New tow vehicle, WDH needed?

[rp53]

well my 2 cents, i had a 2017 colorado same as yours for towing capacity. towing 3900+ you need a WDH. not only to put some weight back on the front of the truck but to help with poporsing and sway. we got the anderson hitch, yes they are a little pricey but well worth it.

[rsdata]

The job of a WDH is not to stop porpoising it is to make towing safer.

I agree that JOB#1 is to transfer weight, but the practical outcome is that by doing that you also reduce porpoising. At least that is how it works out for me...

[cmac7203]

Originally Posted by rsdata

If you feel that the trailer porposes when hitting road joints, or your headlights go up in the air when hitting bumps then you NEED the WDH... even if that does not happen then I would use one anyway. I purposely load my travel trailer tongue heavy at 15-16% of total weight which virtually eliminates any sway for any reason. Because of this I use the WDH to help eliminate porpoising on un-even concrete slab interstate roads.



Even though the HFreight has 1000# bars, you do not have to crank them up to the last link in the chain to get a good ride as someone suggested would be a problem.

X2. Don’t need ‘em on my Ram 2500 but I use it because it makes ride more comfortable.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by cmac7203

X2. Don’t need ‘em on my Ram 2500 but I use it because it makes ride more comfortable.

X3...

I supposedly didn't need the WDH when I switched from a 1500 to a 2500HD...

But I used it anywayz...and I still could tell the difference!

[SlverFx]

Originally Posted by AE0MT

Thanks in advance everyone.
Wife and I bought a Wolf Pup 16BH last August, and quickly installed a Harbor Freight WDH setup onto our 2019 Edge with tow package.
The trailer really was a bit too much for our lovely little Edge, so this December we also got a 2019 Colorado Z71.
Trailer has a 3900 GVWR, and I feel much better about towing that with the Colorado’s 7,000lb tow rating than our Edge’s 3,500lb rating.
Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS - Wolf Pup Travel Trailers Travel Trailers / Toy Haulers by Forest River RV for reference.

My question is, should we be using the WDH on the Colorado, or is it really not necessary?
Thanks again.

It is not necessary but I would not drive your setup without a WDH and sway bar. I certainly don’t need a WDH but I still use one when towing my cargo trailer or flatbed at 7,000 lbs each. An added benefit not mentioned in previous replies is removing bounce when going over uneven roads, which helps with stability.

[AbdRahim]

I would not drive without it.

[dsmiths]

I tow a 2018 Palomino Real Lite 181 it is 3050 lbs empty. I pull it with a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado with the V 6 engine. I use a simple friction anti sway and cannot tell it is back there, no sway, no tucking when a semi goes by. We camp close to home ( under 100 mile trips ) for me a WDH is a waste of Money and is no more than extra weight to haul around. Others may have a different situation.

[hack522]

The only time I do NOT use my wdh is taking in for service. Only 5 miles from home and no highway.

Best investment for control I made.

[JohnD10]

I tow a 2018 Palomino Real Lite 181 it is 3050 lbs empty. I pull it with a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado with the V 6 engine. I use a simple friction anti sway and cannot tell it is back there, no sway, no tucking when a semi goes by. We camp close to home ( under 100 mile trips ) for me a WDH is a waste of Money and is no more than extra weight to haul around.

Doesn't matter how far from home you camp.

A lot can happen in 100 miles...

And how often do any of us tow "empty"?

[timfromma]

I don't care if Im going across town or across the country, I pack the same exact way. If the TT is connected to the truck for any reason, I use the WDH.

[JohnD10]

I saw this at the local Walmart last night...

Even had a WDH and the truck was squatting all the way down to the stops.

[rp53]

Accident waiting to happen

[67L48]

So most modern WDH actually do two things. First the distribute the weight evenly (or more evenly) between the two axles of your TV. That's the literal definition of WDH. This is particularly helpful for heavy tongue weights or tongue weights on vehicles not really designed for towing ... such as most V6 rigs, mid-size trucks, mid-size SUVs, etc.

The second thing that most modern WDH do is to provide some kind of sway control. This function isn't obvious by the name.

I used to tow my 3,500 lb Popup trailer with my V8 Ford Explorer. From a weight distribution perspective, no issues. The suspension handled the load just fine and my balance wasn't too far out of whack. However, the shorter wheel base made it more prone to sway. There were a few times at freeway speeds that I could feel it back there. I didn't like that. No such issues with my F150 ... longer, heavier, stiffer.

If you're not on a pretty stout towing platform (at least a light duty full-size truck or an SUV built off that platform), then I'd recommend a WDH for the sway control alone. Even if you don't really need to redistribute the weight very much, the sway control will be worth the time and money to get one.

Good luck.

[Indy500]

I have a fastway e2 for sale 10000 lbs

[JohnD10]

Got a better shot this morning...

[rp53]

Hope he never has to stop quickly, for the life of me I can't understand why people do stuff like that

[rmillermtsu]

Originally Posted by rp53

well my 2 cents, i had a 2017 colorado same as yours for towing capacity. towing 3900+ you need a WDH. not only to put some weight back on the front of the truck but to help with poporsing and sway. we got the anderson hitch, yes they are a little pricey but well worth it.

We purchased the Andersen. Light and so easy to set up, connect, and disconnect. Andersen customer service is also 2nd to none. When I upgraded tow vehicles I needed a different length drop time. They sent me a new one free of charge. When I asked if I needed to send the other one back to them, they replied, “That won’t be necessary. You might decide to upgrade trucks again and need it.” I loved the performance of that hitch. Good luck - Rick