Towing

[NH55]

Does anyone use weight distributing hitches or sway control when towing your tractor ? I pull my 55DA on a cam superline equipment trailer with a pintle hitch. My tow vehicle is a Ford F350 diesel long bed dually. I have seen lots of people towing travel trailers etc with this setup but have not heard much about equipment trailers. I pull my mine 250 miles between CT and NH each time I use it. I have never had a problem but figured I would ask the experts if this is a good investment or a waste of money.

Thanks in advance

 

[Defective]

I don't use one on either of my equipment trailers for the simple reason that I haven't found one rated high enough. I did use one for my last bumper pull camper and truly appreciated the difference.

What does your tractor / trailer combo weigh? Highest rating I've been able to find is good for 14,000 pounds.

Draw-tight Titan

Also, as far as I know, they'll only work with a ball hitch setup and this may be part of the limiting factor.

 

[LeadPoison]

On heavy loads I always toss the equalizers on and sway control. It really does make a big difference on loads over 7 or 8 thousand pounds.

 

[NH55]

The combined weight is just under 12K. Has anyone seen these for a pintle hitch ?

 

[George2615]

I have never seen a weight dist. hitch for use with a pintle hook. Usually requires a ball mount. I think there is too much free play using a pintle to get the proper tension with a WD hitch. I have used a WD hitch while towing my tractor. Only problem I have is I have to release the tension before I load or unload since I have a tilt bed trailer. Trying to tilt with tension bars snugged up would only increase the strain at the hitch.

 

[Bird]

I've never seen or heard of one for a pintle hitch.

 

[BarryinMN]

I have a 2" receiver pintle that is good for 15 tons but the rest of the 1/2 ton truck is not. I have another pintle + 2 5/16 ball combination on the back of a dump truck that I believe is good for 14K ball & some tonnage pintle that I use to pull a 12K bobcat trailer. I think 14K is the max rating for ball hardware. A trailer dealer said the rules were tightened (maybe clarified /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) back in Jan. I was looking at a heavier 14K bumper pull & he said I was ok but at the limit.

I drag around 4K lb wood chipper with a pintle and it is a much looser connection.

Might have to swap out the hardware for WD capability, just be sure to get the appropriate weight ratings on individual parts.

 

[NH55]

The trailer manufacturer thought I would be wasting my money but I am going to swap out the pintle and go to a ball hitch with weight distribution and sway control. Its about $800 total.

It never really dawned on me that this might be an issue but I'll probably feel better knowing its all back there. My previous truck pulled the trailer like it was not even there and the new truck is bigger and a dually so I suspect it will be even better.

May be a waste of money but it'll give me some piece of mind and hopefully I will never find out what its there to prevent.

Thanks for the good feedback.

 

[KentT]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It never really dawned on me that this might be an issue but I'll probably feel better knowing its all back there. My previous truck pulled the trailer like it was not even there and the new truck is bigger and a dually so I suspect it will be even better.

May be a waste of money but it'll give me some piece of mind and hopefully I will never find out what its there to prevent.

Thanks for the good feedback. )</font>

I think you'll be pleased with the stability that the weight-distributing hitch provides, even if you never have to take full advantage of it...

 

[Highbeam]

Yahoo, here's my 10,000 lb rated setup. I notice much better handling, steering, braking, and stability with the WD hitch setup.