or a semi...Some of the guys I camp with have DRW diesel P/U's and they use WD's..If it didn't work, why would they bother?...That's why most semi drivers would rather drive loaded than unloaded...I have semi drivers in my family, that's how I can state that.

 

[jejeosborne]

Agreed..Prevents bounce in my experience..I don't want a 30 pack in my rear springs unloaded given that my truck isn't purposed based like a tri-axle or a semi...Some of the guys I camp with have DRW diesel P/U's and they use WD's..If it didn't work, why would they bother?...That's why most semi drivers would rather drive loaded than unloaded...I have semi drivers in my family, that's how I can state that.

This goes along the line of using airbags rather than a WD setup. If one wants to use the term "band aide", it would more appropriate here. Airbags have a purpose for leveling a loaded truck and improving it's ride with a heavy payload. WD is used to apply tongue weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle which improves handling and braking. It counters the leverage behind the axle.

I am trying to figure out the lack of respect and prejudice for WD hitches.

 

[xtn]

zilch,

I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and guess that what you mean to say is that a WD hitch CAN be used as a bandaid for improper loading. And that perhaps there are plenty of people out there using as such.

And that you just haven't considered those conditions under which the intended purpose of a WD hitch may be legitimately beneficial. Such as a vehicle with a tongue weight capacity not reasonably sufficient to cover its towing capacity. Or a trailer that has, for packaging reasons or whatever, a tongue weight more than its total weight might suggest. Like those big campers pulled by vehicles having the tow rating but not the springs for the heavy tongues that you mentioned.

Okay, you can call them bandaids. In the sense that they are a legitimate fix to a problem. I pulled a 7000 pound enclosed camper once with my F250. Well under the capacity of the truck. But the trailer was pretty long, the axles were pretty far back, and without a car in the back it had over a third of that weight sitting on the tongue. Yes, a perfectly reasonable time for a bandaid.

 

[timswi]

zilch,

I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and guess that what you mean to say is that a WD hitch CAN be used as a bandaid for improper loading. And that perhaps there are plenty of people out there using as such.

And that you just haven't considered those conditions under which the intended purpose of a WD hitch may be legitimately beneficial. Such as a vehicle with a tongue weight capacity not reasonably sufficient to cover its towing capacity. Or a trailer that has, for packaging reasons or whatever, a tongue weight more than its total weight might suggest. Like those big campers pulled by vehicles having the tow rating but not the springs for the heavy tongues that you mentioned.

Okay, you can call them bandaids. In the sense that they are a legitimate fix to a problem. I pulled a 7000 pound enclosed camper once with my F250. Well under the capacity of the truck. But the trailer was pretty long, the axles were pretty far back, and without a car in the back it had over a third of that weight sitting on the tongue. Yes, a perfectly reasonable time for a bandaid.

Engineering, not a Band-Aid..Semi's are engineered to pull what they do. So are WD hitches....This whole argument has gotten kinda silly...

 

[timswi]

This goes along the line of using airbags rather than a WD setup. If one wants to use the term "band aide", it would more appropriate here. Airbags have a purpose for leveling a loaded truck and improving it's ride with a heavy payload. WD is used to apply tongue weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle which improves handling and braking. It counters the leverage behind the axle.

I am trying to figure out the lack of respect and prejudice for WD hitches.

Agreed..Semi guy vs the rest of us...Most of the sway issues I've experienced have come from semi drivers blowing past me at 80+mph...Not wind..They should watch the fight they pick.

 

[wolfpack2]

WD hitches are not just for leveling the tow vehicle and transferring weight. They also change how the weight is carried by the hitch. If you review the SAE load cases for hitch design, you will learn a lot about why they are required by most hitch manufactures for the max trailer weight. As stated before, it is engineering, not a band aid.

Now for the OP. If you are under the limits, you don't need it. It may help with ride quality, but it is not needed. If you want to hedge your bets, use the hitch head and leave the spring bars in the truck. If you don't like the ride, try installing the springs and see if it helps.

Be careful not to unload the rear axle if you are using them on a light or empty trailers. This can cause some serious handling issues.