Question, towing without WDH?

[northstar1960]

It really depends on the Truck and trailer combo . enough truck and small TT no issues that closer you get to maxing the truck out the more need for a wdh . i do wonder one thing . lets say you have a 1/2 with a tow capacity of say 10,000 lbs you have a tt that weighs right at 10,000 lbs so you have a tw of 1000 . now you install a wdh that transfers 180lbs to the front wheels of the truck and 180 to the tt wheels that leaves you with a TW weight of only 640 which will then induce sway because you are now to lite on the TW. so up the TW 1500lbs take away the weight transferred by the WDH and it leaves you 1140 closer to where you should be min > so it seems if you use a wdh you need to have a min 15% TW before hooking up the wdh are you could end up with a rig that is prone to sway. just wondering

[Cowracer]

Simple rule of thumb:


If you have just enough steering authority to be able to choose what you crash into, you probably needed a WDH.


Tim

[timfromma]

The one and only only time I have ever connected my truck to my TT without a WDH was just to re-position it by a couple of feet. I was surprised just how much the tail end of my truck squatted.

[cdog7201]

I have a Jeep Liberty that has a gvwr of 5600lbs.I used to pull a popup that weighed 2000lbs dry. It would sway at any speed over 65mph.I just bought a light weight trailer and I told the dealer I wanted a WDH or no sale He said ok but I don't know why you don't need it it has electric brakes. sound familiar well I sure am glad I got the WDH I can pull that trailer down the road and it doesn't sway at all not even in heavy winds head on or from the side I will say semis will push me over a little when they pass me when they are doing 75 or 80 mph and I will not tow faster then 65mph Some states have a law against towing a TT over 65mph any way but I have accidently had mine over 70 before I noticed it and it towed great ,But you have to have the hitch installed right also.GET the WDH and stay safe ok.

[jlgail4309]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwOqARlw1EI

no sway control or weight transfer !!

[Charles Firth]

The drivers who pickup and transport new trailers never use a WDH, I see them on the highway frequently , they are usually 1 ton trucks, and believe me they waste no time getting down the road. I am sure some tow great distances to deliver to the dealer. They look like they tow fine, I would not do it, I need all the help towing and stability I can get and the WDH gives me confidence.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by jlgail4309

no sway control or weight transfer !!

And that looked like a 1 ton dually, too!!!

[rhamilton]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Weight Distributing Hitch

Maybe you are just being funny? (no smiley face?)

I was thinking the same thing. What is a WDH???. Glad I got an answer to my ??? B4 I had to ask it.

[Simplewon]

Originally Posted by Charles Firth

The drivers who pickup and transport new trailers never use a WDH, I see them on the highway frequently , they are usually 1 ton trucks, and believe me they waste no time getting down the road. I am sure some tow great distances to deliver to the dealer. They look like they tow fine, I would not do it, I need all the help towing and stability I can get and the WDH gives me confidence.

X2

[Simplewon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VobqEjFBAbM

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

And that looked like a 1 ton dually, too!!!

[drittal]

https://youtu.be/INyiMA3hfto

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by drittal

https://youtu.be/INyiMA3hfto

He seemed to have quite a lot of weight on the back end of that TT.

[Cowracer]

All you need to know about how weight distribution in the camper affects stability:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fkOVHAC8Q

Tim

[BigLou80]

Originally Posted by drittal

I don't think it's ever safe to tow a 14,000 trailer with a hitch rated for 5000 and a ball rated for 6000!

Been there, done that have a new curt class 5 XD to prove it. I don't need no stinking WDH now

[BigLou80]

Originally Posted by jlgail4309

no sway control or weight transfer !!

I'm not exactly sure what happened there but I seriously doubt that a WDH would have made a bit of difference. The truck was plenty big enough and the speed they were traveling were way to slow. My guess is the coupler came undone and/or loss of a tire or trailer braking causing the trailer to jackknife when he hit the brakes. Sway that will cause that alone comes from a majorly rear loaded trailer at high speeds causing a pendulum effect. That trailer is only listing to one side in the video

[asquared]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

All you need to know about how weight distribution in the camper affects stability:

Tim

Good video.

[hiinthesky]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

If you're pulling that Grey Wolf with your F350, you probably don't need one, but if you're using your F150, you really should have one.

Yes, I do use a WDH. Just learning all the initialisms/acronyms. LOL...

[yetavon]

Originally Posted by BigLou80

I'm not exactly sure what happened there but I seriously doubt that a WDH would have made a bit of difference. The truck was plenty big enough and the speed they were traveling were way to slow. My guess is the coupler came undone and/or loss of a tire or trailer braking causing the trailer to jackknife when he hit the brakes. Sway that will cause that alone comes from a majorly rear loaded trailer at high speeds causing a pendulum effect. That trailer is only listing to one side in the video

Nope....the wind blew it over..... A WDH with Dual cam sway MAY have help...just a very little. My grandparents had the same thing happen with an Airstream on a Cadillac....As they topped a hill coming out from behind a patch of trees blocking the wind and boom over it went....and they had a WDH on.